Trump claims 'progress' on ending Russia-Ukraine war, confirms contact with Putin
"If we are talking, I don't want to tell you about the conversations. I do believe we're making progress," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
Trump & Ukraine
'We need to recoup those costs' — Mike Waltz on future of US aid to Ukraine
U.S. aid to Kyiv "is going to be a partnership with the Ukrainians in terms of their rare earths, their natural resources, and their oil and gas, and also buying ours," Trump's national security adviser said on Feb. 9.
Ukraine Business Roundup — Trump wants Ukraine's 'rare earths'
The following is the Feb. 4, 2025 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. President Donald Trump came out on Feb. 3 saying he wanted to make a deal with Ukraine by
Trump says he spoke with Putin about ending war in Ukraine, New York Post reports
U.S. President Donald Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine but declined to say how many times they had spoken, the New York Post reported on Feb. 8.
End war 'as quickly as possible' — US defense secretary outlines Ramstein aims
Pete Hegseth will "highlight the need for increased European leadership on security assistance to Ukraine" at the Ramstein-format summit in Brussels on Feb. 12, the Pentagon said.
'Let's do a deal' — Zelensky tells Reuters he's open to Trump's mineral partnership
President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed in an interview with Reuters on Feb. 7 that Ukraine was not offering to "give away" its resources but seeking a mutually beneficial partnership.
Ukraine to host Trump's envoy Kellogg in February, top official says
Presidential Office head Andriy Yermak said that Kyiv wants Washington to be fully informed about Ukraine's mobilization efforts and the supply of weapons and equipment.
Trump to lay off nearly all USAID staff worldwide, NYT reports
The cuts will reduce the agency from 10,000 staff around the world to just 290, three sources with knowledge of the layoffs said.
Ukraine regaining nuclear weapons 'not going to happen,' Trump's envoy Kellogg says
"The chance of them getting their nuclear weapons back is somewhere between slim and none," Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia said.
US 'not going to eliminate foreign aid,' Rubio says amid USAID shutdown push
"I continue to support foreign aid. But foreign aid is not charity. It exists for the purpose of advancing the national interest of the United States," U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Trump's team split over how to end war in Ukraine, NBC reports
The U.S. has significant leverage over Russia in economic, military, and diplomatic terms, but questions remain over Trump's willingness to use it.
Kellogg to discuss Trump's Ukraine strategy at Munich Security Conference
"I look forward to speaking about (Trump's) goal to end the bloody and costly war in Ukraine," Keith Kellogg said on X.
US leading 'very constructive talks on Ukraine,' Trump says
"But we are having very good talks, very constructive talks on Ukraine. And we are talking to the Russians. We're talking to the Ukrainian leadership," Donald Trump said during a press conference in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
US aid freeze halts support for prosecuting Russian war crimes, Ukraine's energy sector, lawmaker says
The cuts include suspending U.S. assistance in war crimes investigations and halting support for international experts assisting in the process, Democratic Congressman Eugene Vindman said.
'Dates and participants being finalized' — Zelensky on upcoming US delegation visit
Kyiv has indicative dates for the arrival of American officials and is currently working on its arrangement, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
Trump wants $500 billion of Ukraine’s ‘rare earths’ — What are these critical minerals?
President Donald Trump declared on Feb. 3 that he was looking to "do a deal with Ukraine" by giving the war-torn country weapons and aid in return for its "rare earths." "They're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things," Trump told reporters in
Ukraine open to mining rare earths in cooperation with partners, Zelensky says
"We are open to the idea that mineral resources can be developed with our partners who help us protect our land," Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ukraine won't hold elections until Russia's war is over, Ukraine's envoy to US says
The U.S. hasn't yet discussed with Ukraine the necessity of holding elections by the end of 2025, according to Oksana Markarova.
US producers, Saudi Arabia resist Trump's push for increased oil production, WSJ reports
Trump has repeatedly called for lower oil prices, arguing that reducing Russia's oil revenue would force Moscow to end its war against Ukraine.
'Selfish' — Scholz blasts Trump's aid-for-rare earths Ukraine plan
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz reportedly stressed that Ukraine should first be helped to "get back on its feet" and that its resources should be used for its reconstruction after the war.
Trump officially appoints Keith Kellogg as special envoy for Ukraine, Russia
"We made a lot of progress on Russia-Ukraine," U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly said after signing the decree.
US briefly paused weapons to Kyiv in first days of Trump term, sources tell Reuters
The Trump administration was initially inclined to stop all aid to Ukraine, but arms deliveries resumed over the weekend following internal debate, sources claimed.
Rubio takes control of USAID amid Musk's threats to shut down agency
Trump has named Rubio acting USAID administrator "as an interim step toward gaining control and better understanding over the agency's activity," the state department said in a press release.
Ukraine war latest: Kursk operation, long-range strikes into Russia — Syrskyi outlines Ukraine's priorities
Key developments on Feb. 3: * Trump seeks Ukrainian rare earths in exchange for aid, Kyiv keen to agree * Kursk operation, long-range strikes in Russia — Syrskyi outlines Ukraine's priorities * Ukraine's laser technologies 'already hit certain objects,' commander says * Biden admin's escalation fears, 'chaotic' organization delayed aid to Ukraine, Reuters reports
Trump seeks Ukrainian rare earths in exchange for aid, Kyiv keen to agree, source says
U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to have Ukraine supply the U.S. with rare earths as a condition for aid for the war-torn country. "We're looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they're going to secure what we're giving them with their rare earths and other things,
Ukraine's NATO membership 'cheapest' security guarantee, 'victory' for Trump, Zelensky tells AP
"It will be a signal that it is not for Russia to decide who should be in NATO and who should not, but for the United States of America to decide. I think this is a great victory for Trump."
US urges Ukraine to hold elections after ceasefire, Reuters reports
Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, told Reuters that presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended since the all-out war began, "need to be done."
Shifting Sands: Trump’s Peace Proposal for Ukraine and Russia
Update: Briefing slides can now be accessed here. KI Insights subscribers can also access the recording. Join our exclusive KI Insights Monthly Briefing to gain critical perspectives on the prospects of a peace process in Ukraine under the new US administration. We will analyze the various involved stakeholders and their
Trump claims he and Putin could take 'significant' steps to end Russia’s war in Ukraine
"We will be speaking, and I think we will perhaps do something that’ll be significant," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Jan. 31. "We want to end that war. That war would not have started if I was president."
'Dishonest' to suggest Ukraine could have fully defeated Russia, retake Crimea, Rubio says
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. has been "fund(ing) a stalemate" that "set (Ukraine) back a 100 years" and called for a swift resolution.
Trump must call Putin’s bluff on Ukraine talks
Russian President Vladimir Putin is starting 2025 with a bang. In a nod to U.S. President Donald Trump’s desire for a settlement in Ukraine, the Kremlin has announced its readiness for negotiations “without preconditions.” However, the devil is in the details. For Russia, “without preconditions” translates to cutting
Trump’s foreign aid freeze stranded independent media in Ukraine. Here's how you can help
Editor's Note: After this op-ed was published, the Kyiv Independent launched a fundraiser to save three Ukrainian newsrooms that suffered from the aid freeze. It probably made sense on paper. In his first week in office, U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a 90–day freeze on U.S. foreign
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