General Hodges: Without Political Will, Europe Cannot Stop Russia

In a striking interview with Euronews’ Europe Today, retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges — former commander of U.S. Army Europe — warned that the continent is “slowly waking up to the fact” that it can no longer rely on Washington as a fair or dependable partner.

Hodges delivered his message bluntly:“The United States actually considers Europe insignificant, except perhaps for certain business purposes,” he told Euronews, offering a harsh assessment of current American foreign policy.

“The U.S. approach was doomed from the start”

According to Hodges, Washington has mishandled the war in Ukraine from the very beginning, treating the conflict “like a massive real-estate deal” instead of recognizing its geopolitical implications.

He referred to recent revelations concerning special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner — which he believes show that the primary U.S. interest is securing future business cooperation with Russia, once the war is over.If that happens, Hodges warned, it would be “a huge problem for Europe.”

He added that a forced, unfavorable deal for Kyiv could trigger a dramatic new refugee wave: “If Ukraine is pushed into an unsatisfactory settlement, millions will move toward Europe,” he cautioned.

Europe is only 4th on Washington’s priority list

The absence of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio from a key NATO meeting in Brussels this week is, according to Hodges, a clear sign of shifting priorities.

He outlined the current U.S. ranking:

1. Western Hemisphere
2. Indo-Pacific
3. Middle East
4. Europe

“It’s unusual — but it’s part of the problem,” Hodges said, indicating that Europe must face the new reality and take ownership of its own security.

Europe has the means — but not the will

Despite his criticism of Washington, Hodges insisted that the situation is not hopeless. Ukraine, together with Europe, already has the industrial base, financial resources, and population strength needed to contain Russia.

The issue, he argued, is not capability but determination:

“There is no reason why Europe, including Ukraine, cannot stop Russia. What is missing is confidence and political will.”