The European Union is preparing a “plan B” for how to keep economic sanctions against Russia in place if the Trump administration abandons peace talks in Ukraine and seeks rapprochement with Moscow, diplomatic sources have told the Financial Times.
“It is a problem whether the Americans will want to leave,” Kaja Kallas, the EU’s high representative for foreign and security policy, told the Financial Times.
“We see signs that they are thinking about whether they should leave Ukraine and not try to reach a deal with the Russians because it is difficult.” A spokesman for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday: “If there is no progress, we will withdraw as a mediator in this process.”
European officials are also concerned about the consequences of the US potentially allowing its companies to resume economic cooperation with Russia, while EU businesses are still not allowed to do so.
Kallas said there was a "plan B" to maintain economic pressure on Russia if Hungary blocked the extension of EU economic sanctions in July, but stressed that Brussels was still focused on keeping all member states in agreement.
But Kallas acknowledged that there are discussions in some EU capitals about whether to follow the Trump administration's example if it abandons Ukraine and restores relations with Russia.
“It is clear that these kinds of discussions are taking place in some member states and perhaps the hope is that we will not have to support [Ukraine] anymore ,” Kallas said. “But it is also a false hope, because if you look at Russia investing more than 9 percent of its GDP in the military, they will want to use it again.”
Kallas said Europe could step in financially to help Ukraine in the event of a US withdrawal, but acknowledged that "in terms of military support, it is certainly more difficult to fill the gap if the Americans are leaving." (A2 Televizion)
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