President Trump made no secret of his desire for Europe to shoulder more of its own security burden, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine. Now, in the first public commentary since the European leaders’ summit in London—where Britain took the reins—Trump’s team is making it clear they approve of the shift.
“We welcome the Europeans taking a lead in European security,” said National Security Advisor Mike Waltz on Monday morning in a brief gaggle with the press. “That’s been an underpinning. They have to invest in the capability to do that.”
Waltz acknowledged the growing European commitment, particularly from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Last week before Friday, we also had the NATO Secretary General on the phone with the President, before President Zelenskyy came in. So we welcome Europe stepping up for Europe, but they have to also invest in the capabilities to do so, and all of that was evident and repeatedly communicated with the Ukrainians before Friday,” he said.
But there is a lingering sense of frustration within Trump’s camp. The president’s team does not understand why Zelenskyy acted as though this position was news to him when he visited the White House to sign the rare minerals agreement.
“He could have then left with an economic guarantee that would have benefited Ukraine and, I think, the world for a generation,” noted Waltz. “So it’s really confounding to us why we had such hostility.”
READ ALSO
Chronicles on Freedom: My Life in Voluntary Exile
“It is we who changed. Everything else remained the same,” the Croatian waiter at Monte’s Trattoria in New York City told me as he poured champagne into my crystal glass, barely able to hold back the emotional flood rising inside him. He was probably in his late 60s, with warm eyes behind thick black-rimmed glasses.…
‘President Trump — Serbia Welcomes You!’ Huge UFC Banner Unleashes Massive Show of Support for Donald Trump
Serbia’s love for Donald Trump erupted at the UFC’s historic Belgrade debut on Saturday evening as a huge “PRESIDENT TRUMP — SERBIA WELCOMES YOU” banner was held up inside the arena. Trump ally Richard Grenell was spotted chatting ringside with Serbian Finance Minister Sinisa Mali as they joined a host of high-profile guests, including UFC…
Senate Rejects Bid to Curb Trump’s Iran Campaign in Razor-Thin Vote
A bipartisan attempt to place congressional limits on President Donald Trump’s military campaign against Iran was defeated in the Senate on Thursday by a single vote. The chamber voted 50–49 against advancing the war powers measure, blocking another effort by lawmakers to challenge the administration’s authority to continue military operations in the Middle East without…
Did Politics Cost Ann Widdecombe Her Life?
The former government minister Ann Widdecombe was sitting in the kitchen of her Devon cottage, eating lunch, when the man accused of murdering her entered through the front door. Within two minutes, prosecutors confirmed, she had been struck 21 times on the head with a hammer. Joshua Kerry, 28, appeared in court in London on…
Burnham Prepares to Scrap Digital ID and Shift North Sea Policy
Andy Burnham has one weekend left before Downing Street becomes his new address, and he is already tearing up Starmer’s playbook. His digital ID and North Sea policy will offer the first clues to the government he intends to build when he enters Downing Street on Monday. Across Westminster, the usual guessing game has already…
Inside the U.S.-Serbia ‘New Era’: How Friday’s Closed-Door Agreements Came Together
The inaugural talks in Washington marked what the State Department described to The Pavlovic Today as a “new era” in relations between the United States and Serbia. Behind the diplomatic language was a package of agreements intended to give that new era practical form. Energy security, defense cooperation, 5G infrastructure and Serbia’s growing role in space diplomacy…
State Department Says U.S.-Serbia Strategic Dialogue Marks ‘New Era’ in Relations
The United States is moving to broaden its relationship with Serbia through the countries’ first strategic dialogue, a State Department spokesperson told The Pavlovic Today, calling the initiative a sign of deepening political, economic and educational ties between Washington and Belgrade. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the establishment of the U.S.-Serbia Strategic Dialogue on August…
Andy Burnham Signals Break With Starmer After Taking Labour Leadership
Andy Burnham promised a new path for Britain in his first speech since being officially named leader of the Labour Party. The former Greater Manchester mayor, who takes over as prime minister on Monday, pledged that his government will have the courage to fix the big things politics has neglected. Flanked by senior party figures,…
Trump’s push for Europe to take charge of its own security is gaining traction, with leaders like Starmer and Macron stepping up. But tensions with Zelenskyy raise questions—was the U.S. stance really a surprise? This shift could reshape NATO’s future, but will Europe truly invest in its defense?