The German Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, has urged European countries to actively support Ukraine in response to recent statements made by U.S. President Donald Trump regarding the future of aid to Kyiv. The diplomat shared his views during an interview on German radio Deutschlandfunk, and his remarks are being widely discussed in Western media.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Berlin’s Position on Supporting Ukraine
Johann Wadephul emphasized that Trump’s statement about supporting Ukraine’s return of all territories occupied by Russia has prompted a deeper analysis of Europe’s role in this process. According to the German minister, Donald Trump has already realized that his personal efforts to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war have proven insufficient.
“We (Europeans – ed.) really need to mature… We must become more sovereign,” he said.
Wadephul called on EU member states to carefully assess their own capabilities and fulfill their commitments to assist Ukraine. He noted that not all European countries have met their obligations so far, and there remains potential to enhance financial and military support.
Comments from Western Diplomats and a Signal from the U.S.
The minister expressed a positive assessment of the impact of the recent statements from the U.S. president for Ukraine and the European community, noting that Washington already recognizes the limitations of its own diplomatic capabilities in negotiations with Moscow. At the same time, Wadephul stressed that enhancing Europe’s role in security will require time and significant effort.
According to Reuters, citing anonymous officials, Trump’s words likely signal that Europe should take primary responsibility for assisting Ukraine. One Western European official stated:
“It seems he is saying goodbye, doesn’t it? But that could change tomorrow. In any case, the cards are clear for us. We know what we need to do,” said the Western European official.
A senior diplomat from Eastern Europe emphasized that Trump’s comments regarding Ukraine signal a shift in Washington’s position and highlight that the issue of supporting Kyiv is primarily becoming a European task.
Recently, Donald Trump expressed the view that with EU support, Ukraine could regain its territories “in their original form.” He emphasized that this will be possible “with time, patience, and financial support from Europe, particularly NATO.”
It is worth noting that during the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump promised to quickly end the Russian-Ukrainian war; however, in recent months, the U.S. president has acknowledged that his strategy of resolving the conflict through personal contacts with Putin has not yielded the desired results.