New statements by US officials demonstrate Washington’s desire to end the war through intensive diplomacy and increased defense cooperation. However, the final stage of the negotiations is accompanied by complex issues of territory and security guarantees for Ukraine. In parallel, the US is shaping a new regional policy that includes containing China and reformatting the transatlantic relationship.
Kallas calls for more confidence from Europe amid criticism from Trump
EU High Representative Kaia Kallas responded cautiously to the harsh assessments of Europe by the Donald Trump administration, emphasizing that some of the remarks may be fair. She said that Europe underestimates its own strength towards Russia and needs to act with more confidence, especially on security issues.
Kallas's comments came after the release of the new US National Security Strategy, which accused Europe of "civilizational erasure" and obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine.
Despite the harsh wording of the document, Kallas stressed that transatlantic relations remain key, and the US is Europe's main ally.
The White House barely mentions Russia in the document, even though it is the country waging war against Ukraine and threatening European governments, which surprised many experts.
Kallas also drew attention to the thesis about Europe's "lack of confidence" in relations with Moscow, emphasizing that the allies have a significant advantage over Russia in "hard power".
When asked whether Trump sees Europe as an "enemy", she rejected such an interpretation and emphasized the importance of a common position. According to her, Europe and the US must stick together, even despite differences in positions on individual issues.
Pentagon studies Ukrainian experience in using autonomous systems
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth saidthat the American army is carefully studying the Ukrainian experience in using autonomous systems in the war against Russia.
He noted that the fighting in Ukraine demonstrates the large-scale use of autonomy, which has become an important lesson for the US armed forces. Hegseth stressed that artificial intelligence technologies will play a decisive role in future wars, and therefore their development is a strategic priority.
In his speech, he also emphasized the importance of investments by US allies in defense. Thus, the Pentagon plans to create a global defense shield together with partners that will ensure the stability and readiness of joint forces around the world.
Hegseth believes that such a system will guarantee common security and help allies protect not only their own interests, but also common ones. He emphasized that well-armed partners are the key to deterring aggressors, in particular Russia.
According to him, the US is already learning from Ukrainian approaches and plans to develop these technologies as part of the modernization of its armed forces.
Negotiations on Ukraine “in the last 10 meters,” – Trump’s special representative
Donald Trump’s special representative, General Keith Kellogg said, that negotiations on ending Russia’s war against Ukraine are almost in the final stage. He compared the current stage to the “last 10 meters” for an infantryman, emphasizing its complexity.
According to him, the key issues remain the territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, as well as the situation around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation. Kellogg believes that after resolving these two blocks of issues, “the rest will be resolved quite well.”
The general emphasized the huge human losses and emphasized that Trump’s priority is to stop the loss of life, while the issue of reconstruction will be at the next stage.
The forum also drew criticism from Senator Chris Coons, who called Putin a “gangster” and criticized the idea of possible concessions by Russia. Coons proposed a set of security guarantees for Ukraine, including the presence of European troops, patrols by the US Air Force, and unrestricted access to intelligence and weapons. He also stressed that abandoning the issue of NATO membership weakens Kyiv’s position.
Zelensky: Ukraine and the US are coordinating steps to ensure the end of the war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said about a long and meaningful telephone conversation with US representatives – White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andriy Gnatov also joined the discussion.
The interlocutors identified key issues that could eliminate the threat of a new Russian invasion and stop the bloodshed of the civilian population of Ukraine.
Zelensky stressed that Ukraine seeks to conduct an honest and constructive dialogue with the American side. In particular, they agreed on further steps and formats of interaction regarding the development of ideas and guarantees.
The President thanked Trump for his intensive approach to the negotiations and said he expected a detailed report from Umerov and Gnatov upon their return. He stressed that every decision must be practical and capable of working in real conditions.
Ukrainian representatives, in turn, announced significant progress in moving towards a “decent peace” and rapprochement of the positions of Ukraine and the United States during the talks in Florida.
Hegseth: The United States is deterring China with force, but does not seek war
Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth said that the Donald Trump administration does not intend to enter into a military confrontation with China, instead relying on deterrence.
He stressed that US policy in the Indo-Pacific region is based on strength and common sense, not escalation. According to him, Washington does not plan to change the status quo regarding Taiwan, despite tensions in relations with Beijing. Hegseth stressed that American interests in the region remain significant, but at the same time “limited and reasonable.”
The Secretary of Defense added that the United States does not seek to dominate China, but only to ensure that Beijing does not dominate its allies. At the same time, Hegseth emphasized the readiness of the American armed forces to defend its own territory and partners. He also emphasized President Trump’s openness to dialogue with Xi Jinping and Putin, calling it a show of strength. Hegseth compared Trump’s approach to the actions of Ronald Reagan, who also did not avoid negotiations with US rivals, despite criticism from some politicians.
Author: Danylo Pievchev