In his first month as President of the United States, Donald Trump has achieved at least one thing: the ties between the European allies of Ukraine are being strengthened at a rapid pace.
On Monday, no fewer than three trains with at least thirteen foreign leaders and numerous other dignitaries arrived at the Kyiv station, including on behalf of the European Union, all Scandinavian and Baltic countries, Spain and Canada. Together with the Ukrainians, they commemorated that Russia invaded the country with a colossal force exactly three years ago. And they expressed renewed support to the country that has since been under fire and is threatened in his survival.
“I never had the idea that this war is only about Ukraine,” said Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in Kyiv. “You pay the price, but this war is about Russia.” She underlined, like other government leaders present, that nothing should be decided in negotiations outside of Ukraine. She was referring to the peace talks that representatives of the US and Russia started in Saudi Arabia last week, without Ukraine.
The long leadership parade in KYIV, on day 1.097 of the large -scale war, seems to symbolize a new determination with which the European allies stand around Ukraine, right now that the continuation of the American military support has become highly uncertain. And not only that: there are even serious doubts as to whether the Americans will maintain their military presence in Europe at the current level and whether Washington will meet his NATO obligations.
Because symbolic was also in Kyiv on Monday that one country was missing at the commemoration of the Russian invasion: the United States. That may not be surprising, since President Trump joined the side of President Putin last week, when he was President Zensky for “dictator” and Ukraine responsible for the outbreak of the large -scale war.
That the Trump is serious was apparent in the weekend when Washington at the UN sought support for a resolution In which only called for a quick end to ‘the conflict’, without Russia being designated as an aggressor.
Confrontation in the UN
On Monday, the crack in the Western Ukraine alliance in the general meeting was clearly underlined. The US voted against a resolution that Ukraine had submitted with European support and in which the invasion is convicted and called Russia to withdraw. In addition to the US, Russia, Hungary, Israel, Nicaragua and Niger also voted against the Ukrainian resolution.
The US submitted its own resolution, which only states that the war must be terminated. That resolution was also adopted. The American text was supplemented by the observation that the invasion is contrary to the UN Charter. The US was then forced to abstain from mood about their own resolution. Resolutions of the general meeting have no binding effect, but do give a picture of global opinion.
French President Emmanuel Macron was the first European leader to visit Trump in the White House on Monday. Together with Trump, he participated from the Oval Office in the morning in a video meeting of the leaders of the G7 countries about Ukraine. The meeting of large Western economies did not succeed in drawing up a joint explanation about Ukraine.
Later, during a short meeting with journalists, Trump made it appear as if Europe’s billions of billion for Ukraine was just a loan. Macron tried to correct his host, but he didn’t seem to have a message about it.
During a joint press conference, Trump repeated that he is working hard on his greatest legacy: that of peacemaker. He also repeated that Europe must take responsibility for guaranteeing peace in Ukraine if it comes to an agreement.
Macron gave Trump compliments for his conversations with President Zensky. He also underlined that a possible peace agreement must guarantee a just and stable peace for a sovereign Ukraine. According to Macron, the Europeans realize that they should do more in their own defense.
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Whether ‘Europe’ actually starts a new chapter on the way to a joint defense and safety policy is still the question, but the importance of this seems to have penetrated into all corners of the continent. The remarkable American turning in any case leads to the fact that there is feverish consultation at all kinds of European levels about the large safety issue that suddenly occurs, not only for Ukraine, but for the entire eastern border of Europe. From the Norwegian-Russian border within the polar circle to deep to Turkey, the consequences will be noticeable if the Americans indeed turn their foreign policy as drastically as Trump seems to do.
“We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe,” wrote Ursula von der LeyenChairman of the European Commission, Monday on arrival in the Ukrainian capital. “In this survival struggle not only the fate of Ukraine is at stake, but that of Europe.”
Later she also said that Ukraine can be a member of the European Union before 2030. Membership of the great agricultural state was completely unthinkable before the raid in 2022. In the meantime, accession negotiations have started, but a lot of work still has to be done by KYIV.
The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also emphasized the importance of the “collective force” to bring peace. “President Trump has changed the global discussion in recent weeks, and that creates opportunities,” said Starmer via a video connection with Kyiv. “If we want sustainable peace, Ukraine must have a place at the negotiating table, and every agreement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine, supported by strong security guarantees.”
Zensky seized the commemoration to show the world that he is proud of his homeland and on his countrymen. “For three years. Three years of gratitude. Three years of absolute heroism of the Ukrainians. Proud of Ukraine, “wrote the president on Telegram.
Diplomatic handicraft
In the meantime, political handicrafts on the sad annual day in Brussels and elsewhere – under great pressure and in the knowledge that a new episode has arrived in European historiography.
The era of after the fall of the wall is now closed
“We are at the start of a historic new era,” said Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp (NSC) in Brussels prior to a meeting with fellow ministers. “The era of after the fall of the wall is now closed.”
The fall of the Berlin Wall led to a political reconstruction of Europe in 1989: the Eastern European countries, which since the end of the Second World War fell under the sphere of influence of Moscow, then opted for a future in the West, NATO and NATO and The European Union. The United States stimulated that development and acted as patron.
According to Veldkamp, ”we all have now become Gaullists.” Veldkamp: “We attach to the transatlantic relationships, but we have realistic expectations about what that means.” French President Charles de Gaulle (1959-1969) laid the foundation for a center-right political movement that advocates a powerful centrally led republic and strongly emphasizes the independence of France, regardless of the United States. France left the NATO command structure in 1966 to return until 2009, although Paris kept its nuclear weapons outside the Alliance. France thought that the US had too much influence in NATO.
Sixteenth sanction package
Veldkamp and colleagues formally decided to establish a sixteenth sanction package against Russia. The EU is tackling the shadow fleet with which Moscow bypasses sanctions. The EU is also taking a Chinese company that supplies satellite images to the Russian armed forces.
The ministers also spoke about a new support package for Ukraine of possibly a few billions. The size of the package must be determined on a inserted EU leader stop next week in Brussels.
“It is clear that statements from the US have led to concern about the transatlantic relations with us all,” said EU-Buitenland chef Kaja Kallas, who goes to the US for two days before consultation this week. “It is clear that we also had differences of opinion and that we could always solve them. We expect that we will be able to do so this time. “