this post was submitted on 20 Feb 2025
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Summary

A European Parliament member claimed that the U.S. gave Europe three weeks to agree on Ukraine's "surrender" terms or risk an American withdrawal from Europe.

Mika Aaltola made the claim on X, but provided no evidence. NBC News reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested a U.S. troop reduction in Europe.

Trump reportedly plans to cut 20,000 troops and demand greater NATO contributions. He has pushed for higher NATO defense spending.

Trump may meet with Putin soon, believing Russia holds the upper hand in negotiations.

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[–] leadore@lemmy.world 79 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Fuck him. First, he'll do what we wants regardless of whether you concede to his demands. If we wants to withdraw troops, he'll withdraw them, no matter what concessions you make to him in hopes of preventing that. Look at his history. Look at how he has treated the other party in Every. Single. One. of the "deals" that he's made. He fucks them over. NEVER believe he'll hold up his side of whatever bargain you make. He won't.

Don't ever concede to this bully. The more you concede, the more demands he'll make, like with a blackmailer. Call his bluff. Say, "Sorry, we don't agree. If that means you'll withdraw, then don't let the screen door hit ya where the good lord split ya on the way out." Bam! End of bullying and if he didn't want to withdraw, he'll find some excuse no to go through with it (or probably just lie and say you agreed to do something for him behind the scenes).

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[–] avidamoeba@lemmy.ca 10 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

This sounds like a blessing in a very thin disguise.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 31 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Even if we were to agree to those demands, there is no garantie they would actually help in defense of us!

We had to defend them when they called articel 5 but wont do the same for us!

[–] Whats_your_reasoning@lemmy.world 27 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

I really hope the rest of the world leaders keep this at the forefront of their mind: Trump doesn't keep his word. Also, Trump doesn't pay his debts.

Attempting to make ANY deal with him is foolish. The wisest move is to expect him to screw over anyone who attempts to "work with" him, because unless you're holding his purse strings, he'll use you and lose you at his soonest opportunity. He is a cancer cell stealing resources from all the healthy cells around him - expect him to give nothing and take everything for his own gain.

I know to some that is "preaching to the choir," but living in the U.S. at a time like this, I really don't know who's been charmed by his BS vs who can see what's really going on. I imagine those outside the U.S. have better perspective, but I can't just expect people to be rational anymore.

[–] Scott_of_the_Arctic@lemmy.world 17 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Or... Trump can pull the us military out of Europe, Canada joins the EU, and we seize American and russian assets to build a truly massive army.

[–] Goldholz@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 day ago

EU with the last part already way ahead of you

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[–] ploot@lemmy.blahaj.zone 189 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Finland's Mika Aaltola of the European People's Party claimed that the U.S. "has given us three weeks to agree on terms for Ukraine's surrender," referring to a proposed peace deal aimed at ending the war.

"If we don't, the United States will withdraw from Europe," Aaltola added.

Trump is demanding that Europe hand Ukraine to Russia, or he will hand Europe to Russia. This man is not working for the good of the USA or its traditional allies. He is working against them, destroying Europe, NATO and the USA for the sake of himself, Vladimir Putin and a few Nazi billionaires.

And clearly when he threatens Europe like that they should not for a minute believe that he will not hand them over to Russia if they do what he says. Given that, Europe should tell him to get lost.

[–] Kallioapina@lemmy.dbzer0.com 23 points 1 day ago

To be fair, Mika Aaltola is known in Finland as a noted populist and doomsayer that has a flair for the dramatic. His foreign policy predictions have also been pretty much all wrong since before the start of war in Ukraine.

I'd take anything he says or leaks with a big spoon of salt.

[–] starshipHighwayman69@lemmy.ml 61 points 1 day ago

He is also lying he will hand over Europe the second Ukraine falls or daddy Putin commands him to.

[–] perestroika@lemm.ee 28 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (1 children)

Some notes:

  • this is not confirmed, but seems credible enough to speculate about

  • regardless of veracity, European defense readiness needs a big boost, and people are working on the instruments that would allow giving that boost

  • another source says that Trump is planning cuts in the US armed forces, to the tune of 8% per year [sources that add "for multiple years" remain hearsay for me]

  • around January 20, I saw a table circulating on social media, describing Trump's intended cuts, and that table did drop about 21 brigades and paused the development of various capabilities (edit: found it)

  • so apparently, the Trump administration intends to lower its defense readiness no matter what, believing it has too much

On this background, not much point negotiating with him. He is framing as an ultimatum what he intends to do anyway. No point getting delayed either.

Just get the framework agreed upon, and quickly start supplying Ukraine with fresh stuff. Ukrainians aren't newbies, for now they have accumulated some small reserves (they knew what to expect under Trump, and Biden's administration pushed the last remains of its assistance out like there was no tomorrow)... but arrival of European assistance must start rapidly increasing within a window of 2..3 months.

[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 2 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Holy shit if those are true he's planning to completely destroy the Army's ability to project force and stop the procurement of modern combat vehicles. Then he wants to tie up money in long lead stuff with Naval ship procurement. So we couldn't effectively reverse that decision after he's dead or out of power.

This could not be more calculated to fuck up our position as the pre-eminent world power. It's exactly what China and Russia would request.

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[–] Sam_Bass@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago

Repuglican patsy sure talks big

[–] samus12345@lemm.ee 93 points 1 day ago (2 children)

risk an American withdrawal from Europe.

Why is this a threat? Is there a reason Europe would want a hostile country to remain there?

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 25 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Yeah. We need to prepare to defend Greenland from the US. Having 100.000 enemy troops stationed all over the continent who need to be contained first makes it practically impossible.

And now the mask is finally peeling off. The US bases around the world are not their to defend the countries they are in. They are there to defend the US interests. This should be obvious to anyone, who can read just a little bit of history, but better late than never.

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[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 153 points 1 day ago (31 children)

Russia is losing in Ukraine but some how in the Orange Turds mind Russia is wining. Russia has the upper hand with their Puppet in the USA.

[–] dojan@lemmy.world 136 points 1 day ago (2 children)

No no, he doesn't think that Russia is winning, he wants Russia to win.

[–] Dragomus@lemmy.world 70 points 1 day ago (4 children)

He needs Russia to win...

Because Putin demands it of him to force it that way.

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[–] khannie@lemmy.world 120 points 1 day ago (16 children)

I mean, we've all already assumed US capitulation and cessation of any alliance tbh. It only took about two weeks.

Jog on.

Best of luck with China and that supply chain. They're looking at how you're throwing Ukraine under the bus and thinking "Oh hell yes".

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[–] blakenong@lemmings.world 82 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Any American willing to fight Europe is a piece of shit, especially if it’s your job.

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[–] Fiivemacs@lemmy.ca 70 points 1 day ago (33 children)

He's gonna withdraw anyways...he works for you Putin. They are ramping for WW3 with the world vs USA/Russia/China..fucked up to put us with Russia but here we are.

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[–] x00z@lemmy.world 10 points 1 day ago (2 children)
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[–] Skua@kbin.earth 49 points 1 day ago (3 children)

risk an American withdrawal from Europe.

Do it, coward

[–] LifeInMultipleChoice@lemmy.world 37 points 1 day ago (8 children)

Boy do I wish the EU and the UK would sign an agreement to cut all trade immediately with the U.S. and force the isolation this bafoon pretends they want. Prices will skyrocket everywhere, but the number of dumb Trump followers will fall off a cliff and he would be forced to step down by the oligarchs he surrounded himself with. The market would crash for certain.

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