The European Commission's plan of creating a "drone wall" on the union's eastern border has met a tough reality in Copenhagen — opposition from EU member states without a border with Russia. "Leaders broadly supported initial flagship projects that will strengthen Europe's security, including the European Drone Wall and the Eastern Flank Watch," European Council President António Costa said at a press conference after the informal EU Council meeting in Denmark. Yet, member states were not conv

HELSINKI, Finland — Finland's President Alexander Stubb says he believes Donald Trump is shifting from persuasion to pressure in his effort to end the war in Ukraine. "(U.S.) President Trump is working, if not around the clock, at least every day, trying to end the war," Stubb told a group of European media outlets, including the Kyiv Independent, at his residence in Helsinki. "Having seen that carrots rarely work with the Russians, he has moved to the stick stage — and now it's just a questio

Europe's "Coalition of the Willing" summit on Sept. 4 struggled to gain Washington's support for its proposed plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine, and doubts remain over whether or not it can be implemented, European and Ukrainian officials have told the Kyiv Independent. After the Paris summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said that 26 countries are ready to send troops or contribute other support as part of guarantees, but only after a ceasefire. Macron also said that if Russia failed to

BRUSSELS — As the so-called Coalition of the Willing gathers in Paris on Sept. 4, European leaders are expected to hear from Washington what role the U.S. is prepared to play in providing security guarantees for Kyiv. For months, American officials have repeated that Europe must shoulder the bulk of the burden. Now, with a European blueprint nearly finalized at the technical level, officials in Paris say the plans are ready for use — provided Washington offers a backstop. “We are willing and a

Editor's note: This item has been updated to reflect additional developments on security guarantees from U.S. officials. BRUSSELS, Belgium — European leaders are set to meet to coordinate the next steps on security guarantees for Ukraine after high-level talks in Washington, as diplomatic efforts intensify ahead of a possible trilateral summit involving Kyiv and Moscow. Following the White House talks, they are expected to reconvene in multiple formats over the coming days to align positions b

BRUSSELS, Belgium — The European Union said it was preparing the next sanctions package on Moscow ahead of looming US-Russia peace talks. The last-minute virtual talks came just ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Alaska meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15, which had spooked Kyiv’s Western allies as to what concessions Washington would be willing to make. "We will work on a 19th package of sanctions," EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Aug. 11, after an extraordinary