A soldier waiting in a dugout in Serebryansky forest in the Luhansk region of Ukraine in August.
Photographer: Julia KochetovaTrump’s Ukraine Plans Mean a $3 Trillion Bill for European Allies
Whatever the US president decides is his goal for Ukraine, one thing is clear: Europe isn’t ready to shoulder its huge share of the burden.
Donald Trump is starting to tell European Union leaders what they need to do if they want to secure peace in Ukraine. His demands are set to push the bloc to its limits.
Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, setting the wheels in motion for peace talks, just as his defense secretary was explaining to his European allies that they are going to have to shoulder most of the burden for any settlement. Bloomberg Economics calculates that protecting Ukraine and expanding their own militaries could cost the continent’s major powers an additional $3.1 trillion over the next 10 years.