Pozņaks: Latvia Should Not Scale Back Ukraine Support to Avoid Upsetting Trump

Pozņaks, a member of the European Parliament (EP) from Latvia, says it would be dangerous for Latvia to reduce its support for Ukraine in order to avoid irritating US President Donald Trump. He ties the argument to Latvia's own security: the longer Ukraine can resist Russian aggression, the fewer opportunities Russia has to threaten Latvia. In his view, Latvia would not become safer by giving up its principles every time an influential politician says something unpleasant.

The US president is not the only voice

Pozņaks notes that US policy is not set by the president alone. Separation of powers still operates, and presidential authority has limits. As an example, he points to the US Supreme Court's February decision to halt tariffs imposed by Trump; the court includes judges nominated by Trump himself. He also says that in early October, when Ukraine had problems with Starlink communications, nine US senators, including four Republicans, demanded an investigation. According to him, Ukraine retains strong supporters in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, among Democrats and Republicans alike. He cites a poll from early October in which 34% of Americans viewed Trump's performance positively and 61% negatively.

Diplomacy and Europe's position

Citing Ukrainian experts, Pozņaks says the US currently has no full ambassador in Ukraine, and Ukraine has none in the US, so few people are available to settle disputes before they turn into public conflicts. He stresses that European leaders have expressed support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky even after Trump's early-October statements.

The MEP also recalls that soldiers from 12 European countries and Canada serve in the NATO multinational brigade in Latvia. Pozņaks sits in the European Conservatives and Reformists group in the EP, alongside representatives of the party of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He cites Meloni's remarks that ending Ukraine's resistance would bring not peace but a return of Soviet-style imperialism.