Fargo, N.D. – The head of a Fargo-based business that’s one of the leaders in U.S. manufacturing is sounding hopeful that a peace deal can be reached to end the Russia-Ukraine war.
“There’s just a deep sense that this has to stop,” sad Howard Dahl, CEO of Amity Technology on The Flag on Tuesday.
“For the first time, we have a real united American-European front on how to stop things and how to move forward. I’m very very hopeful.”
Listen: Amity Technology’s Howard Dahl on The Flag
On August 15th, President Trump had an in-person meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
The following Monday, Trump welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders to the White House for continued talks.
While Trump is pushing for a face-to-face between Putin and Zelenskyy, the president hinted he’s open to also attending if needed to make it a trilateral meeting.
While not knowing specific details, Dahl says he believes “there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that are positive.”
Dahl theorized that a final deal could look something like the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement.
While not a formal peace treaty, that deal formed a demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
Dahl weighed in on what both Putin and Zelenskyy might be seeking in any agreement.
“You’re never going to make everybody happy…but I expect Crimea will not be part of anything that Zelenskyy is asking for,” said Dahl, who says Putin is wanting more of Ukraine’s Donbas region.
“Putin is going to have to back off,” said Dahl. “For him to think where his battle lines are that there’s going to be an agreement, that’s not possible.”
On a broader diplomatic and economic scale to normalize U.S. relations with a deal, Dahl, whose expertise lies in agriculture, says Russian farmers and crops are suffering because of bad seeds.
Plus, farmers are not only facing high interest rates, Dahl says Russian growers are not pleased with the influx of Chinese machinery and would prefer better quality American equipment.
“The Russian people I’ve dealt with over the years just long to be part of the community of nations,” said Dahl. “They loved it when they could do normal business and travel in the West and saw tremendous improvement in their agriculture.”
