Germany remains skeptical following the Washington summit, as European diplomatic maneuvers fail to bring a decisive end to Ukraine tensions and underscore the United States’ cautious stance.
Western concessions at the Washington summit
Despite the relaxed atmosphere at the leaders’ meeting in Washington, the West has abandoned essential demands, including a temporary ceasefire, according to the regional daily “Reutlinger General-Anzeiger.”
Retraction of trade sanctions and Putin’s stalemate
The loud threat of punitive tariffs against Russia’s trade partners was quietly withdrawn, while President Putin has taken no step back from his territorial claims. While Europe debates how to guarantee peace in Ukraine, actual peace remains elusive, as Putin’s forces continue to shift the front line day by day.
German media criticises Trump’s claimed success
German newspapers such as the “Märkische Oderzeitung” contend that Trump’s self‑proclaimed “measurable successes” are misleading. They highlight that many of the six wars Trump cites did not conclude or were not mediated by him, and that he neglects the fact that he negotiated only ceasefires, not peace treaties.
Hessian newspaper denounces Trump’s conduct
The “Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine” calls Trump’s applause for Russian President Putin and his flippant remarks about Ukrainian and Russian peoples a troubling display of admiration for autocratic regimes. The paper argues that Trump’s show is more about a faux Nobel Peace Prize genuine concern for lives in the trenches.
Europe’s diplomatic acrobatics cannot hide US‑Europe divide
Even if Europe achieves diplomatic gymnastics, European gestures are insufficient to cover the deep rift between the United States and Europe’s approach to Russia. The “Nürnberger Zeitung” stresses Europe’s vulnerability and the urgent need for independent defence capabilities, noting that the stakes go beyond Ukraine to the security of all Europe.
Source: Gazeta,
