**US Pressure on Russia in Ukraine Conflict**
The US president, Donald Trump, might make a different deal with Vladimir Putin if Europe promises to help fund the protection of Ukraine during an all-out war.
According to Reuters, Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the conflict between Russia and Ukraine quickly. After his election win, he talked to Putin about not escalating the situation in Ukraine. However, Russia launched several large-scale attacks on Ukraine after that conversation.
A financial expert says that taking money from Russia’s frozen foreign reserves could be a decisive advantage for securing a good deal in negotiations. The West has frozen $300 billion of Russian funds since the start of the war.
This could give Europe a strong reason to convince Trump not to make a bad peace deal with Putin, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable. Other European countries are also worried about this.
**Europe’s Incentive**
If Europe promises to help find additional funds for Ukraine’s defense capabilities, it could make Trump more likely to hold out for a good agreement. This is because most of the spending on Ukraine would go to American manufacturers.
Trump might also use this opportunity to pressure Russia by telling Putin that the West is ready to send extra financial and military support to help Ukraine. He could add that Russia would eventually run out of troops and money if it doesn’t agree to a good deal.
**Impressing Trump and Putin**
The $300 billion sum from frozen Russian assets could not only impress Trump but also convince Putin that Ukraine can withstand a long war. This might lead Putin to agree to a better peace deal with the US.