Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa hit out at Donald Trump, accusing him of acting as a Soviet or Russian agent.
During a speech at the PSD Summer University, Mr Sousa said, "The president of the most powerful global superpower is objectively a Soviet or Russian asset. He acts as an agent."
Mr Sousa's reaction came after Trump's repeated attempts to position himself as the primary mediator in bringing Ukraine and Russia together.
Trump's efforts to settle the conflict, according to Mr Sousa, have not actually helped Ukraine. Instead, he suggested, the 79-year-old's actions could weaken Ukraine's position or may even indirectly favour Russia, according to Ukrainian National News (UNN).
"Objectively, the new US leadership has strategically favoured the Russian Federation," he stated.
Mr Sousa further accused Mr Trump of talking tough on Russia by threatening "terrible sanctions," but said these warnings have not been followed through, according to Euro News.
Speaking about the conflict in Eastern Europe, he said Trump was trying to act as an arbitrator but only planned to negotiate with one side. He added that Kiev and the European states must assert themselves to have a real say in the final negotiations.
"In other words, they have shifted from the role of allies on one side to the role of arbiters in this conflict... Every day, we hear terrible threats about sanctions. Were there any U.S. sanctions against Russia under the new president? None. And still they threaten massive sanctions, said Mr Sousa, according to Censor.Net.
Recent global developments are a result of Europe underestimating Trump and the influence of Trumpism, he said. European leaders failed to anticipate how the last US elections could swiftly alter the balance of power, he added.
"They don't even imagine what that would mean. But it is clear there will be nothing, because Europe underestimated Trump and Trumpism, and the possibility of a sudden shift in the balance of power," Mr Sousa said.
Andrew McCabe, a former FBI employee, told the Guardian in 2024 that they wouldn't call Trump an intelligence agent. But they do think that Trump's way of dealing with Russia, especially his interactions with Russian President Vladimir Putin, makes people question his approach and decisions regarding the country.
