Trump could be about to sell out Ukraine. Europe must get its act together, fast | Paul Taylor
A deal giving Moscow a slice of Ukrainian territory and sanctions relief could be on the table in weeks – yet European leaders are busy squabbling Donald Trump has lost substantial power over domestic policy after last week’s devastating midterm losses, but his ability to cement his legacy by upending US foreign policy remains largely intact. There is every reason to fear a ”great betrayal” of…
A potential deal that would grant Moscow access to Ukrainian territory and sanctions relief could be discussed in the coming weeks, according to reports. Despite President Donald Trump's diminished influence over domestic affairs following recent midterm elections, his ability to shape US foreign policy remains intact. There is a significant risk of a "great betrayal" of Ukraine, which would reward Putin for Russia's aggressive war against Kyiv and potentially cause long-lasting damage to the European security order.
However, European leaders are preoccupied with internal squabbles over who will represent them in future peace talks and have not focused on preventing a sellout.
At a three-way US-Russia-Ukraine negotiation in Abu Dhabi, Europe is represented by officials from the UK, France, Germany, the EU, and NATO. Trump claims he is working with Moscow on a "big, beautiful deal" that could also involve Europe. Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law, suggests Trump has discussed the need for a broader European security architecture with several European leaders.
This could potentially involve cutting a deal with Putin behind the backs of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders, resulting in permanent Russian control of occupied Ukrainian territory, relief from Western economic sanctions, and the denial of Eastern European countries' right to choose their own security arrangements.
The possibility of such a deal may be within weeks, as Trump has endorsed the idea of meeting with Putin and possibly Chinese President Xi Jinping at an Asia-Pacific summit in Shenzhen on November 18-19. However, the opportunity to influence European security in the absence of Ukrainian or other European leaders could be tempting for Trump after his electoral defeat.
To pressure Kyiv into accepting a partition, Trump has already shown willingness to withhold crucial satellite intelligence and missile interceptors. Elon Musk is also limiting Ukraine's defensive capabilities by imposing speed limits on his Starshield satellite network, making it difficult for Ukrainian drones to take down Russian jet-powered kamikaze drones.
Trump may attempt to coerce European allies into accepting the deal by threatening US troop withdrawals and base closures, as a Pentagon review is nearing completion. Despite Ukraine's strong resistance, Putin's relentless destruction of Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure aims to weaken Kyiv before diplomatic talks. Although Europe has options to counter this potential betrayal, political differences among European nations, such as the Belgian prime minister's refusal to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine, are preventing stronger actions.
The EU could leverage these assets to provide financial assistance to Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for the destruction of Ukraine, and contribute to reconstruction efforts.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
