Latest news with #Europe-led
Bloomberg
5 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
US Said to Refuse Air Cover for Europe Forces in Postwar Ukraine
The US is refusing to provide air defenses to back the 'reassurance force' the UK and France are planning in a postwar Ukraine, people familiar with the matter said. While British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has insisted a US so-called backstop is essential to deter Russia from breaching any future ceasefire deal, European allies have come to the realization during discussions with their American counterparts that President Donald Trump won't provide the guarantees they have sought to back the Europe-led 'coalition of the willing,' according to the people, who requested anonymity disclosing private discussions.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What Putin wants from Xi Jinping
Waving their national flag and chanting a patriotic anthem of wartime hardship, China's Guard of Honour marched through Red Square in Moscow last week. The specialised unit within the People's Liberation Army was rehearsing for Russia's Victory Day parade, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War and is anticipated to be its 'grandest' yet. In a show of deepening ties, Xi Jinping, who landed in Moscow on Wednesday evening, will be in the front row of spectators with Vladimir Putin. While the two have met more than 40 times as leaders of China and Russia, standing side-by-side on such an important day will be highly symbolic. 'It's a reaffirmation of the increasingly close ties between the two countries in the face of their mutual enemy – the West,' said Pierre Andrieu, a former diplomat in Russia. 'It's a very powerful and explicit message.' A Chinese honour guard rehearsed in central Moscow on Tuesday - Yao Dawei/Xinhua The parade on Friday will come at the end of three days of 'strategic talks' behind closed doors in the Kremlin. Putin is believed to have a list of requests for Mr Xi. However, Beijing still has its red lines. Putin's demands The Kremlin said the talks would be focused on the 'further advancement of Russia-China relations of comprehensive partnership and strategic co-operation' and the two leaders would 'sign a number of bilateral inter-governmental and inter-departmental documents'. The war in Ukraine will undoubtedly be on the agenda and experts believe Putin will want to talk about China's role as a potential peacekeeper in the event of a ceasefire. Putin and his deputies have firmly rejected any Europe-led mission in Ukraine – with Alexander Grushko, Russia's deputy foreign minister, calling the idea 'absolutely inappropriate and absurd' – but Chinese involvement could be much more palatable. 'The Chinese would be more sympathetic to the Russian position. If French and British troops were there, from Russia's point of view, it would just be Nato in Ukraine, which is exactly what they don't want,' said Richard Weitz, director at the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute in the US. A tank rehearsing for the 80th anniversary Victory Day parade - Alexander Zemlianichenko Jr/Xinhua Huiyao Wang, the founder and president of the Centre for China and Globalisation, one of China's leading think tanks, said he believed China would want to participate in a peacekeeping mission to show that it promotes peace. Beijing has denied that it is considering such a prospect. However, Chinese support for Russia in the war is well documented, from exporting drones and weapons technology to helping it evade sanctions. Ukraine has also accused Beijing of turning a blind eye to Chinese nationals signing up to fight for Russia. Beyond the war, Moscow is also likely to be seeking economic support from Beijing in its energy sector as it continues to look to China to make up for its losses in the European market caused by sanctions. The proposed Power of Siberia 2 pipeline, which would take Russian natural gas to China via Mongolia, is likely to be on the agenda again, as the two countries attempt to reach an agreement over cost. China has refused to pay any more than the Russian domestic rate for the gas, roughly a quarter of what it pays via existing supply lines. Moscow has rejected this, leading to a standstill. Xi's red lines China and Russia share a mutually beneficial relationship, but experts say the current balance of power tilts in Beijing's favour. Matthew Sussex, an expert in Russian and Chinese strategic policy, said that 'Putin is both an asset and a liability' for China, which resists formal involvement in a war thousands of miles away, where it has no territorial claims. Mr Xi is likely to have come to Moscow with his own agenda – at the top, how to navigate the trade war with the US and how to handle Trump. Trump has claimed that he has a 'very close relationship' with the Russian president, with experts referring to his affinity for Putin as 'autocrat envy'. This relationship has prompted speculation about a 'reverse Nixon' scenario, where Moscow and Washington forge a close alliance and isolate Beijing, though experts believe this to be unlikely. Mr Xi's very presence at the Victory Day parade suggests the tactic is not at play. However, Mr Xi may still be able to capitalise on Putin's ability to get through to Trump ahead of his own dealings with the US president. Washington and Beijing announced that they would start trade talks later this week. Mr Weitz said Beijing could draw lessons from Russia's experience with Washington in terms of 'what works with the new American team and what doesn't'. Mr Xi is also likely to raise his concerns around Russia's deepening ties with North Korea, a point of contention. Moscow and Pyongyang signed a defence treaty last year, which has already resulted in North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. North Korea has long been viewed as China's 'little brother', so a switch of allegiance to Moscow would be a blow to Beijing, both politically and militarily. 'China is concerned by the opaque nature of Russia-DPRK [North Korean] military cooperation because if it does end up helping the North Koreans modernise their military, then that enables them to do all sorts of things,' Mr Sussex said. What next? Chinese troops in Red Square offer a convenient symbol of how the world has changed since the war in Ukraine. It is more striking still when contrasted with Britain's own VE Day celebrations on Monday, when Ukrainian troops marched down the Mall as Sir Keir Starmer and members of the Royal family looked on. Moscow's upcoming celebrations and its chosen guest of honour are a prime portrayal of 'the face of the new world order' in which China and Russia are at the top, said Mr Sussex. 'Putin thinks the West is done and wants to break the old order, and Xi wants to supplant the West and the old order,' he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Politico
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Ischinger: Europe going it alone in Ukraine could be ‘the end of NATO as we know it'
A post-war European peacekeeping force in Ukraine without U.S. involvement could trigger 'the de facto end of NATO,' a former top German diplomat warned. Wolfgang Ischinger, the former German ambassador to the United States and chair of the Munich Security Conference, said he would 'totally warn against a military hardware presence of European NATO troops in Ukraine' without U.S. involvement. The U.K. and France have proposed in recent months to create a Europe-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine to help end the three-year war with Russia. 'I don't think that the Russians would ever, ever agree to that under any circumstances. But even if they agreed, I think we would need to insist that the United States is really involved in this,' he said in an interview with POLITICO. Without a U.S. backstop, 'the next thing that could happen would be that the Russian side would test, and would claim that Ukrainians have started some kind of shooting war, and they need to respond to that,' he said. 'And therefore the Europeans in Ukraine would possibly be shot at, and would need to reply, to engage without the United States on their side,' he said. 'Quite frankly, that would be the end of NATO as we know it.' 'I don't think it's a good idea to allow Russia to split us up, and that would really be the de facto end of NATO,' he added. The views from Ischinger, widely seen as one of Europe's leading thinkers on security issues, underscores a central problem in Europe's efforts to back Ukraine amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump's commitments to Kyiv's fight against Russia and the future of NATO — namely that Russia doesn't view Europe as a credible military threat without the United States. 'Europe, at this moment, is not capable of defending itself,' Ischinger said. After months of negotiations roiled in drama, the Trump administration and Ukraine signed an economic cooperation deal on April 30 that would give the U.S. access to the country's mineral resources in exchange for ongoing U.S. funding for Ukraine. The deal was seen as a positive sign of Washington and Kyiv repairing their ties following tense meetings between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. Last week, the State Department approved a possible weapons sale of F-16 fighter jet training and sustainment to Ukraine — the first major proposed deal since the Trump administration came into office. But the minerals deal stopped short of offering hard security guarantees to Ukraine. Trump and his envoy engaging with the Russians, Steve Witkoff, have also floated a peace proposal that would freeze the conflict along current battle lines — giving Russia significant territorial concessions — and potentially bar Ukraine from joining NATO. So far Russia has rejected the Trump administration's overtures and ramped up attacks on Ukraine. Leading Republican allies of Trump on Capitol Hill are pushing to increase sanctions on Russia if it continues to reject peace plans. Ischinger and dozens of other top transatlantic security officials are descending on Washington this week to meet with senior American administration officials on Ukraine and other challenges in closed-door meetings arranged by the Munich Security Conference. Trump's questionable commitment to backing NATO and Ukraine — coupled with other provocative moves like slapping steep tariffs on allies and openly musing about acquiring Greenland from Denmark — has alarmed European leaders. 'I strongly believe that what has happened over the last 100 days or so has actually provided a kind of an electric shock to European decision makers,' Ischinger said. 'We understand now that, in fact, we need to stand on our own feet much, much more, both in terms of military capabilities but also in terms of political strategy,' he said. Still, Ischinger said that at some point he believes the Trump administration will learn that it needs Europe's help on thorny national security issues like the war in Ukraine or nuclear negotiations with Iran. 'Has this approach of simply sidelining Europe, not talking to Europe, talking to Russia about Ukraine without Europe, talking to Tehran about the nuclear issue without Europe, has this led to any visible success? Not that I can tell.' 'I think that the United States will sooner or later come to grips with this and reengage with Europe again,' he said.
Japan Times
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Europe to present Trump with Ukraine force plan within weeks
The U.K. and France are planning to present Donald Trump with a comprehensive plan for a postwar "reassurance force' in Ukraine that they hope will persuade the U.S. president to commit to security guarantees for Kyiv, according to people familiar with the matter. In the next two weeks, military chiefs aim to hammer out the details of how a Europe-led "coalition of the willing' will help ensure the security of Ukraine's airspace, coastline and land as well as the regeneration of its forces, U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu said Friday. This, they hope, will demonstrate that Europe is serious about committing its own resources to Ukraine's postwar future and convince the U.S. president to provide a "backstop' in the form of air power, border surveillance and intelligence, said the people who declined to be named speaking on condition of anonymity. The 30 participants in the coalition, which also includes non-European nations like Canada, Australia, Japan and New Zealand, have been asked to respond in writing by the end of next week to questions about what they're willing to contribute, Lecornu said. Fifteen of them have already offered forces including aircraft, naval vessels and other military equipment, though the countries that have made a firm commitment to send troops remain in the single digits, the people said. "For the U.S. to actually participate in this, they need to see that we are doing a lot,' Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene told reporters at NATO headquarters Friday. "One of the most important roles for the U.S. is monitoring the ceasefire.' Trump has resisted offering security guarantees to Kyiv since the plan for a Europe-led reassurance force was first floated two months ago. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told allies Friday that while he welcomed Europe's increased support for Ukraine, the Trump administration's position remains the same, the people said. Still, some officials believe the U.S. approach to Moscow is hardening following the lack of progress toward a ceasefire. Trump has displayed growing frustration with Vladimir Putin, writing in a post to his social media platform that "Russia has to get moving' and bemoaning the death toll. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow on Friday. Russia will try to reach some kind of agreement with the U.S. in time for the anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany on May 9, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur said Friday. That made it more urgent for allies to ramp up military aid to Ukraine and plan for the reassurance force, he added. Pevkur provided no evidence to support his claims. Healey told allies in Brussels on Thursday that 200 military planners have been drawing up a "well-developed' plan for how the force would work, including proposals for how the Ukrainian military could "become their own strongest possible deterrent.' Defense chiefs and ministers in the U.K. and France will examine the written responses later this month, in order to advance the plan further before it is presented to Trump, the people said. The countries still remain split on what form the force should take and under what structure it will operate. Lecornu said Turkey was looking into possible involvement in the maritime component of the potential deployment. The plans being discussed are meant to supplement the Ukrainian army, which would remain on the front lines, the French minister said. The coalition wouldn't be a peacekeeping force as some other European leaders suggested, according to Healey. "The most effective deterrence against renewed Putin aggression, the best way of cementing a ceasefire, is the strength of the Ukrainian forces themselves,' he said. Meeting separately in Warsaw on Friday, European Union finance ministers embraced the drive to ramp up defense spending after years of neglect as concerns grow that any large deployment to Ukraine could strain their defensive capabilities elsewhere. Discussions include a new pan-European instrument as cash-strapped member states look for ideas after years of underinvestment.
CNN
03-03-2025
- Business
- CNN
Live updates: The latest news ahead of Trump's joint address to Congress
• Fallout from Oval Office meeting: President Donald Trump said in a social media post Monday that the US 'will not put up' with perceived resistance by President Volodymyr Zelensky to ending the war with Russia, making clear his enmity toward the Ukrainian leader remains after a heated meeting in the Oval Office on Friday. Trump's national security adviser said Monday that Zelensky needed to express regret before talks could resume on a mineral deal, and he welcomed a Europe-led effort to end the war in Ukraine. • Government overhaul: The tensions with Ukraine come as Trump prepares to deliver an address to Congress tomorrow and pushes ahead with his domestic agenda, including shaking up the federal workforce. CNN reported that the Department of Education is offering buyouts of up to $25,000 to certain employees, who have until 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday to accept the offer. Trump has made eliminating the department a top goal of his administration. • Looming tariffs: Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday he expects the US to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, but that the situation is 'fluid' and Trump will determine the levels. Trump's proposed tariffs from February consisted of a 25% duty on all imports from Mexico and most from Canada (energy products were to have a 10% tariff), along with a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods.
