Trump gives Europe the dizziness, not just for Ukraine

If the progress in ending the war in Ukraine requires cohesion between the allies, then there seems to be little or nothing at the present time.

A wave of diplomatic talks did not do this week, not to mention peace, rather than clarifying the uncomfortable dispute between Europe and the United States.

While they were gathering in Paris, European leaders explained that their priority is free, democratic and stable Ukraine capable of bearing any other Russian aggression. “We must put Ukraine in the strongest position to negotiate a strong and lasting peace,” said President Emmanuel Macron from France on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration followed its impulsion to end the three -year -old war Upon economic conditions for the United States. These conditions include a revival relationship with Russia and great compensation from Ukraine, which is seen as not grateful for American support.

As a result, the allies, if they are still, were similar to ships that pass at night, with President Trump for its course to reward President Vladimir in.

The United States’ average deal was reached to stop fighting in the Black Sea in its head, Saudi Arabia, without a European presence. But it has become immediately clear whether the agreement will be implemented soon – at all.

The Trump and Karmlin administration has offered three issues of its conditions, as Moscow adapted the deal on the removal of economic sanctions, a move that requires European support and faces severe European opposition.

In Paris, where European leaders gathered without US officials, the discussion on how to send a “reassurance force” was ultimately to reinforce any Ukrainian truce. But the so -called coalition of those who wish to seem like a hesitant coalition. It was not clear which countries that will participate and where the forces will be deployed. Moscow warned of a direct NATO military clash if they did.

After the meeting, President Voludimir Zelinski of Ukraine, who attended the talks, announced that “no one will give our lands to Putin.” He added: “This is our common position – at least present today.” The United States believes that peace without regional concessions from Ukraine is impossible.

The differences between Europe and Washington deepened much deeper conflicts over Ukraine. Europe has dizzy. It is not certain whether Mr. Trump is now a strategic and ideological competitor, which will be a transformation that changes the world, or just wants Europe to assume its defensive responsibilities. The latter will be a brutal shock, but it may be an inevitable and controlled shock.

“The reconstruction of the coalition requested by Trump can feel more like the end of the coalition,” said Michel Dyclos, a special adviser to the Montin Foundation, a research organization in Paris. “There is no longer even an equal relationship.”

Article 5 of the Founding NATO treaty, which promises that “an armed attack against one or more” of the member states “is considered an attack against them all” and met, if necessary, “using the armed force.” But this era seems more fragile than a few months.

Mr. Trump has long complained that the United States is spending a lot on the security of Europe and promised to compel European countries to increase their military budgets, which began to happen but not to his consent. With the end of the Cold War a long time, he threatened not to defend NATO allies who were not paying. These threats escalated during his second term.

This has led to a large -scale relief. France is preparing to distribute the “Flexibility Guide” to every family to help citizens prepare for threats, including the armed struggle for French soil.

Meanwhile, Mr. Macron announced a $ 2.1 billion plan to update an air base and equip it to host combat aircraft from Rafale from the next generation capable of offering non -audio nuclear missiles.

“What has become increasingly clear is that the Trump team believes that Europe is a good parasitic ally and its liberal democracies as political and ideological opponents,” said Celia Bilin, head of the European Council of Foreign Relations. “But this is very contradictory to all that the United States has reached so much that we are committed to asking: Can America really tend this way?”

The United States has always been an idea and a nation. It will be an amazing reflection of his alliances and values ​​for Mr. Trump America not only in the disclosure of the European Union, a coalition described as created by the “United States”, but also to celebrate the non -Hungary national states like Hungary.

However, with Pete HegSeth, the Minister of Defense, who is called “pathetic” in a conversation leaked on the application of a signal correspondence between the senior Trump administration officials, and the tone of contempt for Europe coming from Washington, this American strategic goal is no longer long -term.

It seems that the nationality and conservative values ​​of Mr. Putin are greatly attractive to the Trump administration, and perhaps more than the Vice President of Liberal Democrats JD Vance Attack During a visit to Europe last month, he claimed that it refused to listen to the voters.

“It seems that there was a seismic change,” Sir David Manning, the former British ambassador to the United States, told the House of Lords this month.

He said this is “not our values.”

The Trump administration argues that it has a mandate to decline against what is seen as the health of the political left and the pursuit of sharing with Moscow to an end to a bloody war that Russia began.

It will not be easy, given the European divisions and restrictions in the budget, in order for the continent to end its dependence on its American military power and follow up on an aggressive rearmament program, but over a period of five to 10 years it can be imagined. German infiltration will change the face of Europe. Certainly, it will lead to Moscow note.

However, what cannot be perceived for many Europeans, is to deal with America, which has become a opponent, whether in the short term of reaching peace settlement in Ukraine or the longest -term goal of reducing the strength and impact of tyranny from Beijing to Ankara.

In the view of Stephen Walt, a professor of international relations at Harvard University, the Trump administration follows a familiar book towards the power of the strong man. He said, “First, the judges, then universities, then the press, then lawyers – there are no rules that Trump does not want to break.”

No one, of course, knows what the final intentions of Mr. Trump are, but the alarm is widespread in Europe. Mrs. Beilin said that just as Mr. Trump appears to be determined to do so Weakening checks and balances At home, it seeks to repeat this externally, and to reach any arrangement based on rules or based on values.

She said: “Anything is to check everything he wants to do on any day, including Article 5, is something that might torn it.” “What matters in the Trump world is power and interests. For Europe, the choice may decrease to this: show the teeth or give it what he wants.”

Currently, in Ukraine, Europe appears to be determined to show teeth instead of introducing the victory that Mr. Putin is seen as threatening the entire continent. Moreover, the great European confusion is clear.

“The only hope is the American people.”

Ségolène Stradic and Aurelien PREDEREN The reports contributed.