Description: French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Donald Trump met in the White House where they discussed recent developments regarding the Ukraine – Russia war and the dissolution of transatlantic relations between Europe and the US. Macron publicly suggested that France could spearhead Europe’s independent defense agenda as he said that his country could deploy French jet fighters armed with nuclear warheads as a deterrent against potential Russian aggression in the future. Donald Trump stated that peace agreement negotiations were progressing, and that Russia would agree on the deployment of peacekeeping contingents of European troops alongside its border with Ukraine. Trump also suggested that a meeting with UK’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelenskyy were scheduled for the upcoming week.
Impact: Macron’s visit emphasized Europe’s disorientation in making attempts to reposition and become once again relevant on the geopolitical stage. With the Ukraine peace agreement on the table, uncertainty embroils around the transatlantic relations between Europe and the US. In the current state of affairs, pivotal European countries such as the UK, France and Germany would aim to align their foreign interests and reposition Europe as largely a relevant actor in international relations. Ukraine suffers from severely unfavorable international position as it’s being blackmailed by the US for support, independently supported by European countries and under constant Russian ground and aerial offensives. The untangling of the current situation could move towards another US – Russia meeting which could represent further devaluation in the transatlantic relations and put Ukraine on the verge of capitulating to Russia’s demands in full, which could severely threaten the collective defense and security state of the European continent.