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The midterm elections to the US Congress in November 2026 could change the diplomatic situation, with Ukraine having to convince the Americans to fight a common enemy. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, diplomat Danylo Lubkivsky, live on Suspilne.‘I would like to believe that the elections will have a significant impact on what we might call the hope for a return to true American diplomacy in international relations,’ Lubkivsky said.The Director of the KSF described the current diplomatic situation with the US as ‘absurd’ due to the policies of Donald Trump's administration."It turns out that we need to negotiate with the Americans as allies in order to form a unified position in talks with the Russian aggressor, who is an enemy not only to Ukraine, but also to the United States itself. This is where the nonsense and absurdity of what we are seeing on the diplomatic track lies. Today, we consider it a great achievement that we have managed to reach an understanding with Washington. Could this have been imagined in previous years? And the responsibility for this, of course, lies with the Trump administration," the diplomat stressed.At the same time, he stressed that ‘Ukraine enjoys great strategic support from the American people.’Apart from that, Lubkivsky commented on the first anniversary of the 100-year agreement with Great Britain, calling it a great historical signal.‘London is considering cooperation with Ukraine for at least the next hundred years. This is a symbolic gesture that confirms London's firm belief in Ukrainian statehood, our bilateral relations and alliance," he stated.The Director of the KSF also drew attention to the visit to Kyiv by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of the United Kingdom, David Lemmie, to mark the first anniversary of the agreement.‘This is a signal from London that Ukraine is not alone. And I think this signal is a response, among other things, a signal of help, which we desperately need right now,’ Lubkivsky concluded.

The midterm elections to the US Congress in November 2026 could change the diplomatic situation, with Ukraine having to convince the Americans to fight a common enemy. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, diplomat Danylo Lubkivsky, live on Suspilne.

Lubkivsky: The 2026 US elections could bring back true American diplomacy

Only Ukraine's victory guarantees Europe's long-term security; the opposite scenario would be disastrous for the entire continent. This was emphasised by the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016 Arseniy Yatsenyuk, during strategic consultations on the future of European defence organised by European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius in Brussels.<figure class="image"><img alt="WhatsApp Image 2025-12-10 at 17.29.37_0c1c10a0.jpg" src="https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_0c1c10a0_62c1f12225.jpg" srcset="https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_0c1c10a0_62c1f12225.jpg 223w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/small_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_0c1c10a0_62c1f12225.jpg 500w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/medium_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_0c1c10a0_62c1f12225.jpg 750w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/large_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_0c1c10a0_62c1f12225.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"></figure>The aim of the consultations, in their new format, is to facilitate the preparation of strategic decisions on strengthening the European Union's defence capabilities and defining the EU's new role in the global security system.During the meeting, key issues of the future defence development of the EU were discussed, in particular the further evolution of European institutions in the field of defence, the formation of a common defence market and the development of production, the future of transatlantic relations in the field of security and defence, the EU's cooperation with Ukraine in the field of defence and the formation of European policy towards Russia. During the consultations, specific proposals were presented for the development of a common European defence strategy with the participation of Ukraine.‘Ukraine must be an integral part of the European defence architecture. And we will continue to work together to make this happen, Arseniy Yatsenyuk stressed, emphasising the defining role of Ukraine's support in deterring Russian aggression.‘We need not only material, institutional and political, but also intellectual defence readiness,’ stressed European Commissioner Kubilius. That is why, according to him, experienced politicians and diplomats were invited to the discussion on the future of European defence and the main challenges of creating a European Defence Union.<figure class="image"><img alt="WhatsApp Image 2025-12-10 at 17.29.37_384e90a1.jpg" src="https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_384e90a1_7c96175458.jpg" srcset="https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/thumbnail_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_384e90a1_7c96175458.jpg 245w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/small_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_384e90a1_7c96175458.jpg 500w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/medium_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_384e90a1_7c96175458.jpg 750w, https://ksf-openukraine.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/large_Whats_App_Image_2025_12_10_at_17_29_37_384e90a1_7c96175458.jpg 1000w" sizes="100vw" width="1000"></figure>The first session of this format was attended by, among others José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission in 2004-2014; Carl Bildt, former Prime Minister of Sweden and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden in 2006-2014; Mikuláš Dzurinda, Prime Minister of Slovakia (1998-2006); Natalia Gavrilita, Prime Minister of Moldova (2021-2023); Stavros Lambrinidis, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece (2011) and EU Ambassador to the United States (2019–2023); Enrico Letta, Prime Minister of Italy (2013–2014); Ana Palacio, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain (2002-2004); Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament (2007-2009); Klaus Welle, Secretary-General of the European Parliament (2009-2022).

Only Ukraine's victory guarantees Europe's long-term security; the opposite scenario would be disastrous for the entire continent. This was emphasised by the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum (KSF), Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016 Arseniy Yatsenyuk, during strategic consultations on the future of European defence organised by European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius in Brussels.

Only Ukraine's victory guarantees Europe's security; the opposite scenario would be disastrous, says the Chairman of the KSF in Brussels

US President Donald Trump wants to end war in Ukraine quickly, not for the sake of international law or long-term interests, but for specific political goals, namely the midterm elections in Congress and the 2028 presidential race. This was stated by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, diplomat Danylo Lubkivsky, on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1cJhZ_IBf4">Radio NV</a>.According to him, Trump is acting on the basis of a broader calculation that goes beyond mere negotiations to contain Russian aggression and involves several key priorities. ‘First of all, the American administration is consistently preparing and developing various plans for negotiations with China,’ said the Kyiv Security Forum Director.The second priority, he said, is preparation for next year’s midterm elections to the US Congress and the 2028 presidential election. ‘We understand that a very difficult domestic political situation is brewing in the United States, which could escalate into significant civil unrest,’ Lubkivsky added.According to the diplomat, it is these priorities that determine Trump's approach to resolving the war in Ukraine, which is to achieve results quickly at any cost."Trump is trying to accumulate those achievements as quickly as possible, which can be metaphorically called a kind of grand Nobel Peace Prize. This imaginary prize includes the intention to do everything possible to stop the bloody war against Ukraine. And to this end, Trump is ready to disregard the means. His goal is not to uphold international law or long-term global interests, but to achieve specific political objectives that are determined by a specific timetable," Lubkivsky emphasised.At the same time, he drew attention to the ideological basis of the Trump administration's policy, which includes a new model of relations with Europe."This model is based on a complex, highly controversial political tradition in the thinking of the American establishment, where Europe has not always been perceived as an ally, but rather as a source of problems in a philosophical sense, from which one should stay as far away as possible. The Trump-Vance ideology is an attempt to undermine both the European established order, which we see in the leadership of the European Commission, and the political leadership of Europe's leading states," said the Director of the KSF.According to him, the American administration is counting on cooperation with ‘Trojan horses’ within the EU. According to the diplomat, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico play this role.The KSF Director emphasised two key questions for Ukraine's future in this context. "Are leading European states ready to demonstrate political will and agency to protect Ukraine, thereby strengthening their own security and international law? And to what extent does Ukraine have sufficient resources to withstand the intense pressure from the American administration and the Russian aggressor in order to reach a point where we can prevent the violation of red lines that protect our strategic interests," Lubkivsky concluded.

US President Donald Trump wants to end the war in Ukraine quickly, not for the sake of international law or long-term interests, but for specific political goals, namely the midterm elections in Congress and the 2028 presidential race. This was stated by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, diplomat Danylo Lubkivsky on Radio NV.

Director of the Kyiv Security Forum Lubkivsky: Trump is trying to end war quickly for specific political goals

Real security guarantees for Ukraine must be materialised, not merely exist in legal form – these include specific stocks of weapons, equipment and NATO training centres on our territory, not abroad. This was emphasised by the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/BmuP_gmnZ4Q?si=oVO7Xk5tMgxjuGm5">Espreso TV</a>."Security guarantees are not guarantees on paper, but guarantees on the ground. And when I say “on the ground”, I mean that Ukraine needs to have arms reserves not somewhere abroad, but in Ukraine [...] It is necessary to have long-range weapons that would serve as a means of defence against Russian strikes,” Yatsenyuk said.He emphasised that having a powerful arsenal is crucial to preventing Russia from launching full-scale attacks again."The Russians need to know that as soon as they start, as soon as they resume attacks, Ukraine has Tomahawk, Taurus, Storm Shadow and other weapons that will be used to retaliate against Russia. Ukraine needs to have training centres on its territory with the direct participation of our NATO allies," the KSF Chairman added.The former prime minister highlighted how vital it is for the guarantees to be legally binding – they need to be ratified by the national parliaments of the guarantor countries, rather than just being political agreements.

Real security guarantees for Ukraine must be materialised, not merely exist in legal form – these include specific stocks of weapons, equipment and NATO training centres on our territory, not abroad. This was emphasised by Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on Espreso TV.

Yatsenyuk: Security guarantees imply military capabilities within Ukraine, not abroad

The new US national security strategy has shaken the European Union and made it realise that the world order after 1945 has changed. America no longer considers Russia a threat, calls the war ‘Ukrainian’, and labels Europe weak. This was stated by Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on Espreso TV.The former prime minister, staying in Brussels for strategic consultations on the future of European defence, noted that many European partners who had just returned from Washington had reacted to the new US security strategy "with surprise, while others were not surprised at all".Chairman of the KSF outlined the key provisions of the strategy concerning Ukraine and Russia. "This document does not state that Russia is the greatest threat to the US. Moreover, it does not even mention that Russia is a threat to America. There is no mention of "Russia's war against Ukraine", but there is mention of "the Ukrainian war" [...] It states that the United States seeks strategic stability with Russia," he emphasised.The former prime minister also drew attention to the description of Europe in the doctrine: "On the one hand, it states that the European Union is a fairly powerful institution with many tools at its disposal. But on the other hand, a few pages later, you can see that Europe is weak and not an ally of the United States."At the same time, Chairman of the KSF added that the content of the doctrine was not unexpected for him, as it corresponds to Donald Trump's election campaign rhetoric. "I view it [the document] as confirmation of the reality and policies of the current US administration," he noted.According to the former prime minister, if we are to look for the positive, the most important conclusion is that the Trump administration has "shaken up" Europe and forced it to realise the transformation of the world order. "It has simply forced Europe to realise that the world order that existed after 1945, or the so-called Pax Americana-based world order, where the United States is the main force protecting rights, freedoms, independence, sovereignty and is the key leader of the free world, has changed," Yatsenyuk said.He stressed the need for Europe to draw conclusions about its own strength. "If you are not powerful enough, you will be spoken to in this kind of manner," added Chairman of the KSF.The second key conclusion concerns the US position on Ukraine, which changes the distribution of responsibility for ending the war. "The United States does not consider Ukraine to be its key priority and does not consider Russia to be the greatest danger. This means that it is important for us not to lose American support, at least to the extent that it exists. The main burden and responsibility for ending the war will fall primarily on the member states of the European Union," Yatsenyuk stressed.The former prime minister drew attention to an important factor that is holding back a radical change in US policy towards Ukraine: support among the American population. "Eight out of ten Americans support sanctions against Russia. Neither President Trump nor the Republican Party can ignore this fact. If it were otherwise, I think we would see completely different negotiations on Ukraine," he added.At the same time, according to Chairman of the KSF, the document should be an impetus for concrete action. "It is necessary to provide an additional package of assistance to Ukraine at European expense. Then we need to maintain relations with America in order to purchase American weapons, receive intelligence data, and ensure that America does not lift sanctions against Russia. And then we need to continue the dialogue within NATO on how to achieve fair peace terms for Ukraine," Yatsenyuk concluded.

The new US national security strategy has shaken the European Union and made it realise that the world order after 1945 has changed. America no longer considers Russia a threat, calls the war ‘Ukrainian’, and labels Europe weak. This was stated by Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on Espreso TV.

Yatsenyuk: The new US national security strategy has shaken Europe and made it realise that the world order has changed

The meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Mar-a-Lago showed that the American president has not turned his back on Ukraine. Any other scenario would have caused a chain reaction in Europe. This was stated by Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on Espreso TV."Trump has not turned his back on Ukraine. I understand what the chain reaction would have been if events unfolded differently, especially in Europe. Imagine what Orbán, the Slovaks, the Czechs, and then a whole range of political forces, from Germany to France and even the United Kingdom, would have done. This would have created a domino effect that would have effectively undermined Ukraine's ability to continue fighting and achieve a just peace," Yatsenyuk stressed.The former prime minister has expressed scepticism about the negotiations with Russia. "I do not believe that these are real peace talks, and that Russia is truly ready for a lasting peace. As of now and over the past four years, the whole story about peace talks is nothing more than a smokescreen and a KGB special operation," he said.According to the KSF Chairman, the Kremlin will only resort to real negotiations on one condition – when it feels immediate danger.‘For Russia, this is an economic threat. The Russian economy will really suffer next year. This is not a reason for Putin, a war criminal, to stop the war, but it will create major problems within Russia, including social, economic and military ones, because this war machine needs to be financed,’ Yatsenyuk explained.He pointed to oil prices as an indicator of future problems for the Russian economy. ‘Even the Russian so-called media reports that there will be either a recession or stagnation, i.e. either zero growth or a decline in the Russian economy,’ the former prime minister added.He also outlined a second key element for strengthening Ukraine's negotiating position – the supply of long-range weapons, something that is not yet there. However, Chairman of the KSF noted the European Union's step forward in granting a loan to Ukraine. ‘This sent a signal to Russia that Ukraine has the financial resources to continue fighting,’ he added.Apart from that, Yatsenyuk drew attention to the role of China and the fallacy of the American strategy of separating Russia from Beijing. "The United States needs to put pressure on China. And it is an absolutely strange idea that Russia can be separated from China [...] They are strategic and ideological allies. The US should not be trying to separate Russia from China; the main thing is for the US not to separate itself from the European Union," the former prime minister stressed.

The meeting between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Mar-a-Lago showed that the American president has not turned his back on Ukraine. Any other scenario would have caused a chain reaction in Europe. This was stated by Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016 Arseniy Yatsenyuk on Espreso TV.

Yatsenyuk: If Trump had turned his back on Ukraine, it would have caused a chain reaction in Europe

The statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about an alleged drone ‘attack’ on Putin's residence in Valdai is a provocation whereby Russia is challenging Donald Trump, Europe and Ukraine. This was stated by Danylo Lubkivsky, Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, a diplomat, in an interview with Suspilne."Over the past few days, we have seen how the Russians are acting. Their rhetoric has been aggressive and militaristic. Putin has stated outright that the war will continue. Therefore, there were no surprises. Russia is thus challenging Trump, the Europeans and Ukraine," said the KSF Director.According to him, Ukraine is currently in a challenging situation and in completely different historical circumstances compared to the period of Joe Biden's administration.‘In addition to fighting Russia and stopping aggression – and this is not only the aggression of Russia itself, but of the entire nuclear club, which includes North Korea and Iran and is supported by China – we also need to ensure unity between Europe and America,’ Lubkivsky said. He added that this is necessary to pave the way for security guarantees for Ukraine.At the same time, the Director of the KSF emphasised the importance of American support for Ukraine as a safeguard against Trump's opaque agreements with Russia."Over 80% of Americans support Ukraine and support sanctions. And this large number of Americans is a guarantee that Trump, due to some obscure interests, will not agree to deals with Russian aggressors," he said.The diplomat also drew attention to possible positive changes after the midterm elections to the US Congress in 2026.‘As numerous polls show, the political landscape in the US may change. American democracy may regain its positions of checks and balances, which are necessary to curb the uncontrolled appetites of narcissistic leaders,’ Lubkivsky added.

"Over the past few days, we have seen how the Russians are acting. Their rhetoric has been aggressive and militaristic. Putin has stated outright that the war will continue. Therefore, there were no surprises. Russia is thus challenging Trump, the Europeans and Ukraine," said the KSF Director.

‘This is a provocation by Russia to challenge Trump,’ says Director of the Kyiv Security Forum Lubkivsky regarding Lavrov’s statement

The European Commission has allocated €150 billion for the rearmament of Europe, and Ukraine has access to these funds, but formal access does not guarantee their automatic receipt – it is necessary to lobby for the interests of the Ukrainian defence-industrial complex.This was stated by the Chairman of the Kyiv Security Forum, Prime Minister of Ukraine in 2014-2016, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, on the Ukrainian Radio programme ‘Ambassadors,’ responding to a question about his participation in a special advisory group to European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius at his personal invitation.‘I went there to lobby for the interests of Ukraine and the Ukrainian defence-industrial complex. We are talking about €150 billion that the European Commission has allocated for the rearmament of Europe as a whole, and Ukraine has access to it,’ Yatsenyuk said.At the same time, he warned that formal access does not guarantee automatic receipt of funds due to high competition. ‘You understand that everyone will be fighting for this access?’ emphasised the Chairman of the KSF.He noted that Russian aggression catalysed the transformation of European defence policy. "Ukraine has truly awakened Europe. Russia's attack on Ukraine and Ukraine's defence of its sovereignty and independence have effectively forced Europe to completely rethink its domestic and foreign policies. Is Europe ready today to resist Russian aggression? No. Is Europe doing everything it can to start resisting Russian invasion? Yes," the former prime minister emphasised.He mentioned the ‘White Paper’ prepared by European Commissioner Kubilius and described it as an important document that demonstrates the scale of the problems and the availability of resources to solve them."It is, in fact, an analysis of the European Union's readiness to defend itself – it clearly shows that Europe has the resources and a plan for how to do so. Starting with the fact that it was impossible to transport weapons and equipment by road and rail in Europe, or to provide logistics in general. And ending with the fact that there is no single mechanism for public procurement of defence goods in Europe," Yatsenyuk explained.He also drew attention to internal competition between European countries in the defence sector.‘Each country is pulling the blanket over itself because everyone wants to sell only their own products and buy only from themselves. They analysed a large segment of their problems and realised that the best experience for solving these problems is Ukraine,’ the former prime minister concluded. &nbsp;

The European Commission has allocated €150 billion for the rearmament of Europe, and Ukraine has access to these funds, but formal access does not guarantee their automatic receipt – it is necessary to lobby for the interests of the Ukrainian defence-industrial complex.

‘Formal access to funds does not guarantee their receipt; lobbying for Ukraine’s interests is vital, says Yatsenyuk on the €150 billion allocated for EU rearmament

Russia failed to achieve its main goal – to divide the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine – instead, the world saw a consolidated position of the West. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, Danylo Lubkivsky, on Radio Svoboda.The diplomat explained that Moscow initiated the negotiation process with specific goals in mind. One of the motives for this operation was Russia's attempt to prevent the loss of frozen Russian assets. ‘At the same time, there are other, very significant reasons why the Russians attempted to negotiate with the Americans,’ Lubkivsky said.He stressed that the Kremlin did not achieve the desired result. ‘As a result of Russia's special operation, the Russians did not achieve what they wanted most of all – a significant rift between the Americans, Europeans, the European Union and Ukraine. In response to this, today we have a hint of a consolidated position of the West. At this stage, this is an important achievement,’ the diplomat stressed.Lubkivsky particularly noted Germany's role in the negotiation process. "It is a good thing that the negotiations between European leaders and the Ukrainian president with the American delegation took place in Berlin. This is because the position of the German government and the personal position of Chancellor Merz are fundamentally important. Germany is the leader of the European Union. This position is pro-Ukrainian, pro-European and strategically fundamental from the point of view of international law. Merz plays a key role in shaping EU policy for the future," the KSF Director stressed.

Russia failed to achieve its main goal – to divide the United States, the European Union, and Ukraine – instead, the world saw a consolidated position of the West. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, Danylo Lubkivsky, on Radio Svoboda.

Lubkivsky: Russia failed to divide the West – negotiations in Berlin showed a consolidated position

Security guarantees for Ukraine must be formalised as a treaty ratified by the United States Senate in order to become part of American legislation and a reliable signal to deter Russia. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, Danylo Lubkivsky, on Radio Svoboda.‘It is in our interest to ensure that the treaty is ratified and voted on in the US Senate. This requires two-thirds of the Senate votes,’ the diplomat said.According to him, this will be an important strategic step. The treaty will become part of the US legislative body and a signal that Ukraine is part of the West and will not be left unprotected and alone in the face of Russian aggression.Lubkivsky explained that during the negotiations, the possibility of concluding a treaty similar to existing American security agreements with non-NATO countries is being considered."There are a small number of treaties — with Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. These are contractual obligations, but without clear consequences. There is the so-called Taiwan Relations Act. There is a separate level of relations with Israel. And although there is no agreement in the sense that we are talking about, there is a commitment that provides for ongoing financial assistance and, moreover, intervention if necessary," Lubkivsky added.The Director of the KSF cited the example of American support for Israel during the recent events in the Middle East: ‘We saw how American forces actively intervened when Iran attacked Israel.’At the same time, the diplomat stressed that each country's experience is unique, and Ukraine's experience may be no different. To this end, the document must be filled with ‘ironclad commitments’ that must provide for two things: that Ukraine will receive assistance and that Russia will be deterred from further aggression.

Security guarantees for Ukraine must be formalised as a treaty ratified by the United States Senate in order to become part of American legislation and a reliable signal to deter Russia. This was emphasised by the Director of the Kyiv Security Forum, Danylo Lubkivsky, on Radio Svoboda.