BUDAPEST, August 13. /TASS/. Any potential deals struck at the summit between the Russian and US Presidents, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump, will be crucial for resolving the conflict in Ukraine, and Vladimir Zelensky and EU leaders will have to come to terms with them, Zoltan Koshkovich, a leading researcher at the Budapest Center for Fundamental Rights, said.
"Although Vladimir Zelensky and Western Europe (Brussels, London, Paris, Berlin) play a significant role in the conflict, the reality is that the weight of agreements between the United States and Russia can be decisive. If Trump and Putin reach an agreement, it will most likely cement the status quo on the current front lines, as numerous sources suggest," Koshkovich told TASS ahead of a Russian-US summit.
"In this case," Koshkovich continued, "Kiev and the European leaders may find themselves in a difficult position, since without military and financial support from the United States, Ukraine's room for maneuver will be significantly reduced. European countries support Zelensky loudly, but they do not necessarily have the wherewithal to stand in the way of any potential agreement between the great powers."
The expert believes that, despite pressure from European allies, Trump seeks a ceasefire in Ukraine as soon as possible, allowing him to "shift attention to other global challenges, including China. If Kiev refuses to comply with such an agreement, it will most likely diminish Western support, since Trump has already made it clear that he does not consider the war in Ukraine as a priority for the United States. This may mean Ukraine's diplomatic and economic isolation, while Europe alone will not be able to maintain the current level of support," Koshkovich explained.
