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Europe forced to take on all support for Kiev following Putin-Trump call — newspaper

According to the report, the European leaders were taken aback by Washington’s unwillingness to impose new sanctions against Moscow

LONDON, May 20. /TASS/. Kiev’s support and financing has become an entirely European task following the May 19 call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart Donald Trump, the Financial Times reported, citing sources.

"He [Trump] is stepping away," a senior European diplomat briefed on the call told the newspaper. "Supporting and financing Ukraine, putting pressure on Russia: that’s all on us now," the source pointed out. The day before, European officials said that the phone call between Putin and Trump had become "a major victory for the Russian leader," according to the Financial Times.

The newspaper also quoted a source as saying that the European leaders were taken aback by Washington’s unwillingness to impose new sanctions against Moscow. They were surprised to hear the US leader speak about agreements he had reached with his Russian counterpart. The Financial Times also said that Trump hinted that "he was done trying to broker a deal — and putting pressure on Moscow."

On May 19, Putin and Trump held a phone call that lasted more than two hours. They mostly discussed resolving the conflict in Ukraine. The Russian leader later praised his conversation with the US president, calling it "constructive."

After speaking with Putin, Trump held a phone call with European leaders and Vladimir Zelensky. The call involved French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish leader Alexander Stubb, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

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Middle East conflict

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