The President of the United States, Donald Trump, seems to have taken a radical turn in his foreign policy by publicly distancing himself from the war between Russia and Ukraine, stating that “it's not my concern.”
He expressed this after a telephone call with the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, in which he distanced himself from his previous commitment to pressure Moscow with new economic sanctions, according to a report by the New York Times.
Trump's decision, revealed by officials who participated in private discussions, has raised concerns among European allies, who see his stance as a withdrawal of U.S. support for Ukraine after more than three years of conflict.
The president conveyed to Ukrainian President, Volodimir Zelenski, and European leaders that the resolution to the war must be negotiated solely between Kyiv and Moscow.
During his electoral campaign, Trump had promised to achieve peace in 24 hours, boasting of his skills as a negotiator. However, the difficulties in advancing conversations with Putin, who has rejected his proposals, have highlighted the limits of his approach.
Even after agreeing to some demands from the Kremlin —such as Ukraine not joining NATO or regaining occupied territories—, Moscow remained inflexible.
Now, the Republican leader seeks to realign the relationship with Russia towards the economic sphere. According to sources from the White House, Trump believes that new sanctions would hinder business opportunities and wants to prioritize bilateral trade, reversing his previous threats of economic retaliation.
"Russia wants to have large-scale trade with the United States when this catastrophic bloodbath ends, and I agree," he wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
The change in posture has left Europe once again isolated, following the endorsement of Putin's decision regarding the dialogue he himself proposed in Istanbul, Turkey, which he did not attend, once again disregarding the possibility of negotiation with Zelenski.
As the United Kingdom and the European Union move forward with new sanctions against key sectors of the Russian economy, the United States is distancing itself, creating a rift in NATO's unity that Putin could exploit.
Trump has insisted that his goal is to “end a bloody and costly war that neither side can win.” However, critics such as former ambassador to Kyiv, Bridget Brink, point out that his administration's policy has been to “pressure the victim, not the aggressor.”
The lack of U.S. commitment will be tested at the upcoming G7 and NATO summits, where long-term support for Ukraine and the role that the United States is willing to assume in the face of Russian expansionism will be debated.
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