Written by (Mohamed El Baba)
During his election campaign, US President Donald Trump promised to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office. However, more than three weeks after taking office on January 20, 2025, the war is still ongoing. On February 12, 2025, Trump held phone conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where they agreed to begin immediate negotiations to end the conflict.
Despite these efforts, a peace agreement has not yet been reached. Some of Trump’s aides have indicated that reaching an agreement could take several months, contradicting his previous promises to end the war quickly.
There are growing concerns among European allies that Trump’s policies could undermine support for Ukraine and strengthen Russia’s position. This discrepancy between election promises and current reality is a source of concern for many international observers.
US President Donald Trump’s initiative to negotiate with Russia to end the war in Ukraine has sparked angry reactions and deep concerns among European leaders. This is due to their exclusion from these potential negotiations, which they see as marginalizing their role and undermining their security interests in the region.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb said that the United States has sent a questionnaire to European countries asking them what they can do to provide security guarantees for Ukraine. “The Americans have given the Europeans a questionnaire about what could be available,” Stubb said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference.
He continued, “This will force the Europeans to think. After that, it is up to the Europeans to decide whether they will actually answer the questionnaire, or answer it together.” In turn, four European sources said on Saturday that the United States has sent a diplomatic document to European capitals asking them what contributions they can make in terms of providing security guarantees for Ukraine.
The document was sent to ask questions about possible future troop contributions, the sources said. Two of the sources said the document was sent last week.
The Financial Times first reported that the US had asked its European allies for information on what weapons, peacekeeping troops and security arrangements they could provide to Ukraine.
“The idea is clearly to see how the European allies see the potential framework for negotiations to end the conflict, and the potential involvement of Europe and the US,” said a European diplomat familiar with the matter.
One diplomat said the document included six questions, one of which was specifically directed at EU member states.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called for a European army, saying the continent could no longer guarantee protection from the US and would only gain Washington’s respect with a strong military.
“The Americans are reaching out to European capitals, asking how many troops they can deploy,” a third diplomat said.
US envoy General Keith Kellogg announced that the United States intends to hold direct negotiations with Russia, excluding the participation of European countries. This decision sparked widespread discontent among European leaders, who see it as a disregard for their pivotal role in supporting Ukraine and confronting Russian threats.
European reactions
French President Emmanuel Macron called for an emergency summit in Paris to discuss the repercussions of the US moves, stressing the need to coordinate European positions to ensure the security of the continent.
In turn, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius criticized the US administration, considering that its statements weakened Ukraine’s position in potential negotiations with Russia.
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski confirmed his country’s support for the French initiative, stressing the importance of Europe’s participation in any negotiations related to the continent’s security.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed his concern about the possibility of imposing a peace agreement on his country without its actual participation, stressing the need for positions to be consistent with Washington before any negotiations with Moscow.
In an attempt to calm tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that Ukraine would be part of the negotiations with Russia, with a US mediation role. However, European leaders continued to be excluded from direct participation, which increased transatlantic tensions.
European steps
European leaders intend to meet to coordinate their responses and define their role in supporting Ukraine, stressing that any peace agreement must include strong security guarantees for Kiev, and take into account European interests to ensure lasting peace in the region.
These developments highlight the growing tension between the United States and its European allies over how to deal with the Ukrainian crisis, with Europeans focusing on the importance of partnership and coordination in confronting common security challenges.
Ukrainian President Zelensky had announced his readiness to negotiate with Russia to end the war, provided that several basic requirements are met:
Zelensky stressed the need for Ukraine to obtain effective security guarantees from other countries before entering into any negotiations with Russia. He pointed to the importance of having a binding legal document specifying these guarantees, including military and political support in the event of future aggression against Ukraine.
Zelensky stressed the importance of Ukraine restoring all its internationally recognized territories, while rejecting any concession of Ukrainian sovereignty over the occupied territories.
Zelensky called for the establishment of a special court to hold Russia accountable for the “crime of aggression” against Ukraine, stressing that this measure would send a clear message to all potential aggressors that they must seek peace or face international responsibility.
Zelensky focused on the need to protect civilians and ensure their safety, noting that any agreement must include effective measures to protect the population and infrastructure from any future threats.
He also
