“Trump Is Not a Politician, but a Businessman”: Expert Explains How the U.S. Plans to End the Russia–Ukraine War

Military expert Oleh Starikov explained that Trump is not engaging in peace negotiations but rather making a deal — and everything is going according to his plan, which envisions an end to the war but not a capitulation, Politeka reports.

He spoke about this on Valerii Savchuk’s program “Different People.”

“The thing is, President Trump is not a politician, he’s a businessman. In Ukraine, we have a saying: ‘A fool grows rich with dreams.’ Politicians talk about what's right and wrong, whether there's life on Mars, where the country is heading, and so on. But businessmen sit down and strike a deal. You may have noticed that he doesn't say ‘negotiations’ — he says ‘deal.’ And a deal means a final result,” noted Oleh Starikov.

As he explained, negotiations in business can take a long time. Every figure is discussed in detail, and it’s not the kind of situation where, if something upsets you, you call everyone earthworms and walk away. No — the process continues. There are technical negotiations and political negotiations, which require approval from leadership. And, the expert emphasized, only the best people are involved in such talks — it’s like choosing the two best warriors from opposing armies to fight.

The guest also observed that, in the public discourse, there’s a prevailing belief that the Russia–Ukraine war must be resolved as a zero-sum game — meaning one side wins and the other loses. However, according to him, the last time this kind of outcome occurred was during World War II; since then, the world has changed. He believes this conflict will not follow a zero-sum outcome — and Trump’s strategy envisions two winners.

“I’m convinced that President Trump’s team has hired the best experts in game theory, Lancaster models, Markov chains, and everything related to advanced mathematics. They’ve calculated the psychological profiles of Putin and Zelenskyy — their strengths and weaknesses, what to emphasize, when to apply pressure, and when not to overdo it. And within this framework, they’re acting. That’s why everything is proceeding according to an approved model and a well-defined plan,” Starikov concluded.

Latest news:

Let's remember Politeka wrote, Ukraine Peace Talks: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Says Next Week Will Be Crucial.

Politeka also informed, Oil Prices: Experts Reveal What to Expect in 2025 and 2026.

In addition, Politeka informed, Gold Prices: U.S.-China Trade War De-escalation Impacts Value.