Ukraine: Europeans cautiously optimistic after their exchange with Trump

This Wednesday was “a key day in a crucial week to determine whether Washington, Moscow and Kyiv have a chance of reaching a negotiated solution to the invasion of Ukraine,” summarizes El País . Several European leaders and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “met by videoconference with US President Donald Trump, two days before his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

The call was "aimed at shaping Trump's thinking ahead of Friday's Alaska summit, with worried Europeans well aware" that the US president "has appeared in the past to fall under Putin's spell," the Washington Post observed.

European leaders notably "implored" Mr. Trump to "keep in mind one essential point" when he meets the Kremlin master: "the United States cannot - and must not - negotiate the cession of Ukrainian territories, especially without anything in return," adds the American daily.

The American president has indeed declared in recent days that Ukraine must prepare for "territorial swaps" if it wants to achieve peace with Moscow. An option rejected outright by Mr. Zelensky and his European partners.

Another red line “at the heart of discussions this Wednesday” , according to Le Soir : the need for an “immediate” ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, which “must come first” so that any negotiations can take place “in the right order” .

Speaking after the virtual meeting, several European officials said that “the US president had taken their views on the demands of a peace agreement into account,” Politico reports. “That alone was a sign of relief in Berlin, Paris, London and beyond,” with the feeling that after “weeks of diplomacy, European governments were finally able to convince the US administration.”

Mr. Trump intends to make a ceasefire "one of his priorities" during discussions with his Russian counterpart, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz assured during a joint press conference with Mr. Zelensky.

The latter reiterated his demand for an “immediate ceasefire” and urged the Europeans and Americans to “continue to put pressure on Russia with sanctions, even though Putin downplays them and says they have little impact,” according to Público . “The sanctions are effective,” the Ukrainian leader assured , adding that he had warned Trump that “Putin was bluffing.”

French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, said that Donald Trump had adhered to the principle that "territorial issues that fall under the authority of Ukraine cannot be negotiated and will only be negotiated by the President of Ukraine."

In summary, "the feeling was optimistic on the European side, fueled by an impression of having been heard by the tenant of the White House" , judges Le Soir .

But Mr. Trump “is known for his inconsistency, particularly on the Ukrainian issue,” warns the New York Times . “In recent weeks, his European allies have repeatedly believed they had succeeded in convincing him of their strategies, but he has ultimately shown himself receptive to Mr. Putin’s proposals, such as by agreeing to the bilateral meeting” with the master of the Kremlin, underlines the American daily.

A caution shared by one of the participants in the videoconference, who told Politico that while “the atmosphere was generally positive,” the American president, “as always, talked a lot about what he would do, but in such a way that no one could say exactly what he was going to do.”

For the time being, however, the American billionaire was keen to demonstrate his good relations with his European partners. On Wednesday evening, in front of the press, “he gave the meeting a score of '10 out of 10' and declared that Russia would suffer 'very serious' consequences if it did not end its war in Ukraine,” reports the BBC .

“He also said that if Friday's meeting went well, he would try to quickly organize a 'second' one ,” with Mr. Putin and Mr. Zelensky.

For La Repubblica , whatever the agreements and disagreements between Washington and the Old Continent – Mr. Trump, for example, has “not yet changed his mind about his veto on Ukraine within NATO” , a red line for Kiev – one thing is certain for the Europeans and Mr. Zelensky: “This historic chess game with the Tsar and Donald Trump has only just begun” .