Following a recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, security analyst Carlo Masala is urging European nations to formulate an independent strategy regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Masala, speaking to the Funke Media Group, expressed concern that the meeting appeared to demonstrate a renewed alignment between Trump and Putin, a development he described as potentially “catastrophic” from a Ukrainian perspective. He argued that Europe needs to move beyond attempts to moderate Trump’s positions, suggesting this approach has proven ineffective.
Instead, Masala emphasized the necessity for Europe to develop its own strategic framework, independent of shifts in Washington and utilize existing resources to address the situation. He specifically highlighted the unresolved question of whether to allocate approximately 300 billion euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, indicating a lack of decisive European action.
Masala assessed that Putin emerged from the summit as a clear beneficiary, perceiving the meeting as a demonstration of equal standing – effectively reversing what he described as the perceived slight from former US President Barack Obama’s characterization of Russia as a regional power. “Russia is again a great power, that is its self-perception” he stated, suggesting the summit reinforced this view within Russia.