Russia has welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s new National Security Strategy, calling it largely consistent with Moscow’s own vision, as Washington pushes forward with efforts to broker an end to the war in Ukraine.
The 33-page document, released this week, uses noticeably softer language toward Russia and does not describe it as a direct threat to the United States.
It warns instead that Europe faces what it calls “civilisational erasure” and argues that Washington must re-establish strategic stability with Russia to stabilise European economies. The strategy also accuses the European Union of blocking U.S. efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the text includes language favouring dialogue over confrontation, in line with positions long expressed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. He cautioned, however, that implementation would be the real test, warning that plans that look positive on paper often unfold differently in practice.
Against that backdrop, Trump offered fresh comments on his direct engagement with both sides of the conflict. He said he had spoken with Putin and with Ukrainian leaders, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump added that he was disappointed Zelenskyy had not yet personally reviewed the U.S. peace proposal, despite what he described as strong support from Zelenskyy’s team. Trump said Russia was “fine with it”, but he was unsure whether Zelenskyy himself was aligned.
Zelenskyy struck a more cautious tone on Sunday, saying talks with U.S. representatives had been constructive but difficult. He stressed that American officials now clearly understand Ukraine’s core positions on peace, security and reconstruction.
The remarks followed a lengthy phone call on Saturday (6 December) with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Witkoff and Kushner had just completed two days of closed-door talks in Miami with Ukraine’s chief negotiator Rustem Umerov. Both sides described the meetings as constructive discussions aimed at shaping a credible pathway toward a durable and just peace. Witkoff was also expected to brief Umerov on his earlier visit to Moscow, where he met Putin.
Zelenskyy said Kyiv would continue working in good faith with Washington and that next steps and formats for further talks had been agreed. He added that not everything could be settled by phone and that detailed work would continue through teams on security, peace and reconstruction.
Diplomacy is set to continue on Monday (8 December) in London, where British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to host Zelenskyy. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are also due to attend, as European leaders seek to secure a direct role in shaping the endgame of the war.
UK's Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said Ukraine’s security and self-determination would be at the heart of the London talks. He described the U.S.-led negotiations as being at a really pivotal moment.
After three days of talks in Miami, Trump’s outgoing Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg said a deal to end the war was “really close” but depended on Russia’s cooperation. He said negotiations remain stuck on two key issues, the future size of Ukraine’s army and the status of the eastern Donbas under Russian control.
Washington has been pressing Kyiv and Moscow to engage around a multi-point peace plan. Early versions triggered criticism in Ukraine and across Europe for appearing too favourable to Russian demands. Those drafts included limits on Ukraine’s military, restrictions on NATO involvement and acceptance of Russian control over parts of the Donbas.
European leaders have since pushed for a step-by-step diplomatic track backed by long-term security guarantees and sustained military aid. They have also promoted the idea of a European-led security force to monitor any future agreement, a proposal rejected by Moscow.
Russia says it is open to talks and blames Kyiv and the West for blocking peace. Ukraine and its allies say the Kremlin is using diplomacy to entrench battlefield gains. Putin has ruled out territorial concessions and has warned that Russia would take the Donbas by force if Ukraine refuses to withdraw.
Trump has said ending the war in Ukraine remains his toughest foreign policy challenge. At the same time, the softer tone toward Russia in the new U.S. strategy has triggered unease across Europe.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Washington to preserve transatlantic unity, calling it the only realistic foundation for shared security.
Even as diplomacy accelerates, the fighting continues
Over the weekend, Russia launched another large-scale aerial attack across Ukraine. Kyiv reported a wave of missiles and drones overnight into Sunday, a day after hundreds more were fired across the country, triggering air raid alerts nationwide.
Macron expressed full solidarity with Ukraine after the latest strikes and said efforts with the Americans would continue.
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Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Midd...
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Uzbekistan and the U.S. are preparing to launch a joint investment platform by the end of the year, alongside the creation of a new bilateral business council aimed at strengthening economic cooperation.
International air travel remains severely disrupted despite the ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran announced on Wednesday (8 April), leaving many passengers unable to reach their destinations after conflict-related cancellations at major Middle Eastern hubs including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
More than 94,000 people have been displaced in Afghanistan since late February due to cross-border fighting, the UN humanitarian agency OCHA said, while nearly 100,000 in Nuristan remain cut off from aid due to insecurity.
The crew of Artemis II mission are entering a pivotal phase of their journey, as they prepare to swing around the Moon and head back towards Earth. Now on the fifth day of their 10-day mission, the four astronauts are already witnessing views no human has ever seen.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters that Iran could be taken out in one night, "and that night might be tomorrow night," warning Tehran it had to make a deal by Tuesday night or face wider bombing raids.
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Iran's "whole civilisation" on Tuesday in a post on social media. Meanwhile, the UN failed to reach an agreemement on a resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, after China and Russia used their vetoes.
As Hungary approaches a crucial vote, younger citizens who grew up under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are increasingly backing the opposition, with some saying they may leave if he secures another term.
Iran has rejected a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal, insisting any agreement must deliver a permanent end to the war, according to state media on Monday.
Trade discussions between China and the U.S. are expected to remain virtual for now, with no major investment initiatives planned before a potential meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, according to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The Russian T-90M tank is worth an estimated $4.5 million and was designed to dominate the battlefield. Yet this steel giant has repeatedly been destroyed by something far smaller, faster and thousands of times cheaper: the drone.
North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles towards its east coast on Wednesday (8 April), South Korea’s military said, in a fresh show of force that underscored rising tensions despite brief signs of a possible thaw between the two sides.
The leader of Taiwan's largest opposition party used her first full day in mainland China to publicly pledge reconciliation, invoking the spirit of her party's founder, Sun Yat-sen, to call for unity whilst surprisingly praising the communist mainland’s developmental achievements.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 8 April, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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