US allies in Europe don’t trust Trump’s change in rhetoric on Ukraine - Politico
Ukraine's European allies have finally heard the tough statements about Russia from US President Donald Trump that they have been waiting for. But now they do not trust this rhetoric.
According to Censor.NET, Politico writes about this.
The publication notes that uncertainty prevails in European capitals due to recent changes in the Trump administration's policy towards Ukraine and confusion over who makes decisions in the Pentagon.
Europe is preparing for different scenarios
Therefore, European governments are preparing for different scenarios, which makes it difficult to formulate any strategy for Russia's war against Ukraine, as Trump's foreign policy seems to change at his whim. Trump may, for example, take more measures against Russia, or stop the flow of weapons to Ukraine again, or even withdraw US troops from Europe that support the continent's defence.
"Nothing surprises anymore; we have to be ready for anything," said one diplomat from a NATO member state.
Last week, many foreign allies were shocked when Washington unexpectedly suspended the delivery of air defence equipment and other military aid to Kyiv. This week, the US leader promised to provide more air defence equipment to Ukraine, saying he was fed up with the "bullshit" statements of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. However, it is unclear whether this will translate into concrete action, Politico notes.
Europe is concerned not only about providing weapons to Ukraine. NATO allies are facing a major review of the US military presence in Europe. Thus, if Washington significantly reduces its military presence on the continent, it will make it more difficult to counter Russian aggression in the long term or to defend against future threats.
"The broad impression in Europe is that the Trump administration has been pretty uncoordinated on Ukraine, and many in NATO capitals are simply trying to keep up with the changing moods in Washington," another European official said.
Trump's foreign policy has not changed
The White House, meanwhile, claims that the Trump administration has not changed its strategy or policy. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said that there is nothing more consistent than President Trump's foreign policy. He will always put America first, and he wants peace in Ukraine and around the world. After a review by the Department of Defence to ensure that foreign military aid is in line with American interests, the president decided to send additional defensive munitions to Kyiv to help stop the killing in this brutal war.
Defense Department policy chief Elbridge Colby is leading the review of the Pentagon’s "global force posture" and is expected to release its recommendations in August. Given his views on moving American focus away from Europe toward the Indo-Pacific, European allies expect Washington to reduce its military presence on the continent.
At the same time, none of the officialsб who was interviewed by Politicoб could not confirm any discussions with Colby’s team about the "review", leaving countries like Germany, Poland, Italy and the U.K. — all with significant American troops and hardware stationed on their soil — in the dark about the future of its presence.
"On Tuesday, Trump hinted at some frustration with Germany and South Korea in particular on how expensive it is to house American troops there," the publication adds.
Although the Pentagon's assessment is made by every US administration, Colby's central role in cancelling military aid to Ukraine and his long-standing scepticism about the US military presence in Europe have raised concerns among European countries.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said she was proposing legislation for the annual defense policy bill to put "guardrails" around potential reduction of the US military presence in Europe.
Hegseth is not considered a reliable interlocutor
In turn, some NATO members have told the publication that they do not consider Hegseth to be a reliable interlocutor on Ukraine strategy or broader issues such as the US presence in Europe. Many are unclear about the extent to which he is involved in political decision-making and whether he is deferring to Colby or other people with more experience in government.
"There’s a lot of unpredictability in terms of the administration’s policies. It’s a lot of chaos, and honestly a lack of proper management from the top," the European official said. "
Thus, the few times that Hegseth has spoken "off-the-cuff" to his allies haven't always gone well, and he had to "defend" his remarks. Hegseth has seen some of his public appearances curtailed over the past few months. His solo trips to the Middle East and Europe were canceled by the White House, which preferred him to travel with the president and have little, if any, interaction with allies.
The publication notes that the nervousness and frustration in Europe contrasts with a brief burst of optimism after the June NATO summit, at which Trump pledged his commitment to the Alliance. The president's positive meetings with other NATO leaders and his refusal to criticise member states as usual were the thaw many allies had hoped for. Now, those who want to arm Ukraine are simply waiting to see if Trump's new rhetoric will translate into action.
