EU leaders react to the historic summit of Trump-Putin: NPR

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Meanwhile, European leaders look at the consequences of the summit with concern. Teri Schultz has more Brussels.

Teri Schultz, Byline: European leaders are relieved that, even if the summit does not seem to have put pressure on the Russian president Vladimir Putin to put an end to his war against Ukraine, he also left Alaska with us to keep the territory he has invaded and occupied. Jessica Berlin with the Center for European Policy Analysis says that this is not a reason for celebration.

Analysis of European policies Jessica Berlin: The fact that Ukraine’s allies consider him a victory that Trump did not concede Ukrainian territory in the name of Ukraine during a bilateral meeting with Putin tells you how low the bar is very low. This summit was a victory from start to finish for Putin.

Schultz: After the meeting, Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a handful of European leaders and the NATO secretary general to inform them. In a statement, the Europeans said they had welcomed the American president’s efforts to arrest murder in Ukraine, end the war of assault in Russia and reach just and lasting peace. These European leaders thought they had convinced Trump last week of the need for a cease-fire and published a declaration saying that significant negotiations can only take place in the context of a cease-fire or the reduction of hostilities.

But now that Trump has been released in favor of a complete peace agreement rather than a ceasefire first, Jan Balliauw, with the Belgian reflection group, the Egmont Institute, said that the continuation of the fighting would give the Russians more lever in the negotiations.

Jan Balliauw: So far, it was really the priority of Europeans and Ukrainians to first have a ceasefire and then peace negotiations. And apparently, Trump agreed with this after the talks he had with Europeans and Zelenskyy on Wednesday. And now, apparently, it has gone to Russian logic (PH) which is the first negotiation, then the end of the fighting.

Schultz: But it may not only be the American leader who has changed his mind. This declaration of several European leaders after this telephone call with Trump, unlike last week – which was the same group – does not mention at all a ceasefire. Such nuances are not lost on countries along the front line with Russia. Marko Mihkelson, president of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Estonian Parliament, says that Putin should not have had this photo on American territory without, alleged Mihkelson, any intention of continuing peace.

Marko Mihkelson: Putin’s goal, most likely, was to come to America, to be treated with a red carpet. And we have seen how he, as a sought -after war criminal, murderous and the person who always produces, as chief of Russia, the war against Ukraine and essentially against the West as well. So he got what he wanted – to be legitimized.

Schultz: It is not a comfortable development for countries dependent on the United States as the ultimate security stay. Likewise, Mihkelson noted the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, presenting himself in a T-shirt by reading the USSR, to which Estonia was forcibly annexed in 1940.

Mihkelson: It’s really very important if you know, understand the Russians. This is the signal that we are here to define the future.

Schultz: Mihkelson says that the signal he did not get from the summit was that the United States is ready to exert more pressure on Putin. But he said he would like to go wrong on this subject and look forward to next week’s meetings with Trump, Zelenskyy and probably some European leaders to get more answers. For NPR News, I am Teri Schultz in Brussels.

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