Military Expert Giorgi Tavdgiridze: no one will sacrifice Europe’s security for Trump’s Nobel Prize

The diplomatic stage, where the world’s attention was directed toward the meeting between the leaders of the United States and Russia, turned out to be highly symbolic. Although both sides described the meeting as “productive,” a real truce could not be achieved. Against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Ukraine, such a “diplomatic spectacle,” especially the “red carpet” welcome given to Russia’s president on American soil, raises questions among Western analysts: what were the real military-political goals of each leader, and what propaganda benefits could Russia extract from this visit? Military expert Giorgi Tavdgiridze breaks it down in an interview with Front News.

Q. What were the real military-political objectives of this meeting for each leader, and to what extent were they achieved?

A. Both sides were indeed interested in this meeting. Donald Trump, of course, has his own motivations regarding the war in Ukraine, and Vladimir Putin is doubly invested. Trump’s interest, as we know, is to win the Nobel Prize. Ukraine is a huge challenge for him right now. We remember his promises and constant appeals to peace. That’s why ending this war – even just achieving a temporary ceasefire – has become a matter of principle for him. Unfortunately, it gives the impression that he wants to end the war at any cost, even if it’s only pausing the fighting for a short time, just to secure his Nobel Prize.

Q. During the meeting, emphasis was placed on a “warm and friendly” atmosphere, which contrasts with the ongoing war in Ukraine. How do you assess such a “diplomatic spectacle”? What military or propaganda benefit could Russia gain from this visit, and how might it be perceived within Russian military circles?

A. Naturally, both Russian and Western media will try to spin narratives from this event. Interesting stories will emerge from it. But if a person is genuinely interested in peace, of course, they may roll out a “red carpet” or perform bows and courtesies. To me, all of that is secondary – if the real topic is peace. It is mainly intended for propaganda manipulation.

Q. Still, Russia’s propaganda machine is using this fact skillfully for its own purposes. The emphasis is that an isolated Putin was received in America with great honor. This issue has caused division in Western political circles, and we have seen critical statements from several senators…

A. Propaganda cannot win a war. Wars are decided by hard facts – financing, arms acquisition, logistics. Someone smiling at Putin twice and shaking his hand adds nothing to his strength. People are dying – that is the real measure of Russian evil. And we also see that Putin has had to make significant concessions. He was forced to go to Trump, to reach out to him. A dictator who sees himself as one of the world’s poles had to approach Trump in order to get something.

We also know how his journalists and entourage were kept under strict control during the visit. In reality, Putin should have felt humiliated in that situation. He was extremely vulnerable and completely in Trump’s hands. We saw American planes flying overhead – no matter what security detail he brought, neutralising it would have been a matter of seconds. He was entirely dependent on Trump and the US state apparatus. Putin simply hoped the US would keep its promise regarding his personal security. But in reality, his worldview and ambitions remained unchanged.

This meeting was extremely important for him because Trump had already announced that after August 8, Russia would face severe new sanctions, essentially an economic blockade.

Q. Yet, there is frequent talk that Putin is only creating the illusion of negotiations in order to buy time. The frontline remains tense, and Russians are still making some advances. President Zelenskyy also says Putin is preparing for an offensive, and his actions are only part of the game. Do you believe a ceasefire would actually benefit him in this situation?

A. Of course, Putin has his own interests, and he won’t abandon them easily. He will play and bargain until the very end. But, as I mentioned earlier, Trump is desperate to end this war, and it is even damaging his image now. Putin knows this very well, and he is taking advantage. That’s why Trump backed down from his threats of sanctions after August 8. He is taking certain steps to show Putin, on the one hand, that he is ready to compromise, and on the other, that Putin should also give something in return.

Naturally, Trump will never admit these talks were a failure. He has already built the image of a peace-broker in the Caucasus, after mediating between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but Ukraine remains his biggest problem. Putin knows this too, and he is trying to extract the maximum. The fact is, he will not stop pursuing his military goals on the frontline.

Q. Media reports suggested that one of the main topics of negotiation was the possibility of Ukraine ceding some of its territories. From a military-analyst perspective, what security risks would any territorial concessions pose for Ukraine, and how could this affect regional stability?

A. Russia cannot defeat Ukraine, because in essence that would mean the defeat of Europe. And we see that, no matter how weak some leaders may be in Europe, Europe will never allow Russia to defeat Ukraine. Ukraine will not agree to any concessions or territorial trade-offs. This is purely Trump’s obsession. The only realistic option on the table is a ceasefire, stopping at the current frontline – and even that has a very low probability.

The US, as an involved party, is not directly at war here. It faces no military risks, and Russia is no threat to it. That is why this is just Trump’s obsession – and Ukraine cannot “gift” Russia any territory because of it. Unfortunately, Trump values his Nobel Prize more than Ukraine’s land. But no one will fulfill this whim.

We know that Europe buys weapons for Ukraine from the US, which forces both Ukrainians and Europeans to “play along” with America. But no one will sacrifice Europe’s security for Trump’s Nobel Prize. That is simple and clear. Therefore, there will be no serious talks about Ukraine ceding territory. Unconditional agreement to Russia’s demands would mean Russia’s victory, which would only further strengthen it – and that would pose a tremendous threat to Europe. That is why it is unacceptable, and no one will agree to it.