- Mar 11, 2015
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American prestige has taken huge blow thanks to the election of this president. What you are about to read did not happen under Biden. Or Obama. For that matter, under GW Bush, his father or Reagan.
More than 30 army chiefs among Washington's closest allies met in Paris on March 11 without their US counterparts, seeking to take on more responsibility over the war in Ukraine given President Donald Trump's unpredictability and rapprochement with Moscow.
The closed-door gathering of 34 army chiefs, including Nato alliance and EU members as well as Japan and Australia, was a rare - and possibly unprecedented - convening without the US.
The talks aimed in part to assess options and capabilities to guarantee Ukraine's security in the event of a ceasefire, including potential European peacekeepers, and to maintain Kyiv's long-term military strength.
"The political message is we can do it together and without the United States, but it's clear there are things we can't do and the problem with Russia is we need to have deterrence," said a European diplomat involved in the talks, adding that the meeting was largely pre-planning.
A military official said the US was not invited, in an intended signal that Europe and other partners could take their responsibilities given Mr Trump has distanced himself from allies.
www.straitstimes.com
In rare meeting without US ally, Western army chiefs meet to show Ukraine unity
More than 30 army chiefs among Washington's closest allies met in Paris on March 11 without their US counterparts, seeking to take on more responsibility over the war in Ukraine given President Donald Trump's unpredictability and rapprochement with Moscow.
The closed-door gathering of 34 army chiefs, including Nato alliance and EU members as well as Japan and Australia, was a rare - and possibly unprecedented - convening without the US.
The talks aimed in part to assess options and capabilities to guarantee Ukraine's security in the event of a ceasefire, including potential European peacekeepers, and to maintain Kyiv's long-term military strength.
"The political message is we can do it together and without the United States, but it's clear there are things we can't do and the problem with Russia is we need to have deterrence," said a European diplomat involved in the talks, adding that the meeting was largely pre-planning.
A military official said the US was not invited, in an intended signal that Europe and other partners could take their responsibilities given Mr Trump has distanced himself from allies.
In rare meeting without US ally, Western army chiefs meet to show Ukraine unity
The closed-door Paris gathering of 34 army chiefs was a rare - and possibly unprecedented - convening without the US. Read more at straitstimes.com.
