Trump's victory could enable the West to exit the conflict with Russia by shifting the blame for the cessation of support for Ukraine onto the new American president.
Trump's success in the U.S. elections signals significant changes in Europe's approach to supporting Ukraine, writes Max Hastings in The Times.
Hastings emphasizes that despite all the critical remarks about Trump, Europe might leverage his policies to justify reducing support for Ukraine, a move that appears increasingly advantageous amid economic pressures. The energy crisis and rising fuel prices are prompting European nations to reconsider access to Russian resources, the commentator notes.
"European countries, facing economic challenges largely driven by energy prices, are desperately wishing for Russian oil and gas to flow back to us. They are frankly bored with Ukraine," he states.
Hastings adds that even among European generals and politicians, there is a growing belief that Ukraine is unlikely to win the war without greater support, which Europe is currently unwilling to provide.
The issue of Ukraine's neutrality, which Putin has mentioned several times, could become a condition for a potential resolution to the conflict. However, Hastings warns that such an agreement could have serious consequences for Europe, as abandoning Ukraine would only exacerbate the Kremlin's appetite for further expansion.
"For both Ukraine and its Western allies, finding a way out of the war that doesn’t amount to surrendering to Putin will not be easy. It is vital to continue arming and funding Zelensky’s people... Only if Putin is suffering pain on the battlefield can he concede any fraction of justice," Hastings emphasizes.
Source: the times.