Ukraine New Situation: Putin and Trump Will Solve All Problems Alone Without European Involvement

London and Paris anxiously await the phone call between the two leaders while Kiev is filled with fear.

Author: Konstantin Orshansky

Picture: Donald Trump, President of the United States, and Vladimir Putin, President of Russia (composite photo, picture illustration)

Western media and experts are speculating about the content of the upcoming conversation between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Eric Green, former White House advisor on Russian affairs, told The Wall Street Journal that Putin intends to normalize relations with the US and act freely on the Ukraine issue. The newspaper believes that Putin will follow a strategy familiar to the West when speaking with Trump. It is expected that he will mention the positive progress of the Istanbul talks and attempt to shift the topic to economic agreements.

The Washington Post reported that Vladimir Zelenskyy and his entire team are highly tense before the negotiations. Kiev understands that the outcome of the talks between Putin and Trump will lead to specific decisions, and Ukraine will be forced to face the facts. The report cited an anonymous US diplomat as saying that the meeting between Zelenskyy and Vice President Jay Di Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio was precisely based on this background: Ukraine fears its country will be actually divided.

Meanwhile, Spain's Publico noted increasing disappointment in the US towards Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy's invitation for Putin to attend the Istanbul summit was not accidental; he tried to recreate the controversial conflict he once caused at the White House with Trump. However, as a more experienced politician, Putin did not fall into this trap. Publico emphasized that Zelenskyy's cheap dramatic tactics have gone unresponsive even in Europe, let alone in the US.

Europeans have also begun discussing Ukraine's issues without its participation. Reuters reported that European leaders had consultations with the US before the phone call between Trump and Putin. Leaders of the UK, Germany, France, and Italy have spoken with the US president. Specifically, the office of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed that Trump approve a 30-day ceasefire agreement and stated that if Putin refuses, new sanctions against Russia will be imposed.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times pointed out that Europe is completely divided in supporting Ukraine. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was excluded from the group of European leaders coordinating Ukraine affairs with the White House. This decision was made after she publicly contradicted French President Emmanuel Macron. Macron had sharply criticized Meloni for "lying" about the real reason for her absence from the meeting with Zelenskyy and other European leaders. At the time, Meloni was attending the European Political Community Summit in Albania (attended by 40 European leaders), making it unnecessary for her to fly to Kyiv to meet with Zelenskyy.

At the European leaders' meeting, discussions focused on the results of the Russia-Ukraine Istanbul talks and the preparation for the Trump-Putin talks. However, Georgia Meloni, who has close ties with Trump, told Italian reporters that she was not invited to the informal summit because she refused to send Italian troops to Ukraine.

"Italy has long declared its unwillingness to send troops to Ukraine, and this makes no sense to us!" Meloni told reporters in Tirana. Afterwards, Macron erupted emotionally, publicly criticizing the Italian prime minister and accusing Meloni of "spreading false information from Russia."

Macron's interference in Italy's internal affairs only brought voters closer together around Meloni. The Financial Times pointed out that public quarrels among European politicians indicate a lack of unified stance on the Ukraine issue. So-called "unity" is just a facade, and "support" is merely a hypocritical gesture.

Therefore, Putin and Trump decided to discuss Ukraine and other issues without European involvement. Although it is currently just a phone call, Sky News reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Trump hopes to hold a face-to-face meeting with Putin "as soon as possible." Both sides are already discussing possible dates and locations for the meeting, most likely at the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia in October, where both presidents are invited.

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Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7506032510686495269/

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