Those calling for Ukraine to negotiate are looking out for their own interests, says former Trump adviser

Ambassador John Bolton, National Security Advisor to the 45th President of the United States, expressed this opinion in an exclusive interview with Espreso.

When asked what those who call for negotiations with Russia want, Bolton said that they are primarily looking out for their own interests. However, he does not understand how this is possible in the current situation.

"They are looking out for their own interests first and foremost. I think there are people in the European Union who would like to turn the page and return to normal commercial relations with Russia. I do not understand how this is possible," the ambassador emphasized.

He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin has a political strategy that focuses on a stalemate on the battlefield. Thus, according to Bolton, he knows that there are many people in the EU or in the United States who do not care how the conflict ends.

"He knows that there are many people in Germany, France, or the United States who don't really care how the conflict ends and who would be willing to give up Ukrainian territory, whether it's Crimea, Donbas, or something else. Why should they care about someone else's territory at all? They want to return to doing business in Russia," Bolton emphasized.

However, according to the ambassador, it is difficult to do so now because of evidence that China is buying Russian oil and gas, thereby laundering Russian money through the opaque Chinese financial system. He also recalled that the other day French National Security Advisor Emmanuel Bonn said that they believe China is supplying weapons to Russia despite its public statements.

"So it's not really just a war with Russia, it's a war with China, and that's why so many Asian countries - Taiwan, South Korea, Japan - are focused on what's going on in Ukraine," Bolton concluded.

• On July 24, Politico reported that China may be secretly supplying Russia with non-lethal and dual-use equipment for its army, according to customs documents.

• On July 28, it became known that China had strengthened its economic partnership with Russia, which eased the pressure of Western export control sanctions.