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Ukraine’s leadership strategy in its relations with US President Donald Trump combines public gratitude with pragmatic bargaining and a demonstration of its own subjectivity on the international stage. This was emphasised by Stephen Sestanovich, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former US Ambassador, at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”“Zelenskyy and his colleagues have chosen a dual strategy for dealing with Trump. The first is to say “thank you” as often as possible. The second is to make a proposition: “Now let’s make a deal, let’s discuss the details of an agreement on mineral resources or anything else,” Sestanovich stated.Commenting on the Ukrainian President’s recent visits to Middle Eastern countries, the diplomat noted that Kyiv is using these engagements to demonstrate its importance to Washington. “Zelenskyy is trying to show: “I am not someone who just says “thank you”. I am someone you must take seriously.” This has proved to be an effective message. He is showing that he has cards to play and can advance his own interests, and that captures Trump’s attention,” he emphasised.Analysing US domestic policy, Sestanovich argued that the “America First” slogan should not be interpreted as a direct abandonment of allies. In his view, both the Republican Party and American society remain supporters of NATO and the global alliance system.“The President has personal obsessions, but they are not widely supported. It is important not to mistake these obsessions for something with a solid political foundation,” he said.The Republican Party is not homogenous. Members of Congress are beginning to speak out against the President because they are concerned about how this worldview will affect the election results in November,” noted the Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.Finally, he observed that the term “rules-based international order” is not popular among ordinary Americans. Therefore, US leadership should be framed in terms of the “strength and effectiveness of the Western bloc.”Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year’s Forum is taking place on 23-24 April.

“Zelenskyy is showing Trump he has “cards” – Ambassador Stephen Sestanovich

Transatlantic cooperation remains a cornerstone of European security, and the “America First” concept does not imply that the US is turning its back on its allies. This was stated by Tomas Godliauskas, Lithuania’s Vice Minister of National Defence, at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”According to him, the world is facing a new level of threats as authoritarian states increasingly coordinate their actions. “We see how Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are becoming more aligned and supporting each other, which poses a serious challenge to global security,” he said.In this context, Godliauskas emphasised that the “America First” approach should be understood not as isolationism, but as a redistribution of responsibility among allies. “This does not mean that America will stand alone. It is about allies taking on a greater share of the responsibility,” the Vice Minister believes.He cited Lithuania as an example, highlighting the country’s significant increase in defence spending. “We are spending over 5% of GDP on defence, and we understand that without Europe, the US would not be able to effectively project its power or ensure nuclear deterrence,” he stressed.According to the Lithuanian official, there are currently no signs of a reduction in the American military presence in the region. “Since 2019, US units have been permanently stationed in Lithuania. Training exercises are ongoing, including those involving HIMARS systems, and this cooperation continues to strengthen,” Godliauskas said.“Open Ukraine” is an international foundation established in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk to strengthen Ukraine’s international standing. Each year, it organises the Kyiv Security Forum – Ukraine’s leading international platform for discussing war and peace – as well as the Youth Kyiv Security Forum, aimed at fostering a new generation of Ukrainian leaders.

“America First” does not mean isolation” – Godliauskas, Lithuanian Vice Minister of National Defence 

The “America First” slogan should not be interpreted as a rejection of support for Ukraine, as it is an integral part of the domestic political culture of the United States. This was stated by Robert Paduchik, Chair of the Ohio Republican Party (2021–2023) and Co-Chair of the Republican National Committee (2017–2019), at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”According to Paduchik, this concept is often perceived simplistically, despite having a broader and more nuanced meaning.“America First” is a political construction associated with Donald Trump’s campaigns, but for many Americans, it means roughly the same as “Ukraine above all” does for Ukrainians,” he noted.Paduchik emphasised that in the context of russian aggression, the focus should be on practical support for Ukraine rather than political disputes.“When we face challenges such as russian aggression, we must take constructive actions for the Ukrainian people and set aside political disagreements,” the Republican stressed. He also cautioned against placing the responsibility solely on the United States, particularly in the context of the Budapest Memorandum. “We should not blame America alone, other nations also bear their share of responsibility,” the politician said.Paduchik highlighted the importance of a domestic factor in the US—the economy, which significantly influences political decisions. “Ultimately, in any democratic country, it is the economy that largely determines election outcomes and the political course,” he noted.“Open Ukraine” is an international foundation established in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk to strengthen Ukraine’s international standing. Each year, it organises the Kyiv Security Forum – Ukraine’s leading international platform for discussing war and peace – as well as the Youth Kyiv Security Forum, aimed at fostering a new generation of Ukrainian leaders.

“America First” is not at odds with supporting Ukraine” – Republican Robert Paduchik

Current debates in the United States regarding NATO and aid for Ukraine reflect deeper shifts in approaches to global security. This was stated by Steven Pifer, an affiliate at the Center for International Security and Cooperation within the Freeman Spogli Institute at Stanford University and former US Ambassador to Ukraine (1998–2000), at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”According to Pifer, for decades the United States carried the primary burden for European security, while many European countries underinvested in defence. However, the situation has begun to change. “Last summer, we saw significant shifts – European countries began increasing their defence spending to 3.5% of GDP,” he noted.Pifer emphasised that rhetoric regarding the reduction of the country's international role intensified in the US, including ideas of withdrawing from NATO.“And that would be a mistake. A less stable Europe is not in the interests of the United States,’ the expert said.He emphasised that any weakening of transatlantic unity could also affect the global standoff with China, as the support of allies remains critical.Pifer pointed out that since the beginning of 2025, the US has not virtually provided new military assistance to Ukraine, despite continued public support.“This refers either to previously funded aid or to weaponry purchased by Europeans. Over 60% of US citizens are in favour of continuing support, and this position also prevails in the Senate,” he noted.In his view, the US military presence in Europe is a key factor in deterring russia. “Roughly 100,000 American troops in Europe send a clear signal that halts further russian expansion.”He emphasised that strengthening Ukraine is the most effective strategy.“It is essential to provide Ukraine with sufficient resources to stop Putin and constrain his further ambitions. Deterring russia comes at a cost, but failing to do so will cost far more,” the expert concluded.“Open Ukraine” is an international foundation established in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk to strengthen Ukraine’s international standing. Each year, it organises the Kyiv Security Forum – Ukraine’s leading international platform for discussing war and peace – as well as the Youth Kyiv Security Forum, aimed at fostering a new generation of Ukrainian leaders.<o:p></o:p>

“Tensions rise in the US over support for Ukraine and NATO’s role” – Steven Pifer

Preserving the international liberal order established after the Second World War remains a fundamental national and value-based interest for the United States. This was stated by John Herbst, Senior Director of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and former US Ambassador to Ukraine (2003–2006), at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”“I believe that America has both strong national interests and strong value-based interests in defending the international liberal order that we, together with our allies and partners, established at the end of the Second World War,” Herbst said. The diplomat noted that this interest is not fully understood by some influential figures within the “America First” movement, due in part to the experience of military campaigns in the Middle East, which is mistakenly compared to the support for Ukraine.“It is strange that people who call themselves realists argue that our intervention and our support for Ukraine is comparable to the deployment of American troops in the Middle East. This is despite the fact that we have not lost a single American soldier, pilot, or sailor in Europe while helping Ukraine,” he emphasised.Commenting on the situation within the Republican Party, the former Ambassador stated that the vast majority of Republicans, including MAGA supporters, support decisive actions on the international stage, despite the “loud voices” of certain isolationists. He added that criticizing aid to Ukraine while supporting interventions elsewhere is “not a very realistic” approach.Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year’s Forum is taking place on 23-24 April.

“The US has both national and value-based interests in maintaining the international liberal order” – John Herbst 

Viewing military aid to Ukraine as “burden sharing” is misguided, as such support represents a strategic investment in the national security of both the United States and Europe. This was stated by Laura Cooper, former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (2017–2025), at the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”“I would like to start with a brief clarification of terminology. One term that truly triggers me is “burden sharing”, Cooper said, referring to how support for Ukraine is often framed.According to her, there has recently been a shift from “burden sharing” to “burden shifting”, but both terms should be abandoned. “This is about investing in our security—in the national security of the United States and the security of European nations. It is a joint investment,” she emphasised.Cooper also pointed out that public opinion in the US continues to support assistance to Ukraine: “The majority of Americans want to support Ukraine by providing weapons and equipment.”Addressing the issue of “fair sharing,” Cooper acknowledged expectations that Europe should contribute “as much as, or more than, the United States.” However, she pointed out that this is already happening: “If you look at the period prior to the halt of new US security assistance at the end of 2024, investments in security aid to Ukraine from the US and Europe were roughly equal — over $60 billion each.”She added that “in terms of economic aid, Europe has actually surpassed the United States,” and as a percentage of GDP, the US ranked “13th or 14th among nations in its level of investment in Ukraine.”At the same time, the lack of public awareness in the US remains a challenge. “The bad news is that most Americans are unaware of this. There is very little visibility into what Europe is actually doing to support Ukraine,” the former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense stated.Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year’s Forum is taking place on 23-24 April.

“Support for Ukraine should be viewed as a joint security investment, not “burden sharing” – Laura Cooper

The leaders of several countries are forgetting the reasons behind the post-World War II order and are acting outside of the rules designed to prevent war. Morgan Johansson, Deputy Chair of the Riksdag’s Foreign Affairs Committee (Sweden), made this statement during the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, which was held under the theme "Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?"&nbsp;"If we had stopped Russia during the first year of the war, it would have changed the situation, but the process began long before that. In fact, the problem is that many leaders are forgetting why we established this rules-based order 70 years ago, when the United Nations was created and the UN Charter was adopted. We had to prevent this so that a new world war would not begin," he stated.According to Johansson, now many national leaders go beyond the established rules intended to prevent war. &nbsp; The Deputy Chair of the Riksdag’s Foreign Affairs Committee noted that Sweden and Finland joined NATO because it was important.&nbsp;“Now, we see that the United States is acting too carelessly in many respects, ignoring the risks,” he emphasized. Johansson suggested that even if the United States had a plan, it would fail. "In other words, we are losing respect for international law and institutions," he said.In particular, Johansson noted that the United States is sending conflicting signals: U.S. President Donald Trump invited Putin to attend the G20 summit at a time when the Russian president should be in prison. "These are conflicting signals, and this is very dangerous," he concluded.&nbsp;Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year it is held on April 23-24.

The U.S. is acting too carelessly, ignoring the risks – Deputy Chair of the Riksdag’s Foreign Affairs Committee

The entire continent, including the United Kingdom, has about a 10-day supply of missiles.&nbsp;Fabrice Pothier, CEO of Rasmussen Global, stated this during the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, which was held under the theme “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”&nbsp;"Europe — the entire continent plus the United Kingdom — has about a 10-day supply of missiles. We have a good fleet of aircraft and naval forces, but that is not enough to defeat the enemy. We have a major supply problem," he said. &nbsp;Pothier noted that, as Europe watches the United States deploy resources in Iran, it realizes how far behind it lags compared to an adversary like Russia. He believes that in the long term, this problem can be solved if Europe “spends money more innovatively, more wisely, seeking answers to the questions our adversaries pose to us.”"In the long term, we need to adopt a more resource-centric strategy and secure critical resources, such as natural resources and critical materials, much more effectively," the expert believes.&nbsp;The same, in his view, applies to space. Pothier emphasized the importance of Europe having better control and management of resources in orbit and the necessary financial resources. He also stressed that the United States and China have the most advanced space operations.&nbsp;"We need a much better resource strategy. Everything else is just rhetoric,” he added. &nbsp;Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year it is held on April 23-24.

Europe lags far behind an adversary like Russia in terms of its weapons stockpiles — Rasmussen Global CEO 

Allies must significantly accelerate and intensify their support for Ukraine, as delays come at a high cost to civilians and infrastructure. President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Marcos Perestrello stated this during the 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, which was held under the theme “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”&nbsp;"The lesson for allied nations is clear: we must provide faster, stronger, and more decisive support for Ukraine. Political support remains important, but it must be translated into action at the pace this war demands," Perestrello said. He emphasized that the consequences of delays are measured "not in abstract terms, but in destroyed homes, devastated infrastructure, and human lives."The President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly pointed out that Russia is deliberately attacking Ukraine’s civilian infrastructure, particularly its energy facilities, "in an attempt to break the resilience of the Ukrainian people."Perestrello warned against shifting attention away from Ukraine amid other crises, adding that support for Ukraine is "a test of whether democratic societies are capable of acting swiftly when their core principles are under direct attack."He also highlighted the international context of the war, pointing out that Russia receives support from North Korea and Iran while China remains "Russia’s biggest enabler of the war."&nbsp;"Ukraine is moving fast. Its partners must do the same. Solidarity is not exhaustive, but time is. Supporting Ukraine is not just one of many priorities. It is a test of whether democratic societies can respond quickly when their core principles are under direct attack,” NATO PA President emphasized.Perestello noted that military aid is still essential and that speed is of the utmost importance in this matter. He highlighted the importance of initiatives such as NATO’s PURL mechanism and the expansion of defense-industrial cooperation because they reduce delivery times."This is about more than just delivering equipment. It's about aligning our industrial pace with the realities of modern warfare. Every delay comes at a cost. Every acceleration saves lives. Acceleration is not escalation. Acceleration is responsibility,” he emphasized.Kyiv Security Forum (KSF) is an annual international event launched in 2007 on the initiative of Arseniy Yatsenyuk Open Ukraine Foundation. This year it is held on April 23-24.

Allies must act faster, stronger, and more decisively in supporting Ukraine – NATO PA President 

The 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, themed “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”, showcased innovations from defense companies – leaders in modern technology.Close cooperation between the state and Ukraine’s military-industrial complex is rapidly strengthening military capabilities and saving soldiers' lives and health."We manufacture FPVs, delivery vehicles, repeaters, kamikaze and bomber drones. "In fact, we're creating our own FPV ecosystem," said Dmytro, an engineer at Sky Reaper.At their booth, the company showcased a kamikaze drone with a 10-inch frame, as well as repeaters for controlling the drone from greater distances."All of this is to save soldiers' lives and get them out... We have a kamikaze drone with an interesting control system enabled by LTE connectivity on a 15-inch frame. This allows the operators to sit, so to speak, in Kyiv and practice targeting in Zaporizhzhia,” Dmytro said.He noted that the company's main goal is to manufacture drones entirely in Ukraine and transition away from using Chinese components.Polina, a representative from Buntar Aerospace, spoke about the Buntar-3 reconnaissance drone on display at their booth. This drone operates in the most challenging areas on the front lines.“It’s a copter-airplane hybrid; it can take off and land vertically. That means it doesn’t need additional launch pads — you just set it down and it takes off. &nbsp;You may have seen how the defense forces recently struck Donetsk Airport — it was actually this drone that guided the strike. It also has a really cool, high-quality camera,” noted the company representative.Dmytro, a representative from TAF Industries, explained that the company’s booth features reconnaissance drones, two types of Shahed fighter drones, and fiber-optic drones. "We have our own developments, such as our own initiation board, a remote control board, and an automatic guidance module, among many other innovations," he added.Since July 2023, TAF Industries has operated in the defense technology market and has been gradually transitioning to Ukrainian components.Skiftech develops military training technologies, including tactical simulators, which are currently being used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the National Guard, the &nbsp;State Border Guard Service and other units of the Ukrainian Defence Forces."At the heart of our system is a personal kit for infantry soldiers... Our equipment can also neutralize drones," said Maxim, a Skiftech representative.He noted that, according to reviews from military personnel trained with the company's equipment, acquiring these skills significantly increased their chances of saving lives during the first few months of combat operations. "By about 30%," he added.Open Ukraine is an international foundation established by Arseniy Yatsenyuk in July 2007 to strengthen Ukraine's authority in the world. The foundation organizes the Kyiv Security Forum every year. This leading international discussion platform focuses on issues of war and peace. The foundation also organizes the Youth Kyiv Security Forum to develop a new generation of Ukrainian leaders.The 18th annual Kyiv Security Forum, which was themed “Darkness or Dawn: Is Light Ahead?”, took place in Kyiv on April 23–24.

Defense innovations that strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities were presented at KSF-2026