Putin’s war in Ukraine has catalyzed Europe’s shift from pacifism to military leadership, with Germany leading the way.
When Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he knew that he was upending Europe’s security order. But this was more of a tactical gambit than a calculated strategy, and he could not have predicted what would follow. Though U.S. President Donald Trump’s return to the White House has caught Europe flat-footed, it can still keep Putin from walking away a winner.
For now, Putin seems to hold all the cards. The transatlantic relationship is fracturing, as Trump’s isolationist administration criticizes its European allies and casts doubt on his commitment to NATO. Worse, Trump appears to be aligning the United States with Russia in the Ukraine war. While he has threatened to impose new sanctions and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and peace deal are reached, he has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the fighting and suspended military aid and intelligence.
Autor: Shlomo Ben-Ami, Vice president of the Toledo International Center for Peace
Ganzer Artikel auf Kyiv Independent, Foto: Bundeswehr