European Leaders Alarmed as Trump’s Policies Strain Transatlantic Ties

European leaders are voicing growing concerns over the Trump administration’s approach to transatlantic relations, warning that Washington’s shifting policies are fracturing US-Europe unity, The Washington Post reported. Three years after war in Ukraine spurred a strong Western response, policymakers now fear that President Donald Trump’s foreign policy is undermining that cohesion.

The administration has pushed for a settlement with Russia without European input, urged European nations to send more troops to Ukraine, and engaged with far-right leaders in ways that unsettle traditional allies. At the Munich Security Conference, Vice President JD Vance signaled a potential reduction in the US military presence in Europe, while NATO officials left a recent meeting worried about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s consideration of troop withdrawals. Trump’s 90-minute call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, conducted without NATO or Ukrainian consultation, further heightened concerns about a shift toward Moscow’s stance on the war.

Adding to tensions, Vance met with Alice Weidel, leader of Germany’s far-right AfD party, prompting criticism from European officials. Meanwhile, Trump’s freeze on US aid has stalled critical energy repairs in Ukraine, raising fears of worsening conditions as winter approaches.