"European leaders have made fresh efforts to pin down Donald Trump on the level of support he is willing to give Ukraine to push back a Russian advance, and asked him to detail the security guarantees he would provide to any European peacekeeping force inside Ukraine in the event of a lasting ceasefire. European leaders spoke with Trump by video call on Thursday after first holding a meeting of the so-called coalition of the willing in Paris, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer."
"The precise commitments made by European states to the coalition of the willing are largely complete but in part depend on the extent to which the US will specify the aid it is willing to give in terms of intelligence, air support and funding. Many European countries including Germany, Spain and Italy have refused so far to provide troop commitments."
"Trump responded to the European lobbying by claiming he had won the Russian leader's agreement to hold direct talks with the Ukrainian president, but Russia rejected any such commitment and largely maintained its demand for the surrender of Ukrainian territory and a commitment that Ukraine will never join Nato. Trump had set a deadline of 1 September for a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, but Trump is known to set deadlines that he then ignores."
European leaders sought explicit US commitments to support Ukraine, requesting detail on intelligence, air support, funding and security guarantees for any European peacekeeping force during a potential ceasefire. A coalition meeting in Paris, co-chaired by Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer, preceded a video call with Trump. European commitments to the coalition are largely set but hinge on the level of US support. Several countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy, have refused to send troops and emphasize financing, arming and training Ukrainian forces. Trump claimed an agreement with Putin for talks, which Russia rejected while maintaining territorial demands and NATO exclusion.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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