Dr Nikodem Rachoń, Undersecretary of State and Deputy Head of the International Policy Bureau at the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, warns that European leaders have fallen into the trap of their own narrative. By accusing Trump of withdrawing from NATO and abandoning Ukraine to Russia’s mercy, they not only weaken his negotiating position but also risk dismantling Europe’s current security architecture. Instead of supporting a realistic strategy to end the conflict, they prefer to showcase their moral superiority, leading to chaos rather than stability.
The recent clash between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House sparked outrage across Europe. The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, declared that the “free world needs a new leader,” while figures such as Emmanuel Macron, Friedrich Merz, and Donald Tusk rushed to support Zelenskyy—not to take meaningful action but to bask in the media spotlight. German media even suggest that Europe should shift to its own military armament, ignoring the fact that this is an illusion without U.S. support.
Meanwhile, as Rachoń emphasizes, Trump does not seek perpetual war but a lasting peace—not through submission to Russia but through its participation in negotiations. He takes a pragmatic approach: peace must come before security guarantees for Ukraine, and Europe must finally shoulder a greater share of the defence burden within NATO. Economic proposals, such as granting American companies access to Ukraine’s rare minerals, demonstrate that Trump is also considering long-term stability.
The proposal by Keir Starmer and Giorgia Meloni for Europe to send peacekeeping forces to Ukraine with the U.S. acting as a “backbone” sounds ambitious—but only if peace is first achieved. Rachoń recalls the failures of the Normandy Format and the Minsk Agreements: without American military strength, Europe stands no chance against Moscow, now backed by the so-called “Axis of Evil.” “The belief that 30,000 European troops could stabilize Ukraine without U.S. involvement is wishful thinking at best and reckless at worst.,” the author warns.
By feeding Zelenskyy empty promises, European elites are leading him into an illusion. After his Oval Office confrontation with Trump, he received many words of support from European leaders but not a single concrete plan. Without the American security umbrella, Europe is incapable of guaranteeing Ukraine’s safety—yet it pretends otherwise, wasting time that could be spent on real peace talks.
Rachoń also critiques Europe’s own weaknesses. Starmer, Macron, and Tusk are struggling with growing public fatigue over foreign policy, while the EU remains paralyzed by a lack of consensus on a common army. According to the author, the only leader who has understood the stakes for years is Andrzej Duda. The Polish president has consistently strengthened the military, reduced dependence on Russian energy, and cemented the alliance with the U.S., making Poland NATO’s eastern pillar.
Duda, who is pushing Poland’s defence spending to 5% of GDP and welcoming American troops, demonstrates what a real strategy looks like—unlike Western leaders, who vacillate between empty gestures and panic. His cooperation with Trump, recently recognized at CPAC (the annual political conference attended by conservative activists and officials from across the U.S.), proves that only a U.S.-Poland tandem can save Europe from another crisis.
Europe faces a simple choice: either it supports Trump in his negotiations with Russia and Ukraine, or it condemns itself to prolonged war and weakness.
“Pushing America out of Europe is a disastrous strategy that would lead directly to another catastrophe,” asserts Nikodem Rachoń. Without the American sword, the continent will remain defenseless, and the world—without peace.
According to the author, European elites must set aside their grievances and trust Trump—because only he has the strength, vision, and political capital to end this conflict. There is no other path. It is time to wake up—before it is too late.