Secretary of State Marco Rubio, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian officials in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 18, 2025. (Associated Press)
Several NATO members have pushed for European involvement in such discussions. For example, The Associated Press reports that German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Feb. 13 that Europe "must" be present for negotiations, especially if it is "supposed to play a central or the main role in the peace order."
But Crenshaw dismissed such comments.
"You know how many people are scared of the European Union?" Crenshaw said in the podcast. "None. Be scary, be threatening, actually show that you can have some leverage, and then maybe you can have a seat at the table."
Crenshaw, who attended the Munich Security Conference in February, reiterated that European countries that are part of NATO need to beef up defense efforts, aligning with statements from Trump administration officials like Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Hegseth told NATO members in Brussels on Feb. 13 that "our partners must do far more for Europe’s defense."
In 2023, the U.S. spent 3.3% of its GDP on defense spending — totaling $880 billion, according to the nonpartisan Washington, D.C.-based Peterson Institute for International Economics. The institute also found that more than 50% of NATO funding comes from the U.S., while other allies, like the United Kingdom, France and Germany, have contributed between 4% and 8% to NATO funding in recent years.
President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy are scheduled to meet on Feb. 28, 2025, as the Trump administration advances peace negotiations to end conflict in Ukraine. (Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance/Curtis Means/Daily Mail/Bloomberg)
The Trump administration is continuing to advance discussions to end the war in Ukraine, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to visit the White House on Friday.
French President Emmanuel Macron visited the White House Monday and called for the U.S. to coordinate with France to secure lasting peace. Still, he advised the U.S. to exercise caution when dealing with Russia.
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"We want peace," he said in an interview from Blair House Monday on "Special Report." "And I think the initiative of President Trump is a very positive one. But my message was to say be careful, because we need something substantial for Ukraine."
"I think the arrival of President Trump is a game-changer," he said. "And I think he has the deterrence capacity of the U.S. to re-engage with Russia."
Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dan-crenshaw-europeans-can-boost-defense-spending-shut-up-ukraine-negotiations