Wesley Clark, a retired US general and former NATO supreme commander, issued a stark warning on Monday regarding the potential for President Donald Trump to offer Ukraine’s sovereignty to Russia in exchange for assistance from President Vladimir Putin in addressing the conflict with Iran.
Clark characterized such a deal as “very corrupt and dangerous,” suggesting it would compel Ukraine to capitulate while rewarding Moscow for its aggression.
In an interview with NewsNation, Clark stated that Trump might seek Putin’s help to exert pressure on Tehran regarding its nuclear program, while Moscow could demand concessions related to Ukraine in return.
“If he manages to cause Ukraine’s failure, then he will hand the country over to Putin,” Clark was quoted by Kyiv Post.
“The President Should Lead the Free World”
When asked if he believed Putin was offering to assist Trump in resolving the conflict with Iran at the expense of Ukraine, Clark replied, “Exactly. That’s exactly what it implies.”
While Clark did not present direct evidence of such an agreement, he framed the scenario as his interpretation of Trump’s recent diplomatic actions and priorities.
“This is a very, very corrupt and dangerous deal,” he continued. “The President of the United States should be the leader of the free world. He must act accordingly and not get too close to Putin.”
“Munich in 1938”
Clark drew a historical parallel between a potential Trump-Putin agreement and the Munich Agreement of 1938, when Britain and France consented to Nazi Germany’s annexation of the Sudetenland from Czechoslovakia.
“We’ve seen this scene before: Munich in 1938. The great powers met with Adolf Hitler,” Clark said. “They conceded Czechoslovakia, and that did not prevent the outbreak of World War II,” he added.
He argued that ending a war at the expense of an invaded nation’s sovereignty would undermine the international principles that the United States has defended throughout history.
“The basic rule here is that you are the leader of the free world. You oppose aggressors,” he stated. “You don’t say that the most important thing is to stop a war. That’s not it. The most important thing is to maintain the right of nations to be free from invasion.”
“Russia Has Behaved Well on Ukraine,” Says Trump
Clark’s warning comes amid escalating tensions between Kyiv and Washington concerning Trump’s decision to ease energy sanctions against Russia.
Additionally, Trump has repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
On Monday, the US President remarked that “Russia has behaved well regarding Ukraine” and that “Zelensky isn’t helping much with the situation.”
He urged Kyiv to find “someone else to negotiate with.”
Meanwhile, Kyiv has alleged that US restrictions on satellite communications through Starlink have left Ukraine vulnerable.
President Zelensky also expressed frustration that Washington failed to provide advance intelligence regarding recent Russian ballistic missile attacks.
Zelensky-Rubio Discussions
Zelensky addressed these concerns during a conference call with congressional members on Monday, warning that delays in the delivery of weapons and information undermine Ukraine’s defense.
The Trump administration denied deliberately suspending information exchanges with Kyiv, while US officials disputed claims that Washington had imposed restrictions on satellite communications.
Zelensky also discussed the issue of air defense interceptors and early warning systems against Russian ballistic missile attacks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“I am grateful for his willingness to help and for his clear position. First, we need ballistic interceptors to protect lives. Second, the early warning system against Russian ballistic missile attacks is vital. Third, the situation regarding Starlink/Starshield needs to be addressed,” said Zelensky.
