US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised European leaders as weak and warned the United States might reduce its support for Ukraine, saying many European countries are ‘‘decaying’’ and failing to address migration and the war in Ukraine.
In an interview with Politico, Trump argued that European governments had talked more than acted, leaving Kyiv to fight ‘‘until they drop.’’ He said Europe had not taken decisive steps to end the conflict and accused some leaders of seeking roles in talks without producing results.
The UK’s Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, pushed back, saying she saw strength rather than weakness in Europe. Cooper pointed to recent defence investments and ongoing funding for Kyiv, and noted that both the US and Ukraine’s presidents are reportedly working toward a peace deal while Russia continues to escalate with drone and missile strikes.
Trump renewed pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to accept a negotiated settlement, urging Kyiv to ‘‘play ball’’ and cede territory to Moscow as part of a proposed deal. Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Zelensky responded on social media that Ukraine and European partners were actively developing a plan that addressed all components of a possible end to the war, and he later told reporters he expected parts of that plan to be submitted to the US.
The remarks came after a London meeting of European leaders aimed at coordinating efforts to stop the fighting. Washington has held separate talks with Ukrainian and Russian representatives in recent weeks to try to broker an end to hostilities, but no agreement has been reached. Ukrainian leaders have appealed to European and NATO partners to help prevent the US from backing any deal Kyiv believes would leave it vulnerable to future attacks.
On several occasions Trump suggested, without providing evidence, that Zelensky was an obstacle to peace. He said the Russian side was apparently amenable to the US-backed proposal, which includes concessions that some allies fear could invite further aggression. Trump also claimed Ukrainian negotiators liked the proposal and suggested Zelensky had not read it.
Trump urged Kyiv to hold elections, alleging the government was using the war as a reason to delay them. Zelensky’s five-year term was due to end in May 2024, but elections have been suspended under martial law since the invasion. After Trump’s comments, Zelensky said he was ready to hold elections and would seek amendments to the law; he indicated voting could be possible within 60 to 90 days if security could be guaranteed with US and allied help.
The president warned that ideological divisions risk undermining US ties with Europe, calling many leaders ‘‘too politically correct’’ and uncertain about how to act. His administration also released a 33-page National Security Strategy that highlighted worries about Europe’s future, warning of potential ‘‘civilisational erasure’’ and questioning whether some nations could remain reliable partners.
Russia welcomed the strategy as largely consistent with its own view and pointed out that it did not portray Moscow as a direct threat to the US. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said parts of the document were understandable but other elements were unacceptable from a European perspective, rejecting the notion that the US must ‘‘save democracy’’ in Europe and insisting Europeans can tackle their challenges themselves.
Trump additionally warned that many European countries might become non-viable if current trends continued, blaming immigration policies for a ‘‘disaster.’’ He praised Hungary and Poland for their handling of migration while describing most European nations as deteriorating. Many of these themes echo points he made in a recent UN speech criticising Western Europe on migration and energy policy.
The exchange underscores deep transatlantic disagreements over how to end the Ukraine war and the future direction of relations between the US and its European allies.