European leaders are reacting to the aftermath of the Trump-Putin summit with concern.
SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
In the meantime, European leaders are watching the aftermath of the summit with concern. Teri Schultz has extra from Brussels.
TERI SCHULTZ, BYLINE: European leaders are relieved that whereas the summit would not appear to have pressured Russian President Vladimir Putin additional towards ending his struggle on Ukraine, neither did he go away Alaska with U.S. backing for maintaining the territory he is invaded and occupied. Jessica Berlin with the Middle for European Coverage Evaluation says that is hardly trigger for celebration.
CENTER FOR EUROPEAN POLICY ANALYSIS JESSICA BERLIN: The truth that Ukraine’s allies are viewing it as a win that Trump did not concede Ukrainian territory on Ukraine’s behalf in a bilateral assembly with Putin tells you simply how very low the bar is about. This summit was a victory by means of and thru for Putin.
SCHULTZ: After the assembly, Trump referred to as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a handful of European leaders and the secretary common of NATO to temporary them. In an announcement, the Europeans mentioned they welcomed the U.S. president’s efforts to cease the killing in Ukraine, finish Russia’s struggle of aggression and obtain simply and lasting peace. These European leaders believed that they had satisfied Trump final week of the need of a ceasefire and launched an announcement then saying, significant negotiations can solely happen within the context of a ceasefire or discount of hostilities.
However now that Trump has come out in favor of a full peace settlement moderately than a ceasefire first, Jan Balliauw, with the Belgian suppose tank the Egmont Institute, says persevering with the combating would give Russians extra leverage in negotiations.
JAN BALLIAUW: Up until now, it was actually the precedence of Europeans and of the Ukrainians to first have a ceasefire after which peace negotiations. And apparently, Trump agreed with it after the talks he had with the Europeans and Zelenskyy on Wednesday. And now apparently, he is shifted to the Russian logic (ph) which is first negotiations after which an finish to the combating.
SCHULTZ: However it might not simply be the U.S. chief who modified his thoughts. This assertion from the a number of European leaders after this cellphone name with Trump, in contrast to final week’s – which was the identical group – doesn’t point out a ceasefire in any respect. Such nuances usually are not misplaced on the nations alongside the entrance line with Russia. Marko Mihkelson, chairman of the Overseas Affairs Committee within the Estonian Parliament, says Putin mustn’t have had this picture op on U.S. territory with out, Mihkelson presumed, any intention of pursuing peace.
MARKO MIHKELSON: Putin’s objective, almost certainly, was to return to America, to be handled with a crimson carpet. And we noticed how he, as a wished struggle prison, assassin and the one that nonetheless finishing up, because the chief of Russia, the struggle towards Ukraine and principally towards the West as effectively. So he acquired what he wished – to be legitimized.
SCHULTZ: It isn’t a cushty growth for nations depending on the U.S. as their final safety backstop. Likewise, Mihkelson famous Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov exhibiting up in a T-shirt studying U.S.S.R., to which Estonia was forcibly annexed in 1940.
MIHKELSON: That is actually essential for those who, , perceive Russians. That is the sign that we’re right here to outline the long run.
SCHULTZ: Mihkelson says the sign he did not get from the summit was that the U.S. is able to put extra strain on Putin. However he mentioned he’d like to be fallacious about that and is wanting ahead to subsequent week’s conferences with Trump, Zelenskyy and sure some European leaders to get extra solutions. For NPR Information, I am Teri Schultz in Brussels.
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