Europe must step up after Trump’s shift on Ukraine, Berlin says

BERLIN/BRUSSELS – Europe must “grow up” and step up its support for Ukraine after comments by US President Donald Trump backing Kyiv to take back all of its territory from Russia, Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said on Sept 24.

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

Mr Trump’s remarks on Truth Social marked an abrupt and major rhetorical shift for the US leader who had previously nudged Ukraine to give up territory to end the war and had rolled out the red carpet for Mr Putin in Alaska in August.

But it was not immediately clear whether Mr Trump would back up his words with a shift in US 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.

Stepping up will not be easy for Europe

Europeans have repeatedly said “that we really have to grow up... We have to become more sovereign”, Mr Wadephul said. 

“And that’s why we have to look at what we ourselves can achieve. We can achieve much more; not all European states have delivered what they promised Ukraine. We have to look at what other financial and military options we have,” he added.

Mr Trump’s comments were good for Ukraine and good for Europe, Mr Wadephul said, as the US President “must indeed acknowledge that his considerable efforts with Mr Putin have so far been unsuccessful”.

He warned, however, that Europe stepping up security efforts would not be easy. 

Two officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, also cautioned that Mr Trump may be signalling that it was up to Europe to help Ukraine now. 

“He seems to be saying his goodbyes, no? But that can change tomorrow. In any case: the cards are clear for us. We know what we should be doing,” a western European official said. 

A senior eastern European diplomat said that Mr Trump’s Ukraine comments aimed to indicate a change of position and to show “that he is starting to disengage by sending a message that it is Europe’s question”.

Europe already taking on a greater role

Mr Trump, in his social media post, said “with time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option”.

The US has long been Ukraine’s biggest single backer and weapons supplier. But since taking office, Mr Trump has insisted Europe take on a much greater share of its own defence burden. To some extent, that has already happened. 

European members of the Nato defence alliance have raised their defence spending and also supplied Ukraine with air defence under a new system to give Ukraine weapons from US stocks using funds from Nato countries.

The European Union is also discussing a plan to repurpose frozen Russian assets to boost financial aid to Ukraine, as it looks to step up sanctions pressure on Russia, despite the risk of damaging foreign confidence in investing in Western bonds. 

European defence stocks were the biggest early gainers on the pan European STOXX 600 on Sept 24, following Mr Trump’s remarks. 

An index of aerospace and defence companies .SXPARO was up 0.8 per cent at 7.17am GMT (3.17pm Singapore time), near its record highs. REUTERS