Retired NATO commander warns Putin seeks to carve the world into spheres of influence as Trump-Russia peace talks fuel fears
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Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove said Vladimir Putin is pushing a reactionary three-sphere map of global power, alarming NATO members as President Donald Trump pursues a sweeping deal with Russia that could reshape Europe without Ukraine’s consent.
Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told Fox News Digital that President Vladimir Putin has long promoted a vision of dividing global influence into three spheres: China controlling the Far East, Russia controlling Europe, and the United States controlling the Western Hemisphere.
Breedlove said, "Putin has a plan for the world, and he has pushed that plan on leaders several times. He talks about it and he writes about it." He added that the scheme would constrain European countries, undermine cooperation, and is being watched closely by the Western world with deep concern.
President Donald Trump indicated that a potential agreement with Moscow could extend beyond ending the war in Ukraine, saying it would be a large deal involving Europe and the United States.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned against a repeat of the 1945 Yalta Conference, stating, "We don't want to have Yalta 2.0. We don't want to be divided by Russia."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said discussions about Europe’s post-war structure are already underway and that any settlement must consider the conflict’s resolution before shaping the future.
European leaders, including Finland’s President Alexander Stubb, Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, and Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, have expressed alarm about separate diplomatic initiatives with Russia, urging a united European approach. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed France will take part in upcoming negotiations in Abu Dhabi.
Breedlove cautioned that any deal requiring European nations to sacrifice security to satisfy Russian demands would likely face strong resistance, noting that NATO, the EU and Ukraine have consistently insisted that Ukraine must be included in any discussion about its future.