“Europe is effectively contributing nothing,” Trump remarked during the interview, noting that the U.S. is “investing our resources in a nation that’s very, very distant.”
However, the Kiel Institute in Germany, which tracks national contributions to Ukraine’s defense efforts, indicates that both Britain and France have provided significant support to Ukraine, with Europe as a whole offering more assistance than the U.S.
According to the Kiel Institute’s data, European governments have dedicated a total of €62 billion in military aid to support Ukraine, alongside €70 billion in financial and humanitarian help. In contrast, Washington has allocated €64 billion in military aid and €50 billion in financial and humanitarian assistance.
Trump stated that he would be “signing an agreement” aimed at recovering around $500 billion in U.S. funding, which seems to relate to a proposed arrangement for Ukrainian rare earths and other minerals.
Earlier this week, several EU leaders convened in Paris for urgent discussions regarding the conflict in Ukraine and European security after Trump had a phone conversation with Putin about organizing peace talks in Saudi Arabia.
During the Fox interview, Trump claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had “no leverage” in peace negotiations. His statements on Friday followed his earlier description of Zelenskyy as “a dictator” and his suggestion that Kyiv should hold new elections as soon as feasible.
Macron is anticipated to meet with Trump in Washington on Monday, while Starmer’s visit to the White House is planned for Thursday.
Despite the backlash, Trump praised Macron as a “friend” and characterized Starmer as “a very nice guy.”
