On the Ukrainian issue, Donald Trump has been flip-flopping, plunging his allies into uncertainty. Last August, at the summit in Anchorage, Alaska, he made Putin his sole interlocutor and seemed to share his vision for ending the war. On Monday 13 October, exasperated by Russia’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire, Trump finally promised Kiev that he would supply Tomahawk missiles, which would have a crucial strategic impact. He reneged on this promise in the following days, following a call with Vladimir Putin that opened up the prospect of an upcoming meeting in Hungary. On Tuesday 21 October, the White House tenant, furious that discussions with the Kremlin leader were leading ‘nowhere’, cancelled the meeting, calling it a ‘waste of time’. On Wednesday, the United States decided on new economic sanctions against Russia, notably against the two main oil companies. At the same time, the European Union voted on a 19th package of sanctions, including a gas embargo and measures against the ‘ghost fleet’ of Russian oil tankers. A summit of the coalition of volunteers will be held in London on Friday 24 October, attended by Volodymyr Zelensky.

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