Last-ditch effort by European leaders to affect decision-making of U.S. President takes place during meeting with Trump
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated bilateral summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, scheduled for this Friday in Alaska, European leaders and representatives of the European Union are gathering to align their stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The meeting between the leaders could potentially lead to a reversal of the actions that were being taken to move away from Putin.
The German government has not publicly commented on the upcoming meeting, but a statement issued by the government indicated that they will also focus on other actions to pressure Russia during the meeting. According to analyst Manuel Serrano, this is the last attempt by European leaders to influence Donald Trump before the summit.
The current European strategy to influence peace talks between Trump and Putin regarding Ukraine involves several key components. Firstly, European leaders are stressing the importance of unity with the United States, highlighting that together they have significant leverage against Russia. This unity is crucial for amplifying the impact of sanctions on Russia's economy and for negotiations to be effective.
Secondly, Europeans are working to define what security guarantees for Ukraine would look like. This involves discussions within the "Coalition of the Willing," which includes countries like Germany, France, and the UK. The aim is to secure public support for placing European troops in unoccupied Ukraine to defend against future attacks, as well as securing U.S. intelligence support and strategic backing without U.S. troops on the ground.
Thirdly, Europeans are skeptical about the success of Trump's peace efforts, viewing them as a means to call Putin's bluff. By engaging in these talks, they hope to expose Putin's lack of seriousness about a peace agreement, which could strengthen their negotiating position and rally support for Ukraine's sovereignty and security needs.
The ultimate goal is to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty, security, and freedom to join international organizations like the EU and NATO. European leaders believe that if Ukraine's sovereignty is secured, concessions on territory might become more acceptable in negotiations.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Berlin to participate in a videoconference with the US President before the meeting between him and Putin about the war in Ukraine. The French Press Agency reported that a German government source confirmed the visit of the Ukrainian President to Berlin. The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is expected in the German capital later today.
Trump has a "very good relationship" with Putin, whom he described as "smart," but until recently, Donald Trump was moving away from Putin, with more sanctions, indirect, secondary actions, possibly to India, and to China. However, these actions have not yet been implemented. Trump has also described the Russian President as "crazy" during recent Russian attacks on Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin, in a positive gesture, praised Trump's "sincerity" in wanting to establish peace in Ukraine. However, the meeting between the leaders in a one-on-one setting has caused concern among European leaders, who are working diligently to maintain the unity and leverage necessary to influence the outcome of the talks.
- In an effort to maintain unity and leverage during the upcoming bilateral summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, European leaders are focusing on policies related to war-and-conflicts, specifically aligning their stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as well as policy-and-legislation discussions to secure security guarantees for Ukraine and impose sanctions on Russia.
- Amidst the general news of the meeting between Trump and Putin, the German government has issued a statement indicating their intention to discuss war-and-conflicts, policy-and-legislation, and politics during their conversation with the Russian President, marking an attempt to exert influence on Donald Trump's stance prior to the summit.
