Shocked Europeans play catch-up after Trump moves on Ukraine

Europeans fear being cut out of Ukraine peace deal; US insists any deal will be durable

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They should not have been surprised. Yet European officials have been left shocked and flat-footed by the Trump administration's moves on Ukraine, Russia and European defence in recent days.

At a major security conference in Munich at the weekend, there was a sense of dismay and disbelief and a whiff of panicamong European delegates even as some tried to put a brave face on a dizzying few days of declarations and diplomacy.

Chief among their fears: that they can no longer be sure of US military protection and that US President Donald Trump will do a Ukraine peace deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that undermines Kyiv and broader European security.

That concern was stoked by US Vice President JD Vance's conference speech, which mentioned Ukraine and European defence only in passing and focused on accusing Europe of stifling free speech and failing to manage migration.

European leaders declared they would have to take more responsibility for their own defence, ramping up military spending and arms production.

But after years of such statements during Trump's first term in 2017-21, and after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, they have yet to agree on how to organise such an effort or how to pay for it.

They are also under US pressure to come up with plans for security guarantees for Ukraine, which a group of leaders will discuss at a hastily arranged summit in Paris on Monday.