Ukrainian Institute for the Future -

The interview made by the Civil Diplomacy Fund with the UIF expert on international policy Iliya Kusa.

The US continues to put pressure upon Iran. What is America trying to do?

There are several thoughts on this, but it is not known what exactly they want to do. There is such a goal that Donald Trump has set, he often talks about it — to conclude a new nuclear agreement with Iran.

But there is another opinion about what has to be done in Iran. John Bolton’s faction and his advisers seek to change power in Iran by force.

What format can Ukrainian-Russian relations acquire with the election of the new President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky?

I do not see a holistic approach to this now. Now it’s just an attempt to get the Minsk and Normandy processes moving, to hold talks on the exchange of prisoners, the return of political prisoners, Ukrainian sailors, and in general – to break the stalemate in the Donbass, to turn the tables.

What can we expect from further relations between Ukraine and Russia? Friendship or hatred?

There will be no friendship for sure. It has never existed. If you look at the entire history of Ukrainian-Russian relations since 1991 – I do not see a very big friendship there. The only type of relations that may exist between Russia and Ukraine in the future – confrontational or pragmatic.

How do the US actions against Iran affect relations with the EU and international security?

Such actions destroy trust between the EU and the United States. The main negative consequence of Trump’s foreign policy is that he is the first American president to set prices for everything.