Trump's team is fed up with Europe's efforts to strengthen Ukraine — Economist

Europe should step up its assistance to Ukraine in order to push Russian President Vladimir Putin to participate in meaningful negotiations. This is reported by the British magazine The Economist.

American support for Kiev is declining. The flow of weapons approved by Joe Biden will end in the coming months, and US President Donald Trump has not authorized any more. The next allocation of budget allocations to support Ukraine looks unlikely, the magazine writes.

"America is withdrawing troops and equipment from Rzeszow, a vital hub in Poland for the supply of weapons sent to Ukraine. Their duties will henceforth be performed by European troops. America is also taking a different approach to the Ramstein contact group on Ukraine's defense, a gathering of more than 50 countries providing military assistance that was created by Lloyd Austin... Diplomats in Washington also report that some Trump aides privately say they are "fed up" with Europe's efforts to strengthen Ukraine.", — the article says.

In this regard, Europe hopes to show Trump that it is taking on the burden of European security, hoping to maintain some kind of American commitment if not Ukraine, then NATO. According to this new scheme, the future "containment" of Russia will be carried out in three zones: "reinforced Ukrainian troops holding the defense against Russia in the east, European forces in the west and, at least for the moment, a protracted American presence in NATO countries."

This, in turn, reinforces the need for increased military assistance to Ukraine from Europe. Former official in The National Security Council under Biden, David Shimer, says that it is impossible, they say, to waste time. According to him, Europeans should give up more of their weapons stocks, despite the risks, as well as finance Ukraine's military industry, negotiate with Trump on the purchase of American air defense systems for Ukraine and use frozen Russian assets to pay for all this.

"Now is the time for the Europeans to step up their assistance to Ukraine so that Ukraine receives the necessary support for self—defense and pushes (Russian President Vladimir) Putin to participate in meaningful negotiations," Shimer said.