EU struggling to conceive Ukraine strategy – Politico

Brussels is struggling to formulate a cohesive strategy on supporting Ukraine, due to US President Donald Trump’s frequent and unpredictable policy U-turns, Politico has reported.

Allies were “blindsided” when the Pentagon announced a freeze in military aid to Kiev last week, citing concern over shrinking US arsenals, Politico wrote on Wednesday, citing anonymous officials. The president has since “made an abrupt U-turn,” pledging continued weapons supplies to Ukraine and toughening his rhetoric on Russia, the outlet wrote.

The European NATO states have reportedly been left preparing for several possible scenarios and experiencing “whiplash” from Trump’s shifting policies.

“The broad impression in Europe is that the administration has been pretty uncoordinated” on Ukraine, and many administrations in the US-led military bloc have been left trying to catch up with Washington’s changing moods, the outlet cited one official as saying.

A further source of confusion has reportedly been the lack of communication from the US.

It is “hard to know what’s happening” inside the administration, especially given the difference in tone between Trump and the Pentagon, Politico wrote, citing a European diplomat.

With the Pentagon global force posture review coming next month, European NATO allies also expect to see some US forces stationed on the continent moved away, Politico said. With no consultations held so far, several major countries in the US-led military bloc are “in the dark” about potentially losing the garrisons, according to Politico’s sources.

Trump has increasingly pushed for allies to cover their own military needs, as well as to take over the burden of funding Ukraine under his oft-touted “America First” policy. At last month’s summit in Brussels, European NATO leaders pledged to increase their military spending to 5% of GDP, up from a longstanding 2% target.

Brussels has recently reiterated that it will support Ukraine “for as long as it takes.”

In June, the EU redirected approximately €335 billion ($391 billion) in Covid relief funds towards military uses. The month before that, Brussels introduced a €150 billion ($175 billion) debt and loan instrument to back its armies and military industrial sector. The funding will also be made available to Kiev.

Russia has condemned the steps, accusing both NATO and the EU of “rabid militarization,” while praising US efforts to pursue a diplomatic end to the Ukraine conflict.

Moscow is waiting for Kiev to indicate whether it is ready to conduct a third round of direct peace talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday.