Trump is taking Russia's side against Ukraine, former US general tells Euronews
Former US Army lieutenant General Ben Hodges warns that Washington’s approach is weakening Ukraine’s defences, while former US ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker urges Europe to prepare for a future with less American support.
Retired US Army Lieutenant General Ben Hodges has accused President Donald Trump of deliberately undermining Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia, saying the administration's actions were "entirely predictable".
"He was never going to support Ukraine, and was going to take the Russian side, the signs were all there," Hodges tells Euronews.
"I do not trust this administration to be honest about what they are doing with Russia for or against Ukraine," he said an interview from his home in Frankfurt. "What he has done to Ukraine was entirely predictable."
Hodges believes recent US decisions restricting Ukraine's defences and its ability to respond to Russian bombardments are designed to pressure Kyiv into surrendering territory in exchange for an end to the war.
"This has been the goal of the Administration from the beginning, when US Secretary of State Rubio said in the first weeks of being in Office that Ukraine was going to have to give up some land in order to end the war, as if this was a Manhattan real estate deal," he said.
In recent days, US President Trump has demanded Ukraine stop targeting Russian diesel refineries as part of its military response to the Kremlin's full-scale invasion.
The Ukrainian government said they would agree to it if Russia likewise stopped targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The Kremlin refused.
Trump has also waived new bipartisan sanctions on Russia just days before they were due to take effect. The measures, part of the so-called Lindsey Graham Act, named after the late Republican senator, included tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil.
Since then, Ukraine have been unable to access the Starlink satellite system owned by Elon Musk but controlled by the US. The Ukrainian military use it to intercept jet-powered drones, often Iranian origin Shahed drones.
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy says the army's access is restricted after speeds exceeding 161 km/h meaning the can no longer intercept these deadly drones.
Speaking to journalists in Brussels last week, Zelenskyy described the situation as "painful", pointing to the lives lost as a result of the restrictions.
Trump has also called for elections in Ukraine, and for Zelenskyy to be replaced.
He has blamed Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries for rising diesel prices, despite a surge in energy prices following US and Israeli attacks on Iran in February.
The resulting disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly a fifth of global oil supplies normally pass, has added to pressure on energy markets.
Washington has also come under scrutiny over the delivery of Patriot air defence interceptors to Ukraine which have been funded by European countries.
Under NATO’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), European allies and Canada purchase US-made weapons and interceptors for Ukraine.
However, global shortages of Patriot systems have complicated efforts to replenish Kyiv’s defences, with US stockpiles under pressure from as a result of military operations in Iran.
A NATO official told Euronews that PURL deliveries were continuing but declined to comment specifically on Patriot shipments.
Hodges is pessimistic about the prospect of a breakthrough between Washington and Kyiv, arguing that the impasse reflects a deliberate policy choice.
“There isn't a hope in hell the administration is providing Patriot [defence systems],” he added.
“They're even preventing other countries from delivering such systems to Kyiv,” Hodges told Euronews.
Zelenskyy has also said that the delivery of Patriot interceptors is being delayed, despite the systems’ importance in defending against certain Russian missile attacks.
“Right now, a new missile package is still awaiting Mr Hegseth's signature,” Zelenskyy said on Tuesday.
European partners are also awaiting US approval to transfer Patriot interceptors from their own stocks to Ukraine, Zelenskyy said in an interview with an Italian newspaper.
"The Administration's actions with Patriot interceptors and intelligence are all intended to pressure Ukraine into accepting a terrible outcome by which Ukraine would have to agree to allowing Russia to keep what it has taken and perhaps even more," said Hodges.
“The horrific thing about what Trump is doing is that it's got real-world life-and-death impact for Ukrainians,” said Kurt Volker, a former US ambassador to NATO who served during Trump's first administration.
Europe urged to take tougher line on Russia
Both Hodges and Volker argue that European countries must respond more decisively to Russia’s hybrid aggression.
They warn that if Russian President Vladimir Putin believes Washington is on Moscow’s side, the Kremlin could be emboldened to intensify its attacks.
NATO countries have faced a range of so-called grey-zone incidents, including drone incursions, sabotage and arson. However, European governments have been reticent in formally attributing responsibility to Moscow. Germany and Estonia are among the countries that have only recently blamed Russia for specific incidents.
Hodges argues that European governments must each time recognise Russia as the aggressor and impose consequences for attacks.
He suggested European countries seize Russian shadow-fleet vessels operating in the Black Sea in response to such incidents. He also called for an end to issuing visas to Russian citizens entering the EU and urged European governments to reconsider the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
Europe needs to tell Russia "every time we have an incident, we will seize a shadow fleet vessel out on the Black Sea," said Hodges.
"And how in the hell are Russians still getting visas to move around Europe," he asked.
While several EU governments agree Russian frozen assets could serve both as compensation for damage caused by the war, and as a penalty for Russian war crimes and aggression, the Belgian government continues to oppose moves to use the assets without sufficient guarantees against the financial and legal risks.
Around €180 billion is kept in Euroclear, a Belgian repository, which amounts to the vast majority of the approximately €220 billion.
Hodges says Belgium's refusal to budge on the issue is "unacceptable."
"It's unacceptable the country that hosts NATO and the EU is so unwilling to unlock the door to one of the best things we can do to support Ukraine," he said.
Volker, who also served as the US special envoy for Ukraine during Trump's first administration, said Europe needed to develop a “Plan B” for its security as Washington's relationship with Moscow shifts.
For decades, Europe's security architecture has relied heavily on the United States. Volker said a new agreement involving European countries and other allies, modelled on the Coalition of the Willing, might be needed to defend the continent.
Europe must “start pushing back on hybrid attacks otherwise one of these will lead to major escalation”, Volker said, warning that Putin could be emboldened by his relationship with Trump.
European governments should also make clear that any aircraft or drone entering NATO airspace unlawfully would be intercepted, Volker said.
He added that Russia should be held responsible if civilian casualties result from such incidents.
