N. Peter Kramer’s Weekly Column
EU and UK leaders were reeling after not being invited by the US to talks with Russia on the future of Ukraine. Their hastily convened security meeting in Paris on Monday is the proof. Present in Paris were European NATO members France, Germany, UK, Denmark, Italy, Spain, The Netherlands and Poland.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was also invited. Don’t forget she was also Germany’ s minister of defense in an earlier life. The limited guest list was not well received by the member states who were not invited. The absent countries believe it sends the wrong signal about the unity of the European Union!
The question in Paris was, can Europe, under pressure from Trump, put political differences and domestic economic concerns aside and come up with a united front on security spending and Ukraine’s future, including potentially sending troops to Ukraine. The clearest conclusion afterwards came from Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, ‘The meeting was informal and no formal decisions have been taken, but the need for further action is clear’. Who dares not to be impressed by that ?
As regards a European peacekeeping force, Washington urgently wants to know which countries are willing to send soldiers to Ukraine to ensure the country’s security as a part of a possible peace agreement. But, unsurprisingly, European leaders were divided. France and the UK are willing to provide soldiers, Poland, Germany and Spain don’t want to talk about it.
Yesterday it became clear that the US and Russia are now starting talks seriously. Russia is, after almost three years, back at the table! With or without Europe.
