Trump and Putin to meet in Alaska for crucial Ukraine ceasefire talks. Image credit: CNNN
(The Post News)- European capitals are gripped with apprehension ahead of the summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump in Alaska. The Europeans fear Putin will divide the transatlantic alliance and get everything he wants in Ukraine. A European diplomat expressed concerns, saying, “We are at risk of being a footnote in history”.
The Europeans are worried because little is known about what the Kremlin has proposed to halt the fighting in Ukraine. Putin hasn’t given any details, and US envoy Steve Witkoff didn’t reveal much after meeting with the Russian leader. Trump mentioned that there will be some swapping of territories, but European leaders are skeptical about this approach. They emphasize that international borders must not be changed by force.
According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Trump Administration has described Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reported demands for a ceasefire in Ukraine in four different ways since August 6. However, one thread common to all versions is that Putin will demand Ukrainian forces withdraw from all parts of Donetsk region they still hold. This would force Ukraine to abandon its “fortress belt,” exposing it to further aggression.
Mick Ryan, who tracks the Ukrainian conflict, notes that Ukraine understands ceded territory would be used as a launchpad for future Russian aggression. The parallels with the Munich Agreement between British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler in 1938 are striking. It’s unclear whether Putin will persist in his demand that Russia also be ceded control of two other Ukrainian regions – Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
European leaders are paying the price for not developing a strategic identity independent of US apron-strings. Rym Momtaz notes that the Europeans have bought unlimited passes for the Trump roller coaster ride, climbing on, strapping themselves in, and screaming out in terror but failing to get off. Europe’s predicament is hazardous because the US lacks a clear Ukraine strategy, with only anger, impulses, social media posts, and an underpinning desire from Trump to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Europeans believe a ceasefire should be the precondition for any talk about territory. They stress the need for robust security guarantees to enable Ukraine to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, it’s unclear if Russia will agree to such guarantees. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized that any deal between the US and Russia must include Ukraine and the EU.
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