For the past year, allies and adversaries alike have cautiously tried to position themselves on the right side of former President Trump in case he returned to the White House in 2025, through meetings with the man himself or ongoing conversations with his advisers.
The goal of this outreach was to gain insight into how a second iteration of “America First” might play out on the world stage, with Trump more adept at how Washington works and surrounded by advisers less interested in checking his impulses.
Now that the would-be president is the president-elect, the world will soon see how Trump revamps U.S. foreign policy, with his penchant for dealmaking, gut instincts, ego-stroking and flattery.
Here are five major foreign policy issues confronting the president-elect:
Ending the war between Russia and Ukraine
Among Trump’s campaign promises is ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Holding back U.S. commitment to help Kyiv achieve victory, the president-elect has instead said he will get the war settled before inauguration day.
Trump has said his plan is to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and “get them together.” And Trump’s vice president-elect, JD Vance, has outlined the contours of a potential cease-fire deal that largely echoes demands Putin has made to halt his war of aggression.
Trump has not confirmed reports that he spoke with Putin at least seven times since leaving office in 2021, but said it would be a “smart thing” for the U.S. if he had.
While Trump's election has spurred fear of the U.S. abandoning Ukraine or pushing it to cede territory, some are hoping a new approach may ultimately help Kyiv almost three years into the war.
Maksym Skrypchenko, president of the Ukrainian think tank Transatlantic Dialogue Center, said that despite the uncertainty, “Trump really might be a lottery ticket for Ukraine.”
“But chances are that [Trump] is in favor of quick decisions, and we actually need quick decisions. So let's........