Donald Trump’s latest remarks criticizing Vladimir Putin have sparked cautious hope in Europe for a potential shift in his stance on the war in Ukraine. However, senior European officials say there is still no evidence of a real change in the U.S. administration’s course, reports Baltimore Chronicle with reference to Financial Times.
Two unnamed high-ranking sources told the publication that while Trump’s tone toward the Kremlin has softened, his broader position appears unchanged. According to these officials, Ukraine’s Western allies continue to believe that Trump views Putin as his primary counterpart in any negotiation process, while considering Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a major obstacle to reaching a viable peace deal.
“There’s a bit of excitement over the change in tone. But we don’t see it translating into serious action,” one official said.
At the same time, Zelensky has reportedly improved his communication with Trump in recent weeks. According to sources, following a tense meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office, French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer advised Zelensky to adjust his approach to dealing with the former U.S. president.
Macron and Starmer reportedly urged him to express sincere gratitude and always thank Washington for its support, the sources said.
Nonetheless, Zelensky continues to face skepticism from an American administration where doubt about backing Ukraine runs deep—both among those who believe the U.S. should focus more on Asia than Europe, and others who adhere to a broader non-interventionist philosophy.
Recently, Trump openly questioned whether the Russian leader truly “seeks peace” and said that Putin “talks a lot of nonsense,” marking one of his first such critical statements in a long time.
Earlier we wrote that Trump to impose new tariffs of up on 15 countries.