Politics

Exclusive: 'Be careful' — European leaders warned Zelensky to assess Trump's real stance at Mar-a-Lago

by Tim ZadorozhnyyDecember 29, 2025

A day before President Volodymyr Zelensky met U.S. President Donald Trump, European leaders privately warned the Ukrainian president that the talks could go badly and urged him to "be careful," according to detailed notes from the call shared with the Kyiv Independent by a senior diplomatic source. The caution came ahead of Zelensky's Dec. 28 meeting with Trump at the U.S. president's Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago — a high-stakes encounter focused on Washington's latest push to broker a peace f

Croatia and Romania to join NATO-backed plan to purchase US weapons for Ukraine

by The Kyiv Independent news deskDecember 31, 2025

Zelensky calls out India, UAE over their support of Putin's 'assassination attempt' claim

by Kate TsurkanDecember 30, 2025

Trump 'very angry' about alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin residence

by Lucy PakhnyukDecember 30, 2025

Trump, Putin hold phone call following Zelensky's visit to Florida

by Kateryna DenisovaDecember 29, 2025

US security guarantees set for 15 years, with Ukraine pushing for extension, Zelensky says

by Kateryna DenisovaDecember 29, 2025

Trump holds call with Putin hours before scheduled meeting with Zelensky

by Sonya BandouilDecember 28, 2025

Trump's Mar-a-Lago meeting with Zelensky ends without agreement on how peace in Ukraine should look

by Linda HouraniDecember 28, 2025

NewsLetters

News Feed

Thursday, January 1

08:37 PM

Lions injured, birds killed — Russian attack strikes eco-park near Kharkiv

Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, over 100 animals and five people, including employees and volunteers, have been killed by Russian forces on the eco-park's grounds.

05:57 PM

Zelensky, European leaders to meet on Jan. 6 in France following high-level meetings

Ukraine is preparing to host a new round of high-level security discussions with Western partners in early January, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 30, signaling an effort to maintain diplomatic momentum.

06:47 PM

Ukraine enters EU's single mobile roaming zone

Ukraine formally joined the European Union's single roaming zone on Jan. 1, allowing Ukrainian citizens to use their mobile phone service across the European bloc without incurring additional charges.

05:59 PM

Ukraine deploys two additional Patriot air defense systems, Defense Ministry reports

Patriot is one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, capable of intercepting aircraft as well as cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles.

10:25 AM

'The Russians took our dead ones away' — 5 things we lost in Pokrovsk

'All memories of my childhood in Pokrovsk seem like a dream, as if it never really happened.'

04:05 PM

'Welcome back to life' — Ukraine's HUR faked death of top anti-Putin Russian commander, claimed Kremlin bounty money

Denis Kapustin, commander of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), was reported killed in action on Dec. 27.

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War

'We can't just withdraw from our territories' —Zelensky says following his meeting with Trump

Zelensky tells Fox News' Bret Baier that Ukraine has demonstrated concrete steps toward peace over the past month and raised the possibility of a referendum on the peace plan. At the same time, a referendum would not legitimize withdrawing from Ukrainian territory, given the current security realities.

Politics

Editors' Picks

Children take part in Malanka celebrations in Krasnoilsk, Chernivtsi Oblast, Ukraine, on Jan. 14, 2022.

Politics

Exclusive: 'Be careful' — European leaders warned Zelensky to assess Trump's real stance at Mar-a-Lago

Croatia and Romania to join NATO-backed plan to purchase US weapons for Ukraine

Zelensky calls out India, UAE over their support of Putin's 'assassination attempt' claim

Trump 'very angry' about alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin residence

Trump, Putin hold phone call following Zelensky's visit to Florida

US security guarantees set for 15 years, with Ukraine pushing for extension, Zelensky says

Trump holds call with Putin hours before scheduled meeting with Zelensky

Trump's Mar-a-Lago meeting with Zelensky ends without agreement on how peace in Ukraine should look

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NewsLetters

News Feed

Lions injured, birds killed — Russian attack strikes eco-park near Kharkiv

Zelensky, European leaders to meet on Jan. 6 in France following high-level meetings

Ukraine enters EU's single mobile roaming zone

Ukraine deploys two additional Patriot air defense systems, Defense Ministry reports

'The Russians took our dead ones away' — 5 things we lost in Pokrovsk

'Welcome back to life' — Ukraine's HUR faked death of top anti-Putin Russian commander, claimed Kremlin bounty money

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'We can't just withdraw from our territories' —Zelensky says following his meeting with Trump

Exclusive: 'Be careful' — European leaders warned Zelensky to assess Trump's real stance at Mar-a-Lago

Dr. Strangelove or: How the West taught Putin to stop worrying and love his bombs

Trump 'very angry' about alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin residence

US peace efforts make full circle, as Putin tells Trump Ukraine out to kill him

Editors' Picks

Malanka: Ukraine's winter ritual of masks, mischief, and good fortune

2025 in 25 stories from the Kyiv Independent

Carol of the Bells: the song that made the world speak about Ukraine

With his right-hand man gone, Zelensky learns to rule Ukraine alone