On the eve of the meeting between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, European leaders are once again trying to build up Ukraine's defense and compensate for US support, but it seems that their efforts will not be enough to achieve a real result, writes The Times.
On Sunday, US Vice President J.D. Vance said that Europe needs to “step up and take a bigger role” in financing Ukraine in its war against Russia.
"However, it is clear that even if Europe remains steadfast in its diplomatic position, it does not have enough strength to support Kyiv in negotiating favorable terms for a future peace agreement or to ensure compliance with the ceasefire," - writes the publication.
In particular, the so-called “coalition of the willing” is unlikely to live up to initial hopes of a presence of 64 troops in Ukraine. This is significantly less than the 000 troops that President Zelenskyy previously estimated were needed to secure peace and prevent a new Russian attack after a ceasefire agreement. Experts estimate this figure to be closer to 200.
So far, the UK and France are the only countries to have committed any troops. Finland is reportedly concerned that any deployment would “weaken” its own border defences, while Poland, Spain and Italy have made it clear they will not send troops. Estonia has said it may be prepared to send just a company-sized ground combat unit.
At the same time, according to the Kiel Institute, in financial terms, Europe overtook the United States, becoming the largest provider of aid to Ukraine in June, providing about 72 billion euros in military aid compared to 65 billion euros allocated to the United States.
However, the US supplies the most advanced and deadly equipment, including advanced air defense systems and precision-guided munitions. Much of Europe's aid goes to finance purchases of American-made weapons, underscoring its dependence on that country, The Times notes.
“Europe could offer incentives, such as unfreezing Russian assets, as a bargaining chip for any settlement. However, this depends on whether Putin considers negotiations preferable to continuing the war, and that is far from guaranteed.”
As the publication emphasizes, Europe’s diplomatic efforts “are significant, but without military support they risk becoming symbolic.” The ability to protect Ukraine’s territorial integrity depends on a sustained US commitment to provide weapons, troops, and political will.
