Europe is optimistic about Trump’s words on war in Ukraine - Politico
Donald Trump's to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday to impose new tariffs and sanctions on Moscow if it didn’t reach a deal to stop the war sent a welcome message to European allies.
This is stated in the Politico article, Censor.NET informs.
And it is being read more broadly by Ukraine supporters as evidence that he understands the stakes of the war as they do, and will not abandon Ukraine — or NATO allies — in his coming dealings with Putin.
"I would be lying if I said we are not nervous about Trump's return," the European ambassador said on condition of anonymity.
"We are preparing for a lot of headaches, but one area where I would venture to be a cautious optimist is Ukraine and NATO," he added.
Republicans who favor Ukraine point out that in 2019, Trump abandoned a major nuclear deal with dictator Kim Jong-un. He may do the same in negotiations with Putin over Ukraine.
"He realizes that he gets the stakes with Putin. He knows a bad deal when he sees one and can walk away again," said one administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another source familiar with Trump's thinking on Ukraine said the president's initial comments about ending the war should be taken seriously.
His efforts are aimed at putting public pressure on Putin and creating leverage in the negotiations. This is in line with Trump's long-standing desire to play a decisive role in any agreement.
According to the publication, other analysts believe that Trump, unlike Joe Biden, does not see the war as the main threat to global democracy, which increases the risk that he will agree to a bad deal with Putin.
Officials in Europe also fear that any deal with Putin that ends the fighting in Ukraine will only give Putin time to rearm and regroup his war-weary army, ready to attack again in years to come.
"Trump should also focus not only on what to give Putin, but also on what to give Zelenskyy, including, above all, effective, lasting security guarantees," said Michael McFaul, former US Ambassador to Russia.
As a reminder, US President Donald Trump said that the US side's efforts to reach a peaceful settlement between Ukraine and Russia have already begun, but the Kremlin should be asked whether it is ready for a peace agreement.
Trump also said he was ready to meet with Vladimir Putin immediately to stop the war in Ukraine.
