BRUSSELS (AP) — The greenlight given by President Donald Trump on U.S. back up for a European-led force to police any future peace agreement in Ukraine ahead of…
The greenlight given by President Donald Trump on U.S. back up for a European-led force to police any future peace agreement in Ukraine ahead of his summit with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday vastly improves the likelihood it might succeed.
The effectiveness of the operation, drawn up by the so-called coalition of the willing of around 30 countries supporting Ukraine, hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military equipment that European armed forces do not have, or only in short supply.
EU leaders regularly have underlined how the United States is “crucial” to the success of the security operation dubbed Multinational Force Ukraine. But the Trump administration has long refused to commit, perhaps keeping its participation on hold as leverage in talks with Russia.
After a meeting Wednesday between Trump and European leaders, European Council President Antonio Costa welcomed “the readiness of the United States to share with Europe the efforts to reinforce security conditions once we obtain a durable and just peace for Ukraine.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said Trump had insisted NATO must not be part of these security guarantees, but the U.S. leader agreed “the United States and all the (other) parties involved should take part.
