Kateryna Hirnyk 07:42, 16.07.25 UNIAN
This approach forces EU countries and the UK to back up their words of support for Ukraine with more active statements
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to increase arms supplies to Ukraine, but make Europe pay for them. However, as The Telegraph columnist Richard Kemp writes, this idea is facing criticism from Europeans.
“Trump’s plan… is brilliant, at least in concept. It forces EU countries and the UK to back up their words with action, rather than allowing them to get away with empty statements like ‘we would do more, but we just don’t have the weapons.’ It fits perfectly with his determination to shift more of the burden of solving its own problems to Europe. And it should be beneficial to American voters, among whom continued US funding of Ukraine’s defense is unpopular,” Kemp notes.
As the publication reminds, Trump promised Ukraine Patriots, which will either be purchased directly from the US or provided from NATO countries’ own stocks with subsequent replacement. However, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said that the first Patriots will be sent to Ukraine in a few months, which apparently means that Berlin is not ready to transfer its own missile systems, the columnist notes.
It is clear that Germany should be concerned about its own air defense, Kemp notes:
“But his comments eloquently indicate what Europe’s priorities remain, despite the continent’s supposedly insistent statements about its readiness to do everything possible to ensure Ukraine’s victory.”
In addition, Trump’s proposed new regime of secondary tariffs against countries that do business with Russia could also have a persuasive effect. However, EU foreign policy chief Kaia Kallas said the 50-day deadline Trump gave Putin for talks was “very long.”
“Maybe Kallas should immediately introduce secondary EU tariffs instead of shouting criticism from the sidelines?” Kemp quipped.
He emphasizes that Trump’s latest gambit has a chance of success, assuming that Putin believes in the seriousness of the Europeans’ intentions to force Russia to the negotiating table.
“Unfortunately, they do not demonstrate this consistently. Do they really want to help Ukraine win the war, or do they just want America to do it for them,” the analyst concludes.
Trump’s latest statements – what is known
Earlier, US President Donald Trump met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. During a conversation with reporters, the American leader said that Ukraine will receive weapons from the US , but now European countries will pay for them. At the same time, he said that he does not plan to provide Ukraine with long-range JASSM missiles .
He also announced that he would impose secondary tariffs against the Russian Federation and its partners if there is no agreement on a peaceful settlement in Ukraine within 50 days.
This is a time to show Putler that we are all very serious. Moskali push until they meet steel, then they fade away like the morning dew in sunlight.
There are so many things Trump could do. If he is so worried about all the killing, he could have told Putler that every attack on Ukrainian cities will result in 10 long range missiles going to Ukraine. Really long range missiles.