After the inauguration of President Trump, there has been a warming of relations between Russia and the United States. Recently, representatives of Russia and the U.S. held a meeting in Riyadh, where some agreements were reached on Ukraine and interstate relations between the two countries. The meeting between Putin and Trump is particularly anticipated.

Axar.az correspondent conducted an interview in this regard with Russian political scientist Evgeny Mikhaylov:

- What are your expectations for the upcoming meeting between Putin and Trump?

- I don't expect any significant changes from the meeting between Putin and Trump. The fact that dialogue has begun is already good. Trump's new team understands perfectly well that Russia is no longer their main enemy and rival on the international stage. Trump's team has doubts about the advisability of supporting the Ukrainian regime. Moreover, both members of Trump's team and Trump himself regularly point out the global mistakes of Zelensky's regime in its dealings with Russia. Again, mistakes by the European Union are highlighted, as it supported provocations against Moscow. Accordingly, Trump is now building his policy on this. He needs deals. Trump's main focus now is countering China's influence in the Pacific region and on the international stage. Putin and Trump will find points of contact that will allow them to reach some kind of consensus on the Ukrainian conflict within a year. It is quite obvious that the Kyiv regime is losing large territories and opportunities to strike a deal with America, as most of the rare earth metals are now under Russia's control. Trump needs to negotiate in order to save face for the U.S. And Putin will aim to ensure the maximum protection of Russia's national interests after the possible end of the conflict.

- What actions will Europe take in light of its dissatisfaction with the rapprochement between the U.S. and Russia?

- It no longer matters what actions Europe will take in response to its dissatisfaction with the rapprochement between the U.S. and Russia. The U.S. is currently cornering the European Union, effectively leaving it to deal with Ukraine's problems and corruption on its own. Now we see the European Union's turmoil; at the Munich conference, we saw crocodile tears over the break with the U.S. We also saw a gathering in Paris where Macron tried to play Napoleon, but it didn't work out. We see Britain wavering, talking about sending troops to Ukraine, but it's all just talk. Ukraine can only be saved by the U.S. and Russia. In Russia, there are already questions about the preservation of Ukraine's statehood as such. Europe is currently in something of a knockout. The EU and NATO are failing to get involved in the negotiation process. They may have various options now. They will try to pump Ukraine full of weapons, but we must understand that no matter how much they supply weapons, there is no one left to fight in Ukraine. Even if there are people, the question is the quality of this population that is being forced to the front lines. The youth they want to recruit, 18-20-year-olds, have no motivation to fight. So, negotiations are necessary. If the European Union tones down its ambitions, acknowledges its mistakes, it has a chance to enter the negotiation process, at least on certain conditions, to save face and maintain its influence in Ukraine, ending this senseless conflict because it is clear that Russia is winning.

- What will happen to Ukraine?

- Right now, we see widespread pressure on the Ukrainian regime to call new elections. Many experts and even presidents of various countries openly state that Volodymyr Zelensky is illegitimate. However, despite this status, Russia has expressed the possibility of Zelensky's participation in the negotiation process or Ukraine's direct involvement in it. The only question is what status will be granted to them. So far, we have not seen either the European Union or Ukraine involved in the negotiation process between the U.S. and Russia. The big players are making decisions, and the smaller ones just have to watch in this matter. Ukraine is currently facing the largest demographic crisis. If we ask what will happen to Ukraine if Russia and the U.S. don't reach an agreement, then Ukraine will cease to exist. This is obvious. It will break into the pieces it was made from. Little Russia will become part of Russia, and Western Ukraine will likely be divided among those who also took parts of it. If anyone has significant interests in preserving at least part of Ukraine as a subject amidst the loss of population and total destruction of infrastructure, negotiations must happen. And they must happen on Russia's terms, which, in fact, will also suit the United States. Moscow will not stop otherwise. When there were the Istanbul negotiations, there was a chance to stop the conflict. Now, Ukraine has a chance to survive, at least somehow, by accepting all the conditions of capitulation, or else it will cease to exist as a country.