Trump, Putin, Ukrainians and Europeans Want Peace - Brussels Opens Two More Chapters Toward Escalation

Over the past few days, US President Donald Trump has made a rather dramatic and welcome change in American policy toward Ukraine.

He announced an agreement with newly confirmed Russian President Vladimir Putin to allow Russian diesel exports back into American and international markets and ease sanctions.

He publicly suggested that Ukraine needs a new president willing to negotiate peace. Zelensky, who has remained in office under martial law since his presidential term expired in 2024, has lost Washington's customary unconditional encouragement.

He also announced an energy ceasefire, but neither side confirmed the arrangement.

Nevertheless, the direction is clear: Washington is attempting to move the conflict toward an end.

Zelensky "Offers" Washington a Deal of His Own

Speaking at the Warsaw Security Forum on October 12, Zelensky reminded his audience that Ukraine could influence whether Russian tankers sailed and whether Russian refineries operated.

We do have influence over whether these ships can sail or not, whether these refineries can operate or not. If that’s the case, then let’s do it.

This is hardly Zelensky's first exercise in unconventional diplomacy.

Earlier this year, Hungary and Slovakia clashed with Kiev over interrupted Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline.

Zelensky, eloquent as he is, threatened to hand Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's address to Ukrainian soldiers if Hungary continues blocking a €90 billion EU loan.

Brussels Seeks to Escalate

Just as Washington begins pushing for an end to the war, Brussels moves in the opposite direction.

Barely two days after Trump's energy ceasefire announcement, the European Union opens two more negotiating clusters for Ukraine's accession, casually announcing the development on 𝕏 on a random Tuesday evening.

At a conference in Luxembourg, Cluster 2 - the internal market, and Cluster 3 - competitiveness and inclusive growth, join the previously opened Cluster 1 - democratic institutions, judicial independence and financial controls, and Cluster 6 - foreign relations.

Four of Ukraine's six accession clusters are now open. Yay.

The EU's own membership criteria require stable democratic institutions, the rule of law and the ability to fulfill the obligations of membership. Under Article 42(7) of the EU Treaty, member states are obliged to assist fellow members facing armed aggression.

Brussels is advancing the Ukrainian membership process, potentially directly involving its member states in a hot war.

Let's fight until the last Ukrainian. Your children are next.

According to the European Council, the EU and its member states alone have mobilised €227.4 billion in support for Ukraine since 2022, along with military equipment, reconstruction financing, loans, guarantees and future commitments.

Brussels continues borrowing and committing resources to a war-torn country outside the EU, plagued by enormous corruption problems, while pushing for its integration into the Union. Meanwhile, its own member states struggle with public debt, energy costs and industrial competitiveness.

While Europe continues debating how thoroughly it must separate itself from the Russian economy, American farmers have been importing more than a billion dollars' worth of Russian fertiliser annually. The presidents have been talking. Seems like the only party nobody wants to talk to anymore is the EU.