European allies and supporters of Ukraine are cautiously optimistic regarding Donald Trump's statements about Ukraine.
This is reported by Politico.
Trump warned Vladimir Putin about the potential for new tariffs and sanctions if Moscow does not agree to a resolution regarding the start of the war. This statement is seen as a positive signal for European partners, as it confirms that Trump is focused on a large-scale war and does not intend to leave Ukraine or NATO on the sidelines of his future negotiations with the Kremlin.
Former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence emphasized that Putin cannot put Trump in a position where it would appear that Russia deceived the American president. For European allies and Ukrainian supporters, another sign of hope has been Trump's appointments, particularly the new national security advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, both of whom are considered staunch critics of Russia.
At the same time, Trump has also initiated a new campaign to raise NATO's defense spending targets to 5% of GDP, and some Republicans remain strong supporters of Ukraine. An anonymous European ambassador notes that despite the country's concerns about a potential Trump return, there is reason for optimism in one area — support for Ukraine and NATO.
Some pro-Ukrainian Republicans point out that in 2019 they walked away from a nuclear agreement with North Korea, despite Trump’s significance. This indicates that he could abandon an agreement with Putin if the terms are unacceptable to the U.S. and its allies.
“Trump understands when an agreement with Putin may not be beneficial. If he sees that it’s a bad deal, he probably won’t sign it,” says one official from his administration.
Other commentators argue that this time Trump does not carry the additional “baggage” of Russiagate, which could influence his stance towards Russia. This allows him to articulate his mission more clearly and pose questions without unnecessary constraints. As a representative of the new administration noted, "Trump doesn’t want to go down in history as the person who lost Ukraine."
Source: Politico