Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated what is needed for a peace agreement to be effective. He emphasized that a just and lasting peace with strong security guarantees is important for Ukraine.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has been renamed the "Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." This decision by the Board of Trustees has drawn criticism due to the name being enshrined in law since 1964 and outrage from the Kennedy family.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy named three fundamental things in security guarantees from the US, including legally binding guarantees, an analogue of NATO Article 5, and a response to Russian aggression. He also mentioned details regarding weapons and the size of the Ukrainian army, which are not yet being disclosed.
The United States has approved an $11. 1 billion arms sale to Taiwan, the largest ever arms package for the island. The move comes amid increasing military pressure from China and includes HIMARS rocket systems, howitzers, and Javelin anti-tank missiles.
The US Senate has approved a national defense bill worth almost $900 billion, which includes $800 million for Ukraine for 2026-2027. The funds will be distributed in equal parts for the procurement of weapons.
Trump ordered a full blockade of all sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers. Caracas condemned the move as an open act of aggression, while Trump accused the government of Nicolas Maduro of drug trafficking and human trafficking.
The US is considering new sanctions against Russia's energy sector, including its "shadow fleet" of tankers, if Putin rejects a peace deal with Ukraine. These measures could be announced as early as this week, as discussed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent with European ambassadors.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that security guarantees for Ukraine must be legally binding and supported by the US Congress. He emphasized that this should be a stronger agreement than the Budapest Memorandum or the Minsk agreements.
Ukraine expects five documents of the "peace plan" approved by the US Congress, after which Zelenskyy will meet with Trump. The documents provide for support in Ukraine's recovery and the creation of a fund to compensate Ukrainians for damages.
Representatives of the Trump administration held five-hour talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin, which were described as "difficult. " The US is increasing pressure on Ukraine to conclude a peace agreement with Russia by the end of the year, but the parties have significant disagreements.
Zelenskyy stated that the Berlin summit is discussing a 20-point plan that includes a ceasefire and legally binding security guarantees for Ukraine. Kyiv seeks to avoid a repeat of the war, insisting on the support of the US Congress for the guarantees.
Negotiations on security guarantees for Ukraine from the US and Europe have made significant progress. The US is ready to provide guarantees based on NATO's Article 5, approved by Congress, with legal force.
The US House of Representatives has passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026. The document provides $800 million for Ukraine and measures to deter Russia and China.
Denmark faces more external threats than in many years due to rising geopolitical conflicts. NATO military intelligence points to Russia and China as the main threats, as well as uncertainty about the US role as a guarantor of European security.
Donald Trump is forcing EU leaders to confront a future in which America is no longer their primary security guarantor. Europe must organize its own defense much faster than anyone could have imagined.
Republican Thomas Massie introduced a bill in Congress for the US to withdraw from NATO, considering it a relic of the Cold War. He proposes redirecting funds to its own defense rather than protecting "socialist countries."
Senators Jeff Merkley and Catherine Cortez Masto have introduced a bill that prohibits the U. S. Treasury Department from minting one-dollar coins featuring a living or incumbent president. This addresses the Treasury Department's plans to issue commemorative coins featuring Donald Trump for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
President Zelenskyy announced that the US has expressed a desire to provide Ukraine with realistic security guarantees, voted on by Congress, as well as to supply weapons. These guarantees include sanctions, air defense, and provisions similar to Article 5.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has no right to cede its own territories to Russia. The US is looking for a compromise on this issue, as Ukraine does not want to give up anything.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine could receive the strongest security guarantees from the United States if they are voted on in Congress. The main question remains the readiness of partners in case of repeated Russian aggression.
The United States has updated its National Security Strategy, which envisages restoring relations with Russia and ending the war in Ukraine. Expert Oleksandr Kraiev noted that the current US Administration's priority is to restore strategic relations with the Russian Federation.
The US Congress has provided $800 million in aid to Ukraine in the defense budget for two years, allocating $400 million each for 2026 and 2027. The total US defense budget for 2026 will be $901 billion.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham announced the identification of 210 facilities in Russia where Ukrainian children from the occupied territories may be held. He emphasized that this is happening in 2025, not 1945, and called for it to be stopped.
Donald Trump has tasked trusted individuals without diplomatic training, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, with negotiating a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. They are scheduled to meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, despite criticism over their ties to Russian officials.
A new plant for the production of "Iron Dome" interceptors has been opened in the United States, which will accelerate the supply of air defense systems to Israel and international customers. The program is funded by the $8.7 billion US aid package approved by Congress in April 2024.
According to Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, US President Donald Trump seeks peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine by pushing both sides. He will ensure that Ukraine is a free, sovereign state with a strong ability to defend itself.
Republicans in the US Congress are preparing to defy President Donald Trump, viewing it as proof that they are looking beyond his term in office.
A conflict has arisen among Republicans in the US Congress over a provision in a bill that allows senators to sue the Department of Justice and receive $500,000 each for violations related to the seizure of their phone records. Senator Lindsey Graham has already announced his intention to file a lawsuit for "tens of millions" of dollars.
US President Donald Trump has supported the advancement in Congress of a bipartisan bill on sanctions against Russia. The bill will provide Trump with more tools to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, allowing for the imposition of secondary sanctions and tariffs against countries that buy Russian oil and gas.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna stated that only new sanctions can stop Russia's war against Ukraine. Moscow finances its war economy through energy exports and the purchase of technologies via third countries.
