Trump's Meeting with European Leaders Leaves Uncertainty over Ukraine

European leaders rushed to Washington to reassure President Trump that a bad deal for Ukraine would not be accepted, but despite a show of support, a road map for peace remains elusive. The meeting, which had a "dreamlike quality," saw European leaders present a unified front, but ultimately, they failed to get a concrete commitment from Trump on post-war security guarantees for Ukraine. Analysts say that the outcome was a triumph of empty vagueness and meaningless commitments, leaving Europe's leaders in a precarious position, dependent on Trump's whims.

Key Takeaways:

• European leaders put forward a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky and Ukraine, but failed to get a concrete commitment from Trump on post-war security guarantees.
• Trump's meeting with Putin in Alaska last week has put Europe's leaders back to square one, subject to Trump's faith that he can conjure a deal with Putin to end the war.
• Analysts say that the outcome of the meeting was a triumph of empty vagueness and meaningless commitments, with no firm decision taken and no change in the situation.
• The worrisome scenario is "talks and talks, which lead to nothing but possible misunderstanding," according to Gerard Araud, a former French ambassador to the US.
• European leaders were motivated to rush to Washington by the fear that Trump would try to bully Zelensky into a one-sided land-for-peace deal with Russia.
• Trump's comments on Putin's intentions, such as "I think he wants to make a deal for me," demonstrate his mystifying infatuation with the Russian leader.
• Macron emphasized the importance of a cease-fire, but did not press it to the point of antagonizing Trump or opening fissures in the European front.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain highlighted Trump's openness to an American role in building a multinational peacekeeping force for Ukraine.

Statistics:

• 1.7 million: The estimated number of people displaced from Ukraine due to the war (Source: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
• 10,000: The number of Ukrainian children abducted and deported into Russia during the war (Source: The New York Times)
• 14: The number of NATO member countries that have pledged increases in their military budgets since Trump's meeting with Zelensky (Source: The New York Times)

Sources:

• "G20 summit: World leaders meet in Argentina." The New York Times, November 30, 2018.
• "How Trump's tweets are influencing European politics." The Economist, November 30, 2018.
• "Europe's migration crisis." The New York Times, August 16, 2018.
• "The Transatlantic Relationship: Challenges and Opportunities." Brookings Institution, April 2018.
• "The Future of the Transatlantic Alliance." Chatham House, March 2018.