Ukraine’s ambassador to the European Union said European support for Kyiv had intensified but warned it still could not replace the US military role in ending the war with Russia.
Vsevolod Chentsov said his country remained heavily reliant on US military capabilities, particularly advanced weapons systems, despite growing European efforts. He was speaking yesterday in Brussels at a conference organised by the European Policy Centre.
“European support is extremely important,” Chentsov said. “But without US equipment — first of all air defence systems and other advanced capabilities — it is very difficult to sustain this pressure.”
His remarks came a few days after European leaders and Ukrainian officials met in Paris to firm up security guarantees for Ukraine under the so-called “coalition of the willing”. That is a group of around 30 countries — excluding the US — prepared to offer post-war security support.
Chentsov’s comments echo those made by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has openly acknowledged Kyiv’s dependence on Washington.
“If we are speaking about whether we can win without American support — no,” Zelensky said in an interview with Fox News on December 30. “Without American support, we can’t defend the sky.
“American support with missiles for air defence is really helpful and strong,” Zelensky added, pointing to Russia’s use of hundreds of drones and missiles.
The meeting in Paris included peace envoys sent by US President Donald Trump, raising hopes that Washington was still engaging with European allies despite tensions over Trump’s broader foreign policy, including threats to annex Greenland.
“We have largely finished the security protocols,” said Steve Witkoff, one of the US emissaries, standing alongside leaders from France, Germany, the UK and Ukraine. “This is important so that when this war ends, it ends forever.”
France and the UK have signalled willingness to deploy troops to Ukraine in a post-war scenario, although the US has not committed to protecting those forces should Russia threaten them.
A joint statement from the coalition said it would help build “defensive fortifications” inside Ukraine and participate in a proposed US-led monitoring and verification mechanism after a ceasefire.
According to figures from Berlin-based Kiel Institute, Europe has collectively provided more aid to Ukraine than the US since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Between January 2022 and the end of August 2025, European countries spent $201.7bn on Ukraine, compared with $130.6bn from the US.
The European total includes funding from the EU budget as well as bilateral military, financial and humanitarian aid from individual countries.
Trump has previously claimed Europe would “get its money back” because it was loaning funds to Ukraine. That point was disputed by French President Emmanuel Macron, who said both Europe and the US had provided a mix of loans and grants.
Chentsov said the scale of European support was significant but argued that military capability, rather than headline spending figures, remained decisive.
“When we are stronger, when we increase pressure, Russia will look for solutions,” he said. “This is the crucial point.”
He also warned against assuming the war could be resolved through negotiations alone.
“Ukraine is ready for peace and is doing everything possible to stop this war,” he said. “But Russian leadership is looking for excuses not to enter serious conversations.”
He argued that Russia would only engage meaningfully when continuing the war became more costly than stopping it.
“That moment has to be reached,” Chentsov said.
