U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the Biden administration on Monday for funneling "massive amounts of taxpayer money" into a conflict he claimed "should belong to Europe," asserting that the Russia-Ukraine war has nothing to do with us. His remarks, delivered at the White House after a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, raised concerns as Trump avoided pressing for a ceasefire and hinted at disengaging from the crisis.
Trump lambasted America's "reckless" involvement in the conflict, stating, "This is not our war." We inserted ourselves into something we shouldn't have. He emphasized that the U.S. had provided Ukraine with "record-breaking" military and financial aid, far exceeding contributions from the European Union or NATO allies.
We haven't sent ground troops, and we won't send ground troops, but the amount of money we've spent is insane, Trump said. This is Europe's problem. It should have always been Europe's problem. But we got dragged in deeper than Europe because the previous administration insisted on it. We gave them massive amounts of weapons and cash.
Waning U.S. Mediation Role Triggers Alarm
When asked whether his suggestion to host talks at the Vatican signaled a retreat from diplomatic mediation, Trump denied the claim, saying, "I think the Vatican would be a great place for discussions—it might add some extra significance." Responding to a reporter's note that his earlier 30-day ceasefire timeline had failed, Trump replied that he has to step back and let them keep going to make big deals all his life.
The New York Times reported that Trump's apparent shift toward disengagement—urging direct negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv—has unsettled Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. After two calls with Trump on Monday, Zelensky stressed that the negotiation process "cannot proceed without proper U.S. and European representation." A European official revealed that leaders across the continent fear Trump is gradually withdrawing from diplomatic efforts. Both Ukraine and European allies oppose Trump's push for direct Russia-Ukraine talks, viewing U.S. and EU involvement as critical to a balanced resolution.
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