United States (US) President Donald Trump has criticised European leaders as “weak” and suggested the US could scale back support for Ukraine.

In a wide-ranging interview with Politico, he said “decaying” European countries had failed to control migration or take decisive action to end Ukraine’s war with Russia, accusing them of letting Kyiv fight “until they drop”.

European leaders have made attempts to carve out a role in the US-led efforts to end the war, which they fear will undercut the long-term interests of the continent in favour of a quick resolution.

In response, the UK’s Foreign Secretary, Yvette Cooper, said that all she saw in Europe was “strength”, citing investment in defence as well as funding for Kyiv.

She added two presidents were “working for peace” – referring to Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky – and “one president – President Putin – has so far simply sought to escalate the conflict with further drone and missile attacks”.

Trump continued to increase pressure on Zelensky to agree to a peace deal and urged him to “play ball” by ceding territory to Moscow. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Zelensky, writing on X later on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, said Ukraine and Europe were working actively on “all components of potential steps toward ending the war” and that the Ukrainian and European elements of the plan were now more developed.

He then told reporters he believed the plans would be submitted to the US on Wednesday.

Trump’s latest public criticism of Europe comes a day after European leaders came together in London to discuss their continued joint efforts to stop the fighting in Ukraine.

Asked whether Europe could help end the war, Trump said: “They talk, but they don’t produce. And the war just keeps going on and on.”

US officials have held separate talks with Ukrainian and Russian officials in recent weeks in an attempt to broker an end to the war. So far, no agreement has been reached.

Ukraine’s president has pressed European and Nato leaders to help deter the US from backing a deal that Kyiv fears would leave it exposed to future attacks

 Trump suggested, without evidence, that Zelensky was the main obstacle to peace.

He told reporters that Russia was “fine” with the peace plan outlined to both sides by the US, which contained major concessions for Ukraine and which allies feared would leave it vulnerable to a future invasion.

In the Politico interview, he claimed Ukrainian negotiators “loved” the US-backed proposal and alleged Zelensky had not yet read it.

Trump also repeated previous calls for Kyiv to hold elections and claimed it was “using war” as a reason not to do so.

He said: “You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.”