German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sharply criticized U.S. President Donald Trump following an intense exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday. Steinmeier, speaking to a German news agency before heading to Uruguay, expressed his astonishment at the confrontation, stating, “I would never have believed that one day we would have to protect Ukraine from the United States.”
Steinmeier condemned Trump’s approach, stating that “diplomacy fails when interlocutors are humiliated in front of the whole world,” in reference to the public nature of the dispute. He emphasized Europe’s commitment to upholding principles of liberty, democracy, and justice, warning against Ukraine being forced into submission. “That is why our country urgently needs a strong government,” Steinmeier added, underlining the importance of maintaining European solidarity with Ukraine in the face of rising tensions.
The German President’s comments reflect the growing divide between European leaders and the U.S. on issues concerning Ukraine’s sovereignty and its relationship with the West.
