European officials are concerned that Russia could exploit a new US-mediated peace deal to end the war in Ukraine, potentially paving the way for a renewed invasion of the Donbas region, according to Bloomberg.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned Thursday that members of the alliance could be “Russia’s next target,” calling for a rapid rise in defense spending to prevent a war similar to those seen by past generations.

Europe should prepare for war ‘like our grandparents endured’, warns Nato chief - Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte said Europe is already Russia’s next target and ‘we are already in harm’s way’

U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for peace in Ukraine includes proposals to restore Russian energy flows to Europe, major U.S. investment in Russian rare earths and energy, and tapping frozen Russian sovereign assets,

The issue of ceding territory remains a major sticking point in negotiations, and Vladimir Putin last week reiterated his goal to take eastern Ukraine “by force” unless his demands are met.

Imports dipped after the invasion, and Europe placed sanctions on a number of executives at Russian fertiliser companies. But it soon made clear that the companies themselves, and the commodities they sell,

Russia has tried to make the most of the White House's national security strategy and President Trump's criticism of Europe and Ukraine's leadership of late.

The German foreign ministry’s announcement, which Russia denied, was the latest suggestion of growing Russian aggression in Europe.