US Russia summit: Moscow's partial victory and turning point for Europe

US Russia summit: Moscow's partial victory and turning point for Europe

cnn-Russia has a small victory, while the Ukraine receives a low breathing space, but . Europe suddenly plays a relevant role in the geopolitical conversations.

The USRussland-Talks took place, Moscow gave many reasons to be happy. Russia has long seen the war in Ukraine (although wrongly) as a NATO attack on itself. This bilateral meeting helps to reinforce this wrong narrative.

practical results for Russia

Russia also receives tangible, practical results. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested that the respective American and Russian messages could again achieve functional personnel strength after there were significant mutual instructions that began when Russia started a chemical fighting material in Great Britain against the former Russian spy Sergei Skripal . This can be seen as a kind of return from Russia from the isolation, possibly with a very practical motif behind it. The rehabilitation, which started with the release of the American teacher Marc fogel continue, while diplomatic standards are partially restored.

conversations about peace in Ukraine

Russia has not reached a meeting between President Trump and Putin. Such a summit was a central element of Trump's peace policy in Ukraine. At this moment of Russian rehabilitation, however, it could appear as if it were more in the immediate interest of Moscow than it will actually take place.

This delay in Kiev should only cause a limited joy in Kyiv. The meeting in Riad did not end with the promise of the White House, which, after approaching Moscow, strives to make Ukraine unpleasant concessions to quickly complete a bad deal. The entire question of peace in Ukraine is handed over to other negotiation teams, which means potentially further delays. National security advisor Mike Waltz in his empty hands weighed the scales of the "territorial concessions" and "security guarantees", which both sides would have to accept as a reality. (The former must probably offer Kiev, the latter will probably have to be accepted by Moscow.)

Zelensky's reaction to the meeting

zelensky reacted immediately and Riad on Wednesday, where he might have hoped to get the developments of the US Russia talks. Instead, he vigorously turned against deals over Ukraine, which were hit without Ukraine. He explained that he only learned from the US Russia talks from the media and said: "I don't care what our partners think about us." He is angry, but not because of new and terrible developments from the summit, but because of the ongoing approach between the USA and Russia.

geopolitical changes in Europe

In the last week of geopolitical turmoil there was a moment of calm when the three US officials sat in front of a Saudi flag (with the US Middle East representative Steven Witkoff on the far left) and recognized that Europe will be decisive in the future. Waltz insisted that the narrative that Europe and Ukraine were excluded from the peace talks was wrong, even if Zelensky contradicted this shortly afterwards.

But days earlier, Trump's special inventor for Ukraine and Russia, General Keith Kellogg, said in Munich that Europeans would not be involved in peace discussions about Ukraine due to failed diplomatic efforts during the first wave of the conflict in 2015. Europe panicked and began to make their own plans. Just 72 hours later, the Trump administration wants to know that they have never stopped having stopped. Increased tensions are to be expected if the British Prime Minister Keir Kürmer meets Trump in Washington next week.

Putin's interests and the Ukraine conflict

The lack of a rapid agreement, the sensation and the fears of the past week are ultimately in the interests of Putin. During this time, as the US Defense Minister explained that the United States was no longer the guarantee for security in Europe, the US Vice President wrongly claimed that Washington's main allies in Europe were totalitarians who were afraid of their own voters, and Trump's Messenger in Europe since the 1940s declared that Europe itself would not be part of a peace agreement. (This, although you will probably need your troops for a peace mission, which should be the heart of every arrangement).

The permanent allies of the United States in Europe have set themselves up in the past few days to accept the unimaginable: the defense of European floors against an atomic-armed Russia without the threat of US troops to ward off Moscow aggression. It may seem strange that Europe never thought since the end of the Cold War that it had to defend itself. But her NATO alliance is based on mutual advantages: it supported the British troops in Iraq and the Polish in Afghanistan, as well as it is in the heart of defense of the European territory. Hegseth's very short explanation in Brussels smashed the concept of NATO. No matter how much the Trump administration tries to put it together again, the fire that was sparked in Brussels last week is both a sign of Europe's urge to defend self-defense and Russia's opportunities.

The consequences of a slowly forged peace

The more comprehensive deal between Washington and Moscow will probably also go out in favor of Russia. He confirms the fictitious narrative of the Russians that they are in an unprovoked war against the entire NATO. It again gives them the status of an equivalent partner alongside the United States, after alleged war crimes and isolation since the invasion of 2022. This means that Ukraine becomes part of this larger deal instead of being the entire game itself. Ultimately, it leads to Russia's rehabilitation in global order - and thus to economic growth, diplomatic acceptance and forgiveness - at possibly limited costs or concessions from Moscow.

But the biggest problem with a slowly forged peace agreement is the front line itself. Russia wins. His progress is painfully slow and expensive, but they continue to take place. Time is currently playing on Putin's side. The longer behind the scenes there are unrest, new reviews and fears among the Allies of Ukraine, the fragile the morality and sovereignty of Ukraine.