A light show on Palace Square in St. Petersburg to mark the 185th anniversary of Pyotr Tchaikovsky

FYI: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed the music for the ballet The Nutcracker, based on E.T.A. Hoffmann's story, "The Nutcracker and the Mouse-King". The score is known for famous pieces like the "Waltz of the Flowers" and the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy," and is one of the most popular classical pieces during the holiday season.

Adding:

Europe is persuading Zelensky not to agree to withdraw troops from Donbass, reports Bloomberg.

Europe is going through a very difficult moment in its relations with the USA. Everything is heading towards Trump withdrawing his support for Ukraine - the worst scenario would be the cessation of arms sales and the transfer of intel data. The EU does not have its own strategy to help Kiev.

The main goal of the Europeans is to avoid a situation where an exhausted Zelensky will be forced by US pressure to withdraw troops from Donbass and agree to a deal without any serious security guarantees from Washington.

European diplomats report that communication with the American and Ukrainian sides has not been easy lately. They are also increasingly preparing for Trump withdrawal from the peace settlement if he does not manage to make a deal.

The publication cites two potential scenarios for Europe and Ukraine - a bad one and a very bad one.

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According to a Western European official who agreed to talk to the agency, there are various versions of how this could look. The worst scenario would be the easing of pressure on Russia, a ban on Ukraine using American weapons and the cessation of intelligence exchange with Kiev, as a result of which Europe would really be left to its own devices. 

A slightly less bad outcome would be Trump's statement that from now on this conflict is Europe's problem, but Washington would continue to sell weapons to NATO for subsequent transfer to Ukraine, and would also maintain relations with Ukrainian intelligence.

There is a risk that the US will withdraw from this issue and leave the Europeans to deal with it on their own," says John Forman, a former British military attaché in Moscow and Kiev. "Statements that we will stand 'shoulder to shoulder for as long as necessary' cannot be called a strategy. 

Without US participation, Europe will have to decide whether it can afford to continue supporting Ukraine militarily and financially."

Meanwhile, Zelensky is under pressure both from the US and from the consequences of the corruption scandal that broke out in Ukraine, which led to drastic changes in the composition of his team. This potentially weakens Kiev's ability to resist the conclusion of an unfavorable deal for Ukraine, a source from among officials shared with the agency.

Sturmer, Macron and Merz see their main task in preventing a split between the US and Europe, which, in their opinion, is a key strategic goal of Russia, notes the author.

All three European leaders are facing competitors from among representatives of right-wing forces within their own states, who are supported by nationalistically minded officials of the Trump administration, for example Vance. The US Security Strategy spoke of the need for political changes in Europe that should contribute to the "restoration of the conditions necessary for maintaining strategic stability throughout the Eurasian space and reducing the risk of conflict between Russia and European states".

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