Europe urges Zelenskyy not to accept troop pullout from Donbas – Bloomberg
Photo: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders (facebook.com zelenskyy.official)
European leaders are trying to convince Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to agree to a possible deal on the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Donbas without reliable security guarantees from the US, reports Bloomberg.
Europe's main goal is to avoid a situation where Zelenskyy, under pressure from the US, will be forced to withdraw troops from Donbas and agree to a deal without serious American security guarantees.
European diplomats believe that such a scenario could create a strategic vacuum and threaten the security of the entire region.
Representatives of several European countries are expected to travel to Washington in the coming days to discuss these risks with the US administration.
Europe is currently pursuing a tactic of publicly supporting US initiatives, hoping that Moscow will itself derail potential negotiations. However, according to the media, this approach is running out of steam, and it is unclear whether there is a backup plan.
Bloomberg also notes that the British side believes that Russian president Vladimir Putin rejected the US proposals during a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff because they were “too favorable to Ukraine.”
European diplomats acknowledge that recent contacts with American and Ukrainian representatives have been difficult. At the same time, they are preparing for a possible scenario in which Donald Trump, if unable to reach an agreement, may walk away from ending the war.
Bloomberg warns that there is a risk that the US will withdraw from the process altogether, leaving Europe alone to deal with the problem of further support for Ukraine. In this case, EU countries will have to decide whether they are capable of providing Kyiv with the necessary military and financial assistance.
It is still unclear whether Europe can form a viable long-term mechanism for financing Ukraine.
Zelenskyy's negotiations with European leaders
On Monday, December 8, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will travel to London to meet with European leaders — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz — to discuss key issues of international coordination and support for Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron stressed that the unity of Europe and the US is critical to establishing peace between Ukraine and Russia, noting that there is no mistrust between the allies and that it is necessary to continue working together.
Earlier, Spiegel published an alleged transcript of a secret meeting between European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The media wrote that during the talks, Macron warned that the US “could betray” Ukraine and Europe on the issue of territories.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Steve Witkoff and the American leader's son-in-law Jared Kushner were “playing games” with both Ukraine and Europe.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb noted that Ukraine should not be left alone in negotiations with Witkoff and Kushner.
