The US President chose an unfortunate time to change the geopolitical course
Economic expert Vitaliy Shapran analyzed the recent decisions of US President Donald Trump regarding Russia and Iran. According to the specialist, this strategy harms the Republicans and creates new challenges for stability in the Middle East. This was reported by Glavcom, according to the portal PromPolitInform.
According to Vitaliy Shapran, the current diplomatic strategy of the American leader shows signs of haste and a lack of proper preparation. The expert notes that Trump’s attempts to change the format of relations with European allies against the backdrop of rapprochement with the Russian leadership are perceived ambiguously even within the United States.
Foreign policy mistakes
The analyst notes that the prioritization of conflict resolution chosen by the White House was flawed. The sequence of steps, in which an attempt to influence Iran occurred first, followed by an attempt to settle relations with Russia, led to a strengthening of military-technical cooperation between Moscow and Tehran, which in turn expanded opportunities for supporting terrorist groups like the Houthis.
Impact on energy markets
The economic dimension of the situation lies in rising energy prices due to instability in the Middle East. As Vitaliy Shapran points out, the US is currently unable to stabilize the region on its own without the involvement of European partners, whose interests are primarily focused on ending the war in Ukraine.
A path to compromise
As a possible option for resolving the situation, the expert suggests returning to economic pressure on the Russian oil sector. Specifically, he refers to lowering the price cap on Russian oil to the levels of February 2026, which was below $45 per barrel.
Implementing such a mechanism could change the dynamics of strikes on Russian oil refining capacities. However, the specialist emphasizes that achieving such a consensus today would require consolidated efforts from all key international players, including the EU and China.
Photo: Glavcom
Read also: US threatens to block arms supplies to Ukraine over strikes on Russian oil refineries – FT
