Geopolitics Q&A with Anthony Constantini

Welcome to an Upward News Q&A with our foreign affairs editor, Anthony Constantini.

Anthony is what we would consider a geopolitics expert. He’s been covering foreign affairs with Upward News for years and has been published in countless outlets, with his work catching the attention of leaders both in the US and abroad.

If you’re not a member of Upward News, we highly suggest signing up so that you can read all of the Q&A! Now, let’s dive into your questions.

Q: It appears Vladimir Putin is basically ignoring President Trump regarding peace with Ukraine. Does Trump have any leverage to force Putin to come to the table? Or have we been prepared by VP Vance to walk away? — David

A: This is a good one to start off with, as we touch on this a bit in today’s article. In short: yes, Trump still has leverage. The biggest piece of leverage right now is a bill pending in the Senate, which would tariff any country, at an astronomical 500 percent rate, that buys Russian oil. Without oil sales, Russia’s economy will likely collapse.

That said, I absolutely think that Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio have been laying the groundwork for the United States to simply wash our hands of the conflict. We’ll probably know in the next few months whether that happens or not, as it’s unlikely President Trump wants this war to hang over the entirety of his term.

Q: Is President Trump pressuring Israeli PM Netanyahu to cease and desist the war with Hamas? — Karla

A: No one can know for sure exactly what goes on in the room where it happens. That said, it seems clear to me that President Trump is pressuring Netanyahu to find a way to end the conflict. Like the Russo-Ukrainian War, Trump really does not want this war to drag on as he tries to make peace in the Middle East and shift America’s focus to Asia.

I think that the idea that the administration has become actively anti-Israel is a misnomer; when things looked rocky between the US and Ukraine, for example, America stopped intelligence sharing and stopped military shipments. That hasn’t even been discussed here at all.

However, the Trump administration is definitely striking a more nuanced tone than Israeli officials thought it would upon taking office.

Q: If Israel attacks Iran's nuclear facility, how do you feel this will play out with respect to peace in the Middle East? — Kathryn

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Bob Tasker1 year ago

Regarding the Iran nuclear capability, I believe that if Iran develops a nuclear weapon, it will very quickly use it against Israel. The Iranian officials, it appears (do the bulk of the Iranian population share this view?), are dead set on eradication of Israel. Why then, is the Trump administration going slow on making sure Iran does not get a nuclear arsenal. The longer this issue remains in negotiations, the more the Iranians will take advantage of the delay. The Iranians should be given a hard and fast deadline to give up the nuclear weapons program or there should be a coordinated attack (US, Israel, and NATO) on the nuclear facilities to end this threat once and for all. The world can not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Bob Tasker

Vicki Small1 year ago

I'm sure much of Trump's growing impatience with both the Russo-Ukraine and the Hamas-Israel wars lies in his earlier presumption that he would be able to end both wars quickly. Even tomorrow would not be quick, I don't think, in his estimation. But Putin seems less inclined to let Trump have much influence than in Trump's first administration. Putin wants Ukraine back under Russian control as it was during the USSR years.

As for Hamas, there's just reason to trust them. They don't even agree to ceasefire deals that don't promise them 100's of prisoners released from Israeli prisons, and an absolute guarantee that Israel will stop fighting. Israel would if Hamas would, but Israel and America would be foolish to believe any such promise from Hamas.

Bruce Margolis1 year ago

You talked about the low birth rate which plagues many countries, even China. However, there was a glowing omission: Israel. They are still above replacement level and I believe it might be true in Hungary as well.

I am not personally worried about this in the US because the people who support this low birth rate are overwhelmingly blue haired women. I have no problem with them never having any more children, insuring a move to the right for us for many decades into the future.

Michael Raab1 year ago

Iran has repeatedly stated their goal to destroy Israel. They used proxys in Hamas, Houthis and Hezbollah. They have said, due to the small size of Israel, one nuclear bomb will destroy it while Iran is large enough that it can tolerate multiple such attacks. Believe what they say about destroying Israel and watch what they do to their own people and regarding their nuclear program.

Than Johnson1 year ago

It appears as of today that South Africa has accepted ‘give you X, you give us Y’. Let’s see if other African nations agree, particularly those run by Dictators or in middle of civil strafe. Basically targeting Nigeria, Kenya, Northern Somalia,Egypt,Morocco, Libya, South Africa and Democratic Republic of the Congo would achieve justifiable rewards.

Kathryn Murphy1 year ago

Thank you for the response to my question.

Kathryn Murphy1 year ago

Thank you for your response to my question.