Monday, 17 August 2026Europe · Analysis
Independent · Brussels & Berlin
Person
Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
European foreign ministers rule out naval mission in the Gulf while warning that soaring oil and gas prices are handing Russia a windfall and diverting air defences from Ukraine.
Washington's 28-point proposal crosses European red lines on territory, force caps and NATO infrastructure. A counter-offer from Berlin, Paris and London has been floated but Europeans remain excluded from direct talks with Kyiv in Miami.
US Secretary of State tells Brussels the alliance is rock-solid while President Trump slaps 20% tariffs on EU goods and demands defence spending that would require a command economy.
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