Europe fights to avoid being sidelined by Trump’s world-shaping plans
LONDON (AP) — When President Donald Trump took the stage in Egypt Hail US-brokered ceasefire agreement A series of world leaders between Israel and Hamas stood behind him like extras in a political drama.
It was a very impressive sight. While European governments have struggled to play a significant role in Gaza war diplomacy, the “America First” leader has played a central role, sidelining his longtime allies in Europe.
Closer to home, they have tried to shape Trump’s response, with mixed results. Russian President Vladimir Putin The stubborn continuation of the Ukrainian war, a conflict with profound consequences for the future of the continent.
“Can Europe influence Trump? I think the short answer is… no,” said Lindsay Newman, geopolitical risk expert and GZERO Media columnist. “The policy and position of the US government regarding Ukraine, Israel and its relations with Europe are determined by the president and those around him. To a large extent, the president.”
Newman said Trump’s ambitious global agenda has proven wrong “anyone who thought ‘America First’ meant a narrow, isolationist foreign policy.”
“He recreates the world in his own image,” he said.
Divisions and some progress on Ukraine
Europe’s support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion has clashed with Trump’s desire to end the conflict, even if it means Kiev giving up territory. The continent’s leaders have had decidedly mixed results as they try to shore up the president’s support for Ukraine.
This week, Trump finally pulled the trigger and imposed sanctions Russia’s oil and gas industry After bipartisan pressure in Washington and months of lobbying by Kyiv and its European allies.
But he seemed more motivated by his frustration with Putin; Russian leader failed to persuade Putin to meet directly Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Rather than appease European countries, which he accuses of defeating calls for US sanctions by continuing to buy Russian oil.
“Every time I talk to Vladimir, I have nice conversations, but then they don’t go anywhere,” Trump said, annoyed on Wednesday. “I felt it was time. We waited a long time.”
The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
Frustration with efforts to end the war
Trump has made no secret of his frustration at being unable to stop the 3 1/2-year war; It’s something he boasted about on the campaign trail on Day One of his return to office.
it exists scolded Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, He met with Putin in Alaska He sent envoys to Moscow and Kiev but failed to bring the two sides to the negotiating table. Even though days have passed since the Putin meeting, Trump Hosted Zelenskyy and prominent European leaders He said at the White House that the United States would be willing to support European efforts to oversee any peace deal in Ukraine.
Trump hinted that he would give Kiev long-range Tomahawk missiles to attack Russia, but he also appeared to support Putin’s demand that Ukraine hand over the entire eastern Donbas region, including parts that Russia does not occupy.
The president and his team argued that the largest conflict on European soil since World War II was of minimal importance to the United States and called on Europeans to take greater responsibility for ending the conflict.
European leaders welcomed this week’s oil and gas sanctions, which French President Emmanuel Macron called a “watershed moment”.
But Europe has its own divisions over Ukraine. The 27-nation European Union is scrambling to finalize a plan to use. frozen Russian assets As collateral for a large loan to Ukraine. Belgium, where most of the money is held, is seeking assurances that other countries will share the burden of any economic retaliation from Russia.
Hungary’s friend to Moscow Prime Minister Viktor Orbán He opposes EU support for Kiev. Despite this, Grégoire Roos, director of the Europe and Russia program at international relations think tank Chatham House, said progress had been made in establishing a coherent European stance against Trump.
“I don’t see absolute unanimity, but on the other hand, I haven’t seen unity significantly broken down either,” he said. “And for Europe this is already a victory.”
Trump focused on the Middle East
Europe’s influence in stopping the Israel-Hamas war is much weaker.
“Europe has had no real influence, let’s face it,” Roos said, although Europe will be asked to contribute both money and expertise for the eventual reconstruction of Gaza.
The EU is the world’s largest provider of aid to the Palestinians but has little influence on Israel; This is partly because European nations are divided over how to handle the conflict.
Trump and his team have heaped praise on Egypt, Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia since implementing the fragile ceasefire, which he hailed as “a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put old grudges and bitter hatreds behind” at a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on October 13. But he remained silent on European involvement.
Trump’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, even invoked X, calling a senior British government official a “delusional” for suggesting that Britain played a critical role in delivering the Gaza deal.
The US administration’s anger was fueled in part by Britain and France joining several other countries in recognizing the Palestinian state last month.
The ceasefire has at least temporarily muted European criticism of Israel for its treatment of Palestinians; These criticisms are often accompanied by veiled criticism of the United States’ determined support for Israel.
Jonath Schanzer, a former terrorist financing analyst at the U.S. Treasury Department, said the space created by the ceasefire could help put the United States and Europe on a better footing.
“Trump’s ceasefire has reduced Europe’s fierce criticism to murmurs,” said Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish think tank in Washington. “This allowed all parties to move forward in a more constructive manner.”
Newman said Trump is more interested in building relationships with countries in the Middle East rather than Europe.
“Successive US administrations have attempted to distance themselves from the Middle East,” he said. “But it’s almost like there’s a pivot towards the area.”
Some good news for Europe
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and increasing aggression against neighboring NATO countries has been a wake-up call for Europe; Trump’s longstanding threats not to defend European NATO members unless they raise more money for their own defense have made it all the more worrying.
This had the desired response of forcing many European countries to increase military spending.
Europeans’ worst fears about Trump’s second term have not yet come true. Trump did not withdraw US troops from Europe or NATO. Global tariff attack 100% not met with threat import duties About European goods.
Britain, which left the EU in 2020, is getting closer to its European neighbors politically, economically and militarily, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said key channel Between Washington and the continent.
Kathleen Burk, professor emeritus of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London, said Trump respects unity and if “Europeans stick together” they can hope to make some impact.
“Trump may have actually realized that it’s always better to have allies than enemies,” he said.
___
Madhani reported from Washington.
