Trump urges Europe to lead on Ukraine as NATO doubts linger

During their conversation in Paris, Trump emphasized that he does not intend to send American forces to Ukraine but expects Europe to play a key role in supporting Kyiv. According to "WSJ" sources, Trump reiterated—something he has consistently stated publicly—that he will not support Ukraine's membership in NATO, but noted that he wants a "strong, well-armed" Ukraine.

Trump also urged Europe to pressure China, encouraging EU countries to influence Russia to end the war. The threat of imposing tariffs on Chinese products was to be used as a means of applying pressure.

According to Trump's advisors, quoted by the newspaper, despite promises of a swift end to the war in Ukraine, the President-elect does not have a concrete plan to achieve this and has not thoroughly considered the issue. The newspaper reports that key decisions will be made only after the president assumes power, potentially after his conversation with Vladimir Putin.

Decisions regarding Ukraine are expected to be made after Trump takes office, possibly after a conversation with Vladimir Putin. In an interview with "Time," Trump declined to answer a question about talks with Putin post-election, admitting that ending the war will be more difficult than achieving peace in the Middle East.

Trump criticized the decision to allow Ukraine to carry out attacks inside Russia, calling it "stupid" and "crazy." Despite this, some of his advisors considered this decision potentially helpful in future talks with Russia. "Wall Street Journal" emphasizes that the plan to place European forces in Ukraine is still in the early stages.

Macron had previously spoken about the possibility of sending European troops to Ukraine, a topic discussed with the United Kingdom. However, it is unclear which countries would participate in this initiative, and the mission would not be conducted under the aegis of NATO.