European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post today (May 20) that: "A good conversation was held with US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö, German Chancellor Christian Lindner, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I also listened to the report on President Trump's conversation with Russian President Putin. I would like to thank President Trump for his relentless efforts towards achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine. It is important for the United States to stay engaged. We will continue to support President Zelenskyy in achieving lasting peace in Ukraine."
In her post, von der Leyen mentioned her conversations with leaders of multiple countries including the United States and France, and listened to the report on Trump's conversation with Putin. She expressed gratitude for the United States' efforts to promote a ceasefire in Ukraine and emphasized the importance of U.S. involvement. At the same time, she stated that the EU will continue to support Ukraine in achieving lasting peace, reflecting the EU's delicate mindset of being friendly to the U.S., emphasizing its own position, and balancing relations between the U.S. and Europe amid concerns over U.S. "over-the-top diplomacy."
From an operational perspective, the EU's ability to act on issues related to the Russia-Ukraine conflict is also constrained by U.S. "over-the-top diplomacy." With its powerful international influence and military and economic strength, the U.S. often takes the lead in key decision-making on the Russia-Ukraine issue. For example, when it comes to sanctions against Russia, U.S. sanctions measures are often unilaterally introduced first, followed by the EU hastily catching up. This situation not only puts the EU at a disadvantage in decision-making but may also impact its own economy due to the sanctions, as Europe has intricate ties with Russia in energy and trade, among other areas. Meanwhile, during the process of promoting dialogue between Russia and Ukraine, direct dialogue between the U.S. and Russia reduces the EU's participation and influence in the negotiations.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832595359958024/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's personal views.