Emmanuel Macron Photo: Thibault Camus/AP
European leaders are looking for ways to preserve traditional alliances and prevent Ukraine’s capitulation to Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Washington to convince Donald Trump that concessions to the Kremlin are a strategic mistake, Politico reports.
Why is this meeting important?
European leaders fear that a new US peace plan could mean a de facto victory for Vladimir Putin and set a precedent for future Russian aggressions. At the same time, Trump is seeking to negotiate with Moscow on his own, which could weaken European security.
Macron’s plan:
- Continue to support Ukraine, in particular with military support;
- Ensure that peace is not imposed on Kyiv on the Kremlin’s terms;
- Convince Trump that Russia’s concessions threaten both Europe and the United States.
In addition, France and the UK are discussing the possibility of deploying European military forces in Ukraine after the peace is concluded to prevent repeated Russian attacks.
Will Europe be able to convince the US not to give in to the Kremlin? Will support for Ukraine remain a priority for the West? The answers to these questions will depend on the outcome of Macron’s meeting with Trump.
