U.S. President Donald Trump has ramped up his criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders who are backing him.
European countries, led by the UK and France, are exploring options for a proposal to end Russia’s war on Ukraine after a tense exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy last week.
On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted a summit with European leaders and announced plans to create a peace plan for Ukraine to present to the U.S.
Some European nations have offered to send troops to Ukraine if a ceasefire is reached, although Moscow has already rejected the idea, and they would require U.S. support.
Trump has shifted U.S. policy, opening direct talks with Moscow and sidelining Ukraine and its Western allies. On Friday, he publicly pressured Zelenskyy to align with his approach. Trump intensified his remarks on Monday after Zelenskyy told the Associated Press that the war’s end could still be “far, far away.” Trump blasted Zelenskyy’s statement on his social media platform, Truth Social, calling it the “worst statement” and stating that America would no longer tolerate it. He argued that Zelenskyy was not interested in peace as long as the U.S. supported him, and pointed out that Europe acknowledged it could not handle the situation without American backing.
Zelenskyy has insisted that any ceasefire must include security guarantees from Western nations to prevent further Russian aggression. Trump has refused to offer such guarantees. In response to Trump’s criticism, Zelenskyy reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to diplomatic efforts to quickly end the war, expressing hope for continued U.S. support.
Meanwhile, French President Macron suggested a potential one-month ceasefire, which could test whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith.
European leaders are adjusting to the shift in U.S. policy, particularly after the tense White House meeting between Trump, Zelenskyy, and Vice President JD Vance. U.S.
National Security Advisor Mike Waltz called on Zelenskyy to apologize and sign the minerals deal with the U.S. to move forward.
European leaders are also preparing to discuss defense spending and other key issues at an emergency EU summit on Thursday.
As Ukraine braces for uncertainty, leaders are focusing on securing U.S. backing for both the peace plan and the minerals agreement.
