‘Wheels spinning’: NATO expert on European leaders’ Ukraine summit

President Donald Trump meets with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump Tower, Sept. 27, 2024, in New York before his return to the White House. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File) (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

European leaders are set to hold an emergency summit on the war in Ukraine on Monday, amid concerns about the U.S. working with Russia, but a NATO expert says it won’t change the state of things right away.

“I’m not sure anything big is going to come out of it,” said Jim Townsend, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defence of NATO policy, in an interview with CTV News Sunday.

“But I think it’s a very good sign at least that Europe is trying to put itself together and understand that it’s going to have to deal with a very new American administration.”

U.S. President Donald Trump threw a wrench in the country’s support for Ukraine this week after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin where he suggested that the two leaders will meet for peace talks, the Associated Press reported.

Here’s some of what Townsend had to say about the forthcoming summit:

What can be expected from the summit?

A short time before he sat with U.S. Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will only agree to meet with Putin after a plan is negotiated with Trump.

Townsend told CTV News that the first order of business for European leaders would probably be a “therapy session” as they all lament about all the events that have occurred over the last few days.

“I think this first meeting is going to be some wheels spinning,” he said, noting that more follow up meetings can be expected to show more progress on determining next steps for the European allies.

During the conference in Munich, Vance warned European officials about illegal migration and threats to free speech, saying that they risk losing public support if they don’t shift gears.

What happens if Trump meets Putin without including Zelenskyy?

A top U.S. envoy revealed that he and another negotiator appointed by Trump were heading to Saudi Arabia for planned U.S.-Russia talks to end the war on Ukraine.

On Saturday, a Ukrainian delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia to discuss Zelenskyy’s potential visit, the Associated Press reported.

“There’s not a lot of leverage they (Europe) have,” Townsend said.

“This meeting in Saudi Arabia is going to be just the opening round where there is going to be laying out of positions, assuming that the administration has one, and to get a feel for each other in terms of negotiators.”

“Right now, for the EU (European Union) they’ve got to come up with what they would bring to the table if they were included, as they must be,” he said.

What can Europe do about all the issues that will come with a ceasefire?

On Friday, Vance met with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy to discuss NATO’s spending on defence.

Europe is left wondering about how to maintain the security given by NATO amid Ukraine’s bid to join the alliance, the Associated Press reported.

“Europe has got to do more for defence,” Townsend said.

There just aren’t enough funds put towards defence for a European force and a NATO force, Townsend said.

Earlier in January in Davos, Zelenskyy said around 200,000 foreign troops would be needed to safeguard any new boundaries.

For comparison, NATO’s eastern flank has 40,000 troops under their command. Finland’s army is relatively small, and the Baltic states’ total troops amount to 30,200.

Poland has the largest land forces in Europe but has not offered to send those to Ukraine, the Associated Press reported.

Right now, 23 of the 32 NATO member states are spending two per cent of their nation’s GDP on defence.

“Europe has got to organize itself, so it becomes a major player at NATO,” he said.

“It’s working towards that, but it not there yet.”

With files from the Associated Press