Portuguese President Labels Trump Russian Asset Over Ukraine War

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has strongly criticized US President Donald Trump, labeling him a "Soviet or Russian asset" for strategically favoring Russia in the ongoing war against Ukraine. Speaking at the PSD Summer University, Sousa accused Trump of acting more as an arbiter favoring Moscow by attempting to negotiate peace solely with Russia, thereby sidelining Ukraine and European allies. He highlighted Trump's failure to impose meaningful sanctions on Russia despite public threats and criticized the US leadership's inconsistent stance since Trump’s second term began. Sousa also pointed out that Europe underestimated Trump and Trumpism, failing to anticipate the shifts in global power dynamics following the 2024 US elections. While some European leaders, including the UK Prime Minister and France’s President, have praised Trump for breaking deadlocks with Putin, Sousa’s remarks underscore a starkly different view, emphasizing concerns about Trump’s approach potentially weakening Ukraine’s position. These comments reflect ongoing tensions within NATO and allied nations over the best strategy to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict.