Presidents Zelenskiy and Trump held a contentious meeting in the Oval Office on Friday. Photographer: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo /Bloomberg
FINANCIAL POST | Published March 2, 2025
The Oval Office blow up between Zelenskiy and Trump laid bare for many Europeans that something critical has broken in their relationship with Washington
(Bloomberg) — European leaders are confronting their worst-case scenario: maybe they really are going to be dealing with a bellicose Russia alone.
When the US lined up alongside Russia and North Korea earlier this week to oppose a UN motion condemning Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, some European officials knew that the transatlantic relationship was in deep trouble. Then they watched in horror as Donald Trump gave Volodymyr Zelenskiy a public dressing down in the Oval Office and something broke.
In interviews with Bloomberg, more than half a dozen officials who’ve maintained their composure through wars and financial crises reacted with visceral anger. For them, the scene showed the trust and values that have bound Europe and the US together since the end of World War II are no longer shared.
“President Trump and his administration raised a more fundamental challenge to the transatlantic alliance than it has faced in many decades,” said Graham Allison, a professor of government at Harvard University, who studied with Henry Kissinger and served in both the Clinton and Reagan administrations.
French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have all described this moment as a generational challenge for the continent. They’ll meet with Zelenskiy and other European leaders in London on Sunday to work out what their next move should be.
The European Union is aiming to follow up with an emergency package of €20 billion ($21 billion) in military aid for Ukraine at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday. But that’s just a down payment on the hundreds of billions they will need to mobilize for defense in the coming months if they are to take over responsibility for their own security from the US for the first time in 80 years.
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.financialpost.com
RELATED: Emmanuel Macron Warns Europe: If Putin Is Not Stopped, He Will Most Likely Invade These Two Countries
President of France, Emmanuel Macron, has now issued a stark warning to the rest of Europe.
DAGENS | Published March 2, 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron has cautioned against a potential U.S. disengagement from Ukraine, arguing that such a move would not align with Washington’s strategic interests. In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Macron emphasized that the United States’ actions over the past three years have been fully consistent with its diplomatic and military traditions.
“If Washington were to sign a ceasefire without securing guarantees for Ukraine, its geostrategic deterrence capabilities against Russia, China, and other adversaries would vanish instantly,” Macron warned, as reported by hotnews.ro.
However, at the same time, Macron stressed the situation taking place in Ukraine, as Vladimir Putin’s Russia becomes an even bigger existential threat to Europe for every day that he is not stopped. If no one stops the Kremlin leader, he “will certainly continue with Moldova and perhaps beyond, in Romania,” Macron says.
“So let the enemy not be mistaken. Our security is at stake,” the French president continued.
Also, while addressing the recent tensions, Macron urged U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to prioritize diplomacy and mutual respect.
“I believe that beyond any frustrations, all parties must return to a state of calm, respect, and recognition so that we can move forward in a meaningful way—because what is at stake is simply too important,” he stated.
According to the Élysée Palace, Macron has held discussions with both Trump and Zelensky since Friday evening. He also spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Council President António Costa, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to prepare for an upcoming summit in London. The gathering, set to include approximately 15 European leaders, aims to reaffirm Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine ahead of the extraordinary EU defense summit on March 6.
Push for a Stronger European Defense
In the interview, Macron underscored the urgency of a collective European defense strategy, advocating for “massive and common financing” amounting to “hundreds of billions of euros.” He stressed that the European Union must act swiftly to enhance its military capabilities, with leaders set to discuss the matter in Brussels this Thursday.
“I have mandated the European Commission to identify capability requirements for building a unified defense force. Common financing on a scale of hundreds of billions must be mobilized—and it must happen quickly,” Macron told Le Parisien.
His remarks were published across several major French media outlets, including Le Parisien, La Tribune Dimanche, and Ouest-France.
READ FULL ARTICLE
SOURCE: www.dagens.com
Be the first to comment