"1938 saw Czechoslovakia suffer, and Ukraine may face similar perils today"
In a highly anticipated meeting, US President Donald Trump is set to meet Russia's President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. However, European media are expressing significant concerns that this summit may be sidelining Ukraine and Europe from critical discussions about the war's future, potentially having adverse impacts on Ukraine and European security.
Key worries include the exclusion of Ukraine and European allies, with neither country present at the talks. This fuels fears that Europe is being sidelined in negotiations impacting its own security. Trump's stance seems to align with Putin's narrative, framing Ukraine's Western integration as a root cause, potentially weakening the Western united front.
The summit's dynamics raise the risk that US leverage over Ukraine's security and European defense could wane, emboldening Russia without meaningful concessions. The Nürnberger Zeitung warns that this exclusion of Ukraine from the meeting shows that the world is moving towards an order where the law of the strong prevails, and hopes for a peace that is not a dictate may be buried.
The media's comments suggest a high level of uncertainty and concern about the potential outcomes of the meeting between Trump and Putin, and the impact on Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal suggests that for a genuine peace, increased economic pressure on Moscow and providing Ukraine with means for self-defense is necessary.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has already made it clear that there will be no territorial concessions to the Russian occupiers. The London "Guardian" criticizes the absence of Zelensky at the meeting, stating that any agreement reached would have no legitimacy from a moral and practical standpoint. Europe must ensure that its demands for a just peace are backed by a united and determined stance, according to the "Guardian".
The meeting between Trump and Putin is seen as the only chance for peace in Ukraine by the pro-government Hungarian daily, despite potential opposition to both leaders. However, the Polish daily "Rzeczpospolita" fears that in the worst-case scenario, Trump and Putin could agree on terms that legitimize Russia's territorial gains at Ukraine's expense.
The media's comments also indicate a lack of consensus on the appropriate role of the EU and Ukraine in the diplomatic process surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung fears that US President Trump could end up with empty hands after meeting with Putin, and advocates for a more realistic policy in the White House, including tougher sanctions and extensive arms deliveries to Ukraine.
In conclusion, the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin is shrouded in uncertainty and concern, with European media urging for a united and determined stance to ensure a just peace for Ukraine and the protection of European security interests.
- The European Union, committed to the implementation of the EU's external action programme in the field of security and defence, is urging for a united and determined stance to ensure a just peace for Ukraine and the protection of European security interests, given the upcoming meeting between Trump and Putin.
- Amid concerns that Ukraine and Europe may be sidelined from critical discussions about the war's future, the media's comments suggest that general-news surrounding the Trump-Putin summit highlight the political implications, with potential adverse impacts on Ukraine and European security.
