Trump and Putin Align on Europe as Ukraine Peace Talks Stall
Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin appear to be finding common ground again, with both leaders turning their focus toward Europe amid stalled diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Their positions converge just three weeks after their high-profile but largely unproductive summit in Alaska. On Thursday, Trump urged European leaders to take on more responsibility in handling the Ukraine crisis. Ironically, most of the ongoing diplomatic movement has come from Europe itself, as transatlantic allies work to design long-term security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement. The US president’s latest comments follow his announcement that he intends to speak with Putin again soon to determine “what we’re going to be doing.” Trump avoided confirming whether the US would impose severe direct sanctions on Russia if Moscow continues to stall peace talks, saying only: “Whatever his […]