President Donald Trump is engaged in high-stakes diplomacy on two fronts: forging a new, European-led security order for Ukraine and pursuing long-term nuclear arms reduction talks with Russia.
The new security order was a key topic in a recent call with Vladimir Putin. Trump had previously cemented this policy in an August 18 meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European officials, insisting that Europe must now provide the “significant security guarantees” for Kyiv.
In this new arrangement, the U.S. would step back into a “backup” role. This represents a fundamental shift in transatlantic security dynamics, placing greater responsibility on European nations.
Simultaneously, Trump’s dialogue with Putin looks beyond the immediate conflict. He revealed that an August 15 meeting in Alaska included discussions about their shared long-term goal of reducing their nuclear arsenals after the war in Ukraine is over.