President Trump was barely acknowledged in a meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine and 13 Western leaders who visited Kyiv in person on Monday to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Still, he was everywhere. In the subtle rebukes thrown his way. In how European leaders talked about further aid to Ukraine. In how they emphasized the importance of Ukrainian sovereignty, even as Trump officials have been talking about dialing back U.S. support for Kyiv and troop numbers in Europe.
On the invasion’s somber anniversary, European leaders and other Western allies descended on Kyiv to demonstrate their resolute support and pledge more money and military assistance to Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, said strengthening Ukraine’s defenses and energy infrastructure was critically important, and that it was also essential to not back down now.
“The autocrats around the world are watching very carefully,” she said.
The show of solidarity in Ukraine on Monday comes at a head-spinning moment for Europe. For three years, the United States has been a major supporter of Ukraine’s resistance against Russia’s invasion, diplomatically, financially and militarily, pulling the allies together in the leadership role it has played since World War II.
But Mr. Trump is in the process of upending that, or at least threatening to do so.
He shocked European officials last week when he appeared to blame Ukraine’s leaders for Russia’s invasion. He called Mr. Zelensky a “dictator without elections.” And he has been drawing closer to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, initiating discussions about ending the war that so far have not involved Ukraine.
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