On September 24, on Veza Public Analytics Center, Valeriy Klochok and economic expert Illia Neshchodovsky discussed Donald Trump’s latest high-profile statement regarding Ukraine. Trump claimed that Ukraine could regain all its territories and even go further, but stressed that the key role should be played by the European Union, not the United States.
Illia Neshchodovsky highlighted that, despite Russia’s critical economic and budget situation, Trump’s statement lacked concrete promises of new sanctions, extra weapons supplies or other US actions. He considers such statements as signals to the world and to Europe, but without practical actions, their impact remains limited.
The discussion also referenced the recent lifting of sanctions against the Belarusian airline Belavia, which could affect Russia’s airlines as well. According to Neshchodovsky, concrete indicators of the impact of such statements would be new sanctions or real restrictions from the US or Europe in the coming weeks.
The participants addressed Europe’s energy dependence on Russia, the issue of oil and gas purchases, and the prospects for secondary sanctions against Russian oil and the so-called “shadow fleet.” Experts emphasized that the EU already has the technical ability to stop buying Russian oil, and accelerating the phase-out of Russian energy would significantly weaken the aggressor’s budget.
The conversation also covered European defense spending, weapons supply to Ukraine, and the overall prospects for strategic victory. According to Neshchodovsky, expanding Ukraine’s own arms production and real steps toward energy independence are much more important than political statements.
In conclusion, the speakers agreed that, despite loud statements, real changes depend on concrete actions by the US and EU, and that Ukraine’s chances of liberating its territories depend more on Russia’s internal weaknesses rather than just external support.
