Russian invasion Negotiations

Top diplomat sees Trump's peace plan as "political theater"

The draft of European security guarantees for Ukraine is pure "political theater" that cannot protect against future Russian aggression. This is what top American diplomat and former Biden advisor Michael Carpenter warns in an interview with the Kyiv Post.

- This force will probably never be deployed, because Putin will certainly reject it when he negotiates the terms of a ceasefire, he says.

The background is that European leaders want to negotiate the proposal without Putin's influence. Carpenter sees this as pointless, because he is the one who must approve it.

After the summit in Alaska, the design of European security guarantees has emerged as one of the leading sticking points in the peace negotiations. It is seen as an alternative to Ukrainian NATO membership, which Russia strongly opposes, reports the BBC.

US reportedly offers support for peacekeeping force in Ukraine

The US has offered to contribute intelligence and air defense systems to a possible peacekeeping force in Ukraine, sources with insight into the talks told the Financial Times.

Such a force would aim to deter Russia from aggression after a peace settlement is reached, and would be led by European countries. In talks between Britain, France and the US, European officials have said that American support is required.

Donald Trump ruled out American help earlier this year, and the sources say that the American decision is not written in stone. However, it has been communicated to European countries in recent days. The US continues to refuse to deploy its own troops in the country.

Sources: US, Russia negotiate energy deal

The US and Russia have been negotiating several new energy deals between the countries in parallel with the peace talks, five sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

According to the sources, the US sees such an agreement as an incentive for the Kremlin to make peace and as a way to facilitate the easing of US sanctions.

The issue was discussed during US envoy Steve Witkoff's visit to Moscow. The plans have also been discussed inside the White House, directly with Donald Trump, according to two of the sources. According to one of the informants, the deals were also on the table when Trump met with Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

“The White House really wanted to be able to show off a headline after the Alaska summit and announce a big investment deal. This is how Trump feels he has achieved something,” says one of the sources.

Russia's large energy sector has been largely cut off from the outside world since the country began its invasion of Ukraine. 

Russian invasion Fighting
Ukrainian drone explodes over Estonia

A suspected Ukrainian combat drone exploded over Estonia on Monday, the Estonian government said, according to AFP.

"Based on preliminary information, we have reason to believe that it was a Ukrainian drone targeting targets on Russian territory," said Margo Palloson, director general of the Estonian Security Service ISS.