Trump could apply same hardline approach to Russia as he did to Iran, says analyst

 Vladyslav Faraponov, head of the Institute of American Studies, shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

“The U.S. administration is inching dangerously close to becoming directly involved in the war in the Middle East, but it’s still hesitating, because once that step is taken, there’s no going back. The Trump administration hasn’t crossed that Rubicon yet — not out of concern for short-term consequences, which it hardly seems to weigh, and certainly not due to long-term thinking, which appears absent altogether,” Faraponov said.

“What still drives Trump and his team is the idea of making deals — what deal can still be made to prevent something, to stop something. They’re thinking in terms of transactional opportunities,” he added.

According to Faraponov, while the intensifying Middle East crisis is clearly diverting the U.S. and global focus away from the Russia-Ukraine war, Trump’s posture toward Iran signals a possibility.

“The way Trump is dealing with Iran gives hope, because if he wants to, he can apply that exact same approach to Russia. That’s why I see his stance on Iran as both telling and encouraging,” Faraponov emphasized.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he needed to return to Washington from the G7 summit in Canada "as soon as possible" to deal with the situation in the Middle East.