Trump seeks to combine military power, diplomacy to cement US global influence

International newspapers published today highlighted Kyiv’s bet on missiles rather than negotiations, as well as doubts surrounding Trump’s ability to follow through on the Gaza agreement.

Ukraine bets on missiles, not negotiations

After months of talks with Moscow under the sponsorship of US President Donald Trump, a report by The New York Times stated that Kyiv has begun to lean toward a different option—reducing negotiations and ramping up armament.

As Trump grows increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s refusal to make concessions or even agree to a ceasefire, Ukraine sees a renewed opportunity to apply pressure through force.

On Tuesday, a high-level Ukrainian delegation will begin a visit to Washington to negotiate the purchase of advanced American weapons capable of striking targets inside Russia and strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses. President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to follow the delegation to the White House on Friday to sign final agreements, including a potential deal to purchase long-range Tomahawk missiles.

The Trump administration’s openness to supplying Kyiv with offensive weapons marks a significant shift in US policy compared to the Biden administration, which had completely refused to do so.

Experts believe that Kyiv has succeeded in speaking Trump’s “deal-making” language by offering to purchase defense systems and missiles worth up to $90 billion, financed by Europe. The visit will also include discussions on an agreement to export Ukrainian drones to the US and establish joint production lines.

Analysts note that Washington is increasingly aligning with Kyiv’s stance after Putin showed total rejection of negotiations and continued his deadly assaults. Trump, who once praised Putin, changed his tone this summer, saying: “Putin speaks kindly, then bombs everyone by evening.”

Meanwhile, Kyiv is betting that striking economic and military facilities inside Russia will raise the cost of war and eventually push Moscow toward a settlement. Zelensky reaffirmed that Ukraine “needs friends and weapons, not promises and guarantees on paper,” as he stated in his speech at the United Nations last month.

Trump declares end of Gaza war… but doubts linger over implementation

US President Donald Trump announced the end of the Gaza war after brokering an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages. However, the success of his plan depends on his continued pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to implement the more difficult provisions, such as the withdrawal of Israeli forces and the disarmament of Hamas, according to a report by The Financial Times.

Experts have warned that the plan lacks details and guarantees, and that Trump’s wavering attention could threaten the stability of the agreement. While he relies on Gulf states to finance Gaza’s reconstruction, disputes remain over the role of the Palestinian Authority and the future of the two-state solution.

The newspaper concluded that the plan will only succeed if Trump remains directly engaged, as he is “the only one capable of pressuring Israel and bringing Arab leaders together at his table.”

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