The US is preparing Ukraine for the arrival of Trump. What the media say
Ukraine is trying to persuade those close to the future US president from the Republican Party to side with Kiev ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. However, what the foreign policy of the American leader will be, is still unknown. What the world media write about it - in the Izvestia digest.
Politico: the US is gathering one last meeting with allies on Ukraine before Trump's return
Next Thursday, January 9, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will convene a meeting of Ukraine's allies at Ramstein Air Base in Germany to discuss military aid. This comes days before Donald Trump returns to the White House for a second presidential term.
Politico
At the Ukraine defense contact group meeting, Austin will lead a discussion between defense ministers from more than 50 countries for the 25th time since Russia started the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022. The last full meeting took place in September. U.S. President Joe Biden was scheduled to chair the leaders-level group meeting during a three-day visit to Germany in October, but it was canceled due to the aftermath of Hurricane Milton
No meeting of the full group has been held since Trump's election victory in November. The US president-elect has repeatedly claimed he will end the conflict quickly. However, it is still unclear what will actually happen.
The Washington Post: ahead of another Trump presidency, Ukraine's army is going on the defensive
Russian troops are advancing at the fastest pace since the conflict began. Many are skeptical that Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to a cease-fire while his troops hold the initiative, and fear Vladimir Zelensky will have to make painful concessions.
The Washington Post
Russian troops have advanced from Pokrovsk, jeopardizing key logistics and supply routes. At the same time, the ranks of Ukrainian soldiers are becoming increasingly depleted and unable to withstand the Russian onslaught. Those in the field tell of falling morale. And increasingly support Donald Trump's call for talks to begin
In his New Year's address, Zelensky emphasized what he called a just peace, which differs from previous calls for a total defeat of Russia. He said Ukraine could end the "hot phase" of the conflict this year.
The Hill: the Biden administration fears nuclear escalation from Russia and cuts military aid
The latest aid package to Ukraine is notable in that it does not include: long-range ATACMS or even their reduced-range versions; F-16 aircraft; Patriot missile batteries; additional HIMARS missile defense systems (except for HIMARS ammunition already in Ukraine); and armored vehicles of any kind.
The Hill
One can only conclude that even in its final hour in office, the Biden administration remains wary of a Russian nuclear response
Whether Trump will maintain U.S. support for Kiev remains to be seen. But what is certain is that threats of any kind will not deter the future president.
The Times: how Ukraine is trying to charm Trump
For weeks now, President Zelensky's confidants have been setting out to charm and coax Donald Trump's entourage in Washington. Under a law known as the Logan Act, future administrations cannot conduct politics with foreign partners. But there is a belief among Ukrainian officials that the new White House team is still in the process of discussing its strategy, and Ukraine is doing its best to influence that process.
The Times
The new administration's task is not only to broker a cease-fire, but also to force Putin to the negotiating table
Russia has shown no sign that it is willing to discuss any peace agreement other than one that involves the complete surrender of Ukraine. With that in mind, U.S. sanctions may provide the motivation needed to get Russia to seriously start negotiating.
The New York Times: Blinken insists Biden's decisions on Ukraine are correct
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken acknowledged that the U.S. began arming Ukraine long before the special military operation. Since September 2021, Washinton has quietly supplied Kiev with a large number of weapons to make sure the country has what it needs to defend itself, In particular, Stinger anti-aircraft systems and Javelin anti-tank missile systems were provided.
The New York Times
Blinken said the U.S. has shown "exceptional diplomacy" by rallying more than 50 countries in support of Ukraine. The secretary of state expressed confidence that the citizens of Ukraine should decide for themselves what their future will be. Blinken added that the terms of the ceasefire could "take many forms."
This, in his opinion, can happen when Ukraine joins NATO. He also did not rule out that security guarantees and sureties from different countries could help.
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