Tue Feb 18 08:37:24 UTC 2025: ## Trump Administration to Hold Secret Talks with Russia, Leaving Europe Scrambling
**Paris, France** – A dramatic shift in US foreign policy has sent shockwaves through Europe. The Trump administration is reportedly holding secret talks with Russia to negotiate a settlement in the Ukraine war, excluding both Ukraine and European nations from the process. The talks, mediated by Saudi Arabia, will involve US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff, and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz. This move marks a stark departure from US policy of the last three years and leaves European leaders scrambling to formulate a response.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vehemently rejected any deal made without Ukraine’s participation. However, with the US seemingly prepared to abandon its traditional role as a European security guarantor, Ukraine’s options appear limited. This shift follows statements by US Vice President JD Vance emphasizing the need for Europe to significantly increase its own defense spending and by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who suggested that Ukraine’s return to its pre-2014 borders is unrealistic and downplayed the prospect of Ukraine joining NATO.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the situation a “once in a generation” moment for national security, suggesting the UK might deploy peacekeeping troops to Ukraine. Germany is considering similar action, but the effectiveness of such late interventions remains uncertain. Europe fears that a deal brokered between Trump and Putin, prioritizing short-term political gains, could leave Europe at a significant long-term disadvantage.
The Trump administration’s actions reflect a prioritization of the Indo-Pacific region over European security. This “America First” approach, characterized by transactional alliances and demands for increased European defense spending, has been intensified in Trump’s second term. While Europe has been slow to react to this evolving reality, leaders are now meeting in Paris to formulate a cohesive response, focusing on increased European defense spending and securing Ukraine’s future after any potential ceasefire. The unpredictability of the Trump administration’s outreach to Putin has cast a pall of uncertainty over the future of transatlantic relations. The perceived abandonment of Europe by the US has left the continent questioning its own security future.
First Piper 