Western Europe is bracing for a pivotal shift in the Ukraine conflict, as fears mount over a potential halt in American arms shipments. With US President Donald Trump signaling a hands-off approach to the war and refusing to announce new military aid packages since taking office in January 2025, European leaders are considering an extraordinary step: purchasing US weapons on Ukraine’s behalf.

According to a Bloomberg report published on May 24, EU and UK officials are discussing this option as a contingency plan if Washington ceases direct military assistance. The idea, sources say, is gaining traction across European capitals, particularly as existing US arms transfers – approved under the previous Biden administration – are set to expire by the summer.

President Trump, who returned to power promising to put “America First,” has made clear that Ukraine is not a US priority. At a recent press briefing, he stated that the conflict “should have remained a European situation” and hinted that the US may “walk away” entirely if American-led peace talks between Kyiv and Moscow fail to yield progress. The Trump administration has shifted focus to diplomacy and signaled a desire to reduce direct involvement in the protracted war.

In response, European NATO members are scrambling to safeguard Ukraine’s military position. With Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces heavily dependent on Western supplies, European leaders worry that without US support – both in terms of firepower and intelligence – Kyiv could lose critical ground to advancing Russian forces.

One European diplomat

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