German President Criticizes Trump For Humiliating Zelenskyy- wna24
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump following a tense and public confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Speaking during a flight to Uruguay on Saturday, Steinmeier described the incident as “beyond belief” and warned that the U.S. stance on Ukraine could have severe consequences.
“Diplomacy fails when negotiating partners are humiliated in front of the world,” Steinmeier told the German press agency DPA. “The scene at the White House yesterday took my breath away. I would never have believed that we would ever have to defend Ukraine from the United States.”
The heated exchange between Trump and Zelenskyy occurred on Friday, when Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of recklessly endangering global security by refusing to negotiate a peace deal with Russia. Trump warned Zelenskyy that he was “gambling with World War Three” and insisted that Russian President Vladimir Putin was willing to negotiate.
The U.S. president also made it clear that Washington would not continue its military support for Ukraine indefinitely. “Either Ukraine makes a deal, or the U.S. will withdraw its support and leave them to fight it out on their own,” Trump stated.
Zelenskyy, visibly frustrated during the meeting, pushed back against Trump’s claims. “There would be no compromises with a killer on our territory,” he said, arguing that negotiating with Putin would put both Ukraine and the United States at risk.
The Ukrainian president has consistently rejected any ceasefire without security guarantees, warning that Putin has violated multiple ceasefires in the past and would likely do so again.
In response to the diplomatic fallout, Steinmeier reaffirmed Europe’s commitment to supporting Ukraine. “We must prevent Ukraine from having to accept subjugation,” he said.
Germany is currently in the process of forming a new government after federal elections last week, with conservative leader Friedrich Merz expected to become the next chancellor. Steinmeier stressed the urgency of having a stable German government to address the growing crisis.
As Trump’s stance on Ukraine causes shockwaves across Europe, Steinmeier’s comment reflect growing concerns among Western allies about the future of U.S. support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.