Europe on Edge as Trump’s Russia Overtures Threaten Transatlantic Unity

By Al Ahed Staff, Agencies

Europe is entering one of its most precarious moments in years amid fears that the US, under President Donald Trump, is preparing to cut a deal with Russia that many European leaders see as a major strategic setback.

A new 33-page National Security Strategy—warning that Europe risks being “wiped away” unless it changes course—has intensified concern among Britain’s Keir Starmer, France’s Emmanuel Macron, and Germany’s Friedrich Merz as the war in Ukraine reaches a pivotal stage.

European governments worry Washington is pursuing a proposal shaped with Moscow that could force Kiev into concessions without firm US security guarantees. Trust in the Trump administration has been shaken further after reports that US envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to frame a peace plan for Trump. Macron reportedly warned fellow leaders that the US may be preparing to “betray” Ukraine, while Merz accused Washington of “playing games.”

The US strategy document also criticizes Europe for “unrealistic expectations” about the war and a “lack of self-confidence” toward Russia.

For the UK, the stakes are particularly high. Starmer has positioned Britain as Ukraine’s closest European ally and a key bridge to Washington. British officials insist recent fears of an imminent deal were overblown, noting that Vladimir Putin appears to have rejected parts of the US proposal.

Still, communication between Washington, Europe and Kiev has become strained, and diplomats increasingly believe Trump could walk away entirely if he fails to secure a deal.

Vladimir Zelensky faces pressure from both Washington and a domestic corruption scandal that has reshuffled his inner circle, potentially weakening Kiev’s negotiating hand.

Europe also remains divided over how to fund long-term support for Ukraine, including a proposal to use frozen Russian central bank assets—an idea facing resistance from Belgium and the US

European leaders fear a worst-case scenario in which Trump lifts pressure on Moscow, restricts US weapons and intelligence to Kiev, and leaves the continent to manage the conflict alone. Even a softer US pullback would leave Europe shouldering far more responsibility.

Starmer, Macron and Merz see preventing a US–Europe rupture as a defining mission—an acknowledgment of the continent’s continued reliance on Washington. Yet despite the tensions, the US strategy document insists America will remain engaged in Europe, noting that abandoning the continent “would be self-defeating.”