Their movements on the geopolitical chessboard and especially in terms of Ukrainian issue It is expected to unfold in the next few days … three plus one big players who are involved or want to be involved in the great war in the heart of Europe.

US, Russia and Ukraine They are expected to sit on the table of negotiation, with Washington and Moscow already making the first secret consultations and Kiev watching almost as a spectator, at the same time that Europe, mainly through Emmanuel Macron, is eagerly seeking a role in the game that is playing.

So the question, and in view of the talks that will start in Saudi Arabia during the week, is what the three plus players will do and how to do.

USA: Contacts with Moscow and Criticism of the “Allies”

After the Donald Trump and Jay Di Vance’s humiliating attack on Zelenskithe US president suspended military assistance and intelligence services in Ukraine on Monday. What does this mean? It is a matter of time for Ukraine to collapse.

Over time, this will have a fundamental impact on Ukraine’s ability to defend herself – and Trump’s democratic opponents say it is now undeniable to be aligned with Russia.

The Republican government was clear that it was seeing the move as pressure on Zelenski to sign the mineral agreement and to give a quick ceasefire.

On Friday, there was a rare moment for Moscow by Trump, as it threatened with sanctions, even though strict sanctions have already been imposed, to try to prevent its growing bombings in Ukraine. However, Trump himself said that Putin “does in Ukraine that everyone would do.” The conclusions of yours …

But besides that, it is a government that has repeatedly reprimanded its alleged ally, but avoided any such criticism of its opponent.

Russia: It pounds Ukraine and waits – “All her own papers”

Until Trump’s sanctions threat, this was another week that all the pressure seemed to be in Kiev. Suspension of US military aid and information is one of the worst failures for Ukraine.

The attacks across Ukraine which followed suggest that Moscow is pleased to continue operating as usual in war.

It still insists that the initial objectives of the “Special Military Operation” must be achieved and more Ukrainian land should be achieved.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s statements this week that Trump’s America may no longer be “on our side” are music in the ears of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

It is a situation in which Putin can sit back and enjoy the spectacle of cracks that appear in the western alliance. It is a situation that works to succeed for years, if not decades. More so when he hears the US president say that “Russia has all its own papers” in view of the negotiation.

Next Tuesday, representatives of Ukraine and the US are sitting for talks in Saudi Arabia. Russia will closely watch, but it will feel confident.

Ukraine: Anxiety about new talks with the US

The past week was not good for Ukraine and Volodimir Zelenski. The consequences of his spectacular conflict at the Oval Office with Trump worsened in Kiev after the US suspended military assistance and exchange of information with Ukraine.

Zelenski refused Trump’s request for “explicit public apology”, instead he wrote a letter to the US president and described their confrontation at the White House “sad”.

In order to cover part of the damage, Zelenski sought more European support in Brussels. But while securing public events of solidarity, he did not receive the stable military commitments for which he hoped. The question is fundamental. Can Europe give him what he wants? And even more so, does he want?

Meanwhile, Zelenski urged EU leaders to support a limited truce at sea and in the air – an idea supported by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Ukraine and US delegations will have talks in Saudi Arabia next week, but the road to peace remains uncertain.

Europe: France and … others

There have been so many European summits that it would be difficult to draw a safe conclusion. What does Europe want and what can do for Ukraine?

Europe’s leaders suddenly realized that the security umbrella on which they were supported by World War II may no longer exist.

There is wide consensus that Europe needs to help Ukraine. France and the United Kingdom offer “a coalition of the willing” if a peacekeeping agreement can be found.

Russia hates the idea, but the Macron will gather the army leaders on Tuesday to process a plan.

But now there are much larger questions about how Europe is protected by what the head of the EU Commission Ursula von der Laien calls it “clearly and in danger”.

“We have to be ready” if the US is not there to help, “Macron says. The EU is now talking about a multi -billion euro plan to boost defense.

And German Chancellor Friedrich Mertz has raised the possibility that France and the United Kingdom will expand their nuclear deterrence throughout Europe.

Macron was receptive to it, although France’s nuclear umbrella would be limited and final decisions would be made in Paris.

This is at the heart of Europe’s defense problem. Without the US, can individual European countries gather their resources and rely on each other? For smaller states such as Lithuania there is no choice.

But the debate has begun and Polish Donald Tusk clearly says that it would be safer “if we have our own nuclear arsenal”.

What does Europe intend to do and if it can cover Ukraine? Unmoved … the future will show.