European leaders push back on Trump’s moves on Ukraine and Russia

A growing rift between the U.S. and Europe burst into the open at an international security conference Friday after President Donald Trump was accused of excluding Kyiv and Europe from peace talks to end the nearly three-year war in Ukraine.

 “The new American administration has a very different world view to ours, one that has no regard for established rules, partnership and grown trust,” Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, according to Reuters.

“We have to accept that and we can deal with it. But I am convinced that it is not in the interests of the international community for this world view to become the dominant paradigm,” said Steinmeier, whose post is largely ceremonial.

His comments came amid growing alarm across Europe after what Trump described as a “lengthy and highly productive” conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump was accused of shutting Kyiv and Europe out of peace talks, while comments he made about the future of Ukraine prompted fear and anger in Ukraine and across Europe.

Vice President JD Vance may have offered European allies some reassurance in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, warning that Russia could face more sanctions and even military action if it refuses to agree a deal ensuring Ukraine‘s long-term independence.

“There are economic tools of leverage, there are of course military tools of leverage,” Vance told the newspaper, describing the possible pressures the U.S. could apply. “There are any number of formulations, of configurations, but we do care about Ukraine having sovereign independence.”

Friday’s security conference comes amid growing concerns over what actions Moscow might take if it is handed a win in Ukraine, particularly amid Trump’s suggestions that the U.S. would not defend NATO allies if they are attacked.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine would not accept any peace deal negotiated between the U.S. and Russia alone.

“Ukraine must negotiate from a position of strength, with strong and reliable security guarantees, and that NATO membership would be the most cost-effective for partners,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. 

Last year, NATO members had indicated that Ukraine was on an “irreversible path” to eventual membership in the alliance. But both Trump and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have indicated that NATO membership and Ukraine regaining lost territory are effectively off the table. 

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, condemned the Trump administration’s decision to take “two important negotiating issues off the table” as a “careless” mistake.

“In my view, it would have been much better to talk about Ukraine’s possible NATO membership and possible territorial changes at the negotiating table first and then with Ukraine present and not with them already having Putin’s price hanging over them,” he said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Friday condemned any plan for peace talks that does not involve Ukrainians and Europeans.

“A sham peace — over the heads of Ukrainians and Europeans — would gain nothing,” Baerbock said in a statement as the security conference got underway. “A sham peace would not bring lasting security, neither for the people in Ukraine nor for us in Europe or the United States,” she said, according to Reuters.

Baerbock called for talks between U.S. and international partners to be held at the Munich conference, an annual gathering of political and military leaders, as well as diplomats.

Trump’s own defense secretary, Hegseth, has separately emphasized the need for Europe to take a lead in ending the brutal conflict, saying U.S. troops would not be part of any peacekeeping mission and that it would be up to European powers to finance Ukrainian security guarantees.

Trump on Thursday told reporters Ukraine would be included in talks with Russia, offering some reassurance, while Russia also said Ukraine would “of course” be involved in talks to end the war, but said there would also be a separate U.S.-Russian discourse, Reuters reported.

But comments from the president appearing to sympathize with Moscow’s stance, saying it had “fought for that land” and “lost a lot of soldiers” have deepened concerns over the possibility of a deal being struck in Russia’s favor, without input from Kyiv and European leaders.

Zelenskyy was expected to meet with Vance on Friday at the Munich Security Conference, where the effort to end the war in Ukraine will be a primary focus.