PARIS, February 14. /TASS/. As relations between Russia and the US shift, Europe has a painful truth to accept where Ukraine is concerned, and where Donald Trump is concerned, it may find itself in an antagonistic situation which causes them to turn to Russia for help, Jacques Sapir, French economist and research director at the Paris-based Higher School of Social Sciences said in a conversation with TASS.
"European leaders are doing what people usually do when they turn on the wrong tap in the shower: they scream. And they will continue to scream and groan in the coming weeks. However, the European Union cannot afford to sustain the conflict in Ukraine without the US," he pointed out, commenting on European officials’ statements about the need for Washington to coordinate diplomatic efforts related to Ukraine and their own determination to continue supporting Kiev.
The analyst noted that the US is the key weapons supplier to Ukraine, and if Washington refuses to keep supporting Kiev, the Europeans will have to acknowledge the reality that "they have been turning away from since February 2022."
According to Sapir, after recognizing the futility of further support for Kiev, major European countries such as Germany, Italy and France will find themselves "between the devil of Trump's trade policy and the deep blue sea of rising energy prices." They will not be able to resist Washington’s policy without resuming Russian oil and gas purchases; "otherwise, they will see their major corporations leave Europe, where energy is very expensive, and relocate to the US."
"That said, the choice will be between accepting Trump’s tariffs and ignoring them, which will soon result in the deindustrialization of the EU, and significantly reducing energy prices, restoring relations with Russia and repairing gas pipelines. In fact, the choice is simple for anyone who thinks clearly, but rather difficult for ideologically blinded minds. After years of denial and self-deception, the shift in the political landscape, both in terms of the leadership and policy, will be dramatic," Sapir concluded.
Russia-US talks
President Vladimir Putin of Russia and President Donald Trump of the United States held a telephone conversation on February 12, particularly discussing the prospects for resolving the conflict in Ukraine. According to the Kremlin, Trump called for ending military activities as soon as possible and resolving the issue through peaceful means. Putin, in turn, highlighted the need to eliminate the root causes of the conflict. He also agreed with the US leader that a long-term solution could be achieved through peace talks.