Trump under fire: Talks with Putin spark Ukraine backlash
The echoes of Tuesday's conversation between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin are still resounding. The Danish newspaper "Berlingske" assesses that Trump "lacks the courage" to exert pressure on the Russian leader. "Trump's conversation with Putin can be seen as a new attack on Ukraine," the newspaper writes.
"Berlingske" reminds readers that Russia demanded the West stop providing military assistance to Ukraine, as well as that the Ukrainian army stop receiving intelligence information. "Berlingske" assesses that Putin "behaves as if Ukraine is attacking Russia, rather than the other way around."
The newspaper criticizes Trump for lacking the courage to pressure Putin, while simultaneously pursuing an aggressive trade policy against European allies.
"Trump apparently does not have the courage to pressure Putin, but only his ally, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. At the same time, it is illogical and aggressive for the U.S. to start a trade war against its European friends while refraining from exerting economic, political, and military pressure on Russia," the article states.
"Microscopic step." The newspaper assessed Trump's agreements with Putin
The newspaper compares Tuesday's conversation between Trump and Putin to the Munich Agreement of 1938, when Adolf Hitler and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain decided to annex part of Czechoslovakia to the German Reich without the involvement of Czechoslovak authorities.
On the other hand, the agreement of a 30-day suspension of attacks on energy infrastructure is called a "microscopic step" towards peace by "Berlingske."
"The conversation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin can be seen as a new attack on Ukraine. The best response from Europe to this should be buying weapons," the newspaper concludes.
