LONDON — Ukrainian Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valeri Zaluzhny, has accused former U.S. President Donald Trump of dismantling the global order through perceived concessions to Moscow, warning that these actions threaten the unity of the Western alliance.
His comments, reported by PA news agency on Thursday, come amid cooling relations between Kyiv and Washington.
Speaking on Thursday, Zaluzhny described the White House’s approach to Russia as a “tremendous challenge,” suggesting that U.S. actions are undermining the cohesion of the West.
“While Russia is attempting to overthrow the world order, it is ultimately the United States that is destroying it,” he stated, emphasizing the potential long-term consequences of U.S. policies.
Zaluzhny’s remarks follow a tense meeting last Friday between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, which ended in an unprecedented row.
Details of the closed-door discussions have not been fully disclosed, but sources close to the matter indicated significant disagreements over U.S. support for Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia.
Earlier this week, Zelenskyy attempted to ease tensions by extending an olive branch to Trump, expressing a willingness to negotiate with Moscow to secure lasting peace “as soon as possible.”
However, Zaluzhny cautioned that any perceived U.S. concessions to Russia could severely weaken the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), potentially leaving Europe vulnerable to Russian aggression.
“The collapse of NATO would have dire consequences for the security of Europe,” Zaluzhny warned, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin might view a fractured Western alliance as an opportunity to expand Moscow’s influence.
Zaluzhny, who served as the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces until last year, is considered a potential successor to Zelenskyy. However, the ongoing conflict has rendered elections infeasible, leaving the political landscape in Ukraine uncertain.
His military background and outspoken criticism of perceived Western weakness have bolstered his profile domestically and abroad.
Trump, who has frequently criticized U.S. support for Ukraine, recently described Zelenskyy as a “dictator without elections,” referencing the suspension of electoral processes in Ukraine due to martial law.
The former U.S. president’s comments have sparked outrage in Kyiv, where officials argue that elections are impossible amid ongoing hostilities and occupation of Ukrainian territories by Russian forces.
The diplomatic rift comes at a critical time for Ukraine, which continues to depend heavily on Western military and financial support to counter Russia’s advances.
Analysts suggest that any erosion of U.S. backing could significantly alter the balance of power in the conflict.
For now, it remains unclear how Washington will respond to Zaluzhny’s remarks or if further efforts will be made to mend relations with Kyiv.
Meanwhile, the ambassador’s stark warning underscores the fragile state of the Western alliance and the high stakes involved as the war in Ukraine grinds on.