The new position adopted in Washington on Ukraine has caused serious concern in European capitals. US Secretary of the Armed Forces Daniel Driscoll, during a closed dialogue in Kyiv, openly stated that the US will not resort to any "flexibility" regarding President Donald Trump's "peace plan." According to the Financial Times, the atmosphere of the meeting was "extremely bad," and European diplomats were very upset by this pressure.
The event took place at the residence of the US Chargé d'Affaires in Ukraine, Julie Davis. According to Driscoll, the US military respects Ukraine, but also does not hide the fact that the situation at the front is "very difficult." He emphasized that the need for peace is urgent now, but the US has not begun discussing the essence of Trump's plan.
At the meeting, Julie Davis also made a sharp statement. In his opinion, no matter how much aid is provided to Ukraine, there are limits to resources. At the same time, the presence of Russia's strong industrial potential makes it difficult to maintain the situation at the front for long. Davis emphasized that "one day, Kyiv will be forced to sign the agreement."
Both Driscoll and Davis reiterated that Ukraine must agree to the "peace plan" by the deadline set by Trump - November 27th. This demand caused sharp criticism among European diplomats. According to FT sources, some ambassadors had the impression that the US, taking advantage of the current political situation, is trying to put pressure on Zelenskyy's weak point.
Representatives of a number of EU countries view Trump's plan as a strategic achievement for Russia and a serious threat to Ukraine. In response, US representatives cited Russia's losses of nearly a million soldiers in the last two years (Washington's calculations) as an example, stating that calling it a "victory" is incorrect.
At the end of the meeting, European ambassadors stressed that pressure on Russia should be increased instead of forcing Kyiv into negotiations. But the US side, even against the backdrop of these proposals, continued to emphasize that the terms of Trump's plan are the "best chance" Ukraine can hope for.
This tense dialogue in Kyiv also heated up discussions at the G20 summit in Johannesburg. At the postponed talks with the participation of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ursula von der Leyen, European leaders sought ways to persuade the US president to ease demands.
According to FT sources, some officials concluded: "Now is the time for those whispering in Trump's ear to break silence and speak openly."
Negotiations will continue, but the emergence of a new order, new pressure, and new contradictions in European-American relations is becoming increasingly noticeable for all parties.
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