Trump urges europe to lead on Ukraine, blocks NATO path
Donald Trump, the President-elect of the USA, in a conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron, suggested that European forces should monitor the ceasefire in Ukraine. According to the "Wall Street Journal," Trump also opposed inviting Ukraine to NATO.
During the conversation in Paris, Trump emphasised that he does not intend to send American forces to Ukraine but expects Europe to play a key role in supporting Kyiv. According to "WSJ" sources, Trump also declared—something he has repeatedly stressed publicly—that he will not support Ukraine's membership in NATO, but noted that he wants a "strong, well-armed" Ukraine.
Trump lacks a concrete plan?
Trump also pressed Europe to exert pressure on China, urging EU countries to influence Russia in order to end the war. The threat of imposing tariffs on Chinese products was to be used as a tool of pressure.
According to Trump's advisers, quoted by the newspaper, despite promises of a swift end to the war in Ukraine, the President-elect does not have a concrete plan to achieve this and has not devoted deeper thought to the issue. The newspaper reports that key decisions will be made only after the president assumes power, possibly after his conversation with Vladimir Putin.
Decisions regarding Ukraine are expected to be made after Trump takes office, possibly after a conversation with Vladimir Putin. In an interview with "Time," Trump declined to answer a question about talks with Putin after the elections, admitting that ending the war will be more difficult than achieving peace in the Middle East.
Western troops in Ukraine
Trump criticised the decision to allow Ukraine to carry out attacks inside Russia, calling it "stupid" and "crazy." Despite this, some of his advisers considered this decision helpful in future talks with Russia. "Wall Street Journal" emphasises that the plan to place European forces in Ukraine is in the early stages.
Macron had previously spoken about the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine, which was a topic of discussions with the United Kingdom. However, it is not clear which countries would participate in this initiative, and the mission would not be conducted under the aegis of NATO.
