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US President Donald Trump has found himself in a difficult situation because of his ambitions. He wants to end the war as soon as possible, but the terms of peace he has proposed for Ukraine are unacceptable. This may explain his tense and aggressive behavior towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting in the Oval Office, former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba notes in his article for The New York Times.
Kuleba explains that Trump has made the ceasefire in Ukraine a central element of his foreign policy, and therefore it is important for him to reach an agreement.
“He cannot afford to lose, because Ukraine should not become his Afghanistan, as it happened for Biden,” he writes.
Europeans, according to Kuleba, understand that Ukraine is looking for a peace agreement that will allow it to preserve its statehood. After the speech of US Vice President J.D. Vance at the Munich Security Conference, Europe is already living in a new reality. European leaders, who listened to Vance back in February, now understand that they will not be able to simply wait out Trump's second term, as was the case during his first term.
Kuleba emphasizes that Europe has already taken important steps and promises to do more, but the key question remains: when these steps will lead to real results for Ukraine. He suggests that Europe offer an alternative deal on Ukrainian minerals, as well as confiscate frozen Russian assets to finance arms purchases.
“The EU, the UK, and Norway will not be able to completely replace the US as Ukraine's main ally, but these practical steps could enhance Europe's role and give Ukraine the necessary space for action,” Kuleba summarizes.
