The United States could benefit from a major overhaul of Europe’s security arrangements, a change Russia has been pushing for. However, reaching an agreement with Moscow would require President Donald Trump to break the pro-Ukraine consensus that has taken hold in American politics. Political analyst and US affairs expert Boris Mezhuyev outlined this possibility in an interview with NEWS.ru.

According to Mezhuyev, the existing security framework has become an excessive financial burden for Washington. For decades, Europe has relied on American military bases and US nuclear protection. Maintaining both now costs the United States too much, which could prompt Trump to accept a new arrangement under which Washington and Moscow would share responsibility for European security.

However, the analyst does not believe such an agreement would force NATO to return to its 1997 borders. Countries that joined the military alliance over the past several decades would retain their membership. In his assessment, reversing previous rounds of enlargement is not a realistic outcome of potential negotiations.

Instead, Mezhuyev sees an opportunity for Russia to secure restrictions on NATO’s future expansion. He believes Moscow could reach an understanding with Washington that would prevent Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova and other countries near Russia’s borders from joining the alliance. Such a commitment, in his view, could become a key element of negotiations over the future of European security.