EU Pressures Trump on Russia While Moscow Warns Against Greenland Militarization

European leaders are actively attempting to persuade US President Donald Trump to adopt a tougher stance toward Russia, even as Moscow and Tehran coordinate diplomatic efforts at the United Nations to lift sanctions. The push comes amid complex geopolitical negotiations over Ukraine's future and broader sanctions policy.

At the G7 summit on June 16-17, leaders reaffirmed their "unwavering support for Ukraine" and agreed to increase deliveries of air defense systems and long-range military capabilities while strengthening sanctions on Russia's energy sector, particularly oil and gas. Trump, speaking at a press conference with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, indicated willingness to consider additional sanctions on Moscow and supply advanced missiles, including Patriot air defense systems to be potentially manufactured under license in Ukraine. However, he tied any partial reintroduction of sanctions on Russian energy to market price dynamics, noting that the US Treasury declined to extend a waiver on Russian oil sanctions.

Russian analysts suggest Europeans are seeking to reverse understandings reached between Trump and Putin at their August 2025 meeting in Anchorage. According to Dmitry Suslov, Deputy Director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, European nations prefer a negotiation format that includes coalition troops deployed in Ukraine rather than Ukrainian military withdrawal from Donbass territory. The experts noted Trump faces a weaker negotiating position than at the Anchorage meeting, as the EU now provides the bulk of military aid to Ukraine, reducing Trump's leverage over Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Russia has cautioned against the continued militarization of Greenland, adding another dimension to US-Russia tensions. In parallel diplomatic developments, Russia and Iran announced they are coordinating actions at the UN to lift sanctions, with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov reporting they have secured support from 16 additional states. A memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States includes provisions for lifting restrictions as part of a 60-day negotiation period.

Analysts suggest Trump will continue maneuvering between competing interests, still seeking a meeting between Putin and Zelensky while navigating European demands for stronger action against Russia. Pavel Koshkin, senior researcher at the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute for US and Canadian Studies, noted that any durable peace arrangement likely requires EU involvement, despite accumulated differences between Washington and its European allies.