Cnn
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In shocks delivered by the Trump administration last week, European leaders had emergency talks in Paris on Monday while American and Russian officials are preparing to meet in Saudi Arabia to discuss the end of the war in Ukraine – Without European or Ukrainian involvement.
Aside from a brief call on Monday between French President Emmanuel Macron and his American counterpart Donald Trump, European leaders were sidelined at the start of a central week for the security of the continent.
Instead, the emphasis will be placed on American-Russia talks in Riyadh, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio sit on Tuesday with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who said the discussion would aim at Put an end to the “abnormal period” in relations between the two “great powers.” These talks could throw the ground for a potential meeting between Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Faced with the prospect of a decrease in the American footprint in Europe, the meeting of European leaders focused on the potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine and the European allies’ desire to intensify defense spending.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who described the Paris meeting for a moment “one in generation” for national security on the continent, said that he was “ready to consider committing British forces on the ground, alongside ‘Others, if there is a lasting peace agreement. ”
Other European leaders have also suggested intensifying in various ways.
NATO secretary, Mark Rutte, told CNN that Paris talks were an opportunity for European leaders to develop strategies on the best possible way to support a peace process, including discussions on many to “want to put troops in Ukraine after a peace agreement”. Rutte added that it is “very important that the United States is ready to provide a safeguard – so no troops on the ground, but a safeguard – allowing such efforts.”
“This means that Europeans (are) ready to intensify, to engage positively, willing to help in Ukraine after a peace agreement, including with the troops if necessary, but clearly with an American backup – because you have to indicate Clearly that deterrence is completely in place and that Putin will never try again, ”said Rutte.
During three years of war in Ukraine, Europe and the United States, he remained remarkably united in their position towards Russia. But just over three weeks after Trump’s second presidency, a large part of this unit took place.
The Trump administration delivered a series of blows in Europe and Ukraine last week. First, the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, said that membership of NATO for Ukraine was not a realistic result of a negotiated regulation and that European security was no longer a priority for UNITED STATES.
Then, Trump held a long telephone call with Putin, effectively putting Western policy of “nothing on Ukraine without Ukraine”. On Friday, Vice-President JD Vance turned European leaders during a puffy speech at the Munich security conference, castigated them for alleged repression against freedom of expression.
“The threat that I am most towards Europe is not Russia,” said Vance to an audience with a stone face. “What worries me is the threat of the interior.”
Nigel Gould-Davies, principal researcher for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said that the Rafale of declarations of the Trump administration had plunged Europe into “unexplored territory”.
By making concessions to the Kremlin before the start of the negotiations, Gould-Davies said that the Trump administration showed an “undue” which could create openings for Putin.
“If you negotiate and show that you are the one who wants to do it as quickly as possible. This puts you in a lower position. There is a lot to exploit in Putin, “he told CNN.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine will not participate in the American-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, although he is in the country for separate meetings. He declared that any discussion “on Ukraine without Ukraine” would not bear fruit and that kyiv would reject a negotiated agreement without the involvement of kyiv.
Zelensky, however, reported its opening to sign an agreement which will grant access to the United States to the rare land minerals in Ukraine, if Washington offers security guarantees to kyiv in return.
“The question is not what Ukraine can give, but what can he get Ukraine?” Zelensky said on Monday.
After rejecting the initial approach of the Trump administration over the weekend, Zelensky said that he would welcome a “more detailed plan”.
Zelensky also confirmed that Keith Kellogg, sent from Russia-Ukraine from Trump, is expected to visit Ukraine on Thursday. Zelensky said he hoped to take Kellogg to meet soldiers on the front line “so that he could see him at their level.”
But most of the Trump administration diplomacy will be led in the Middle East, where Rubio will be joined in Riyadh by national security advisor Mike Waltz and special envoy Steve Witkoff, confirmed the State Department. The Kremlin said Lavrov will be joined by the presidential aid Yury Ushakov.
Rubio has supervised talks as an attempt to determine whether Russia seriously wishes to end its war in Ukraine. Lavrov, however, pointed out higher objectives, saying that Trump and Putin “agree on the need to leave an absolutely abnormal period in relations between the two great powers.”
Request by CNN If Russia is willing to make compromises, Lavrov suggested that this would take a hard approach to negotiations.
Gould-Davies, former UK ambassador to Bélarus, said it was a “concern” that Europe will have a limited influence on a negotiated regulation, but will have to live with its consequences.
“It is the Americans alone who negotiate with Russia. But the Americans also say that it is Europe alone that will have to apply and guarantee and pay for any agreement that the Americans conclude, “he said.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that it is the most serious crisis that the Transatlantic Alliance has been confronted,” he added.
Meanwhile, in Paris, Rutte told CNN that he thought that the United States intended to ensure that Ukraine was playing a role in future negotiations.
“This is Ukraine. Thus, Ukraine will be at the table, I have no doubts, “said Rutte after speaking with the leaders of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Poland, L ‘Spain, the Netherlands, Denmark and the European Union.
Asked about the possibility that a peace agreement could be concluded without consulting Ukraine and NATO, Rutte said that “NATO or Europe must be relevant to sit at this table if he wanted it . And I think Europeans intensify now. »»
Rutte also said that the Trump administration was right to say that NATO European Allies had to spend more on defense, adding that it thought it must be “3%north” of GDP in order to fill “Huge gaps” in capacities. “They were right. We must spend more and we will spend more. »»
