Ukraine is the biggest and most consequential of all the American betrayals | Simon Tisdall

"Viewed from Europe, the US's failure to defend the people of Ukraine against Russian aggression is the greatest and most consequential of a host of recent American betrayals. It's not just the sickening subservience shown to Vladimir Putin, an indicted war criminal and mass killer. It's not only the victim-blaming and bullying of Kyiv into making concessions. It's not even Donald Trump's crass attempts to monetise the war and milk the misery of millions for Nobel glory, while undercutting Nato allies and trampling sovereign rights."

"Most Europeans now regard their foremost partner as unreliable, even a foe. US global influence and leadership is fading fast, to gleeful China's huge advantage. Everywhere, autocrats rejoice, as do Europe's advancing far-right parties. The question of how this war is going to end is actually an existential question for Europe, said Wolfgang Ischinger, chair of this month's Munich Security Conference."

Europe increasingly regards the United States as unreliable after Washington's failure to defend Ukraine and pressure on Kyiv to make concessions. American subservience to Vladimir Putin and political moves that monetise the war have undermined trust. US global influence and leadership are fading, benefiting China and energising autocrats and Europe's far right. The ongoing full-scale war, now entering its fifth year, poses existential stakes for Europe and will shape the continent's future. Calls for ultranationalism, protectionism, closed borders and Christian cultural revival signal a shift in US political rhetoric that deepens transatlantic tensions.

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