This essay is part of the report “Transatlantic horizons: A collaborative US-EU policy agenda for 2025 and beyond,” which outlines an agenda for common action for the next US administration and European Commission.
The bottom line
Transatlantic support for Ukraine has been laudable, but much more is needed, particularly from Europe, given the political uncertainty in the United States. Regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election in November, policymakers must continue to supply assistance to Ukraine and eliminate restrictions placed on the use of the weapons provided. They should also make progress on the $50 billion loan to Ukraine using Russia’s state assets and secure Ukraine’s electricity grid to withstand Russia’s onslaught against civilian infrastructure.
State of play
The question of cooperation between the United States and the European Union (EU) regarding Ukraine can be looked at narrowly or broadly. A narrow approach focusing only on strict US-EU interaction risks missing critical elements of developing policy. So, a broad view that considers not just US-EU interaction but also the activities of NATO, key EU nations, and the Group of Seven (G7) is required.
In short, there has been closer coordination of US and EU/European policy toward Ukraine and Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine over the past year. This has resulted from the recognition in Washington and European capitals that they must cooperate more closely to achieve success in Ukraine and from the understanding in Europe that, with the rise of foreign policy populism in the United States, it might need to do more to ensure that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not win in Ukraine. These factors will likely extend in some fashion beyond the US presidential election. An additional complicating factor that has become evident since August is a weakening in German support for Ukraine reflected in the reluctance to pay for additional military assistance and naïve talk from the chancellery about the desirability of a renewed peace process. This means other nations in Europe must do more to ensure the necessary support for Ukraine.
Voice of Ukraine 