The Foreign Office said there had been "a summer of Russian delay tactics at peace talks" aimed at ending the conflict in the region, as well as increased attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure. Cooper added support for Kyiv was "unwavering and stronger than ever" and that fresh funding would support Ukraine through the winter and into 2026. She continued: "Putin's bombardment of Ukrainian civilians, his stalling and delaying in internationally-backed peace talks, and his blatant disregard for human life must end."
Behind the scenes: White House officials are losing patience with European leaders, whom they claim are pushing Ukraine to hold out for unrealistic territorial concessions by Russia. Axios has learned that the sanctions the U.S. is urging Europe to adopt against Russia include a complete cessation of all oil and gas purchases - plus secondary tariffs from the EU on India and China, similar to those already imposed on India by the U.S.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last night he was making progress in talks with European and US partners on designing potential security guarantees for Ukraine should the war be brought to a close. In his nightly address, he said: It is important that everything be as practical as possible what forces on the ground, in the air, at sea everything must be clearly defined. And the foundation of our security is our strong Ukrainian army, which means long-term financing and the provision of weapons all of this will be ensured.
Kellogg's dark humor highlights the frustration among US diplomats about Trump's vague assurances regarding the Ukraine crisis, revealing a growing detachment from European concerns.