European leaders are increasingly concerned that Russia will launch a new offensive on Ukraine as they meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss security guarantees for his country, writes Bloomberg.
Zelensky previously stated that Russia has deployed 100,000 soldiers to the front line near Pokrovsk, which Kremlin forces have unsuccessfully tried to encircle and capture for over a year. Capturing the city would open the way for an offensive on the larger cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, as Moscow seeks to establish control over the entire Donetsk region.
Meanwhile, amid Trump's efforts to broker a ceasefire, Russia has intensified air attacks. July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since May 2022: according to the UN, 589 people were killed and 1152 injured.
According to agency sources, Europeans want concrete commitments on the US contribution to security guarantees and to push Washington to tighten sanctions against Russia, as Putin shows no signs of wanting to meet with Zelensky anytime soon.
Despite Trump's recent eagerness to mediate an end to Russia's full-scale invasion, including a meeting with Putin in Alaska last month, Moscow has shown no willingness to commit to a ceasefire. Although the US president threatened sanctions to pressure Russia, he has yet to impose them.
Furthermore, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in Slovenia on Tuesday that "Ukraine will have to agree to any security architecture."
Meanwhile, Europeans have taken the initiative in discussing potential security guarantees for Ukraine. "Ukraine must be able to defend itself in the long term," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. "We want to help it in this, both now and in the future."
Once Europe concludes negotiations on guarantees, country leaders will be able to collectively establish "even more intensive interaction" with the US, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday. According to him, achieving clarity on this issue will be "extremely important" before any meetings involving Putin and Zelensky.
Photo: Bloomberg