{
  "id": 15125055,
  "title": "German expert: Europe must stand up to Trump and continue supporting Ukraine and Zelensky",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/17/german-expert-europe-must-stand-up-to-trump-and-continue-supporting",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-17T04:52:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ukrinform - Politics",
    "slug": "ukrinform-politics",
    "url": "https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/4175323-german-expert-europe-must-stand-up-to-trump-and-continue-supporting-ukraine-and-zelensky.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Stefan Meister, a prominent expert on Eastern Europe at the German Council on Foreign Relations, highlighted the importance of European nations standing up to former U.S. President Donald Trump and continuing to support Ukraine and its elected leader, Volodymyr Zelensky. Meister argued that European countries should not adjust their policies towards Ukraine based on Trump's statements or demands for changes in Ukraine's leadership.\n\nGermany, according to Meister, has been making significant efforts to aid Ukraine, including providing air defense systems like Patriot systems and interceptor missiles. He also noted that Germany is working to acquire more air defense systems from Greece and Spain. However, Meister criticized Germany's slow pace of expanding defense production and the lack of government guarantees to boost production capacity. He expressed his confusion over why some production capacities haven't been expanded and why necessary government guarantees are still lacking.\n\nMeister believes that Europe could ramp up its capabilities faster, but insufficient political will is currently hindering progress. He called for stronger economic and political pressure on Russia, suggesting that this should include further sanctions, measures against Russia's shadow fleet, and a more decisive response to hybrid attacks, possibly through cyber or trade measures that would directly impact Russia.\n\nWhile Meister stressed the importance of pursuing these measures consistently, even if it means differences with the United States over policy towards Russia and Ukraine, he also noted that former President Trump had criticized Ukraine for resuming strikes on Russian oil refineries, suggesting that Ukraine should choose a different president to negotiate with Moscow.",
  "summary": "European countries should clearly state their readiness to continue supporting Ukraine and its elected President Volodymyr Zelensky, even if this means openly disagreeing with U.S. President Donald Trump.",
  "key_points": [
    "European nations must stand against Trump, support Ukraine, Zelensky",
    "Germany provides air defense systems, seeks more from Greece, Spain",
    "Europe lacks political will to accelerate defense production, needs stronger sanctions"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Prioritizing independent European defense and sustained Ukrainian aid signals a shift toward strategic autonomy as continental leaders prepare to navigate potential policy shifts from a future American administration.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}