European Parliament defence chair says Trump "stands on the side of a killer," Europe cannot rely on US
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament's defence and security committee, sharply criticised US President Donald Trump for calling on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to step down, saying Trump "stands on the side of a killer." She argued that decisions about Ukraine's leadership belong to Ukrainians alone, called for Vladimir Putin to face the Hague tribunal, and said Europe can no longer treat the United States as a reliable partner.
Key points
- Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, chair of the European Parliament's defence and security committee, accused Trump of "standing on the side of a killer" after his comments on Zelensky.
- She said decisions about Ukraine's leadership must be made by Ukrainians in free elections, not the White House or the Kremlin.
- She called for Putin to face the Hague tribunal and for his victims to receive appropriate support.
- She said Trump's attacks on allies and democratic institutions weaken the West and harm democracy.
- She stated that Europe can no longer rely on the United States as a partner.
- Trump had accused Zelensky of not wanting to end the war and said it was "time for Ukraine to choose a new leader."
- On 9 October, Trump said he had spoken with Putin and reached a deal on Russian diesel supplies to US and world markets; her statement was published on X.
Why it matters
A senior European Parliament lawmaker publicly broke with the US president over his stance on Ukraine, signalling a European institutional reaction to Trump's criticism of Ukraine's leadership and to his reported deal with Vladimir Putin on Russian diesel supplies. By framing the United States as no longer a reliable partner, the statement raises questions about the future of transatlantic defence coordination at a moment when European leaders are debating how to sustain support for Kyiv.
What happened
Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, who leads the chamber's defence and security committee, posted a series of statements on X responding to Donald Trump's recent comments on Ukraine. She accused Trump of "standing on the side of a killer" for calling on Volodymyr Zelensky to step down, and said that decisions about Ukraine's leadership must be taken by Ukrainians in free elections — not the White House or the Kremlin. She called for Vladimir Putin to face the Hague tribunal and said his victims must receive appropriate support. She also argued that Trump's attacks on allies and democratic institutions weaken the West and harm democracy, and concluded that Europe can no longer rely on the United States as a partner. She urged European countries to maintain a clear course and continue supporting Ukraine.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Both supplied articles are Ukrainian-language reports that foreground the European Parliament committee chair's reaction, with headlines emphasising that Europe can no longer rely on the United States. The coverage centres a European institutional voice critical of Trump and supportive of Ukrainian sovereignty, and echoes the line, articulated earlier by Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, that decisions about Ukraine's leadership belong to Ukrainians alone.
Background
Trump had previously accused Zelensky of not wanting to end the war and said it was time for Ukraine to choose a new leader. On 9 October, Trump said he had spoken with Putin and reached a deal on Russian diesel supplies to US and world markets; according to Axios, the move came after about six US requests that Ukraine stop attacking Russian oil refineries, which Zelensky allegedly did not act on. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha responded that decisions about Ukrainian leadership must be made by the Ukrainian people.