US President Donald Trump has sharply criticised European countries, calling them “decaying” and accusing their leaders of lacking strength, during a wide-ranging interview published by Politico. He also hinted that the United States may reduce its support for Ukraine unless Kyiv moves toward a peace deal that includes territorial concessions to Russia.
Trump argued that Europe had “failed” to contain migration and had shown no decisive leadership in efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. He claimed European nations were letting Ukraine fight “until they drop” while not contributing enough to peace efforts.
UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper swiftly countered the remarks, saying she saw “strength” across Europe, with nations increasing defence spending and continuing strong support for Kyiv. She said both Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky were “working for peace”, whereas Russian President Vladimir Putin continued to escalate the conflict.
Trump intensified pressure on Zelensky, urging him to “play ball” and consider ceding territory to Moscow. Zelensky, however, wrote on X that Ukraine and Europe were actively preparing new steps toward ending the war, with updated proposals expected to be sent to Washington. He once again ruled out giving up land to Russia.
The US has recently held separate discussions with Ukrainian and Russian officials in pursuit of a negotiated settlement, but no agreement has been reached.
Trump criticised Europe’s ongoing attempts to influence the peace process, saying: “They talk but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on.”
He also claimed that ideological divisions threatened Washington’s alliances with Europe, arguing some leaders were “too politically correct” and unsure how to act. His administration’s newly released National Security Strategy warned of Europe’s potential “civilisational erasure” and questioned the reliability of some traditional allies. Russia praised the document for aligning with its own strategic views.
European leaders rejected Trump’s characterisation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said parts of the strategy were understandable, but others were “unacceptable” for Europe, adding that Europeans did not need the US to “save democracy”.
Trump singled out Hungary and Poland as exceptions, praising their approaches to immigration and calling most other European nations “decaying”.
The comments come as European leaders recently met in London to reaffirm their joint commitment to supporting Ukraine, emphasising that increased unity is essential at what they describe as a critical stage of the conflict.
