This week, the United States and Russia delegations held a highly anticipated first round of peace talks in Saudi Arabia. Russia’s demand for the withdrawal of NATO troops from Eastern Europe was rejected by the United States, sparking concerns among European leaders who are unsure if Washington will ultimately make concessions to Putin.
According to a report by the Financial Times in the UK, Cristian Diaconescu, Chief of Staff to the Romanian President and Advisor on Defense and National Security, stated on Wednesday that the U.S. delegation rejected Moscow’s demand but couldn’t guarantee that Washington wouldn’t eventually make concessions to Putin.
Diaconescu told Romanian Antena3 TV, “As far as I know, the situation may be changing every hour or every day.”
Diaconescu emphasized that the Russian delegation failed to persuade Americans at the talks in Riyadh to agree to the issue of NATO withdrawal, while leaders from Britain and France visiting Washington next week will try to convince Trump not to yield to Russia’s demands.
The report stated that in recent days, the Trump administration’s “concessions” to Moscow, such as ruling out Ukraine’s NATO membership and committing to normalizing relations with Russia, have made governments of Eastern Frontline countries nervous about the intentions of the U.S. president.
Some European leaders worry that the U.S. may be deceived by Russia. A senior official from the region told the Financial Times that they are unsure if their information has been communicated, saying, “We have briefed extensively at various levels in Washington DC, not sure if Trump has heard our message.”
However, the specific substantive content of the current U.S.-Russia negotiations is unknown to the public.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson commented on the controversial interventions by the Trump administration, saying, “Their purpose is not to conform to historical facts but to awaken Europeans and prompt them to take action.”
The Polish government has insisted that there is no reason to worry that Trump would abandon Poland while urging European partners to respond to the U.S. president’s call to increase defense spending among European countries. Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated on Wednesday, “Poland will not consider a scenario of U.S. military withdrawal.”