Scholz Does Not Anticipate Immediate Cutoff of US Support for Ukraine Under Trump

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed confidence that the United States will not abruptly end its support for Ukraine following Donald Trump’s inauguration as president. Scholz shared his views during an event organized by Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung on January 20.

“I do not expect an immediate collapse of US support for Ukraine in the near future,” Scholz stated, adding that the long-term trajectory of American assistance remains uncertain. He emphasized that diplomatic channels between Germany and the US are active and ongoing, citing two discussions with Trump after the latter’s election victory.

Scholz noted that Trump’s stated intentions to engage in dialogue and seek resolution of the Russia’s war in Ukraine—potentially through discussions with Russian leader Vladimir Putin—may influence the nature of US support.

However, Scholz warned that any resolution must involve Ukraine and Europe, stressing that such decisions cannot be made “over the heads of Ukrainians and Europeans.”

Earlier, on December 11, US President Donald Trump stated that resolving the war in Ukraine would be his top international priority, emphasizing the significant human toll of the war. He also met with French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a visit to Paris, where Zelenskyy expressed gratitude for Trump’s commitment to achieving a just resolution to the war.