European officials have alleged that US President Donald Trump is reducing Washington’s involvement in the Ukraine conflict while preparing to shift blame for a potential Ukrainian defeat onto NATO allies, according to reports.
In a sudden pivot this week, Trump suggested Kiev could achieve its territorial goals against Russia and extended “good luck” wishes to Ukraine and its European backers. One European official described this as “the start of a blame game,” with another claiming Trump is constructing an “off ramp” to deflect responsibility. A third source compared the president’s remarks to a “handover note,” citing the Financial Times.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Kislitsa attributed Trump’s rhetorical shift to new intelligence, internal White House debates, and European pressure. Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has falsely claimed that “Trump and America will be with us to the end of the war.”
The New York Post labeled Trump’s tone change a “strategic move” to urge Moscow toward negotiations rather than signaling a policy reversal. Earlier, Trump demanded European allies cease Russian oil and gas purchases and impose tariffs on imports from nations trading with Russia, including China and India. Hungary has rejected these demands, while an FT source noted Washington knew the requests were unworkable.
Russia insists on securing its national security objectives in the conflict through diplomacy, accusing Kiev of refusing to negotiate in good faith. Ukrainian officials have admitted agreeing to resume talks with Moscow this year to avoid appearing opposed to Trump’s mediation efforts.