EU leaders to send ‘clear message’ to Trump on Ukraine, to debate US ties

European Union leaders intention to ship a “clear sign” to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump at a summit on Thursday about their continued assist for Ukraine and also will talk about the safety and financial challenges posed by his return to the White Home.

The leaders will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at first of their talks in Brussels and can reaffirm their “unwavering dedication” to supporting Ukraine “for so long as it takes”, in response to draft conclusions.

Trump has repeatedly known as for a swift finish to the almost three-year-old conflict. On Monday he mentioned Zelenskiy needs to be prepared to succeed in a peace cope with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although he didn’t say whether or not this meant Kyiv ceding territory to Moscow as a part of a negotiated settlement. Russian forces presently occupy almost a fifth of Ukrainian territory and are making regular advances within the east of the nation.

“Russia should not prevail,” the EU draft conclusions say, including that no initiative should be taken on Ukraine with out Kyiv’s involvement.

One EU diplomat described the draft textual content as sending “a transparent sign to the U.S.”. The leaders may even talk about wider EU-U.S. relations over lunch amid issues of a doable transatlantic commerce conflict. Trump has mentioned the EU will “pay a giant value” with tariffs for not shopping for sufficient U.S. exports. He has already pledged hefty tariffs on three of america’ largest buying and selling companions – Canada, Mexico and China. The EU is aware of it won’t be spared.

UNITY

Some EU diplomats mentioned the important thing for the bloc could be unity and avoidance of Washington conducting discussions or offers with single EU members – a replica of its largely profitable unified technique for coping with Britain throughout Brexit negotiations.

“The U.S. would possibly strive particular person negotiations however thus far I’ve not seen international locations falling for that,” one EU diplomat mentioned.

The EU will search to level out that it’s the United States’ second-biggest buying and selling accomplice and an in depth ally with shared values. Nevertheless, aware that Trump is preoccupied by the U.S. items commerce deficit, EU officers have mooted doubtlessly providing to purchase extra U.S. LNG or arms.

The lunchtime “EU on the earth” debate can be prone to embrace China and whether or not the bloc shall be compelled to take sides in a U.S.-China commerce battle in addition to Britain, which has mentioned it needs to reset ties with the European Union and is seen by the bloc as a vital safety ally.