Slovenian president also warned that Europe’s growing military expenditure — now surpassing €150 billion under a new EU debt plan — risks damaging its social fabric
Amid renewed fears of escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, the European Union may be laying the groundwork for a quiet diplomatic thaw with Moscow, even as US President Donald Trump unleashed a fiery tirade against both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar claimed in an interview published on Monday that the EU could soon reinitiate contact with Russia — over three years after cutting formal ties following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Musar said the idea of restarting a dialogue with the Kremlin had been discussed recently with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who allegedly confirmed that “they are working on that”.
Although von der Leyen has not publicly commented on the claim, Musar’s remarks suggest a notable shift in Brussels, especially as internal rifts widen between hawkish and dovish member states. Musar, who has been vocal in criticising both the war and the EU’s response to it, said it was a mistake for the bloc to entirely sever communication with Moscow, especially without unifying its own ranks. She pointed to dissenting voices in Hungary and Slovakia, both of whom have challenged the bloc’s hardline stance.
“The EU must find its way back into the room when peace is eventually negotiated,” she said, calling for “silent diplomacy” led by a group of wise envoys. “Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue — that’s the only path forward,” Musar urged.
Over the weekend, Russia launched one of its deadliest aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities in months, killing several civilians, including children
But the Slovenian president also warned that Europe’s growing military expenditure — now surpassing €150 billion under a new EU debt plan — risks damaging its social fabric. “Countries must not gut welfare for the sake of defence,” she cautioned. France, Germany, and Belgium are among those already slashing social budgets to meet military demands.
Even as the EU entertains the idea of dialogue, tensions continue to rise on the battlefield. Over the weekend, Russia launched one of its deadliest aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities in months, killing several civilians, including children. The strikes coincided with the largest prisoner swap between the two nations since the war began in 2022.
The attacks drew a delayed but explosive reaction from Trump, who has remained largely circumspect on Ukraine since returning to office. In a string of posts on his Truth Social platform, he described Putin as “absolutely crazy” and accused him of slaughtering civilians with no justification. “I don’t know what happened to him. He’s killing a lot of people — not just soldiers. Cities are under fire for no reason whatsoever,” Trump said.
Despite claiming a once-strong relationship with the Russian leader, Trump insisted that Putin’s ambitions go far beyond Donbas. “I’ve always said he wants all of Ukraine… but if he tries, it’ll destroy Russia.”
The US president also took aim at Ukrainian President Zelensky, responding harshly to the latter’s recent comments blaming “American silence” for enabling Russian aggression. “Everything out of Zelensky’s mouth causes problems. I don’t like it, and it better stop,” Trump warned. He reiterated his long-standing assertion that the war would never have begun had he been in office during the early stages of the conflict.
“This is Zelensky’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s war — not mine. I’m just trying to clean up the mess,” he said during an impromptu press briefing.
While Trump hinted at possible new sanctions against Moscow, he also appeared to diverge from his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who earlier told Congress that threats of tougher sanctions could hinder Russia from coming to the table.
Trump’s comments come amid growing debate in the West about how to de-escalate the war — or at least manage its fallout. With thousands dead, millions displaced, and economic strain spreading, calls for diplomacy are growing louder, especially within the EU. Yet the prospect of peace remains elusive.
In her most pointed remark yet, Musar condemned Russia’s latest strikes while reaffirming Slovenia’s solidarity with Ukraine. “The brutal attack from Russia does not pave the road to peace. People continue to die. This is inexcusable,” she posted on X, formerly Twitter.
But even within such condemnation lies the core of a dilemma facing Europe — how to uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty while nudging both sides toward an eventual settlement. For now, the EU appears to be hedging its bets: preparing for peace, while bracing for more war.
