Senior White House officials suspect that while European leaders appear to support President Donald Trump’s push to end the Ukraine war, some are quietly blocking progress. Axios reported that Washington sees this double stance as a major obstacle.

The Biden administration has already asked the Treasury Department to prepare sanctions that Europe could impose on Russia. These measures include a complete ban on Russian oil and gas imports and secondary tariffs on India and China, mirroring those already announced by the US.

Frustration after Alaska summit

Two weeks have passed since Trump’s Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but little headway has been made. White House aides are frustrated. They blame European allies rather than Trump or Putin for the deadlock.

“The Europeans don’t get to prolong this war and backdoor unreasonable expectations, while also expecting America to bear the cost,” a senior White House official told Axios. “If Europe wants to escalate this war, that will be up to them. But they will be hopelessly snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.”

Disagreements over Ukraine’s stance

According to US officials, certain European governments have urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to push for bigger concessions from Moscow. Washington considers that approach impractical.

“Getting to a deal is an art of the possible. But some of the Europeans continue to operate in a fairy-tale land that ignores the fact it takes two to tango,” another senior official said.

US view of allies divided

The White House sees Britain and France as constructive partners in the peace process. However, it accuses other European allies of leaving America to carry most of the economic and strategic burden of the conflict.