DeSipio said European allies will be crucial in this conversation.
“If – as part of the conversation with Russia – there can be security guarantees, I think Ukraine would be happy to have peace. But they don’t want to have peace imposed upon them,” he noted.
GOLDEN DOME
In terms of defence, Trump also spoke about focusing on “building the most powerful military of the future”.
He asked Congress to fund a state-of-the-start “Golden Dome missile defence shield”, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome short-range air defence system.
DeSipio told CNA’s Asia Now that the public should be seeking more details on this.
“At this point, what Trump is offering is more bluster than substance,” he said, noting that the Defense Department is looking at budget and civilian personnel cuts.
“So it’s not actually clear what Trump is proposing in terms of the military. He has spoken about formal acquisitions (of) Panama, perhaps Greenland as well. He’s talked about some new technologies for the military, but it’s not clear how committed he is to the sort of boots-on-the-ground aspect of the military,” DeSipio added.
“I think this is an area where the American people and the world, for that matter, should be asking Trump for many more specifics.”
