Retired General Tells Fox Putin Will ‘Wait Out’ Trump Term Then ‘Take’ Ukraine Anyway: ‘He’s Not Giving Up’

Retired U.S. Army Gen. Jack Keane told Fox News on Saturday that Russia would likely accept a temprary peace deal in Ukraine, but President Vladimir Putin would ultimately seek to “wait out” President Donald Trump’s term in office.

Keane said after Trump leaves office in 2029, Putin – if he is still running his country – will absorb Ukraine, which he said has been the goal for years.

The retired general joined The Journal Editorial Report where Fox News host Paul Gigot asked him about Trump’s desire to broker a lasting peace deal in Eastern Europe. Keane was not sold Trump could help the two sides come to any such agreement.

Gigot noted Trump said Putin had conveyed to him he was tired of the three-year war and wanted “peace.”

“As you look at what Putin is doing and saying, do you think Putin does [want peace]?” Gigot asked. Keane replied:

Well, I think what the president was confirming, the reason why he called him first is and it makes sense is to find out, does he want to come to the table and negotiate. So Putin has said, yes, but you’re asking another question. And where I believe Putin is, is, I think he’s willing to at some point, if the deal is okay with him to accept a peace agreement and a ceasefire. But he’s not given up on his strategic goal to topple the government in Ukraine and take over the country.

Listen, everything is on the line for him. He has a strategic failure here. He thought it was going to take place in 2 to 3 weeks, that people would capitulate, it did not happen. And here we are going into our third year. The reality is his presidency is at stake. And I think also his personal life is at stake if all of this blows up on him. So, where is he coming from? He’ll wait out President Trump, I suspect, and attack.

Keane concluded, “But what I think will happen is it’s likely he will not take on his goal of toppling the government in Ukraine until after Trump is out of the presidency.”

Watch above via Fox News.