During his meeting with US President Donald Trump In New York on Tuesday (24.09.2025), the Volodimir Zelenski He gave the impression that he had regained Washington’s support. But, according to The Economist, the US president is primarily seeking to get rid of Europe, leaving the role of Ukraine’s main supporter in Europe.
Even if the United States of Donald Trump continues to provide information and allow weapons to be purchased in Ukrainethe Europeans will now be the ones who will have to finance Volodimir Zelenski’s war effort.
Ukraine could thus maintain four fifths of its territory that remain free, but the dream of a prosperous and democratic state remains threatened. Kiev lacks soldiers, the economy of the war from war, and the political system show signs of diversion.
The Zelenski government, The Economist points out, has tightened control of critical media and attempting to weaken independent anti -corruption authorities that have become very “annoying”. An attitude that feeds the population’s dissatisfaction with a governance that is considered too centralized and tolerant of corruption when it is in the interest.
Europe’s decisive role
With US retreat, Europe becomes the inevitable financier. This gives her a lever she has to use to prevent democratic downhill, as she has already shown by supporting the demonstrations against the effort to limit the authorities against corruption.
However, Ukraine remains “too big to fail”: a political or military collapse would be a destruction at NATO gates, turning the country into a time bomb for the benefit of Vladimir Putin.
That is why Europeans must use persuasion instead of threats, offering greater access to the single market, investment and progress in the process of joining the EU. The issue of elections remains key: despite the military law, Zelenski is facing the need to renew his legitimacy.