European leaders have explicitly defended multicultural democracy as fully compatible with transatlantic partnership, rejecting Donald Trump’s suggestion that diversity threatens alliances. The defense comes as Trump pressures Ukraine on territorial concessions while questioning whether diverse Europe can remain an American ally.
Trump’s proposed Ukraine peace framework would require President Zelenskyy to cede territory to Russia within an extremely short timeframe. US envoys have reportedly given Ukraine only days to respond, with Trump seeking to announce a deal before Christmas. The president’s willingness to question alliance relationships based on demographic composition has alarmed European leaders.
The president stated that whether European countries remain allies “depends” on immigration patterns, suggesting that demographic changes might create ideological incompatibility. He argued that “the people coming in have a totally different ideology” that would make Europe “much weaker” and potentially unsuitable as an alliance partner. This framing implies that only certain demographic compositions can sustain transatlantic cooperation.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, representing a diverse city, received exceptionally harsh personal attacks from Trump. The president’s criticism of London and Khan has been interpreted as exemplifying his concerns about whether diverse societies can be reliable allies. Khan defended London as “liberal, progressive, diverse, successful,” implicitly arguing that these qualities strengthen rather than weaken partnerships.
European leaders have responded with unified defense of multicultural democracy. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and EU officials have emphasized that diversity enhances European strength and does not diminish commitment to democratic values or transatlantic cooperation. They note that shared democratic principles, not demographic homogeneity, form the basis of the alliance. Pope Leo XIV joined political leaders in defending inclusive societies while warning that Trump’s approach threatens partnership based on shared values rather than shared ethnicity.