Trump has stated his readiness to step up pressure on Russia, with the support of allies, over Iran
At the G7 summit, US President Donald Trump signalled his willingness to consider stepping up pressure on Russia in exchange for European partners’ support for US efforts regarding Iran. This was reported by Politico, citing European diplomats.
According to the publication, Trump stated his willingness to consider applying additional pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine. At the same time, he emphasised the need for allies’ assistance in implementing the framework agreement with Iran on a ceasefire.
Following the talks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted that his discussions with the US President during the summit gave cause for some optimism.
At the same time, diplomats urged caution against drawing premature conclusions, recalling that Donald Trump had previously changed his stance following statements in support of Ukraine.
As Politico reports, Trump’s telephone conversation with Putin on Sunday, which lasted nearly an hour, caused concern amongst allies. Following the call, fears arose that the US President might once again be pressuring Ukraine to make territorial concessions.
However, following meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders, Trump announced his intention to reinstate sanctions against Russia’s oil sector.
According to two diplomats, during the talks, the US president also called on his G7 partners to support his agreements with Iran and to assist with the demining of the Strait of Hormuz ahead of the arrival in Geneva of US Vice-President J.D. Vance to conclude negotiations with TeIran.
Publicly, Trump stated that he did not expect significant assistance from his European partners. At the same time, according to the publication’s sources, during closed-door meetings he spoke more openly about the need for support from allies. One of the diplomats noted that the US side expects concessions regarding Ukraine and support for Kyiv.
