Europe finds itself under pressure from two sides at once – Russia is trying to undermine it from within through sabotage and information operations, while Donald Trump’s policies call into question the United States’ role in the European security system. Behind this confrontation may lie not only geopolitical ambitions but also a struggle for energy resources, infrastructure, and influence on global markets.
Diplomat and politician Roman Bezsmertny explained in an analysis for 24 Channel how Moscow and Washington might pressure Europe, why Trump’s negotiations with Putin resemble a redistribution of assets, and what steps Ukraine and European countries should take to prevent backroom deals from being made behind their backs.
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A Hybrid Attack on Europe from Two Fronts
A united Europe, with its colossal economic, financial, and defense-industrial potential, is an obstacle for both Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump. Neither of these systems is capable of single-handedly taking on the world’s most liquid market, which is why the attack is coming from two sides.
On the American side, organizations such as the Heritage Foundation, together with the far-right conservative international (under the informal command of Viktor Orbán), systematically “scan” and target every European country. On the Russian side, the FSB and the GRU are at work, using a modern “sabotage Uber” model – a system for recruiting operatives to carry out large-scale sabotage.
The radicalization mechanism follows a clear script: groups of people in balaclavas, fully equipped, storm a peaceful demonstration and begin destroying infrastructure. These images are instantly spread across social media, serving as a blueprint for others.
At the same time, the narrative blaming immigrants is injected into the information space, provoking interethnic and interreligious clashes. It is telling that after attacks by Ukrainian forces on Russian data centers, the number of fake posts on European social media dropped by 50–60%.
Full interview with Roman Bezsmertny: watch the video
“The Magic of Business” Instead of Peace Talks
The Pentagon’s rhetoric – particularly Statements by Elbridge Colby – regarding the need to “not corner Russia” is part of a broader plan. Colby is overseeing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Europe and the U.S.’s de facto departure from NATO. This is being done not to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine, but to implement the Trump family’s business projects.
Bezsmertny cites specific goals of this “redistribution”:
* The Trump family’s appropriation of Lukoil’s assets in Europe.
* Seizure of Novatek’s assets, with the relocation of liquefied natural gas plants from Russia to Alaska.
* The appropriation of the “Nord Stream” infrastructure.
* Forcing Europe to resume purchases of Russian energy resources under the false pretext that these funds will be directed toward Ukraine’s reconstruction.
Under the guise of the negotiation process, a crude game of world chess is being played, in which Greenland is tentatively assigned to Trump and Ukraine to Putin. It is precisely for this purpose that ideas are being revived to return NATO to its 1997 borders and to provide Russia with so-called “security guarantees.”
The Failure of the Diesel Scandal
A striking example of the collapse of this policy is the situation with Russian diesel fuel. The executive order lifting sanctions on fuel purchases directly violates U.S. laws of 2022. As a result, American businesses and energy associations have categorically refused to purchase this cargo. State governors are also blocking the arrival of tankers, fearing legal consequences.
Of the three tankers heading to the U.S., only one will be purchased by the Pentagon on the orders of Secretary Pete Hagseth. The other two are drifting in the ocean with no port of destination and will likely be rerouted to Brazil.
Not only did this deal fail to yield political dividends for Trump, but it also triggered a further rise in diesel prices in the U.S., turning businesses and local governments against him.
Humanitarian operations as pre-election PR
Evacuation of Ukrainians from the occupied town of Oleshky were also cynically exploited for political purposes. The actual work of organizing the humanitarian corridor was carried out by the Vatican – this is precisely what Putin and the Pope discussed.
However, the appearance of Melania Trump and film crews from loyal media outlets in this story indicates an attempt to attribute this success to Donald Trump on the eve of the election, creating an image of him as a peacemaker.
Incidentally, the First Lady of the United States, Melania Trump said, personally participated in negotiations between Ukraine and Russia regarding the evacuation of residents of Oleshky in the Kherson region. According to her, she worked with the parties to achieve a local ceasefire, which made it possible to deliver humanitarian aid and evacuate people from the dangerous area. Melania also emphasized that the evacuees were free to choose where to go – to territory controlled by Ukraine or to Russia.
Another such public relations blunder was the appearance of children dressed as Soviet tankers at the White House on Halloween. This was a classic FSB “Play the Trump Card” operation, intended to flatter the American politician but which actually dealt a devastating blow to his approval ratings. American society reacts extremely negatively to attempts to humanize Putin, which is why Trump’s approval rating has fallen to a historic low of 27–30%.
A Strategy for Ukraine and Europe
In this situation, Europe has no intention of betraying Ukraine, as European elites realize that making concessions to Putin is a ticket to World War III. Currently, under the leadership of Kai Kallas, a consolidated document on the format of dialogue with Russia is being prepared and will be presented in December.
Ukraine must coordinate its actions as closely as possible with European capitals and the new U.S. Congress, which will begin its work in January. Kyiv must take a firm stance: any negotiations are possible only with Europe’s participation.
If Washington continues its policy of backroom deals with Moscow, Ukraine and the EU must be prepared to reject such “services” and act as a united front against the hybrid invasion.
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