First, the calculated flattery. Then three big signals about the future of Europe

Sydney Morning Herald

20 hours ago

There is no limit to the amount of praise Donald Trump can soak up – and eight European leaders just proved it.
The visitors to the White House made sure to soften the American president with a jumbo pack of soft soap to guard against an angry clash that might wreck their hopes.
The flattery was lavish but necessary. Europe cannot rely on Trump, but it cannot afford to antagonise him. And it will only face bigger dangers if he is fooled by honeyed words from Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky needed the seven allies with him in the room. This was smart diplomacy by the major European democracies, and it gave Trump what he craves: more spectacle, more attention, and more praise.
Once the meeting was over, with its inconclusive outcome, the praise flowed again because the Europeans wanted to remind everyone of Trump's promises. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for instance, thanked him for a clear commitment to ensuring Ukrainian children are reunited with their loved ones.
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The Europeans had to use their gratitude to try to hold the American president to his own words. This dynamic revealed what the meeting so clearly lacked: a shared resolve about what should come next.
There was no collective statement because there was no collective will. Trump listened to the visitors, but he was not one of them. In theory, he was an ally under the NATO pact. In fact, he felt he was doing them a favour by getting involved.