Zelensky lowers expectations for Trump's peace

BrusselsDonald Trump wants to take credit for having achieved peace in Ukraine a few days after returning to the White House at any price, but the move is not going well for him. This Wednesday, satisfied with pride and triumphalism, announced that he had already agreed by telephone with Vladimir Putin that negotiations on the war in Ukraine would begin "imminently." However, a few hours later both Kiev and Moscow lowered expectations of the good news from the New York magnate. And, at the Munich Conference this Friday, the criticism of Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders of the Trump administration's blind stabs has gone a step further. The Ukrainian, the most combative although he depends on Washington, said that "he does not see a prepared plan from the United States" to end the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

But that is not all. This Thursday Trump announced - to the disbelief of everyone - that in the meeting scheduled for this Friday between Zelensky and the vice president of the United States, JD Vance, other Russian representatives would also participate. However, Kiev and Moscow have deflated the soufflé. The Kremlin flatly denied that it had sent a delegation to the Munich Conference, where more than sixty leaders gathered, and the Ukrainian president admitted, in a more diplomatic tone, that he has no record of it. "I don't know anything. Is there anyone who knows more than me?" Zelensky asked sarcastically.

In addition, the Ukrainian president has made a veiled criticism in the speech of the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who wants to lay the groundwork for potential negotiations and has already conceded some of Putin's main demands before sitting down to negotiate. Among others, he considers Crimea and part of the east of the country almost lost, and rules out Ukraine joining NATO as a result of a potential peace agreement.

These words, of course, have not pleased Zelensky. "We will never recognize the territories occupied by Russia," the Ukrainian president stressed. And, as far as Ukraine's future in the Atlantic Alliance is concerned, he has been equally forceful. "We want to be in NATO, of course. We believe in NATO's security guarantees," added the Ukrainian president, who has already warned before meeting with the US vice president on Friday that he is "not prepared to sign anything" that implies an agreement with Washington.

The Pentagon chief also ruled out sending US or NATO peacekeeping troops to Ukrainian territory to ensure compliance with a possible ceasefire or peace agreement, which is another of the conditions that Putin imposes from the start. However, after receiving a barrage of criticism from European allies, the US Secretary of Defense wanted to qualify his words and warned Moscow that, if it does not sit down to negotiate, it could face sanctions and "military actions." The Kremlin's reaction was not long in coming and it attacked the threatening tone of the Pentagon chief, who soon contradicted himself again and completely opposed the participation of US troops in a peace mission.

Ukraine's path to the EU and NATO

Both the United States and NATO, which de facto is controlled by Washington, they have changed their position Regarding the future of Ukraine in the Atlantic Alliance And with Trump's return, the possibility of Ukraine's future membership of the world's largest military entity is becoming increasingly remote. However, at the last summit of heads of state and government of the Atlantic Alliance in Washington, it was agreed that Ukraine's path to NATO is "irreversible."

And, in fact, that is what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer recalled on Friday morning. "The Prime Minister reiterates the United Kingdom's commitment to Ukraine following a path of no return to NATO," says a statement issued by Downing Street.

As for the European Union, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has also insisted that the future of Ukraine depends on the community blog. "We must speed up Ukraine's accession to the EU," said the community leader. In this sense, at a time when the EU fears being left out of the negotiations, Von der Leyen has claimed the key role of the European club in these almost three years of war and, above all, the one it will have in the reconstruction of Ukraine. "The future of Europe is also the future of Ukraine," stressed the conservative leader, who has warned Trump that "a defeated Ukraine would weaken both Europe and the United States."

Zelensky has taken up the gauntlet of Von der Leyen and has defended the EU's right to have a say in the resolution of the war. Contrary to what Trump and Putin intend, who are relegating Europe to the background, the Ukrainian president has stressed that he will not meet with the Russian president until they have first agreed on a joint position with Brussels and Washington with which to present themselves at the negotiating table. "I will only meet with a Russian when we have a common plan with Trump and Europe," said Zelensky.

Freezing of EU fiscal rules due to rearmament

Von der Leyen already suggested at last week's European summit that she would propose Relaxing fiscal rules to boost the arms industry and the rearmament of the European club. "Extraordinary measures are needed," she said then. Until recently, the EU's deficit and debt ceilings seemed untouchable, but Putin's expansionism and the desire to regain autonomy have blown up another of Brussels' great taboos: that of austerity.

This Friday, the President of the European Commission has already said it openly. "I will propose activating an escape clause for defence investments. This will allow Member States to increase their military spending," said Von der Leyen. Therefore, Brussels expects that, as it already allowed during the crisis caused by the pandemic, Member States can record more than 3% deficit, which is the current limit, and substantially increase the money destined to rearm.