Trump’s threats to withdraw US from Nato ‘look like Putin’s dream plan’, says Tusk – Europe live | Europe
Polish PM says NATO threats, crisis energy and Orbán’s veto on Ukraine aid ‘looks like Putin’s dream plan’
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk He warned that Donald Trump’s repeated threats to break up NATO, the possibility of a “major” energy crisis in Europe and Viktor Orbán’s moves to block aid and money to Ukraine are similar “Putin’s dream plan.”
He said in a rare social media post in English:
“The threat of NATO dissolution, the easing of sanctions against Russia, a major energy crisis in Europe, the suspension of aid to Ukraine and the blocking of Orbán’s loan to Kiev – all of this sounds like Putin’s dream plan.”
Earlier this week, Tusk heavily criticized Hungary. Viktor Orban and foreign minister Péter Szijjártó, Following media reports claiming the government has close ties with Russia.
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Lithuania to seek legal aid from US to assist Epstein investigation
Meanwhile, Lithuanian attorney general Nida Grunskienė said she will seek legal assistance from the United States as the pre-trial investigation into possible human trafficking crimes triggered by the publication of Jeffrey Epstein’s cables continues.
The investigation was launched in February after several central and eastern European countries expressed concern about reports that Epstein’s alleged collaborators had ties to the region. Latvia And Poland They also opened separate investigations.
Grunskienė said at a press conference: prosecutors spoke with about 20 people, While the victim has not yet been identified, Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT reported.
“Information is collected and analyzed and We are preparing to submit a request for legal assistance to the United States,he said.
Trump questions value of NATO and mocks France’s Macron in separate private lunch speech
Although Trump did not mention NATO or address European allies in his main address to the nation, it is worth noting. HE I did We had a separate conversation earlier last night where we had some insight into the alliance – but we didn’t need to know that.
In a video of the private lunch that was briefly posted on the White House YouTube channel before it was removed, he questioned the value of NATO and argued: The Iranian war told him that “if we have the grand alliance, the alliance will not be there; You know what I mean by big.”
(First of all, I don’t think it’s clear who the ‘big one’ is. Russia or China?)
Somewhat more worryingly for Europeans, he continued:
“If we have the biggest – I hope we don’t live, [our] Relations with the big one are very good, better than with NATO – but they won’t be there.”
In another passage, He criticized the “very bad” allies in NATO, and said the alliance was a “paper tiger”, while also arguing that it was disappointing that the allies were not helping Iran and that it was “the last thing I need”.
Separately, he also mocked France. Emmanuel Macron for an incident in 2025 in which he appeared to be pushed by his wife Brigitte.
Trump said the following about his last phone call with the French President: “I’m calling France, Macron, whose wife treats him very badly. The healing process continues up to the right jaw.”
He later mocked Macron’s English accent and claimed the French president only wanted to help “after the war is won”.
Now it is useful to remember this These statements are not public and were made at a private event. but they still tell us something about how Trump views NATO and its European allies.
So who is the “big one” for God’s sake!?
Morning opening: Lots of noise about nothing
Yakup Krupa
After all this excitement Donald Trump’s Rapidly increasing rhetoric regarding NATO and suggestions that he might go further in his address to the nation last night. He…didn’t say anything about it.
Whether it’s the late phone call intervention of Finland, Europe’s top Trump whisperer, Alexander Stubb, or the possibility of the NATO secretary general’s visit to Washington next week Mark Rutte, We will never know but the truth is we live to fight another day.
There was some of the usual talk about the “lagging courage” of unnamed allies, but we’d heard it all before. actually word “NATO” it didn’t even have the feature in his speech. (It was an option as I suggested yesterday.)
In its place, Trump addresses nation in prime time speech to declare month-long war in Iran a success “nearly complete”on the contrary, thing, A spiraling conflict that is causing economic turmoil around the world, tearing apart transatlantic alliances and eroding the president’s approval ratings.
But while some still doubt whether Trump wants or can follow through on his dramatic comments about leaving the alliance, the alarm raised by Trump’s comment remains valid.
The Guardian Julian Borger He also rightly noted that Any attempt to formally leave NATO would likely trigger a constitutional crisis this will almost certainly go to the US supreme court. But the court has a record of siding with the executive branch in disputes over foreign policy issues.
However Ruth DeyermondA senior lecturer in war studies at King’s College London said: The crisis facing the alliance will not simply disappear at the end of Trump’s tenure in the White House.
“This is wishful thinking,” Deyermond said Said on Bluesky. “Failing to understand the importance of the alliance to US security and taking allies for granted is not unique to the Trump administration.”
I’ll tell you some of the reactions from Europeans to Trump’s speech and other news from around the continent.
His Thursday, April 2, 2026, his Yakup Krupa here and this Europe Live.
Good morning.
