The EU and NATO avoid a clash with Trump and play down the betrayal of Ukraine

Brussels. The European Union and NATO are, yet again, burying their heads in the sand in the face of US President Donald Trump’s betrayal of Ukraine. Amidst the Europeans’ helplessness and resignation, the United States is regarded as irreplaceable, and Ukraine’s European allies are forced to fall into line. Last night, 39 ballistic missiles were fired at Kyiv and Kharkiv. The Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has condemned the fact that, for the second night running, the Americans failed to provide advance warning of the Russian attack.

Yesterday morning, several Ukrainian officials revealed that the Starshield satellite system – supplied by Starlink but under the control of the Pentagon – had ceased to function normally, compromising certain defence capabilities both in cities and on the front line. But the Europeans do not wish to pin the blame on Trump. The official line was set out by the NATO Secretary-General. “I believe the President was very clear when he made brief statements to the media as he left the White House for an election event, stating that the sharing of intelligence had not been interrupted,” said Mark Rutte during a visit to Estonia. “We have no indication that intelligence-sharing has been suspended,” reiterated the European Commission spokesperson. The diesel deal and everything that followed are seen as a desperate move by Trump in the run-up to the mid-term elections. The hope is that, after 3 November, everything will return to normal for Ukraine.

“We have nothing to gain from a clash with Trump,” a European diplomat explains to Il Foglio: “I cannot see the EU responding, other than by strengthening what it can do on its own.” Zelensky will be in Brussels tomorrow to attend the European Council. The situation appears just as dramatic as it did following the clash in the Oval Office of the White House between the Ukrainian president and Trump on 28 February 2025. At that time, too, Zelensky was welcomed amongst the heads of state and government in a show of united support. The same gesture will be repeated tomorrow. The British Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, who welcomed Zelensky in London, has promised to work to “prudently lay the foundations for a rapprochement” with Trump. “We stand by your side and that will not change,” said Burnham, speaking of “gloomy and difficult” days. Mark Rutte could be sent to Washington to try to change Trump’s mind. “The EU is doing its bit. And what we are asking of our American allies is to do their bit and continue to support Ukraine,” said the President of the European Council, António Costa. He offered the only tentative criticism of Trump. “There is a big difference between being optimistic and being naïve. It is clear that peace without defence is an illusion,” said Costa, responding to a question about the lack of intelligence-sharing and the suspension of Starshield: “Anyone who wants to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible must support Ukraine with all the means it needs to defend itself against Russia’s brutal aggression.”

The Commission yesterday announced a disbursement of €2.86 billion from its €90 billion loan to urgently purchase missiles, drones and ammunition. The Commission also explained that it is working on integrating commercial satellite capabilities into the European secure communications programme, Gosvatcom. This could be ready for military use by early 2027, but not at the level offered by Starshield. The EU’s satellite constellation, IRIS², will not become operational until 2029. “Until then, we will not be able to replace Starlink or Starshield,” says an EU official. Europe is also lagging behind when it comes to developing weapons capable of replacing US supplies. At the summit, the heads of state and government of the 27 member states will discuss the budget shortfall Ukraine faces in 2027. But the EU has reached the limits of what it considers possible to do. According to several diplomats, there will be no progress on the use of Russian sovereign assets frozen by sanctions to support Kyiv. Given the difficulties encountered with the 21st sanctions package, the idea of a 22nd EU sanctions package is no longer on the table.