The difficult construction of peace in Ukraine
The face-to-face meeting between Trump and Zelensky is causing a stir in the West, and the European Union is struggling to seize this moment to regain a sense of unity and cohesion. Proof of this came from the extraordinary European Council held this week, during which European leaders discussed measures to strengthen collective defense and ensure continued support for Ukraine.
A community rearmament plan was approved, which involves the issuance of joint debt to finance the purchase of military equipment, with a target of 800 billion euros over the next four years. This plan represents a historic step toward greater European defense integration, aiming to reduce dependence on NATO and effectively respond to Russian threats. However, not all member states agree with these measures. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán expressed opposition to the plan, warning that funding Ukraine’s war efforts could “ruin Europe.” Orbán also announced his intention to launch a “public consultation” on Ukraine’s accession to the EU, raising questions about the Union’s internal cohesion and its ability to adopt a unified stance.
In this context, differences in diplomatic approaches are also emerging, particularly between Italy and France. Paris has played a crucial role in managing the Ukrainian crisis. Since the beginning of the conflict, Macron has tried to maintain a balance between supporting Ukraine and pursuing a diplomatic solution. In recent days, France’s position has evolved in response to developments in the conflict and the meeting between Trump and Zelensky. Macron has reiterated the importance of a ceasefire and called for the resumption of peace negotiations, aiming for direct involvement from global powers to facilitate an agreement. He emphasized that France, along with Germany, will continue to put pressure on Russia to end the aggression and enable genuine political dialogue—all while continuing to send military aid to Kyiv.
Italy, on the other hand, while consistently supporting Ukraine and aligning with EU decisions, has also stressed the need for a diplomatic solution to the conflict, backing international mediation efforts and the involvement of global players like the United States.
However, in such a fragile context, Italy’s position is not sufficiently supported domestically, where deep divisions persist. These include internal divisions within the governing majority, between the pro-Atlantic faction of Fratelli d’Italia, the staunch pro-Europeans of Forza Italia, and the League, which is less inclined to endorse a European solution and more favorable to supporting a Washington-Moscow axis. Not to mention the opposition, which is also split on the issue of European rearmament—a topic on which Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein appears to show signs of wavering, as her opposition to this European investment clashes with some of the party’s heavyweights, such as Gentiloni.
Now, attention is focused on upcoming diplomatic events. The United States may soon meet with Ukrainian representatives. According to special envoy Steve Witkoff, the U.S. government is planning a meeting outside of Europe, in Saudi Arabia, where a summit had already taken place in February. This has been confirmed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Zelensky, who wrote on X that he will be in Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and that “after that, my team will remain in Saudi Arabia to work with our American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace.”
