16 hours ago
A heartening display of European resolve in support of Ukraine
SIR – What impressed me most about Monday's events at the White House was the sight of European leaders stepping up to the plate for once (report, August 19).
Instead of the usual vacuous babble, here were our elected representatives behaving like statesmen, determined to influence the course of history.
And it was heartwarming to see our own Prime Minister playing a pivotal role. Whether this will result in a peace deal that doesn't sell out Volodymyr Zelensky remains unclear. But it's good to see that serious, civilised politics is back.
Stan Labovitch
Windsor, Berkshire
SIR – The presence of the European leaders at the talks was largely an irrelevance – an expensive, taxpayer-funded photo opportunity. Sir Keir Starmer should be in Britain. There is plenty for him to deal with here.
David Saunders
Sidmouth, Devon
SIR – Donald Trump's friendly, even affectionate, attitude towards Volodymyr Zelensky has been taken by some as a sign that he will treat the Ukrainian leader more fairly.
Would it were so, but I have my doubts. One cannot forget the American president's fury at the idea of Mr Zelensky conspiring against him with the Biden family, as Charles Moore says (Comment, August 19).
Mr Trump has been steadily manoeuvring Mr Zelensky into a corner. Mr Zelensky is forbidden by the Ukrainian constitution from ceding territory. Yet if he refuses to cooperate, he will, as Lord Moore puts it, '[bring] down upon his head a tide of American denunciation and, more importantly, a withdrawal of US aid of all description'. This, then, is the context in which a smiling Mr Trump has declared himself ready to deliver Mr Zelensky to Vladimir Putin to conclude the negotiation.
Gordon Bonnyman
Frant, East Sussex
SIR – Donald Trump was overheard appearing to suggest that he thought Vladimir Putin wanted to make a peace deal for him.
Sadly, I fear Mr Trump is seriously mistaken. There is no evidence that Putin genuinely wishes to make peace, but he has fooled Mr Trump into believing that he does, playing on the American president's conceit and plying him with empty praise.
Putin will play this game for as long as possible, taking as much Ukrainian territory as he can, until America wakes up and smells the coffee. At the heart of all this is a simple but self-evident truth: Putin only really respects superior strength and overwhelming force, whether military, economic or political. The European leaders know this, but have to tread on eggshells in dealing with the mercurial Mr Trump. Sooner or later, though, they must all confront him and clearly state what he needs to hear.
David Platts
Newark, Nottinghamshire
