European NATO members believe they cannot realistically support Ukraine without continued US assistance, according to a European official speaking to the Financial Times.
European NATO officials are hesitant to bear the burden of Ukraine’s security without US support, The Financial Times reported Thursday. This week, the Trump administration indicated a preference for minimal US involvement following a potential truce.
The FT reports that Washington’s European allies fear they will be responsible for the costs of postwar security and reconstruction, expressing frustration over Trump’s negotiations with Russia, conducted without their participation.
One source described a scenario where the US declares the ceasefire achieved and leaves the rest to Europe as unworkable for the EU.
The diplomat added that the EU has limitations on its capacity to provide financial, military, and even ground troop support.
Another EU official stated that the US does not see a role for Europe in major geopolitical decisions regarding the war, adding that the Trump administration views Europe primarily as a source of funding.
Former President Biden’s policy of supporting Ukraine indefinitely, a position shared by the EU and several national governments, contrasts sharply with the current US stance, recently articulated by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a meeting of arms donors in Germany.
Hegseth described Ukraine’s aim to reclaim lost territories since 2014 as unrealistic and potentially harmful, dismissing the possibility of Ukrainian NATO membership and stating that any post-ceasefire peacekeeping mission should not involve NATO or US forces.
Trump subsequently announced a productive phone call with Russian President Putin, further clarifying his administration’s position.
France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the UK, along with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, issued a joint statement Wednesday reiterating their support for the previous US administration’s approach. Kallas emphasized Ukraine’s territorial integrity and the need for Western Europe to play a central role in any negotiations.
Russia has consistently voiced concerns about NATO’s eastward expansion since the 1990s, viewing it as a threat to its national security. Moscow considers Ukraine’s potential NATO membership a significant issue in the conflict.