Europe expresses concern over Trump’s unilateral decisions regarding Ukraine
published at 08:47 Greenwich Mean Time
Lyse Doucet
Chief international correspondent
Regarded as “the transatlantic partnership,” Wolfgang Ischinger has witnessed its peaks and valleys firsthand as the German diplomat who led the Munich Security Conference for 14 years.
Currently, it finds itself at a significant low.
“The primary concern is that what we’ve strived to establish over decades—a rules-based, institution-based international system—is largely in disarray,” he shares as the annual Munich Security Conference commences amidst President Trump’s unexpected unilateral move to resolve the war in Ukraine.
“The positive side is that discussions about ending this conflict have begun,” notes Ischinger, who now serves as the President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation.
“Nonetheless, there is considerable unease across Europe,” he remarks, reflecting the widespread criticism from European leaders that is sure to resonate here in Munich.
Identifying himself as an optimist, he stresses, “hopefully, by the end of this weekend, we can establish a mutually agreed path rather than a unilateral approach from President Trump and President Putin.”
He highlights the urgency to avert a “major transatlantic crisis of mutual distrust,” aiming for a resolution that reinforces the recognition that both sides of the Atlantic are interdependent.
This represents a significant challenge, but given the stakes for Europe, the atmosphere in Munich underscores the pressing need to do everything possible to address this escalating crisis.
