Tense private meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at Pope Francis’ funeral fuels speculation about a U.S.-Russia backdoor ceasefire — without Ukraine at the table.

Trump and Zelenskyy Lock Horns Again in Rome

The war over Ukraine’s future may have just shifted from the battlefield to the marble halls of Rome.

On Saturday morning, as the world gathered to bury Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square, U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met face-to-face for the first time since their brutal Oval Office fallout in February — a meeting that White House insiders privately described as “frosty but critical.”

Official statements tried to downplay the tension, calling it a “very productive discussion.” But the context speaks louder:
Just hours before, Trump boasted that Ukraine and Russia are “very close to a deal” — a deal discussed not with Kyiv at the table, but behind its back in Moscow.

Trump’s handpicked envoy, Steve Witkoff, met directly with Vladimir Putin on Friday, hammering out what Trump described on Truth Social as a breakthrough: “Most of the major points are agreed to.”

The Kremlin chimed in, calling the secret negotiations “constructive.”

Left out entirely?
Ukraine.

Sources close to the talks say Trump is pushing for a “ceasefire” deal that prioritizes U.S.-Russia stabilization over Ukrainian territorial integrity — a move that would effectively strong-arm Kyiv into a settlement dictated by outside powers.

The Rome encounter between Trump and Zelenskyy, before the funeral began, was short and tense, according to European diplomats briefed on the sidelines. No official Ukrainian representation was present in Moscow, and Zelenskyy’s team remained tight-lipped Saturday morning.

La Repubblica reports that further talks between Trump and Zelenskyy are scheduled after the funeral — but with Trump’s Moscow track already in motion, Kyiv’s leverage may be slipping fast.

In the shadow of one pope’s death, a new battle for Europe’s future is quietly unfolding.

White House debates lifting Russia’s Nord Stream sanctions—Trump’s team split as global gas war looms.

As the world reels from Trump’s tariff tremors, a quiet storm brews inside the White House that could rewrite the balance of global energy power. At the heart of the chaos: a bold move to lift sanctions on Russia’s energy assets, including Nord Stream 2—a pipeline many in Europe thought buried after the Ukraine invasion.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s Moscow envoy and self-declared friend of Vladimir Putin, is pushing for a seismic shift. His proposal? Unleash Russian gas back into Europe and roll back sanctions on Arctic 2 LNG. The result? A massive geopolitical and economic win for the Kremlin.

This isn’t policy. It’s power play. And not everyone in D.C. is onboard.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Interior chief Doug Burgum are battling to stop what they see as a Trojan horse. Burgum’s Energy Dominance Council fears the move would crush U.S. LNG producers and hand Moscow control over European gas markets again. Rubio, wary of déjà vu from Trump’s first term, skipped this week’s London peace talks entirely in protest.

Behind the scenes, billionaires like Stephen Lynch and ex-KGB ally Matthias Warnig are maneuvering to buy up Russian pipeline assets. If the Trump team gives the green light, they’ll control not just infrastructure—but influence over European energy futures.

What’s at stake? American energy leadership. Ukraine’s sovereignty. Europe’s independence.

What’s the risk? Trump’s need for a “deal” with Putin may blind him to the long-term cost. Lifting sanctions now would give Russia the financial oxygen it craves—while U.S. allies, war-torn Ukraine, and domestic producers are left gasping.

This isn’t just a debate. It’s a frontline of a new Cold War—one fought with gas valves instead of guns. And if Witkoff wins, the question for the world isn’t if Putin is back—but how fast he’ll dominate again.

 As the U.S. downsizes at Poland’s Jasionka base, questions rise over NATO cohesion, Trump’s intentions, and Europe’s defense future. 

The U.S. military’s quiet exit from the Jasionka logistics hub — the lifeline of Ukraine’s war effort — is more than just a “streamlining” of operations. It’s a seismic signal: Washington is pulling back from the frontlines of European defense, and the implications are explosive.

Since 2022, Jasionka has been ground zero for NATO’s weapons pipeline to Ukraine. It’s no exaggeration to say 95% of lethal aid has passed through this Polish corridor. And who ran it? U.S. forces — until now. As of this week, the baton has been handed to Norway, Germany, the U.K., and Poland. But the question looms: Why now — and at what cost?

The Pentagon calls this a long-planned realignment. But that’s spin. The real driver is Donald Trump’s shifting doctrine: America First, Europe second — if at all. His disdain for NATO has morphed from rhetoric into reality. His threats to abandon allies and his backdoor dealings with Russia aren’t whispers anymore; they’re warnings. With his trade war and open hostility toward Canada and Greenland, the unraveling of post-WWII Western alliances is already in motion.

Poland — NATO’s new poster child for military spending — isn’t the problem. With 4.7% of GDP going to defense, it’s more committed than most. Warsaw is doing its part. The real issue is what this U.S. drawdown means: America is testing the limits of alliance dependency, gauging how far it can push Europe into standing on its own.

What’s being quietly set up in the background is NATO’s Security Assistance and Training Command for Ukraine, a move to shift operational control from the U.S. to a broader — and perhaps weaker — European leadership model. Sure, this spreads the burden. But it also diffuses accountability and fractures unity.

Let’s not sugarcoat this: the removal of U.S. troops from a critical war zone logistics hub during a hot war is not efficiency. It’s a red flag. And it may be the first of many.

Europe must now face a hard truth: Trump’s America is no longer the bulwark it once was. And if NATO crumbles, the chaos that follows won’t stop at Ukraine’s borders. It will creep into the heart of Europe — and into the balance sheets, war rooms, and borders of every allied state that let its guard down.

This isn’t just a logistics shuffle. It’s a strategic withdrawal. And it should terrify every Western policymaker.

Despite limited ceasefire gestures, Putin continues to manipulate peace talks while consolidating gains—and Trump appears to be offering leverage without returns.

The latest phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin has done little to shift the trajectory of Russia’s war in Ukraine. If anything, it has underscored how adept the Kremlin remains at stalling substantive peace efforts while subtly manipulating diplomatic optics.

From the outset, the optics were clear: Putin made Trump wait, quite publicly, to assert dominance—not only for his domestic audience but also to reinforce his standing in the bilateral dynamic. Delays, vague statements, and selective concessions are all hallmarks of Moscow’s diplomatic playbook—and in this case, they’re working to Russia’s advantage.

The only apparent outcome from the call—a 30-day pause on attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure—is minimal and strategically convenient for Russia. It allows the Kremlin to reduce international pressure while preserving its ability to press ground offensives and conduct strikes on civilian and military targets outside of power grids.

Meanwhile, Trump’s response has been muted and ambiguous, presenting the energy ceasefire as a broader agreement than it actually is, while giving Putin space to dictate terms under the guise of cooperation. The Kremlin’s version of events suggests Trump proposed the ceasefire, which is highly unlikely given how favorable it is to Russia. It’s more plausible that Putin offered it as a limited gesture—cheap to implement, easy to reverse, and beneficial to his forces.

The Asymmetry in Negotiating Power

What’s striking is the imbalance in approach. Putin continues to pursue maximalist objectives: controlling Ukraine’s trajectory, maintaining annexed territory, and ending Western military support to Kyiv. Yet Trump has already begun softening the American position—freezing aid, engaging in talks without Ukraine present, and signaling acceptance of territorial compromise.

Each of these concessions undermines Ukraine’s negotiating position while enabling Russia to consolidate gains. The fact that Trump entertained such talks without Zelensky’s input is a glaring breach of diplomatic norms and weakens the principle of Ukrainian sovereignty.

Moreover, Putin’s demands—including halting Western military assistance and accepting Ukraine’s demilitarization—remain outlandish and designed to be rejected. They serve more as propaganda tools than serious proposals, allowing Moscow to cast Kyiv as the uncooperative party.

A War of Imperial Design

The core issue remains unchanged: Russia’s war aims have not shifted. Putin seeks nothing less than the geopolitical subjugation of Ukraine and the formal absorption of illegally annexed territories. The integration of these regions into the Russian Federation—via treaty and policy—is not merely occupation; it is attempted annexation by force.

This war was never about self-defense or NATO expansion. It has always been an imperial project cloaked in manufactured grievances and legal distortions. That Moscow continues to refer to Ukraine’s leadership as untrustworthy or “terrorist” only reinforces its refusal to treat Ukraine as a legitimate sovereign equal.

Zelensky’s Calculated Restraint

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s cautious response to the Trump-Putin call reveals both his diplomatic pragmatism and the constraints under which Kyiv operates. By not directly rejecting the partial ceasefire and avoiding criticism of Trump, Zelensky aims to preserve U.S. backing, however unpredictable it may be.

But Ukraine’s red lines remain unchanged: territorial sovereignty, independent alliances, and unrestricted defense capabilities. These are non-negotiable principles for Kyiv and its supporters.

Freezing the conflict at current front lines—effectively locking in Russian gains—may be seen by some as a path to ending the war. But such a solution lacks credibility unless it includes Russia revoking its annexations and allowing international oversight in the disputed regions.

Conclusion

Trump’s call with Putin highlights a troubling pattern: a U.S. president eager for a symbolic peace deal, increasingly susceptible to Kremlin flattery and delay tactics, while giving away leverage that could have been used to demand meaningful concessions.

Putin’s war aims remain fully intact. His strategy is simple—stretch out negotiations, maintain military pressure, and bank on Western fatigue. As Trump signals flexibility and rewards half-measures, the danger is not just a frozen conflict, but a normalization of aggression.

Any peace without justice, sovereignty, and accountability risks becoming a prelude to future conflict—and a gift to authoritarianism.

Putin expresses conditional support for a ceasefire, complicating US efforts to stabilize the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed conditional agreement to a proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, positing several demanding stipulations that underscore the complexity of reaching a peace agreement. This response follows a week of intensified diplomacy involving the United States, which saw Ukraine aligning with a US-backed ceasefire plan.

During a press conference, Putin highlighted his support for the ceasefire concept but raised significant concerns about its execution and the strategic intentions behind it. His demands include clarifications on how Ukraine might use the ceasefire period, such as whether it would mobilize or rearm—actions that Russia views as escalatory.

The dialogue has revealed a stark divide in expectations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Putin’s approach as manipulative, urging for increased sanctions on Russia to deter further aggression. Concurrently, the U.S. has escalated sanctions targeting Russia’s critical sectors, aiming to tighten economic pressure.

A scheduled discussion between Putin and US President Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, intended to further negotiations, remains shrouded in mystery with conflicting reports about its occurrence and outcomes. This ambiguity adds to the tension and uncertainty surrounding the ceasefire talks.

Putin’s detailed inquiries into the ceasefire’s mechanics and the control measures reflect a deep-seated mistrust and the complexities of enforcing peace in such a volatile context. His questions about command and compliance mechanisms highlight the challenges of implementing and monitoring a ceasefire over a broad geographic area.

As the international community watches closely, the prospects for a ceasefire remain uncertain. Putin’s stance indicates a strategic calculation, weighing the benefits of a temporary peace against the potential risks of Ukrainian military consolidation. This situation places significant pressure on President Trump, who has expressed a desire for quick resolutions to global conflicts.

The ongoing discussions and the stringent conditions set by Putin represent a pivotal moment in the Ukraine conflict. As both sides articulate their positions and international actors like the US involve themselves in mediating, the path to peace remains fraught with diplomatic hurdles and geopolitical calculations. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether a ceasefire can pave the way for a more stable resolution or if the conflict will continue to escalate amidst global tensions.

Amid heightened tensions with Russia, Poland’s President Duda calls for U.S. nuclear deterrents to secure the Eastern NATO frontier.

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda is intensifying his plea for the United States to deploy nuclear weapons on Polish soil, highlighting the nation’s growing security concerns in the face of Russian aggression. This request underscores Poland’s strategic position within NATO and its quest for enhanced military assurance against potential threats from its eastern neighbor.

Duda’s request, reiterated in a recent Financial Times interview and through his adviser Wojciech Kolarski on RMF FM radio, reflects Poland’s strategic military considerations. Positioned on NATO’s eastern border, sharing frontiers with Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia’s Kaliningrad, Poland views the presence of U.S. nuclear weapons as a crucial deterrent to Moscow’s expanding influence and military posture in the region.

The dialogue around nuclear protection in Europe is gaining complexity with Prime Minister Donald Tusk discussing potential collaboration with France. Following French President Emmanuel Macron’s offer to consider extending France’s nuclear deterrent to cover European allies, Poland is exploring all avenues to bolster its security framework. This move comes amid concerns about the U.S.’s sustained engagement in European defense, prompting leaders like Macron to propose strategic alternatives.

The Debate Over Nuclear Deterrence

The discussions about nuclear deterrence in Europe are not without controversy. Russia has already criticized Macron’s proposal as “extremely confrontational,” highlighting the delicate balance of power and the fine line between deterrence and provocation. As Europe grapples with these complex security dynamics, Poland’s call for U.S. nuclear weapons highlights the broader geopolitical chess game unfolding in response to Russian military activities.

Poland’s proactive stance on nuclear defense reflects a broader shift within NATO, where Eastern European nations are increasingly vocal about their security needs. This shift is significant, not just for regional defense strategies but also for the future of NATO’s collective security commitments. As Poland positions itself as a pivotal player in NATO’s eastern defense strategy, the alliance’s approach to Russia will likely continue to evolve, influenced by the security priorities of frontline states like Poland.

President Duda’s renewed appeal for U.S. nuclear weapons deployment in Poland is more than a security request; it is a strategic move aimed at reinforcing Poland’s position within NATO and the broader European security architecture. As global powers recalibrate their defense strategies in response to Russian threats, Poland’s nuclear ambitions will play a critical role in shaping the regional and international security landscape.

The recent resumption of intelligence sharing and security assistance by the United States to Ukraine marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia. This decision comes on the heels of extensive discussions in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where U.S. and Ukrainian officials expressed a united front on the proposed 30-day ceasefire with Russia, contingent upon Kremlin’s approval. The strategic shift underscores a significant diplomatic push by the Trump administration to de-escalate tensions and foster a resolution to the conflict that has gripped Eastern Europe since early 2022.

The U.S. pause on intelligence sharing, initiated on March 5, was widely perceived as a maneuver to compel Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into negotiations, signaling a stark approach to foreign policy under Trump’s administration. The reinstatement of these critical support structures signifies a recalibration of U.S. strategy, aiming not only to bolster Ukraine’s defensive capabilities but also to reaffirm commitments to its sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.

During the talks, which extended nearly eight hours, the Ukrainian delegation, led by Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, showed a readiness to embrace the U.S. ceasefire proposal, a move that places considerable pressure on the Kremlin to respond favorably. The diplomatic dialogue in Jeddah, steered by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, was crucial in shaping the framework for this ceasefire, highlighting a proactive role by the U.S. in seeking to mitigate further escalations.

The Kremlin’s delayed response to the ceasefire proposal, coupled with its minimal commentary on impending discussions, illustrates a cautious, calculated approach. Russia’s strategic ambiguity serves its interests by maintaining a posture that keeps the international community guessing about its next moves. However, this also opens a window for the U.S. and its allies to align their strategies and present a united front that could potentially corner Russia into a diplomatic resolution.

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine is not just a regional issue but a matter of global security that affects international law, energy markets, and the broader geopolitical landscape. The U.S.’s re-engagement with intelligence and security aid is a testament to the broader implications of the conflict, emphasizing the necessity for a stable Ukraine to ensure the security of the European continent and by extension, global peace.

Looking ahead, the dynamics of U.S.-Ukraine relations will hinge on the outcomes of the proposed ceasefire and subsequent negotiations with Russia. The discussions scheduled in the coming days between U.S. and Russian officials will be critical in shaping the course of the conflict. Furthermore, the potential mineral deal between the U.S. and Ukraine, leveraging Ukraine’s rich deposits for strategic and economic gains, introduces another layer of complexity to the international discourse surrounding this conflict.

In summary, the reinstatement of U.S. intelligence and security aid to Ukraine represents a strategic shift aimed at stabilizing the volatile situation through diplomatic channels. As the situation unfolds, the international community remains keenly watchful of the impacts this renewed engagement will have on the war’s trajectory and the broader geopolitical implications.

The US-Ukraine talks held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, represent a pivotal moment in the ongoing efforts to bring peace to the war-torn regions affected by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The support from Kyiv for the U.S.-proposed 30-day ceasefire underscores a significant diplomatic push to quell hostilities and establish a groundwork for lasting peace.

The joint statement indicating Ukraine’s readiness to accept a temporary ceasefire suggests a strategic, although cautious, optimism towards achieving a de-escalation of conflict. The stipulation that the ceasefire’s success is contingent upon Russian reciprocity highlights the complex interplay of diplomatic engagements required to realize peace. The U.S. commitment to resume security assistance and lift the pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine further aligns with its role as a key strategic ally, reaffirming its support in the face of Russian aggression.

The involvement of high-level officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, in these talks emphasizes the importance the U.S. places on resolving this conflict. The absence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, yet the presence of his chief of staff and top military officials, indicates a coordinated Ukrainian effort to align diplomatic strategies with military realities on the ground.

The discussion points raised during the meetings reflect a nuanced approach to diplomacy, where the U.S. appears to be in a listening mode, gauging what concessions Ukraine is prepared to make. This dialogue is critical as it shapes the framework within which both warring nations might navigate to achieve cessation of hostilities.

A notable aspect of these discussions is the focus on securing economic and security guarantees for Ukraine, aimed at ensuring that Russian aggression cannot be repeated. This includes talks on developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources—an element that not only aims to bolster Ukraine’s economy but also integrates broader U.S. interests related to accessing strategic minerals crucial for its economy and national defense.

The involvement of Saudi Arabia, as evidenced by separate meetings held by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Rubio and Zelenskyy, showcases the kingdom’s growing role in mediating global conflicts. This diplomatic engagement by Saudi Arabia could signify a strategic pivot for the nation, seeking to assert its influence in global geopolitical matters beyond the Middle East.

The US-Ukraine talks in Jeddah mark a critical juncture in international efforts to address the conflict in Ukraine. With the proposed ceasefire and discussions on economic and security collaborations, there appears to be a concerted effort to forge a path toward peace. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives will heavily depend on the subsequent actions of Russia and the international community’s resolve to support Ukraine in maintaining sovereignty and security. As these diplomatic efforts unfold, the global community remains watchful, hopeful for a resolution that brings stability to the region and secures a peaceful future for Ukraine.