By Sama Marwan,
French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will spearhead Europe’s diplomatic push next week as they travel to the United States to meet with President Donald Trump. According to The Guardian, this effort is an increasingly desperate attempt to change Trump’s stance on Ukraine and European security.
On Thursday evening, Macron outlined parts of his strategy during a Q&A session on social media, stating that he would urge Trump not to show “weakness” towards Russian President Vladimir Putin. He warned of the global consequences, particularly regarding powers like China. Macron added that he would tell the U.S. president: “This is not your personality; this is not your brand.”
The report also noted that other leaders, such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, are also seeking ways to meet with Trump soon. Convincing the U.S. president of these European arguments will not be easy, but the future of Ukraine and the continent’s security are at stake.
The British Prime Minister’s visit—confirmed by Downing Street—comes at a time when the U.S. is initiating negotiations with Russia over ending the war in Ukraine and urging European nations to increase their domestic defense spending.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Starmer stated: “There will be a broad range of issues we will work on with the new U.S. administration. The Prime Minister looks forward to meeting President Donald Trump soon to discuss how to deepen the special relationship through trade, investment, and security.”
Starmer himself reaffirmed that the UK is “ready and willing” to deploy British peacekeeping forces in Ukraine as part of a post-war stabilization force. His spokesperson also mentioned that Starmer would urge European nations to take a more active role in NATO while emphasizing that America’s role in European security remains crucial.
They added: “Ensuring U.S. security commitments will be essential for lasting peace because only the United States has the power to deter Vladimir Putin from attacking again.”
Meanwhile, several Central and Eastern European countries have expressed growing concerns that Russia might use peace talks to revive its ambitions of establishing “spheres of influence.” These concerns include potential demands for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from NATO member states that joined after 1997, such as Poland and Romania—moves that could have far-reaching consequences for regional security.
