Donald Trump is considering relinquishing its leadership of Nato after insisting that European allies take more responsibility for the security of the continent, the Mail can reveal.
The US has held its leadership position since the founding of the defence alliance in the aftermath of World War Two. Since then, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe has always been a senior US general.
But in line with the US’s insistence that European allies take more responsibility for Europe’s security, it also expects a British or French general to take up this position.
It comes after the US President stunned Western allies by imposing a ‘temporary’ pause in the supply of vital American military aid following a historic spat with Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.
President Trump warned on Monday night that he would ‘not put up with’ the Ukrainian leader for much longer as the relationship between the pair soured yet further after two weeks of back and forth comments.
Hours later, the White House said assistance was being ‘reviewed’ to ‘ensure that it is contributing to a solution’, triggering warnings that, without a U-turn, Ukraine’s vital stockpile of US weapons would be spent by the summer.
But on Tuesday Zelensky extended an olive branch to Trump after Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned him he had to rebuild relations to save his country.
In a conciliatory intervention, after the White House announced a freeze on military aid to Kyiv, the Ukrainian President said he ‘really valued’ America’s support and was ‘ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts’.
US President Donald Trump (pictured) is considering relinquishing its leadership of Nato after instating that European allies take more responsibility for the security of the continent
The US also expects a British or French general to take up this position. Pictured: British soldiers practice an assault on February 17, 2025 in Smardan, Romania
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron embrace after holding a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March 2, 2025
He described last week’s astonishing Oval Office bust-up with President Trump as ‘regrettable’.
And he revealed that leaders are working on a peace deal that could begin with ‘a truce in the sky… and truce in the sea immediately’ if Russia is willing to follow suit.
Diplomatic sources said that Sir Keir and Emmanuel Macron were willing to travel to Washington with President Zelensky as early as next week to present a united front on the plan to Mr Trump.
Mr Trump was angered by President Zelensky’s warning at the weekend that a deal to end the war is ‘still very, very far away’.
In a statement on X Mr Zelensky said he was ‘ready to work fast to end the war’ and willing to sign an agreement allowing American firms to exploit Ukrainian reserves of rare minerals ‘at any time’.
Reports suggested Mr Trump was preparing to announce the deal during a major speech to Congress that took place in the early hours of today.
Some allies of the US President have demanded an apology over the scenes in the Oval Office, where Mr Zelensky was accused of being ‘disrespectful’ for not wearing a suit and failing to be sufficiently grateful.
President Zelensky stopped short of an apology, but said: ‘Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive.’
President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky were seen sitting side by side in front of the fireplace in the Oval Office
The moment that lit the touchpaper was when Mr Zelensky suggested that Putin broke agreements to exchange prisoners on President Trump’s watch
He also praised Mr Trump for sending Javelin anti-tank missiles to Ukraine in 2019, saying: ‘We are grateful for this.’
His statement came shortly after a phone call with Sir Keir in which the PM warned him he had to rebuild relations with President Trump to have any hope of securing US support for a lasting peace deal that would save his country from Vladimir Putin’s forces.
The PM last night welcomed the Ukrainian leader’s ‘steadfast commitment to securing peace’.
Mr Zelensky said he was grateful for Sir Keir’s ‘advice and support during this challenging time’.
The bid to revive the peace process came as:
- US Vice-President JD Vance was urged to apologise for saying a proposed Anglo-French peacekeeping force amounted to ‘20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years’.
- Military experts said Ukraine could run out weapons within two to three months unless military aid restarts, with one Ukrainian MP warning: ‘Thousands of people will die.’
- Ministers were braced for further for further chaos overnight, amid speculation that Mr Trump could relinquish America’s leadership of Nato and start withdrawing troops from Europe.
- European Commission chief Ursula Von der Leyen proposed a £660 billion ‘ReArm Europe’ plan to strengthen the continent’s defences.
- Former MI6 chief Sir John Sawers warned that Baltic states could face ‘border incursions’ by Russia to ‘test’ whether the US still supports Nato’s founding principle that an attack on one is an attack on all.
Keir Starmer embraced Volodymyr Zelensky on the steps of Lancaster House in London as they try to repair alliances in the wake of the debacle
Volodymyr Zelensky, Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a summit at Lancaster House in central London on March
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy listens questions during a meeting with members of the media on the outskirts of London
Mr Trump’s decision to suspend military aid blindsided No 10. Hours earlier the PM dismissed rumours of the move, telling MPs: ‘As I understand it, that is not their position.’
The two leaders are thought to have discussed the issue in an emergency call on Monday night, but the PM was unable to talk the President out of it.
Downing Street was last night still scrambling to discover exactly how far the pause in military aid extends. Reports yesterday suggested that supplies of ammunition were no longer crossing the Polish border. And intelligence sharing was also pulled yesterday, the Mail learnt.
The decision to suspend aid is a major blow to Sir Keir’s four-step plan for Ukraine, which begins with: ‘Keeping military aid flowing into Ukraine while the war is ongoing.’
Mr Trump has also hinted he could ease economic sanctions on Russia as part of plans to get Putin to the negotiating table.
Government sources said efforts were being made ‘at all levels’ to persuade the US to restore supplies to Ukraine quickly.
President Zelensky revealed fresh details of the new peace plan now being brokered with Sir Keir and President Macron.
He said: ‘We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky – ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure – and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same. Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the US to agree a strong final deal.’
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C), French President Emmanuel Macron (C-L) and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky (C-R) attend a meeting with European leaders during a summit on Ukraine at Lancaster House in London, Britain, 02 March 2025
European leaders and Canada gathered in London on Sunday to consider the response to the Ukraine crisis
Diplomatic sources confirmed that a ceasefire could begin with an end to the aerial and naval bombardment by both sides. A source said that much of the damage was currently being carried out by airborne drones and missiles.
If successful, the two sides would then move towards a ceasefire on land, which a source said would be ‘harder to verify and easier to derail.’
President Macron had initially suggested a one-month pause in the fighting in the air and at sea. But the proposal is now expected to be open ended.
In return, Sir Keir hopes to persuade President Trump to guarantee a US security ‘backstop’ that would allow Britain, France and other members of a developing ‘coalition of the willing’ to send their own troops to keep the peace in Ukraine without fear of immediate attack by Russian forces.
Sir Keir agreed this week it would be ‘utter folly’ to send British forces into harm’s way without American support.
But President Trump has so far indicated he believes the presence of American citizens working on the minerals deal would be enough to deter further Russian attacks. Last week he told Sir Keir he trusted Putin to keep his word.
