Macron says Europe no longer has US support and must step up for Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron has said in plain terms that Europe must accept a bitter truth. "We must accept the bitter truth that we are no longer getting the support of the United States," he said. Macron added that it is not possible to support Ukraine in this crisis without the active help of European countries.

The war between Russia and Ukraine has run for several years. The United States, which stood firmly with Ukraine from the start, has now changed its stance sharply, and the effect is being felt in Europe. Macron's statement has raised questions about the future security of the whole European continent. After the Second World War, Europe largely relied on the United States and NATO for its defence.

The French presidency (Élysée Palace) has said that no lasting and just settlement of the Ukraine war is possible without taking Europe's security concerns into account. Macron himself stressed: "As Europeans, we will decide and determine our own future security, I have no doubt about that."

Macron's statement came a day after high-level peace talks in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, and special envoy Steve Witkoff held a two-day, three-way peace meeting in Abu Dhabi with representatives of Russia and Ukraine. It was the first direct talk between Russian and Ukrainian representatives after a gap of nine months.

After the meeting, the American team claimed that some positive opportunities for an agreement had emerged. But the talks produced no concrete decision and did not open a path to a ceasefire. European leaders feel that European countries were sidelined in the talks. Kushner took a dig at European leadership, saying: "If Europe can choose one person to speak on its behalf, that would be an even bigger achievement than bringing Russia into the talks."

Before becoming US president for a second time in January 2025, Trump had claimed he would stop the Russia-Ukraine war within 24 hours of taking office. The situation on the ground, however, is extremely tangled. At the Abu Dhabi meeting, Russian negotiators set a very harsh condition for a peace deal. Russia demands that Ukraine give up its hold on the entire Donbas region and hand it over to Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has rejected the demand and said clearly that he will not give up his country's land to Russia under any circumstances. Targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelensky said: "Putin is living in a different reality altogether, that has now become clear." After the Abu Dhabi talks, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner went directly to Moscow for further talks on a possible peace deal and met Putin at the Kremlin. They will next travel to Dublin, Ireland, to meet Zelensky.

Over the past year and a half, the United States has completely changed its policy on the Ukraine war. After a sharp disagreement with President Zelensky in March 2025, the Trump administration had paused all direct military aid to Kyiv for the time being. The decision placed a heavy financial and military burden on European countries. To protect Ukraine from Russian attacks, European countries had to spend from their own treasuries to buy expensive weapons from the United States and send them to Ukraine.

In October, Trump struck a deal with Russia on sanctions-free diesel imports, a major shock to his old European allies. Trump also questioned Zelensky's leadership and called for his removal from office, which widened the gap between Europe and the United States. Russia has also opposed involving European countries in the peace talks, alleging that Europe gives Ukraine weapons and money.

Against this background, Macron's latest statement is seen as significant. It remains to be seen whether Europe will unite, choose a single representative and make its voice heard in the peace process, or accept a settlement made on American terms.