US President Donald Trump. Photo: AFP / Andrew Caballero-Reynolds
Donald Trump has criticised Europe's "weak" leaders over policy on immigration, as he claimed "size will win" in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
In a wide-ranging interview with US political website Politico, the Republican president took aim at "decaying" Europe, before putting out another call for Ukrainian elections and reiterating his support for Hungary's far right leader Victor Orban.
The US president also hinted he could walk away from supporting Ukraine and suggested it could cede territory to Moscow, as "Russia has the upper hand" and that "at some point, size will win".
"And this is a massive size, when you take a look at the numbers, I mean, the numbers are just crazy," Trump added.
He also continued his threats of land strikes against suspected Venezuelan drug traffickers and suggested that he could extend anti-drug military operations to Mexico and Colombia
His comments, in an interview from Tuesday local time, reiterated much of his worldview after releasing a sweeping US strategy road map last week seeking to reframe the country's global role.
That National Security Strategy described a nation focused on reasserting itself in the Western Hemisphere, while warning Europe that it must change course on immigration policy or face "civilisational erasure".
"I think they're weak," Trump told Politico, referring to Europe's political leaders.
"But I also think that they want to be so politically correct.
"They don't … I think they don't know what to do.
"Europe doesn't know what to do."
European nations 'decaying'
Trump also said he did not offer a financial lifeline to the government of ally Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who met with the US president last month at the White House.
Donald Trump greets and points at Hungarian PM Viktor Orban.
Donald Trump has consistently praised Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Photo: AFP / Saul Loeb
"No, I didn't promise him, but he certainly asked for it," he said.
That led Trump into an attack on immigration within Europe, firstly praising Orban on Hungary's tough stance on migration.
"He's really gotten right is the immigration because he allows nobody in his country," he said.
"And Poland has done a very good job in that respect, too.
"But most European nations, uh, they're … they're decaying."
A spokesperson for the European Commission, asked about Trump's comments, defended the bloc's leaders and said the region remained committed to their union despite challenges such as Russia's war in Ukraine and Trump's tariff policies.
"I will refrain from commenting, other than confirming that we are very pleased and grateful to have excellent leaders," EU Spokesperson Paula Pinho said at a daily briefing for journalists, adding that they were "leading the EU with all the challenges that it is facing, from trade to war in our neighbourhood, and who are showing that they can be united."
Trump again said he thought it was time for Ukraine to hold elections as the war nears its four-year mark.
Ukraine is expected to share a revised peace plan with the US later on Tuesday, one day after hastily-arranged talks with European leaders.
US would consider targets in Mexico, Colombia: Trump
In the Americas, Trump repeatedly declined to rule out sending American troops into Venezuela as part of an effort to bring down President Nicolas Maduro, saying he did not want to discuss military strategy: "I don't want to rule in or out."
Asked if he would consider using force against targets in other countries where the drug trade is highly active, including Mexico and Colombia, he said: "I would."
Later on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to brief congressional leaders and the heads of Congress' intelligence panels, sources told Reuters.
The briefing follows a months-long military campaign against alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific that has come under intense scrutiny following a September 2 decision to launch a second strike on a suspected drug boat in the Caribbean.
"I don't care if he does," Trump told Politico of Hegseth testifying before Congress on the controversial September 2 second strike.
"He can if he wants.
"I don't care."
- ABC