Macron and Starmer to Lead Troop Support Teleconference for Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will convene a teleconference on Sunday among the so-called “coalition of the willing,” a group of nations prepared to contribute troops and other support to Ukraine following the war, reports 24brussels.
In advance of this summit, former President Donald Trump expressed his backing for a limited American role in providing security guarantees to Ukraine, aiming to deter future Russian aggression after a peace agreement is reached. Leaders from Nordic and Baltic countries reiterated their support for these commitments following Trump’s discussions with European officials late last week.
Despite Trump’s increased consultations with European partners leading up to the summit with Vladimir Putin, the interactions have not translated into meaningful outcomes. European officials are relieved that Trump did not finalize any agreements with Putin but are dismayed that proposals for significant secondary tariffs on third countries purchasing Russian oil were set aside.
“They want to try to influence the negotiation process as much as possible, because they know Trump really wants to do it this way, and they don’t want to leave the initiative to Putin,” commented Giuseppe Spatafora, a former NATO official now serving as a research analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies. “In general, the Europeans talk much more often to Trump than during the first 100 days, which is good. They have influence. But it’s limited.”
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s last visit to the Oval Office in February ended poorly when Vice President JD Vance and Trump admonished him for allegedly not expressing sufficient gratitude for American support, attributing this to Zelenskyy’s perceived weak diplomatic stance. Additionally, his choice to wear casual attire rather than a suit reportedly contributed to the tense atmosphere.
However, recent interactions between Trump and Zelenskyy have seen improvements, as Kyiv’s allies aim to strengthen relations while Trump’s dissatisfaction with Putin has escalated.
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