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Putin, Vladimir

European Leaders Seek to Reassure Trump on Ukraine Peace

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

European leaders are trying to show U.S. President Donald Trump that they are committed to laying the groundwork for ending the war in Ukraine, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not. They have been meeting with each other and with Ukrainians to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine once the war ends, and have asked Trump to throw America's full weight behind their plan. Despite these efforts, there are few signs that Putin has softened his demands for a peace agreement, and Russian forces continue to bombard Ukraine.

Key Takeaways:

  • European leaders are trying to demonstrate to Trump that they are serious about preparing for a post-war future in Ukraine, and that Putin is not.
  • Top European officials, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, have publicly criticized Putin's refusal to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
  • European leaders have promised to provide security guarantees for Ukraine, including deploying troops to help keep the peace, once a peace deal is negotiated.
  • The European Union is seeking to reassure Ukraine that they will not face a new war in the next couple of years, and are asking Trump to support their plan.
  • Ukrainian President Zelensky has stated that he needs reassurances and guarantees from Europe and the US to end the war.
  • European leaders are trying to send a signal to the White House that the strategy of vague announcements needs to end.

Statistics:

  • 95% of European efforts to secure a peace deal in Ukraine are aimed at keeping Trump happy and at the negotiating table, according to Jana Puglierin, a senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations.
  • 2 weeks: the timeline that Trump had hoped for a meeting between Putin and Zelensky, which has been rejected by Putin.
  • $: the value of the financial support pledged by Europe to Ukraine in support of sanctions against Russia.

Sources:

  • Jim Tankersley, leaders on the continent are trying to show the U.S. president that they are serious about laying the groundwork to end the war - and that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is not (The New York Times, October 7, 2022)

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