Tue Feb 18 15:16:45 UTC 2025: ## Trump’s Ukraine Peace Plan Sparks Transatlantic Crisis

**Paris/Brussels** – President Donald Trump’s initiative to broker a peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin over Ukraine without European involvement has sent shockwaves through Europe, triggering a major transatlantic crisis. European leaders are scrambling to respond to Trump’s unilateral approach, fearing a deal detrimental to Ukraine’s interests and a shift in the balance of power within the NATO alliance.

Trump’s plan, involving talks between himself and Putin potentially in Saudi Arabia, has been met with fierce opposition from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who has vowed to reject any agreement not negotiated with Kyiv’s participation. This sentiment is echoed by European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who declared that a “dictated peace” would be unacceptable.

The Trump administration, represented by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Riyadh, aims to reset US-Russia relations. However, this approach has been condemned for excluding both Ukraine and European allies from crucial discussions. European concerns center around a potential “sell-out” of Ukraine similar to what some perceive as Trump’s past stance on the Gaza Strip.

The Trump administration’s envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, while attempting to reassure allies that no deal would be imposed on Ukraine, announced that Europe would not be included in peace negotiations. This, coupled with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s declaration that Ukrainian NATO membership is “unrealistic” and calls for increased European defense spending, has fueled anxieties about the US’s reliability as a security partner.

European nations, having already provided significantly more financial aid to Ukraine than the US, are now reevaluating their relationship with the United States. Discussions in Paris among European leaders focused on potential responses, including increased European defense spending and the possibility of deploying troops to Ukraine post-conflict. However, significant disagreements remain on the deployment of troops, with Germany expressing reservations.

The transatlantic rift extends beyond the Ukraine conflict. Trump’s threats of tariffs against Europe are exacerbating tensions, raising the spectre of a trade war. The Trump administration’s desire for Europe to take on a larger security role in Ukraine while the US focuses on other priorities further fuels these concerns. Experts like Timothy Ash of Chatham House highlight growing European concerns about the US’s reliability as a security guarantor, a role it has played for decades through NATO. The current situation underscores a significant realignment of power within the transatlantic alliance and raises serious questions about the future of European security.

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