Trump Offered Allies a Deal: More Pressure on Russia in Exchange for Help on Iran 0 9

At the G7 leaders' meeting, Donald Trump stated his readiness to increase pressure on Russia if allies support American initiatives in the Middle East. This was reported by Politico, citing diplomatic sources.

According to the publication, the U.S. president expressed his willingness to consider tougher measures against Vladimir Putin to facilitate an end to the war against Ukraine. At the same time, Washington is counting on partners' assistance in implementing agreements related to Iran.

One of the first to express cautious optimism after the talks was German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"The conversations we had among ourselves and with the U.S. president — both in official meetings and informally — give me certain grounds for optimism," he told reporters.

However, diplomatic circles are urging caution against premature conclusions. According to Politico's sources, allies remember instances when Trump changed his position after statements supporting Ukraine.

Additional concern was raised by Trump's nearly hour-long phone call with Putin that took place on Sunday. In several European capitals, there were fears that after contacting the Kremlin, the American leader might again advocate for territorial concessions from Ukraine.

Nevertheless, after meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and leaders of other countries, Trump stated his intention to return to the issue of sanctioning pressure on the Russian oil sector.

For Ukraine, this could be one of the most important outcomes of the summit, as oil exports remain one of the key sources of revenue for the Russian budget.

According to two diplomats, during closed-door negotiations, the U.S. president also urged G7 countries to support his initiatives regarding Iran and to assist in ensuring the security of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Publicly, Trump tried not to emphasize Washington's dependence on European support.

"I don’t think we will need a lot of help," he said on Monday.

However, behind closed doors, the conversation was more substantive. As Politico notes, the American side made it clear that it expects allies to participate in addressing issues related to Iran.

One diplomat told the publication that the topic of Ukraine was also raised during the discussions.

"On the issue of Ukraine, there should be some flexibility," Politico quoted their source as saying.

At the same time, another diplomat noted that expectations for Trump's actions remain high.

"There are very high expectations that he will support Ukraine. That’s exactly what he told the leaders," the source stated.

For now, it is only about diplomatic signals and discussions behind closed doors. However, the negotiations at the G7 summit showed that the issues of Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, and the situation surrounding Iran are increasingly being viewed by Western leaders as parts of one large foreign policy agenda.