[“Europe Doubts Trump”]
On May 16, Bloomberg reported that European officials are skeptical about whether US President Trump will impose new sanctions on Russia. They believe that no matter how the Kremlin obstructs peace talks, Trump clearly maintains a tolerant attitude towards Russia.
Last week, the US and Europe issued an ultimatum to Putin: either unconditional ceasefire for 30 days or face new large-scale sanctions. However, when Russia first replaced the ceasefire with negotiations in Istanbul and then disrupted the negotiation process, Trump responded mildly each time.
Although Europe publicly stated that sanctions would be imposed if Putin refuses to cease fire, privately, some officials expressed disappointment and confusion over Trump's repeated avoidance of strong measures against Russia. Some European officials still hope that Trump will follow through on his previous threats and promote the secondary sanctions bill targeting Russian oil buyers; others are skeptical, pointing out that the US side has made it clear that the final decision depends on Trump himself.
It is worth noting that Trump's public response to the breakdown of the Istanbul negotiations was not to confirm the implementation of sanctions but to express a willingness to call or even meet with Putin. Some analysts believe that Russia's demands in the negotiations, such as "returning constitutional territories," and their statement of "fighting forever" were seen as tacit approval by Trump, putting Ukraine and Europe at a disadvantage.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832315426489344/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author only.