US steps away from Ukraine’s defense, German chancellor says
Photo: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Getty Images)
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against complacency in the face of threats from Russia. He said dictator Vladimir Putin seeks not only to defeat Ukraine but also to undermine democracy in Europe, Bloomberg reports.
Merz also said that Germany, together with other European and non-American allies, is financing Ukraine without Washington's help in paying for defense and equipment.
"It’s really a big effort for our budgets, it’s really a big thing for the European Union," he said.
"But we are doing that and we are trying to keep on doing that until this terrible war ends," he added.
The media writes that European leaders are looking for ways to de-escalate a weeklong conflict in which US President Donald Trump has sided with Moscow.
Washington is demanding that Ukraine stop strikes on Russian oil refineries, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Trump of trying to pressure Kyiv into surrendering to the Kremlin.
"I’m trying to convince Donald Trump each time I’m meeting him that this should be in his own interest," Merz said.
According to him, a stable Europe as a partner in the world is something that is valuable to Americans as well.
Bloomberg notes that European leaders are facing the prospect of continuing to support Ukraine on their own, without America's help.
They currently support sanctions against Moscow and insist that Kyiv should not give up territory as part of a peace settlement.
But they also know that they will not be able to replace American air defense and intelligence sharing anytime soon, and a tense election season is about to begin in several capitals.
The US recently warned Ukraine of a possible suspension of intelligence sharing over strikes on Russian oil refineries.
Moreover, media reports said that Trump's administration had threatened to halt arms supplies to the Ukrainian Armed Forces over strikes on Russian oil refineries. The threat concerns the PURL program.
