Zelensky at an Impasse: His Last Choice to Survive? 'Is the Russia-Ukraine War Really Ending This Time?' | Professor Ryu Han-soo, Sangmyung University

Summary

Professor Ryu Han-soo analyzes the Russia-Ukraine war through geopolitical lenses: Trump's Americas-first Monroe Doctrine, Western Europe's reluctance to send troops, Putin's opposition to NATO-equivalent security guarantees, and Zelensky's increasingly precarious political position. He argues the war's end may hinge on whether Western troops can be stationed in Ukraine, while Ukraine's battlefield position and domestic divisions have worsened. The discussion is geopolitical rather than market-focused and names no directly investable securities, commodities, or instruments.

• Trump appears to prioritize a 21st-century Monroe Doctrine, securing the Americas while leaving Europe and East Asia to regional powers.
• US and Western support for Ukraine is shrinking, and Ukraine's central regions increasingly favor territorial concessions for peace.
• The UK, France, and Germany are politically and economically constrained, making troop deployment to Ukraine unlikely.
• Putin is unlikely to accept any Western military presence in Ukraine, complicating security guarantees.
• Russian forces have recently advanced faster in eastern Ukraine, putting Kyiv under greater pressure.
• Zelensky faces election pressure, low reelection odds, and domestic opposition from strong nationalist factions.
• Russia reportedly does not view Zelensky as a legitimate long-term negotiating partner, expecting a successor.
• No direct securities, commodities, or investable instruments were named in the transcript.