Former adviser to Donald Trump John Bolton about Poland, NATO and peace conversations with Russia

– Poland is an absolute embodiment of a good NATO ally – said former adviser to Donald Trump John Bolton in an interview with TVN24 BIS. He added that he would advise the Polish government to think about “how to convince Trump that he would remain in NATO and help Poland lies in his personal interest.” He also admitted that he was afraid that Vladimir Putin could “play” the US president.

John Bolton was a guest of TVN24 BIS on Monday.

The former Donald Trump's Doraca for Safety was asked if in his opinion Vladimir Putin could attack a member in the coming years NATO. – I think that if Trump withdraws from NATO, and I'm afraid that this is a real possibility, or if he weakens NATO so much that the commitment under Article 5. He loses its strength, I think that the Russians could go to it – he replied.

He added that Moscow has attempts for many other territories of the former Russian empire, exchanging Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Belarus.

– Even before attacking NATO, they have a lot of other “pieces” to pick up, but if I were Baltic or Polish republics, or any other Central European state, I would definitely be afraid of this very weakened NATO – Bolton admitted. – With all due respect to your friends in Western Europe, I am afraid that they will not be able to balance the power of the US – he added.

“Poland is an absolute embodiment of a good NATO ally”

Bolton said that he would advise the Polish government to think about “how to convince Trump that he would remain in NATO and help Poland in his personal interest.”

When asked if the fact that Poland spends as much as 4 percent of GDP for reinforcements is a sufficient argument for Trump to keep American soldiers in our country, Bolton expressed the hope that yes. – If Poland is not able to keep the US attention, I do not know what country in Europe would be able to manage – he said. According to him, “Poland is an absolute embodiment of a good NATO ally.”

– If Europe reacts not as it should be, then de facto da Trump in a blank check to withdraw from NATO. This is not what we want – Bolton emphasized, adding that such a step would weaken the entire West.

According to Bolton, the decision to withdraw from NATO lies only at the responsibility of Donald Trump. – This is the president's decision – he noted.

Bolton with a “very sensitive stage of negotiations” with Russia

US President Donald Trump said that On Tuesday, he will talk to Vladimir Putin.

When asked what Trump would advise before talking to Putin, Bolton replied: – My advice, which he would probably not listen to, would be: please do not give the Russians all the cards. He pointed out that this is “a very sensitive stage of negotiations” and United States “They have already made a lot of concessions to the Russians.”

According to him, Putin thinks that when talking to Trump personally, he is able to get more concessions than if the talks were conducted by foreign ministers from Russia and the USA. – I am very worried about this conversation (Trump with Putin – ed.). I am worried about what it will mean for Ukraine, which will mean for the USA and NATO – he admitted.

Asked whether his opinion Putin could “play” Trump, Bolton replied that this is what he was afraid of. – Trump said several times that he and Putin are friends. He spoke over a few weeks that he was convinced that Putin wants peace because he told him so and he believes him, “Bolton noted. In his opinion, Putin as “a man from the KGB” considers Trump to be “easy to play.”

– That's why Putin wanted to lead to this conversation very much (with Trump – ed.) At the right time. – he assessed. He added that he has “bad feelings” in this matter.

Bolton expressed the fear that the discussed arms suspension would be reduced to the division of Ukraine. – If the conflict is frozen along the existing control lines and then some negotiations in Geneva or Vienna will begin, which will last for years to reach some permanent agreement, then the suspension of weapons will become a new border. And this is very dangerous for Ukraine – he assessed.

John Bolton – Who is he

John Bolton took the position of adviser to Donald Trump for national security in 2018. In September 2019, after about 17 months, he stopped working in the White House. Trump said that he released him, Bolton declared that he gave up himself.

Bolton was considered one of the key witnesses regarding the so -called Ukrainian scandal. According to the testimonies of officials of the former US administration, he was to be concerned about the demands of Trump's environment, so that Ukraine would initiate investigations in the Burisma gas company in which the son worked Joe Biden and on the alleged interference of Kiev in the American presidential election in 2016.

In 2019, Bolton, known for its neoconservative views, refused to testify in the investigation of the Ukrainian scandal led by the Chamber of Representatives controlled by the Democrats. The result of this investigation was the chamber of two articles of the president's impeachment. Trump was finally acquitted by the US Senate, where most of the Republicans had at the time. Bolton declared his readiness to testify to the Senate, but he decided that he would not interrogate witnesses.

In his book “Trump in the White House. Secrets of the Oval Cabinet”, published in June 2020, Bolton claims that if the Democrats in the investigation towards Trump went beyond the issues of Ukraine, the president would not have to be acquitted.