The Europeans' muted tone aims to avoid reigniting disagreements with Washington on other issues, primarily the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. The American plan is said to have taken some of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's demands into account, regarding the absence of explicit concessions over Donbas and proposing the establishment of demilitarized industrial zones. Europeans also managed to persuade Trump to provide "strong security guarantees" for Ukraine, ensuring that there will be no further Russian attacks after signing a peace agreement. This coalition is supposed to include countries ready to contribute to providing security guarantees to Ukraine and even establish a multinational force to monitor the potential ceasefire. In the Middle East, the U.S. focus on Venezuela has impacted efforts to advance the American plan for Gaza from its first to second phase.

Source: The North Africa Journal January 11, 2026 09:21 UTC