European leaders swiftly expressed solidarity with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday after a dramatic clash with U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House.
Within hours, leaders from across Europe took to social media to reaffirm their support for Ukraine in its ongoing war against Russia, underscoring a growing divide between traditional allies—Europe and the United States—since Trump’s return to office.
While avoiding direct criticism of the U.S. president, European leaders made their stance clear. French President Emmanuel Macron, who had met with Trump earlier in the week, posted on X: “There is an aggressor—Russia. There is a people under attack—Ukraine.”
“Respect to those who, since the beginning, have been fighting,” Macron added. “Because they are fighting for their dignity, their independence, for their children, and for the security of Europe.”
The show of support followed Trump’s accusations that Zelenskiy had disrespected the United States. The two leaders had been expected to finalize a deal on Ukraine’s mineral resources, but Zelenskiy left the White House without signing the agreement. Trump also suggested that the Ukrainian president was “not ready for peace.”
Among the first to back Zelenskiy was Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who reassured Ukraine: “You are not alone.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa also issued a joint statement, telling Zelenskiy: “Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone.”
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz echoed the sentiment, declaring, “Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians do.” Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor following his party’s recent election victory, added: “We stand with #Ukraine in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war.”
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who maintains close ties to Trump while supporting Ukraine, called for a summit between the United States, European nations, and allies to address global challenges. “Every division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who wish to see the decline of our civilization,” she stated.
Meanwhile, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, a former Estonian prime minister, was blunt in her assessment of Washington’s leadership: “Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
Leaders from Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden also voiced their backing for Ukraine.
However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a close ally of Trump, stood by the U.S. president. “Strong men make peace, weak men make war,” Orban posted on X. “Today, President @realDonaldTrump stood bravely for peace.”
