Dan Michael

The recent US national security strategy made clear that the US wants to end the war quickly, and Europe is not in a hurry to end the war if that means striking a deal that's bad for Ukraine.

and strengthens Russia because European leaders feel that a bad deal for Ukraine is also a bad deal for Europe and puts Europe at a greater security risk.

Because Russia would come out of it feeling emboldened, and Europeans fear that if Russia is not focused on Ukraine, that it will start focusing on Europe.

The feeling is, among many leaders, it's better to fight Russia in Ukraine than in Europe.

But European leaders and the U.S.

now seem to be at odds over this idea.