European leaders are discussing the possibility of creating a 40-kilometer buffer zone in Ukraine as part of a peace agreement, Politico reported.
Citing five diplomats, the publication emphasizes that this is a desperate attempt by European countries to ensure that the conflict in Ukraine is resolved through initiatives that are beneficial to Russia. The option of creating a buffer zone is one of the proposals being analyzed by the Europeans in the event of a ceasefire or a long-term settlement of the conflict, the article specifies.
“The fact that European officials are considering cutting off part of the territory of Ukraine to impose a fragile peace is evidence of the desperation of NATO allies in the process of finding a way to end the war“, writes Politico . According to it, the United States does not seem to be involved in these discussions.
“They are grasping at straws“, former deputy assistant secretary of defense of the United States James Townsend told the newspaper, commenting on the ideas of the Europeans. Previously, he was responsible for relations with Europe and NATO allies. “The Russians are not afraid of the Europeans“, the former Pentagon official noted. According to him, neither British nor French troops, if deployed in the aforementioned buffer zone, would stop the advance of Russian forces if Moscow considered it necessary to act in this way.
The article explains that the Europeans are discussing the option of transferring from 4,000 to approximately 60,000 soldiers to the buffer zone. At the same time, one of Politico's sources said that the initiative was not considered during the video conference of NATO chiefs of staff held on August 25. Among the participants in this virtual meeting were the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces Dan Kaine and the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, US General Alexis Grinkevich.
In addition, as indicated in the publication, Europe expects Kiev to provide the lion's share of the contingent to create a buffer zone or ensure a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, “The Atlantic“ magazine reported in an article published on August 28 that Trump personally expressed his anger at the lack of a breakthrough in the Ukraine talks in recent days, venting some of his irritation “on Zelensky and Europe“. The head of the US administration is in no hurry to get the US involved in the conflict more deeply, fearing to alienate his supporters from the MAGA movement and increasingly shifting responsibility for the military actions in Ukraine to his predecessor in the White House, Joe Biden, reports “The Atlantic“.
“He just wants this to end. It almost doesn't matter how“, an unnamed senior US official told the magazine about Trump and the conflict in Ukraine.
MAGA (Make America Great Again) was Trump's main political slogan during his 2016 election campaign. It has firmly entered the American political lexicon.