London advises Macron and Merz to refrain from public demands on Trump – Telegraph
13 August 20:16
The UK has urged EU leaders to avoid making public statements that could irritate US President Donald Trump ahead of his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
According toThe Telegraph, citing sources, British officials believe that “unhelpful constant comments” by European leaders could provoke Trump to exclude Europe from the talks.
“Unlike our European counterparts, we do not publicly make demands of the Americans. Judging by their behavior, they risk irritating Trump if they start setting red lines,” said one British official.
London believes that it is more effective to influence Trump privately, using personal contacts. Prime Minister Keir Starmer himself refrains from commenting, working behind the scenes.
Background
on August 15, Trump and Putin will meet in Anchorage, Alaska, to discuss a possible end to the war in Ukraine. According to media reports, Moscow is proposing a ceasefire in exchange for territorial concessions, including the recognition of Crimea as Russian and the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the entire Donetsk region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Kyiv would not give up any of its territory. Ahead of his meeting with Putin, Trump plans to talk to European leaders and Zelensky.
