Ukraine, Europe Insist Russia Truce Must Precede Any Land Deal
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Ukraine and its European allies have told the US that a ceasefire and clarity on security guarantees for Kyiv should precede any peace deal with Russia that involves negotiations about territory, according to people familiar with the matter.
Ahead of a meeting in London Wednesday, the officials sought further detail from Washington on the sequencing of its proposal to stop the fighting in Ukraine and to bring an end to Russia's full-scale invasion, currently into its fourth year. It's the latest attempt to influence the talks that had left Europe under pressure as Washington pushes for a deal with Vladimir Putin and tries to exert tough conditions on Kyiv.
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The Hill
24 minutes ago
- The Hill
6 months in, Trump's unorthodox foreign policy is rewriting the rules
President Trump's return to office has marked a fundamental departure from conventional foreign policy approaches that have dominated Washington for decades. His first six months demonstrate how unorthodox methods — transactional negotiations, direct pressure and strategic leverage — can achieve breakthroughs that traditional diplomatic playbooks consistently failed to deliver. The results challenge long-held assumptions about international relations. Where successive administrations have relied on multilateral consensus-building and careful diplomatic protocol, Trump has moved decisively to address longstanding challenges through direct engagement and clear incentives. The outcomes speak for themselves: concrete achievements that decades of conventional wisdom could not produce. The June NATO summit in Brussels exemplifies this transformation. Trump secured an unprecedented agreement from member nations to increase defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035, with Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania committing to reach 5 percent within the decade. This represents the largest collective defense spending increase since the alliance's founding. For decades, American presidents from both parties have struggled to convince NATO allies to shoulder more of the defense burden. George W. Bush, Barack Obama and others made passionate appeals with minimal results. Trump's direct pressure on individual leaders — including frank conversations about the consequences of continued free-riding — achieved what 20 years of diplomatic consensus-building could not. The breakthrough reveals how Trump's willingness to challenge diplomatic norms can produce substantive results. When allies understand that America's patience with free-riding has limits, they respond accordingly. Perhaps nowhere is Trump's departure from conventional wisdom more evident than in Iran policy. His coordination with Israel on strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities in July set back Tehran's nuclear program by up to two years according to Pentagon officials cited by Reuters — a more concrete achievement than decades of sanctions and diplomatic engagement that was slow-walking Tehran to having a nuclear bomb. This wasn't reckless escalation — it was calculated deterrence after years of failed accommodation strategies that spanned multiple administrations. Iran's subsequent diplomatic overtures to European partners suggest the strikes achieved their intended effect. Where traditional approaches allowed Iran's regional influence to grow unchecked, Trump's decisive action has forced Tehran to recalculate its strategic position. The success challenges the foreign policy establishment's preference for extended diplomatic processes over direct action. Sometimes, as Trump demonstrates, credible threats require credible follow-through. Immigration policy demonstrates another area where Trump's approach has succeeded. New agreements with Mexico and Central American nations include enhanced enforcement provisions and expanded return protocols, contributing to a more than 90 percent reduction in detected border crossings in May compared to the previous year, according to Department of Homeland Security data. The key difference lies in leverage. Trump used trade access and visa negotiations to secure these commitments, demonstrating that America's economic power can be an effective diplomatic tool. Mexico agreed to deploy additional forces along its southern border in exchange for streamlined trade procedures — a classic win-win arrangement that Biden's team never successfully negotiated. This success highlights a broader truth about international relations: Countries respond to clear incentives and consequences. When America articulates its interests clearly and backs them with appropriate leverage, even reluctant partners find ways to cooperate. Trump's approach to Africa represents a fundamental departure from the aid-focused diplomacy that characterized previous administrations. Rather than continental tours filled with promises of development assistance, Trump has hosted five African leaders at the White House in recent months, emphasizing trade and investment opportunities. This shift addresses a critical gap in American foreign policy. While recent presidents maintained traditional approaches that often created dependency relationships, Trump is building partnerships based on mutual economic interest. Early agreements with Liberia and Senegal focus on critical mineral extraction and energy partnerships — arrangements that benefit both American businesses and African development. The message is clear: America seeks partners, not dependents. By reframing relationships around mutual economic interest rather than charity, Trump is building more sustainable and dignified partnerships. Perhaps most surprisingly, Trump's tough approach has yielded diplomatic breakthroughs that eluded his predecessor. In late June, he hosted talks between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo that produced a cease-fire agreement including troop withdrawals and commitments to joint economic development. The success came from Trump's willingness to use America's full diplomatic and economic weight — not to lecture, but to incentivize. This contrasts sharply with Biden's reactive approach to international crises, which often left the U.S. struggling to respond effectively to fast-moving global events. As we assess these first six months, the question isn't whether Trump's methods conform to diplomatic norms — it's whether they work. The evidence suggests they do. In a world where traditional institutions struggle to address complex challenges, Trump's transactional approach offers a compelling alternative. His first six months suggest that sometimes bold action succeeds where diplomatic convention fails. Kurt Davis Jr. is a Millennium Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is also an advisor to private, public, and state-owned companies and their boards as well as creditors across the globe on a range of transactions.
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- Bloomberg
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Chicago Tribune
an hour ago
- Chicago Tribune
Iran says it's ready for nuclear talks with the US but only if Washington rebuilds trust
TEHRAN, Iran — Iran is ready to engage in talks on its nuclear program with the United States, but only if Washington takes meaningful steps to rebuild trust, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said Thursday. Iran is set to meet Friday in Istanbul with Britain, France and Germany, known as the E3 nations, and the European Union's deputy foreign policy commissioner. They will be the first talks since Iran's 12-day war with Israel in June, which involved U.S. B-52 bombers striking nuclear-related facilities in Iran. Gharibabadi said in a social media post Thursday that to enter negotiations, Iran sought 'several key principles' to be upheld. He said these included 'rebuilding Iran's trust — as Iran has absolutely no trust in the United States — avoiding the use of talks as a platform for hidden agendas such as military action, though Iran remains fully prepared for any scenario; respecting and recognizing Iran's rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including enrichment in line with its legitimate needs; and the lifting of sanctions.' Friday's talks will be held at the deputy ministerial level, with Iran sending Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e Ravanchi. A similar meeting was held in Istanbul in May. The stakes are high. European leaders have threatened to trigger a 'snapback' mechanism included in a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, which would reimpose sanctions that were lifted in exchange for Iran accepting restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program. The U.K., France and Germany were signatories to the 2015 deal. The U.S. withdrew in 2018 during the first term of President Donald Trump, who insisted the agreement wasn't tough enough. Iranian officials have warned that a move to reimpose sanctions would have consequences. Gharibabadi said earlier this week that it could force Tehran to withdraw from key non-proliferation agreements. In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the E3 of hypocrisy, saying they failed to uphold their obligations under the 2015 deal while supporting Israel's recent strikes on Iran. In the recent conflict, U.S. B-52 bombers struck Iranian nuclear facilities in support of Israel's air campaign. Iran responded with missile attacks, including a strike on a U.S. base in Qatar, which President Masoud Pezeshkian insisted was not directed at the Qatari state. In an interview with Al Jazeera that aired on Wednesday, Pezeshkian said Iran is prepared for another war and accused Israel of attempting to assassinate him during a June 15 meeting of Iran's national security council in Tehran. Pezeshkian reiterated that Iran's nuclear program will continue within the framework of international law and insisted the country has no intention of pursuing nuclear weapons. 'Our nuclear capabilities are in the minds of our scientists,' he said, emphasizing Iran's position that future negotiations must be rooted in mutual respect, not threats. According to the official judicial news agency Mizan, at least 13 Iranian nuclear scientists were killed during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel. A spokesman for Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Thursday the country's nuclear industry would recover from the recent attacks by Israel and the United States. 'Our nuclear industry is deeply rooted. What has roots cannot be harmed by attack or pressure — it will grow back and thrive again,' state TV quoted Behrouz Kamalvandi as saying. The International Atomic Energy Agency, known by the acronym IAEA, reported in May that Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% had grown to over 400 kilograms (882 pounds). That material, just below weapons-grade level, remains a central concern for the West. Despite the growing stockpile, Iran has said it remains open to diplomacy, though it recently suspended cooperation with the IAEA following legislation signed by Pezeshkian. The road ahead remains uncertain. While European officials say they want to avoid further conflict and are open to a negotiated solution, they have warned that time is running out.
