(Brussels = Yonhap News) Correspondent Hyun Yoon-kyung = There have been reports that European leaders, embarrassed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's recent sharp criticism of President Trump, are trying to urge restraint. This stems from concerns that President Zelenskyy's actions could worsen the already strained relationship between Ukraine and the United States.
According to the British daily Financial Times (FT) on the 15th (local time), EU leaders plan to meet with President Zelenskyy in Brussels on the 16th to demand that he lower the level of public criticism of President Trump.
In an interview with FT the previous day, President Zelensky harshly criticized President Trump, criticizing the 'transit deal' he recently signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin and pointing out that it was a "dangerous" measure for the United States to suspend intelligence support to Ukraine.
President Zelensky also criticized President Trump's instinctive affinity for dictators and the ultra-rich, while also expressing displeasure at President Trump's call for him to resign.
He also announced that he would resume attacks on Russian oil refineries despite repeated demands from the U.S., showing his will to confront President Trump's pressure head on.
It has been reported that there is an air of confusion among European leaders as President Zelenskyy pours out unfiltered direct criticism towards President Trump ahead of the EU summit.
An official familiar with the preparations for the EU summit pointed out in this regard, "Even if it (Zelensky's remarks) is true, there is no need to say it publicly." The official added that the EU leaders, who are scheduled to hold a private meeting with President Zelensky on the 16th, will convey a firm message to lower the level of their remarks toward President Trump while expressing their intention to continue supporting Ukraine.
Relations between the United States and Ukraine cooled sharply as President Trump, who is concerned about a change in public sentiment due to rising diesel prices ahead of the midterm elections, recently reached an agreement with President Putin to import Russian diesel and proposed lifting the freeze on Russian state-owned assets in Europe.
The FT diagnosed that the relationship between the two countries is entering the most serious crisis since the Trump administration summoned President Zelensky to the White House Oval Office for a meeting in February of last year, shortly after the launch of the second term, pointed out his military uniform, and strongly criticized him with crude remarks such as "Be grateful to the United States."
Immediately after the conflict at the time, President Trump reacted strongly by ordering a complete suspension of military aid to Ukraine, and major European leaders barely prevented a catastrophe by engaging in an all-out persuasion campaign against President Trump to prevent the worst-case scenario of the United States leaving the Western ranks of support for Ukraine.
Since the inauguration of the Trump administration, the United States has no longer provided financial support to Ukraine and is only supplying weapons whose costs are borne by Ukraine and its European allies. However, U.S. intelligence and weapons play a key role in Ukraine's war-fighting capabilities, so if the security cooperation between Ukraine and the United States is interrupted, Europe has no means of replacing it.
After President Trump and President Zelenskyy clashed over the transit deal between the U.S. and Russia, early warnings about Russian ballistic missiles provided by the U.S. suddenly stopped and the U.S. satellite communication service Starlink, the "lifeline" of the Ukrainian military, was also unexpectedly restricted in speed, raising concerns in Europe.
Irish Prime Minister Michal Martin told reporters on the first day of the EU summit, "We must continue cooperation with the United States," and emphasized, "There have been many challenges and difficulties related to this issue in the past, but we have experience improving the situation by actively communicating and maintaining relationships. Such efforts will continue this time as well."
