Reveals: Trump's plan to stop Putin

Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Reveals: Trump's plan to stop Putin

Johan Edgar

Published 00.10

 

Ukraine has demanded concrete security guarantees from the West in order to sit down at the negotiating table with Putin. Photo: Russian Defense Ministry Via AP

Putin could exploit a peace agreement for new attacks.

Ukraine fears this.

Now the "fairly detailed plan" between the EU and the US is being revealed to prevent this from happening.

While Putin is in China for meetings with Xi Jinping and other leaders in the "alternative alliance" SCO, plans are being drawn up in Europe for how Ukraine can be protected after a possible peace agreement.

 

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping greet each other during the ongoing meeting of the “alternative alliance” SCO. Photo: Sergei Bobylev / AP

Thousands of EU soldiers to Ukraine

And the plans, which were drawn up in cooperation with the White House, include tens of thousands of soldiers from EU countries to be sent to Ukraine, writes the  Financial Times.

These soldiers will be assisted by American support with, among other things, intelligence and surveillance, the newspaper reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj has demanded concrete security guarantees from the West in order to sit down at the negotiating table with Putin.

– Security guarantees are of the utmost importance and absolutely crucial. We have an action plan and an agreement in the White House and the work is progressing very well, says European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the FT.

 

The EU and the US agreed during the meeting in the White House a few weeks ago. Photo: Alex Brandon / AP

Decided in meeting with Trump

The agreement was worked out during the meeting between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj and a number of EU leaders a couple of weeks ago.

On Thursday, several EU leaders will meet in Paris to discuss how the different countries stand on sending soldiers to Ukraine after a peace deal has been hammered out, diplomatic sources told the FT.

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting the meeting, which is also expected to be attended by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and Ursula von der Leyen.

 

Donald Trump with Secretary of State Marc Rubio. Photo: Mark Schiefelbein/AP

"Quite a detailed plan"

Ursula von der Leyen tells the FT that they are working to have troops from several countries participate with the support of the Pentagon.

She states that last week they had already worked out “a fairly detailed plan” for how Ukraine should be protected against new attacks from Putin when a peace agreement comes into force.

– Of course, political decisions are required in each country because the deployment of soldiers is among the most important independent decisions a country can make. But the feeling that there is a hurry is very great and things are moving forward. It is really taking shape, says von der Leyen.

 

Ursula von der Leyen calls Putin “a predator”. Photo: Pascal Bastien / AP

Praises Trump for turnaround

The President of the European Commission is now praising Donald Trump because he seems to have turned his back on Putin.

– Putin has not changed. He is a predator. Trump wants peace and Putin will not come to the negotiating table. He has bad experiences with Putin, more and more Putin does not do what he says he will do, she says.

The EU will also support Ukraine with funding for salaries and equipment for its army and continue to fund training for Ukrainian soldiers after a peace agreement.