Solidarity with Ukraine should not waver during the time of US President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House, writes an editorial in "Guardian".
Kiev must be guaranteed the military and financial means to oppose any attempt to impose an unjust peace, the British edition calls.
US President Joe Biden's belated decision to allow Ukraine to use long-range US missiles to strike deep into Russian territory, apparently in response to Vladimir Putin's deployment of North Korean troops in the Kursk region, has raised spirit of Kiev. This decision, however, did not change the course of events in this brutal and unrelenting war of attrition. The potential suspension of US aid by the isolationist Donald Trump next year, however, which would aim to impose an unjust peace on Ukraine, would certainly change the course of the war, writes "Guardian".
European countries urgently need a strategy to respond to this potential development, notes the British newspaper.
Developing such a strategy, however, will require political clarity and leadership, given the multiple challenges. A sense of war fatigue has intensified in Europe since last year's failed Ukrainian counter-offensive, the subsequent outbreak of war in the Middle East and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Ahead of early elections in February, Germany's embattled Chancellor Olaf Scholz is trying to gain support by refusing to send Taurus missiles. with a large reach of Ukraine.
Russia's Nov. 21 launch of a new hypersonic ballistic missile against the Ukrainian city of Dnipro also targeted European voters who fear a further escalation of the conflict.
Against this background, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is trying to create an alliance that includes Britain, France, the Scandinavian and Baltic countries - an alliance that will resist putting Kiev in front of a fait accompli. There is currently no information on peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv. The return of all the territories that Ukraine has lost since 2014 may prove to be too ambitious a task, the Guardian writes. However, Europe must ensure that Ukraine has leverage in future negotiations. In the event of a 180-degree U.S. policy change, Europe must guarantee military and financial aid to compensate for the U.S. withdrawal and strengthen Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's position in any negotiations.
Trump's biography is marked by business-style diplomacy. His approach to NATO allies is worrying. However, Europe must oppose the future American president's attempts to legitimize the dismemberment of a sovereign European country, points out the "Guardian".
In an expression of diplomacy, Zelensky expressed approval for Trump's approach to foreign policy, based on the maxim "peace through strength". After Trump's inauguration, however, it is likely that European countries will be tasked with preserving Ukraine's strength.
In a troubled world, support for Kyiv is key to Europe's security. To meet this challenge, Europe must guarantee Ukraine's sovereignty, deter future Russian aggression and pave the way to lasting peace and recovery, summarizes the "Guardian".