Concerns about Ukraine Europe prepares for Trump's term in office
One month before Donald Trump's inauguration as US President, the EU is preparing to take on significantly more responsibility for Ukraine, which has been attacked by Russia.
19.12.2024, 16:33
20.12.2024, 17:12
SDA
At a summit meeting in Brussels on Thursday, the question arose as to how the country could be put in a position to conduct possible peace negotiations with Moscow from a position of strength.
Against the backdrop of the difficult military situation in the east of the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked the EU states in Brussels for additional air defense systems that could also be used to protect nuclear power plants and gas storage facilities. He also urged the partners to support his country in setting up shelters in schools and helping to provide food for families.
Fear of forced peace
The background to the talks in the EU and among European NATO states is the concern that Donald Trump, as US President, could try to pressure Ukraine and Russia into negotiations. There are fears in Kiev that he could threaten to cut off military aid to Ukraine if it refuses. Trump recently announced that he wanted to end Russia's war against Ukraine as quickly as possible. For the Europeans, this also raises the question of whether they would send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine to secure a ceasefire if the worst came to the worst.
Selensky painted a bleak picture in the event that the USA were to stop its support altogether: "It is very difficult to support Ukraine without the help of the USA, and that is exactly what we will discuss with President Trump when he is in the White House," he said in Brussels. "I believe that only together can the United States and Europe really stop Putin and save Ukraine."
Scholz sees good opportunities for cooperation with Trump
For the EU, it is therefore also a matter of convincing Trump that continued support for Ukraine is also in the interests of the USA. For weeks, it has therefore been repeatedly pointed out that a victory for Russia would also strengthen its ally China. China sees Trump as the USA's main competitor.
At the EU summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed his confidence that good cooperation between the USA and Europe would still be possible under Trump. With regard to efforts to end the war, he reiterated that no decisions should be taken over the heads of the Ukrainians. "That applies to us as well as to everyone else."
Scholz called for unity. It must be clear that we are prepared to provide Ukraine with support for as long as it is needed. Scholz said that he had asked his allies to consider providing further assistance in the form of air defense, artillery and ammunition. For Germany, he promised: "We will continue to be the biggest supporter of Ukraine in Europe." The promised or delivered military equipment alone would be worth 28 billion euros.
EU without a unified line
However, it is highly questionable whether the unity demanded by Scholz can be achieved: one of the member states, Hungary, also supports Trump's policy. Head of government Viktor Orbán has so far refused to provide further military support to Ukraine. It is therefore to be expected that he will block any new plans for an expansion of EU support with a veto. Almost seven billion euros in EU funds cannot currently be used due to Hungary's stance.
Orban recently also campaigned for a Christmas ceasefire and a large-scale prisoner exchange between Ukraine and Russia and claimed that Russia would be willing to agree to such a proposal. Selenskyj said that Orban had no mandate to organize the negotiations with Putin.
Confidential talks with the NATO Secretary General
Prior to the talks at EU level, confidential talks had already taken place in the NATO framework late on Wednesday evening. In addition to Scholz, the heads of state and government of Poland, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands also took part in a meeting organized by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte. Selenskyj, the foreign ministers from France and the UK as well as EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Council President António Costa were also present.
It remained unclear whether and, if so, how specifically the talks dealt with the possible deployment of peacekeeping troops to secure a possible ceasefire in Ukraine. In this context, Rutte also warned against major public debates about a possible deal between Ukraine and Russia. "If we now discuss among ourselves what such an agreement could look like, we are making it easy for the Russians. They sit back and relax in their armchairs, listen to our discussions, smoke a cigar with relish and watch it all on TV," he said. "I don't think that's helpful."
Rutte added that it was of course inevitable in democracies to discuss these things openly. In his view, however, it would be wise to "contain it somewhat" and focus on the essentials - in other words, to make Selensky and Ukraine strong enough to enter into talks with the Russians if they themselves saw fit.
