This text was created as part of the Axel Springer Global Reporters Network project, of which Onet is a part.
Bolton, a key figure in Trump's first administration until the president fired him, spoke with Global Reporters Network journalist Anne McElvoy during the Democracy Summit in Copenhagen. As a longtime supporter of a hard line on Iran who has pushed for regime change in Tehran, Bolton said European powers made the mistake of distancing themselves from the war.
“I think Trump made a big mistake by not consulting with his European NATO allies before the war,” Bolton said. “However, Europe's reaction has made the situation worse,” he stressed. Drawing attention to Europe's greater geographical proximity to Iran and its economic dependence on stability in the Persian Gulf, he added: – It is wrong to say that this is not Europe's war. This is Europe's war.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently joined the British government's critical comments on the course of the war, stating that the United States is “humiliated” by the Iranian authorities and that he sees no exit strategy from the Americans.
In response, the US president announced his intention to withdraw 5,000. American soldiers stationed in Germany.
Bolton knows best that opposing Trump can have consequences. In 2019, the president announced on social media that he was firing Bolton after several clashes over foreign policy where Trump's original “America first” agenda did not mesh well with Bolton's hawkish views on Russia, Venezuela, Iran and North Korea.
Bolton said Trump's dispute with Europe does not bode well for the transatlantic alliancewhich has already fallen apart on the question of how far to support Ukraine in its war with Russia.
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— If they were transactional, like Trump, they would say, “OK, we'll help you. Now let's talk about Ukraine.” Instead, there was a kind of school exchange with a threat to withdraw the 5,000. soldiers, which is just another school joke, he said.
This simply brings the dispute within NATO to a lower level than it should be
– he added.
“It would be cruel irony”
Bolton also criticized Spain's foreign minister for refusing to provide air bases in the conflict and for suggesting Europe should be less dependent on America for defense.
— This is the moment of Europe's sovereignty and independence. Americans encourage us to do this, Jose Manuel Albares told POLITICO this week.
Bolton, who also served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush, disagrees. — He's wrong – he replied. -He [Albares] he also spoke about the need to create a European Union army – to which I can only say: good luck, he added.
Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jose Manuel Albares, May 11, 2026OLIVIER HOSLET / PAP
— It is not the case that Europe currently has many strong political leaders, nor that it has the capacity to deal with many crises on its own. During the Cold War, one of the Soviet Union's key goals was to break up the NATO alliance, and one of the many reasons it failed is because we refused to let division come between us. It would be a cruel irony if we did this to ourselves after the Cold War, he said.
Bolton also addressed what he sees as Europe's lack of seriousness regarding China. “While Europeans are concerned about Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they are less concerned about China's role in supporting Russia and they are not very concerned about a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan, although I believe these issues are increasingly intertwined and I think the current Gulf war with Iran is being fought primarily between Russian and Chinese allies,” Bolton said.
I'm not sure Europe as a whole is thinking beyond the North Atlantic
– he added.
Chrystia Freeland, former deputy prime minister of Canada and current economic adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, also issued a warning about Europe's attitude in connection with Trump's visit to China.
In a separate interview during the summit, she told POLITICO that the rift in relations between the United States and its European allies “makes it much more difficult to reach a common position on China.” “It is very difficult to achieve this without the participation of the United States in these activities,” she added
Earlier this week, Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities brought charges of corruption and money laundering against Andriy Yermak, Zelensky's former head of office. Freeland acknowledged that the country was grappling with corruption problems, but hailed Yermak's arrest as a sign of progress, following criticism that the government had resisted tackling cronyism.
— I believe that we should see the actions of Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies as a sign of Ukraine's health, not its disease, she said.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
