Mike Waltz must end the war in Ukraine

Donald Trump is expected to choose Mike Waltz as his new national security adviser. The man is a supporter of a hard line towards the United States’ main rivals. This will have consequences for Ukraine, Europe and the rest of the world.

Bastian Brauns / t-online

Mike Waltz. A name that we should hear often in Washington, in Beijing, in Berlin, but especially in Moscow and kyiv. This US congressman from Florida is expected to become Donald Trump’s second term national security advisor. He will thus occupy one of the most important positions in the White House, one that can tip the scales between war and peace.

By banking on Mike Waltz, Trump chose a Republican known for his firmness on foreign policy. For many years, this former soldier has built a reputation as a tough guy on security issues. This choice may be surprising at first glance. Waltz has in fact always been committed to a global presence of the United States in Congress. But the electoral campaign of Trump and his political agenda are the opposite of interventionism and are rather deeply marked with the seal of isolationism.

You have to take a closer look to understand. Trump wants to avoid involving his country in a new war. On the other hand, he wishes to consolidate the position of strength of the United States. The future president has often said that the Biden administration was too soft to keep Vladimir Putin at bay.

With the choice of Mike Waltz, Trump clearly wants to implement his vision of a militarily very powerful America applying very tough diplomacy. For Ukraine, this is not necessarily bad news. The future should soon tell us if it is a good one.

Mike Waltz, a soldier at heart

In his new costume, Mike Waltz will take over the heavy legacy of Jake Sullivan, close to Biden. From the failure of the withdrawal from Afghanistan decided by Trump to the war in the Middle East to that in Ukraine, the latter was already on a permanent mission to contain the fires across the world. For Trump, Waltz must put an end to these two conflicts as quickly as possible. He will also have to quickly work to curb the growing threat from China.

Michael “Mike” Waltz, 50, was born and raised in Florida. He is married to Julia Nesheiwat, who also worked for national security. She held various positions under George W. Bush and Barack Obama. During Donald Trump’s first presidency, she worked as an advisor to the Department of Homeland Security. The couple have a daughter. Waltz also has two children from a previous relationship.

He spent much of his life serving in the military, special forces and the National Guard. He has received numerous awards for his 21 years of service.. During his missions, the officer was sent to conflict zones around the world, including Afghanistan. After retiring as a lieutenant colonel, he entered politics and has served in the House of Representatives since 2018. He brought his military perspective to it: he became known for his focus on defense issues and his harsh criticism of what he saw as his country’s weaknesses.

He warned against Putin

With him, Trump definitely did not choose a friend of Putin. During the war in Syria, Mike Waltz had already strongly criticized Moscow’s support for President Bashar al-Assad. Mike Waltz called for a continued American presence in Syria to provide balance against Russian and Iranian influence. And to prevent extremist groups from reestablishing themselves in the region.

On the day of the invasion of Ukraine, February 24, 2022, the future advisor wrote: “Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine violates international norms and poses a direct threat to our Western values.”

He also clearly criticized Joe Biden:

In his eyes, Biden and his allies should have imposed preemptive sanctions against Russia before the invasion of Ukraine.

Waltz must end the war for Trump

So how will the experienced fifty-year-old go about putting an end to the conflict after taking office?

One day before the presidential elections on November 5, Mike Waltz expressed his intentions in an interview with American radio NPR:

Waltz also wants to drastically strengthen sanctions against Russia in the energy sector. kyiv should in principle be happy about this. But the strategist also said:

This statement may mean that the Ukrainian president would eventually have to cede territories or even resign.

Donald Trump clearly wants to end the war in Ukraine as quickly as possible. Not only because he promised it during the campaign, but also because many of his security advisers need to focus on China, the real rival. And the communist government of Beijing also remains the real special mission for which Mike Waltz seems to be cut out. as a White House aide.

China in focus

Waltz has always been convinced of the non-negotiable role of world leader occupied by the United States. This is why he systematically insists on stronger military and economic countermeasures, not only against Russia, but also and especially against China. Because it is precisely this and what he calls “the harmful influence of the Chinese Communist Party” which constitute his main concern.

Mike Waltz calls for greater economic decoupling from Beijing, as well as military preparations to face possible aggression against Taiwan. This approach should also pose a challenge for Europe. The next foreign minister, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, shares this vision. He is also considered a hard-liner on China and Iran.

The two Republicans spoke out, like Elbridge Colby, former secretary of defense, in favor of an increase in spending in this area and especially a reorganization of military resources in order to strengthen the American position in the Indo-Pacific region (to find the interview with Elbridge Colby, click here).

Waltz’s views serve the MAGA leader’s “America First”, particularly with regard to the demand that allies in Europe pay their “fair share”, that is to say their fair share in the alliance of NATO defense.

A loyal national security

Mike Waltz owes his new, very prestigious position to his loyalty. He has always supported the positions of Donald Trump, in particular his demand to end “wars that are getting bogged down”, for example in Afghanistan.

Trump appears to particularly value Waltz’s foreign policy positions and his long and extensive military experience. As well as his practical knowledge of international conflicts and his personal commitment to national defense. Symmetrically, Waltz likely sees Trump as a high-ranking commander willing to challenge political norms in order to stand more forcefully against America’s enemies.

French adaptation: Valentine Zenker