Many see Donald Trump’s return to the White House as historic. But is that truly the case, and what impact could Trump’s return have on the global political scene? These are just some of the questions being asked around the world. Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) to Belgium, Erol Avdovic, provided answers to these significant questions in an interview.
Avdovic stated that Trump’s victory was indeed a historic event.
“This is due to the four-year break between consecutive presidencies. And if you look at it philosophically, it’s historic because Americans, and the entire global order, are entering a new phase. The famed ‘end of history’ didn’t happen as predicted in Francis Fukuyama’s influential book after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Americans celebrated that with a bit of triumphalism, and now Trump is the president of a new United States (U.S.), one that no longer operates in a unipolar system but rather a multipolar one with multiple players,” he explained.
When asked what might happen if Trump were to seek peace in Ukraine at any cost, which could heavily favor Russia, and how the Kremlin might interpret this – whether as weakness or as an abandonment of Ukraine as part of Western interests – Avdovic replied: “I doubt that would be seen as a weakness of Trump, or especially of the U.S. The U.S. has tools and a geostrategy in the region. However, a leader is a leader. The head of the White House makes the ultimate decisions on U.S. foreign policy, alongside other institutions. So, it would be more of what Trump hinted at and a chance for direct dialogue with Putin, with the Kremlin, but, again, at Ukraine’s expense to a degree that doesn’t undermine U.S. interests. Of course, Trump would face considerable opposition here, even open confrontation. Reconciling what Europe has said and the differing stances within Europe and the U.S. on Ukraine and the war there would be tough. We could see political and diplomatic disagreements arise. I doubt that the Kremlin, broadly speaking, would see it as a weakness of the U.S., but rather would look for escalation opportunities. They aim to halt the war without the U.S. losing any strategic interests it values.”
Avdovic also expressed his belief that the Western Balkans won’t be Russia’s first prey after Ukraine. “To be frank – this cannot be allowed, regardless of the prior administration’s flawed policy of appeasement, which set Serbia apart as the primary stabilizing force among the Western Balkan states. That’s not true, and it can’t be allowed. There will be strong opposition, and while Russian presence is indeed real, a strategy viewing the Western Balkans as prey would not be permitted. Whether there will be shifts favoring one influence over another, I think it’s possible, though uncertain. But in any case, the Western Balkans cannot be the prey of any post-victory Russian policy led by Putin, potentially endorsed by Trump’s White House, to end the Ukraine conflict,” he concluded.
Photo: Fena news agency
