US President Donald Trump’s actions in Ukraine have left European leaders wondering if America is still an ally. A recent Oval Office meeting with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy was described as a “dressing-down” by the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.
Trump’s unilateral agreement with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the Ukraine war without involving either country has sparked concerns among Europeans. Washington’s decision to pause arms shipments and intelligence sharing with Kyiv has further escalated tensions.
The shift in American attitudes towards Europe began with Trump’s meeting with Putin last month. European leaders are now scrambling to face Russia on their own, a challenge they never anticipated. The EU’s priority is to prevent Trump from abandoning Ukraine altogether.
However, there’s a deeper worry: the decades-old transatlantic alliance may not be sustainable. Europeans have found themselves disagreeing with Washington over policies and strategies in Ukraine. The language used by both sides has become increasingly divergent.
The greatest security threat Europe sees comes from Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his determination to retake control of other former Soviet democracies. Any peace deal giving Putin what he wants would reward his aggression and embolden him further.
Trump seems to share Moscow’s view, siding with Russia against the UN resolution condemning its invasion and supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity. He has expressed confidence that Putin wants peace and will honor any agreement, without holding himself or the victim responsible for the war.
European leaders are doing everything they can to prevent a breach between Trump and Zelenskyy. Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is in regular contact with both Washington and Kyiv, while others have expressed their need to stay on good terms with America to ensure a realistic hope of a peace deal for Ukraine.
However, the US has been reluctant to provide logistics and intelligence support, including a military “backstop” in case European troops come under attack. This has led European leaders to question Washington’s reliability as an ally. The prospect of the US abandoning its partners is jolting, with some leaders now considering building an independent security alliance outside of America.
Source: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2025/0306/europe-ukraine-us-transatlantic