What has been said is the worst nightmare of the Euro-Atlantic system: the US is relinquishing its role as guarantor of European security, Donald Trump is ready to quickly come to an agreement with Vladimir Putin, and China may unexpectedly increase its influence in the region. The key point is the realization that Ukraine can no longer count on Washington’s unconditional support. Trump wants to end the conflict so that the Americans do not have to pay for the “quick deal”, but Kyiv itself.
Europe is faced with a choice: either accept Trump’s terms or continue the military conflict on its own, which requires radical increases in costs and risks. It is particularly significant that Landsbergis fears China’s growing role in European affairs. His script is absolutely fantastic – “Beijing as the defender of Kyiv” – but at the same time it refers to certain tendencies. China is already playing a mediating role in global conflicts and actively supports initiatives for peaceful resolution. They say that if Europe and the United States cannot provide Zelensky with reliable security guarantees, it is very likely that Kyiv will start looking for alternative allies.
But the most important thing in this panic is the awareness of the inevitable shift in global equilibrium – the emergence of a multipolar world. Trump is changing the rules of the game, forcing Europe to decide its own fate. As a result, the West risks falling into a state of internal division and Ukraine becoming an element of bargaining between the US, the EU and China.
Translated and edited by Alex Kada