Trump’s Push to End the Ukraine War Is Sowing Fresh Fear About NATO’s Future

Washington’s latest peace efforts have jolted the trans-Atlantic alliance.

 The Gaze reports on it according to the WSJ.

This week will see events that will visibly reinforce growing doubts in Europe about the United States' commitment to the Alliance, which has served as the foundation of Western unity since the Second World War. On the one hand, White House Special Representative Steve Witkoff will be in Moscow for another round of peace talks with the Kremlin on the war in Ukraine. Witkoff, who has yet to visit Ukraine, is making his sixth trip to Moscow this year.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will skip the biannual meeting of NATO foreign ministers and send his deputy in his place. The last time the top US diplomat did not attend such an event was in 1999, when Washington was focused on the Middle East peace process. His absence will be particularly noticeable given that it coincides with peace talks on Ukraine, which have caused many European leaders to wonder whether Washington's priorities remain aligned with those of Europe, according to correspondents from The Wall Street Journal.

The leak of information about the peace plan and transcripts of a telephone conversation between Witkoff and senior Kremlin foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov left many with the impression that the Trump administration is more interested in improving relations and economic cooperation with Russia than in protecting the transatlantic alliance.

Two aspects of the 28-point peace plan, in particular, caused a real explosion in European circles. First, the plan treated Russia as the clear winner and Ukraine as the loser, forcing Kyiv to give up strategic territories it had not yet lost, reduce its armed forces, and leave the country without a reliable guarantee of protection from the US or European allies in case Russia rearmed and returned with renewed strength. Second, it described the US as a mediator between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, hinting that America no longer considers itself a member of the Alliance it has long dominated and which has guaranteed the security of most of Europe since World War II.

The terms of a possible peace are still being negotiated, and Europeans have made some progress on this issue.  However, scepticism in Europe deepened when additional information emerged about how the US plan was developed, including a leaked phone conversation in which Witkoff allegedly advised Ushakov on what Putin should say to Trump.

‘This is Russia's dream. Since the days of the Soviet Union, its goal has been to drive a wedge between the United States and Europe. I think Trump is ignoring Europe because he considers it unimportant,’ said retired US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges. If it weren't for the Europeans, Putin and Trump would have reached an agreement long ago. According to the official, Europe has found itself isolated because the Americans are refusing to cooperate with the region, which means that it must rely more on itself.

Americans and Europeans approach the peace process from two different angles, said Emily Ferris, a Russia expert at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank specialising in defence and military affairs.

‘Europe sees Russia rearming and is worried about the next war. The Americans are thinking much more short-term — let's get this process over with — let's get a ceasefire agreement, get Ukraine back on its feet and establish some kind of cold peace for a year or two,’ she said.

Carlo Masala, a German scholar, noted that such steps towards Russia's return to the global economy will complicate the task for European politicians — to convince voters to support increased defence spending.

The split in NATO will give Russia the opportunity to try to regain the Baltic states, which previously belonged to the Soviet Union, with less military risk. Will Poland and Germany, which do not have nuclear weapons, be able to stand in the way?

As the Gaze reported   Hybrid threats push NATO toward more aggressive aeterrence strategy.