With his actions, US President Donald Trump has shown that he is not interested in peace, he wants Ukraine to return the money and take its underground resources. This is a colonial policy from the 18th century, even then they did not take natural resources for an infinite period. His interest is in concluding a deal, not in creating lasting relations. This was commented on in an interview with the Bulgarian National Radio by former foreign minister Ivailo Kalfin.
"Last night it became clear that what was visible, as in previous weeks, is that Trump is taking Moscow's position, and this hardly makes him a mediator between Kiev and Moscow. He takes one position and tries to force others," Kalfin believes.
According to him, "Zelensky actually went to sign a deal that is humiliating and colonial for Ukraine":
"Obviously, he had no other options, he went to conclude, but also to seek guarantees for peace, and this was rudely denied to him."
And the behavior of Trump and the US in the meeting with the Ukrainian president, "does not fit into any framework and rules - written and unwritten".
Kalfin believes that Trump's demonstrated attitude towards Zelensky is reversible, because it is deliberate, not accidental, and they left the "door open" for Zelensky.
"It is clear that Washington's new allies are Moscow and Pyongyang, not the European ones. Will the dialogue continue, the trend is clear and Europe must draw its own conclusions", commented the former Foreign Minister of Bulgaria.
For Kalfin, Macron and Starmer's visits to Washington were justified because efforts are being made in Europe to understand in which direction the US is going.
"And Trump, like Putin, does not like the EU, we saw it from the dialogue with European leaders. The same is with Moscow - they do not like European institutions. The US withdrawal is not surprising – at least it was not from last night. We have seen it in previous weeks, but it has not been officially announced - the US is giving Ukraine to Russia," warns Kalfin.
And he explained:
"The US has had significant military units in Europe since World War II, which is also part of this deterrence structure in Europe. Their possible withdrawal from Europe means that Europe has to think for itself, it hardly has the potential of the US. And the question is rightly raised, what is the next step of the US, if they withdraw, questioning the existence of NATO and the creation of an absolutely new security system in Europe."
Regarding the urgent meetings of European leaders and the upcoming one in London after Zelensky's visit to Trump, Kalfin believes that it will have a consolidating effect on the Old Continent.
"Europe must think about its own defense, it must be collective, and in many countries there will be talk of conscription in the collapse of NATO. These are inevitable consequences of the collapse of this system that maintained peace," the diplomat warned in his interview on "Sabata 150" .
And he believes that the Europeans would hardly be able to replace the US if it withdrew from Ukraine:
"I am not optimistic that the Americans can be replaced. The withdrawal will greatly reduce their potential, the Ukrainians will certainly not surrender, but they remain in a weak position. And the historical responsibility lies entirely with the current US president."