President Donald Trump is heralding a new security era for Europe, one defined by European leadership, particularly concerning Ukraine. He recently discussed this new paradigm with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
This new era was formally introduced during an August 18 summit with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials. In that meeting, Trump laid out his vision for a more self-reliant Europe capable of managing its own security challenges.
The cornerstone of this vision is that “significant security guarantees” for Ukraine must now be provided by European nations. Trump has been explicit that the U.S. will adopt a “backup” role, supporting its allies from a secondary position.
This push for a new security era is complemented by strategic talks with Moscow. Trump confirmed that his dialogue with Putin includes the long-term objective of reducing nuclear stockpiles after the resolution of the Ukraine war.
