Europe must step up after Trump's shift on Ukraine

24/9/2025 17:43

Speaking to Germany's Deutschlandfunk radio, Wadephul said Trump had realised that his own efforts had failed to persuade Russia's Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.



Trump's remarks on Truth Social marked an abrupt and major rhetorical shift for the U.S. leader who had previously nudged Ukraine to give up territory to end the war and had rolled out the red carpet for Putin in Alaska just last month.



But it was not immediately clear whether Trump would back up his words with a shift in U.S. policy, an ambiguity that could keep the onus on Europe to meet more of Ukraine's needs through weapons and financing as Washington's role recedes.