A united European front has arrived in Washington with a clear warning for Donald Trump: you cannot trust the Kremlin. The delegation of leaders is supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is facing a meeting with Trump where a pro-Russia peace plan is on the table.
This “bodyguard” mission is fundamentally about the Putin problem. The European leaders, with their long and often difficult experience dealing with the Russian leader, are there to share their insights and caution Trump against a naive or dangerous deal.
The message will be delivered by multiple credible sources. French President Emmanuel Macron, who flew to Moscow to reason with Putin before the 2022 invasion, has bluntly stated that the Russian president does not want a genuine peace. His firsthand experience lends weight to his argument.
He’s joined by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, whose country shares a long border and a troubled history with Russia. Stubb’s simple message, honed on the golf course with Trump, is “you can’t trust Vladimir Putin.” Together, the European leaders will argue that any plan that relies on Putin’s goodwill is doomed to fail and will only endanger global security.
