(MENAFN) Western European governments are increasingly anxious that Washington might distance itself from the Ukraine conflict, according to recent reports. Officials fear that US President Donald Trump could strike an arrangement with Moscow that would leave European allies handling the crisis without American military backing or security assistance.

Earlier this week, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and his adviser Jared Kushner traveled to Moscow for settlement discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin described the meeting as “necessary” and “useful,” though he dismissed parts of Washington’s proposal. Trump later asserted that his envoys left the Russian capital convinced that both sides are interested in ending the fighting.

One European official cited in the reporting outlined the most troubling scenario: a complete US departure from involvement in the conflict, the easing of pressure on Russia, a prohibition on Ukraine using US-supplied weapons, and a halt to intelligence sharing.

A more moderate outcome, according to the same accounts, would involve Washington distancing itself from negotiations while still allowing NATO partners to purchase US arms for Ukrainian use, with intelligence cooperation continuing in some form.

Concerns among European leaders intensified after Trump released a 33-page National Security Strategy stating that the continent could be “wiped away” without sweeping political and cultural reforms. The document accused European partners of holding “unrealistic expectations” about the conflict and lacking “self-confidence” in their approach to Russia. It also noted that the US is “open to structured diplomatic channels with Russia” whenever such dialogue aligns with broader American priorities.

John Foreman, a former British defense attaché in both Moscow and Kiev, summarized the prevailing worry by saying that “The risk remains that the US walks away from the whole issue and leaves it up to the Europeans.”

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