In a surprising collaboration, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Donald Trump Jr. are urging the Biden administration to engage in “direct” talks with Moscow to resolve the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, citing fears of a nuclear escalation.
Kennedy, who recently suspended his independent presidential campaign after endorsing Trump, criticized President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken over their approach to the situation, particularly after a New York Times report indicated the U.S. might allow Ukraine to strike Russian targets with Western weapons.
In an opinion piece for The Hill, the duo expressed their concerns that facilitating such actions could endanger global safety, stating that it might pose “the world at greater risk of nuclear conflagration than at any time since the Cuban missile crisis.”
They believe that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris should negotiate a settlement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, sadly sidestepping Ukraine’s potential involvement in these negotiations.
Brandon Bell; Alex Wong; Michael M. Santiago
Kennedy and Trump Jr. argue that, instead of escalating the situation, American leaders should be seeking diplomatic solutions. They warned that the current U.S. strategy may provoke Russia, calling it an “act of war.” As they pointed out, the line between U.S. missile strikes in Russia and a full-blown nuclear conflict is alarmingly thin.
They further contend that there are no critical U.S. interests at stake in this war and label fears of a Russian takeover of Europe as “absurd.” They highlight that Putin’s objectives were clear from the start, centering around Ukrainian neutrality and stopping NATO’s encroachment.
“It’s time to de-escalate this conflict,” they asserted. “The implications of nuclear warfare surpass any political skirmishes we may face. If it comes to that, it could mean the end of civilization as we know it.”
Kennedy and Trump Jr. concluded their commentary by highlighting Trump’s commitment to ending the war, stressing the urgency for Biden and Harris to rethink their current approach and initiate dialogue with Moscow.
It’s noteworthy that Russia’s nuclear strategy permits the use of nuclear weapons in response to nuclear attacks or significant threats to its existence. Since the Ukraine invasion began in February 2022, threats of nuclear action from Putin and his inner circle have been frequent, although the actual benefits of such a move remain uncertain, given the likely retaliation.