Western leaders rushed to support Ukraine after the acrimonious meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday, which intensified the existing rifts between Washington and several of its crucial allies.
The notable exchange in the Oval Office underscores the challenging balance Western capitals must strike with Trump back in power: they need to continue their firm support for Zelensky and Kyiv against Russian aggression.
At the same time, they must carefully manage relations with a U.S. President known for his transactional politics, increasing sympathy towards Vladimir Putin, and a tendency to disrupt long-standing transatlantic security alliances.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after having one of the most challenging meetings with Trump at the White House on Thursday, spoke with both Trump and Zelensky after their heated altercation, as confirmed by a spokesperson from Downing Street.
The Downing Street spokesperson stated that Starmer maintains firm support for Ukraine and contributes to efforts aimed at achieving durable peace that ensures Ukraine’s sovereignty and security.
The UK is arranging a summit this Sunday to bolster support for Kyiv, with Zelensky expected to join. This follows Starmer’s urging of Trump to reject any peace agreements that would benefit Russia or its allies.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a close ally of Trump in Europe, advocated for a summit involving the US and European countries to deliberate on the Ukrainian conflict, emphasizing that division weakens the West.
In recent weeks, European leaders have been stunned by a dramatic drop in American support for Ukraine, a stark contrast to the unwavering endorsement by Joe Biden’s administration over the past three years. Many are perplexed by Trump’s abrupt antagonism towards Zelensky and premature concessions to Putin.
Following his abrasive meeting with Trump, Zelensky communicated with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Council President António Costa, a Ukrainian insider reported. Macron later stated, “The aggressor is Russia, and the attacked people are the Ukrainians.”
“Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians do,” wrote German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on X. “Therefore we are working on a common path to a lasting and just peace. Ukraine can rely on Germany – and on Europe.”
Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, asserted in a statement the necessity for new leadership in the free world, and EU leaders collectively called for Zelensky to remain resolute.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was also contacted by Zelensky, according to sources.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda expressed solidarity with Ukraine, asserting, “Ukraine, you’ll never walk alone,” while Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that without Ukraine’s resistance, the nation itself would cease to exist.
Key US allies outside Europe, particularly members of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, quickly expressed their support.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reaffirmed his country’s commitment to Ukraine, citing the Ukrainians’ ongoing battle for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty as significant to the global community on X.
The Australian prime minister guaranteed continued backing for Ukraine, emphasizing the country’s stand with Ukraine in its fight to uphold international law, according to Anthony Albanese.
New Zealand’s leader, Christopher Luxon, stated his country’s unwavering support for Ukraine amidst the war initiated by Russia.
A rare dissent within European unity came from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a far-right populist and ally of Trump, who used X to support the US president.
Orban praised Trump on X, stating, “Strong men make peace, weak men make war. Today President Trump stood courageously for peace, even though it was hard for many to accept. Thank you, Mr. President!”
This tense exchange elevated support for Zelensky domestically, with Ukrainian lawmakers rallying behind their leader.
Oleksandr Merezhko, head of Ukraine’s parliament Foreign Affairs Committee, declared support for Zelensky, asserting the parliament’s unified backing and expressing hope for prevailing wisdom and common sense, in an interview with CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Friday.
Ukraine’s armed forces, after over three years of resisting a much larger Russian military with Western aid, continued to demonstrate defiance, at least publicly.
“Trump is familiar with aggressive negotiation tactics and aims to overpower Zelensky,” Ukrainian military officer Stanislav Buniatov posted on Telegram, suggesting that no intense discussions would have occurred if Trump had proposed even a minimal ceasefire.
Another officer, known by the callsign Aleks, voiced on Telegram his indifference towards Trump’s peace proposals, stating a preference for fighting to the death over a temporary ceasefire that could leave Ukraine vulnerable again in a few years.
