Liam O'Dell
37m
Genya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images
US president Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who serves as a peace envoy in the Republican’s administration, has been met with condemnation online, after suggesting a “win-win” approach should be taken when it comes to resolving the war in Ukraine.
Kushner made the remarks following a meeting with fellow envoy Steve Witkoff and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sunday – a day after talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Saturday which lasted three hours.
While Zelensky described the conversation with Kushner and Witkoff as “very substantive”, it was comments made by Kushner which have generated a considerable reaction online.
He said: “So, from President Putin’s perspective, I think he has certain objectives he expresses that he wants to achieve, but obviously there are different aspirations for his country that can also be achieved once this is concluded.
“We’ll continue to have a positive dialogue in order to find a pathway to get there.
“President Trump comes from the business world, which in the business world you think about things in the context of win-win, how do you create opportunities for both sides, to do what’s in their interest.
“War is negative sum – everyone loses from war – whereas business and peace is positive sum and you can find big benefits from that in a big way.”
However, given the whole war was started by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, many have objected to the idea of Russia securing a “win” from the conflict:
MeidasTouch editor-in-chief Ron Filipkowski wrote: “This scumbag thinks it’s a real estate deal. That’s why you don’t put people like this in charge of US foreign policy”:
“These people have no idea where they are and what they’re doing,” tweeted Ukrainian journalist Illia Ponomarenko:
Stanford University professor Michael McFaul commented: “Mr. Kushner, Putin started this war. Speaking in the language of win-win business deals about war and peace means that you are ready to reward military conquest and the slaughter of innocents. Please try using a different metaphor. Thank you”:
“Putin’s most important aspiration is to destroy Ukraine and remove the country from the map,” argued The Atlantic writer Anne Applebaum:
“Zero self awareness. Zero,” wrote Ukrainian political commentator Kate Bohuslavska:
Republican representative Don Bacon asked: “We have a great Secretary of State to do these things right. Where is he?”:
Democratic congressman Ted Lieu said the Trump administration was “showing massive weakness to Putin”:
One account noted Zelensky’s reaction to Kushner’s remarks, writing that he is “obviously fuming”:
And political commentator Jo Carducci said: “Oh good, at least someone in this administration is thinking about what is in PUTIN’S BEST INTERESTS!!! I’m sorry, what the actual f***?!!”:
The Independent reports that Trump is set to hold phone calls with both Putin and Zelensky on Monday.
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