European Defense Committee Chairwoman Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann expressed concerns over a recent telephone conversation between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Two men sitting at a table, possibly dividing Europe” she told the German television channel Welt.
Strack-Zimmermann described the situation as “spooky” and unpredictable, citing the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s actions. She particularly emphasized the need for Ukraine to be concerned, as it is caught in the middle of the developing situation.
According to Strack-Zimmermann, Putin is presenting a more coherent and goal-oriented approach, whereas Trump’s actions are erratic. Putin, she said, has a clear objective – to annex the eastern Ukraine and maintain control over the Crimean Peninsula, which are his “maximum demands.”
Without US security guarantees for Ukraine, Strack-Zimmermann believes Putin will eventually subsume the country under his “Soviet Union 2.0.” Putin has consistently pursued this goal since announcing it three years ago, she added.
Strack-Zimmermann emphasized the importance of Western Europe’s role in future peace talks, stating that it can only provide flank support to Ukraine. The country must continue to receive economic and military support, she said and any negotiations should involve sitting alongside Ukraine to prevent the division of Europe between Putin and Trump.