By Michael Backfisch, Berlin

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It is time for painful truths. After the furious showdown between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian head of state Volodymyr Zelensky, it is clear that the head of the White House wants to end the Ukraine war using the "Zewa-Wisch-und-Weg" (wipe-and-go) method. First a ceasefire, then a peace agreement, is his motto. In order to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, he fulfils practically all of Moscow's conditions.

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Trump's vision: A “deal” between nuclear superpowers and oil giants America and Russia would be the starting signal for a new geopolitical alliance that opens doors for trade and investment. It is the dream of the former New York real estate tycoon who wants to transfer the laws of his former industry to international politics.

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Trump is promoting a turning point towards a world order in which authoritarian regimes dominate. America is bidding farewell to the West as an alliance of democratic states. In contempt for Europe, Trump sounds like Putin. But Trump's expectation that Putin might be interested in a ceasefire or an agreement with Ukraine is the naive hope of a megalomaniacal would-be peacemaker. The Kremlin leader wants to subjugate Ukraine. A pro-Western, economically prosperous country in the neighbourhood could also be attractive to the citizens of his country. In an essay published in July 2021, Putin made it crystal clear that Russians and Ukrainians are ‘one people’. In other words: Ukraine has no right to exist.

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But Putin's maximum strategy goes even further. He wants to reverse NATO's eastward expansion that began in 1999. American troops and nuclear weapons are to be withdrawn from the continent. The goal is a large Russian zone of influence in Europe.

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Putin is on a vendetta against the West. Together with China's head of state Xi Jinping, he is working on a multi-polar world in which Moscow and Beijing form important power centers — with a strong influence on the “global South.” They now unexpectedly have a new assistant: Donald Trump.

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The situation is extremely serious for Europe. If America fails as the ultimate security guarantor, Europeans must try to fill the gap. And fast. A coalition of the willing is needed around Germany, France, Great Britain, Poland, Italy, the Baltic States and the Scandinavians.

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This hard core of the EU plus Great Britain must immediately organize itself politically. Europeans are faced with daunting tasks, particularly in military terms.Putin has trimmed the Russian economy for war production. If he conquers Ukraine, he will extend his imperial ambitions to Nato territory.

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The Europeans will have to mobilise huge sums of money for the military if they really want to scare off Putin. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal to mobilise 800 billion euros to arm Europe and support Kiev is a strong signal to Moscow.Further steps must be taken at this Thursday's special EU summit. This also includes defence procurement, which should be coordinated centrally and not controlled nationally by each country.

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As Trump has become a risk factor, extending the nuclear umbrella of the French and British to Europe must not be taboo. The US president's disruptive course is creating chaos. But it also offers opportunities. Europe will find new strength and independence in its hour of need - or it will become a pawn in the hands of the superpowers. That would be Europe's downfall.

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