Trump-Putin Agreement Fears Rise in Europe – DW News
In an attempt to influence the result of the meeting between the president of the United States, Donald Trumpand the president of Russia, Vladimir PutinIn Alaska on Friday, August 15, prominent European leaders maintained a video call with the US president, while Germany received in Berlin To the Ukrainian president, Volodimir Zelenski.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyenhe published in X that Europe, the United States and the Take“They reinforced the common terrain to Ukraine”And that will maintain a close coordination.
EU’s diplomatic intervention sought give Ukrainian territory In conversations.
There was some hope that European allies had managed to convince Trump not to sell Ukrainian and European interests. However, as they will remain far while Trump and Putin hold conversations closed in Alaska, tensions persist on what may happen.
What does Europe expect from Trump-Poutin conversations?
During the call to Trump, Ukraine and his European allies pointed out that they wanted a high fire before starting any negotiation with Russia. The US president seems to have taken note, although he does not consider it a previous condition: he believes that a high fire “would be a gesture of good will on the part of Russia,” CNN said.
Although Trump meets Putin without Zelenski in Alaska, he hinted that a trilateral meeting that includes the Ukrainian president could soon be held. For his part, the French president, Emmanuel MacronHe said that this meeting could be held in a neutral country in Europe after face to face in Alaska.
Trump had said before that it could be necessary to exchange some territory to end the war. But, after talking with the Europeans, he said that there would be no concessions of that type without Zelenski being present.
And, although Trump continues to oppose Ukraine to join NATO – something that kyiv has considered a long time as an essential guarantee – experts suggest that the United States could be more open to offer another type of guarantee to deter future Russian aggressions. “The nature of United States security guarantees and their practical contributions would be subject to future negotiations,” says DW Kristine Berzina, senior researcher at Washington DC of German Marshall Fund (GMF).
Europe wants Russia to pay, and that Trump ensures it
Ukraine and the EU also expect the United States to ask Russia to pay part of the huge reconstruction bill as part of future negotiations. It is estimated that repairing the damage caused by Russian bombings in Ukraine will cost between 500 billion and one billion dollars.
kyiv and his allies argue that part of that sum should leave frozen Russian assets, about 200 billion euros located mainly in Belgium, especially in a bank called Euroclear. It is also sought that President Trump demands the return of thousands of Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russia, as well as Ukrainian prisoners of war. The block also trusts that the United States hardens its position and impose SECONDARY SANCTIONS TO RUSSIA If the Russian president refuses to cease fire.
And what does Europe fear?
Despite a certain relief after the call, there are still fears that Putin can overcome Trump in Astucia.
Europe faces a complicated scenario if Putin convinces Trump to cut the supply of weapons to Ukraine – even through European partners – and suspend the exchange of intelligence, since Ukraine needs both US military equipment and recognition information.
Another European fear is for the United States to withdraw its assets from the continent and weakens the alliance. “Russia wants to expel the United States from Eastern and affirm its military domain. Putin could use this meeting to encourage the United States to withdraw Europe troops,” says Rafael Loss, a researcher at the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR). A worrying possibility, since “the United States is already reviewing its global deployment of forces.” “In that case, first of all, Europeans would have to reinforce their own defenses” in the countries of Eastern Europe, adds Loss.
“Reductions of US troops are foreseen, although the scope of the withdrawal is not yet clear,” says Kristine Berzina, of the GMF. “But, of course, this process occurs at the same time that negotiations between Ukraine and Russia take shape. It will be complicated for the United States to withdraw Europe from Europe if you want to send to Russia the signal that it is deeply committed to European security.”
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