European leaders rally behind Zelensky after tense clash with Trump and Vance
European leaders lined up to show solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy after a heated verbal exchange with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, marking a major rift between traditional allies since Trump’s return to office.
Within a short time, prime ministers and presidents from the north, south, east, and west of the continent posted on social media in support of Zelenskiy and Ukraine’s side of the conflict, without directly criticising the U.S. president.
Before yesterday’s verbal clash over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, transatlantic relations had already been strained in recent weeks, sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s unilateral announcement of direct peace talks with Russia over Ukraine—without consulting Kyiv or European allies. Trump further escalated tensions by calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a dictator” and blaming Ukraine for the war.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who has supported Ukraine but also has strong ties to Trump, sought to strike a balance in her response. She suggested a summit involving the United States, European nations, and allies to discuss how “to deal with the great challenges of today, starting with Ukraine.”
After meeting with Trump on Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that he would host leaders from Italy, Germany, Poland, and other allies—potentially including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky—on Sunday to discuss their response to the US president’s call for peace in Ukraine.
“I accept that European allies, the UK included, must do more, and that means on capability, coordination, and spend,” Starmer told reporters on his way to Washington.
The recent clash, however, would undermine European leaders’ efforts to persuade Trump to offer security guarantees for Ukraine, as he continues to refuse deploying U.S. troops on Ukrainian soil for peacekeeping and instead threatened to withdraw U.S. support for Ukraine. Additionally, a senior White House official told Reuters on Friday evening that the US president is not interested in revisiting the minerals deal at the moment.
