Trump's recent remarks on Russia give hope to Europe – Financial Times

US President Donald Trump may have changed his tone on Russia and its ruler Vladimir Putin of late, but there are doubts in Europe that this is evidence that the US administration is now pro-Ukrainian.

Source: Financial Times; European Pravda

Details: Two unnamed senior officials have told the FT that while recent remarks by Trump have "raised some hopes in Europe" of a possible shift in his position, there are as yet no real signs that the White House is taking a more pro-Kyiv stance.

The sources report that Ukraine's Western allies still believe that Trump is inclined to see Putin as his main partner in negotiating any settlement and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the main obstacle to a workable peace deal.

"There’s a little bit of overexcitement based on a shift in tone," one of the officials said.

The FT notes, however, that Zelenskyy has been getting on better with Trump lately.

The sources told the newspaper that French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer had advised the Ukrainian president to change his approach to relations with the US president following the row in the Oval Office.

Macron and Starmer suggested that Zelenskyy should express his sincere gratitude to Trump and always thank Washington for its support, the sources said.

The FT added that Zelenskyy is still dealing with an administration in which scepticism about support for Kyiv is deeply entrenched, both from those who believe the US should focus more on Asia than Europe, and from others who adhere to a philosophical stance of non-intervention.

Background:

• Trump recently expressed doubt, perhaps for the first time, that the Russian leader "wants peace", saying "We get a lot of bullsh*t thrown at us by Putin."
• Furthermore, the US president has announced that he will make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday 14 July.
• In addition, on Thursday 10 July the US participated for the first time in a meeting of the coalition of the willing. At the meeting, European states discussed the creation of a contingent of Western allies in Ukraine to deter further Russian attacks after the current hot phase of the war is over.

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