Europe’s “permanent war” faction, after failing yesterday to move U.S. President Donald Trump away from his peace proposal, embraced today the latest “bloody shirt” operation out of Kiev for their showdown with Washington. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Putin, who, in talks with American negotiators, says he wants peace but, at the same time, continues to bomb Ukrainian cities, killing people. He declared:
“The international community must do only one thing, and American outrage must be directed at only one person—President Putin. He must answer the question of whether he agrees to a ceasefire without conditions. And then we will be able to build a just, strong, sustainable, reliable peace—that is, a peace that will allow for territorial compromises and ensure reliable security guarantees.”
He continued in his grandiose style: “A few weeks ago, at the initiative of the United States, President Zelenskyy made an incredible step. He said: I agree to an unconditional ceasefire. The only thing that still needs to be done—and I repeated this to President Trump, with whom I had a night conversation two days ago—is for President Putin to finally stop lying.” Putin must be confronted: “If Russia says: ‘I am not ready for a ceasefire,'—this will mean that it lied to the American president when it said it wants peace.” And, assumedly, Trump will end his negotiations with Putin.
Trump, in contrast, was relatively tame, saying that, as reported by AP, Russia has already made a “pretty big concession” to end war in Ukraine by not taking whole country.
London’s Financial Times reported, according to Ukrainska Pravda, that “European capitals will not support any U.S. move to recognize Crimea as Russian or pressure Kyiv to accept such a deal.... [T]hey will not accept anything that affects Ukraine’s sovereignty. The idea of recognizing the annexation of Crimea is unacceptable, as it would destroy the rules-based order that has ensured peace on the continent for generations.” However, they warn, “transatlantic security” may be undermined. One EU official is quoted: “Crimea and [Ukraine’s] future NATO membership aspirations are red lines for us. We can’t give them up.” So, as FT put it, the “largest European NATO powers should dissuade Washington from unilateral action.” Another EU official said: “Things don’t look good at all.… Any move by the U.S. to recognize Crimea as part of Russia or to demand that European capitals ease sanctions against Moscow would destroy the unity of the EU.” As to EU unity, however, that cow may have already left the barn.
