Harvard Professor Graham Allison suggests that former President Donald Trump could find a way to end the ongoing war in Ukraine by following the strategies of President Dwight Eisenhower, who successfully negotiated an end to the Korean War. Allison’s commentary, published in the National Interest, draws parallels between the two leaders, despite the skepticism he might face from some of his colleagues at Harvard.
In the 1952 presidential race, Eisenhower promised to address the Korean conflict directly. Similarly, Trump has vowed to bring the Ukraine war to a close shortly after he potentially takes office again in 2025. Both leaders faced resistance from allies who wanted to continue fighting. Eisenhower’s approach involved pressuring South Korean President Syngman Rhee to accept a ceasefire, while Trump might need to convince Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to pursue peace with Russia.
Allison argues that if Eisenhower could negotiate with leaders like Kim Il Sung and Mao Zedong, Trump should be capable of striking a deal with Vladimir Putin, despite the latter’s controversial actions. He emphasizes that Eisenhower recognized the war’s stalemate and sought a peace that reflected the realities on the ground, a lesson Trump could apply to the current situation in Ukraine.
The Korean War ended with an armistice that left the peninsula divided, and while it was not a perfect solution, it allowed troops to return home and ended the immediate conflict. Allison believes that if Trump can achieve a similar outcome with Russia, he could claim a significant diplomatic victory, even if it frustrates critics.
In summary, Allison’s insights suggest that by adopting Eisenhower’s tactics, Trump may have a path to peace in Ukraine, echoing a historical precedent that highlights the importance of compromise in international conflicts.