Free Republic

The outlines of President-elect Donald Trump’s initial efforts to end the war in Ukraine from his visit to Europe last week are starting to emerge for the first time. The main takeaway: Europe would have to shoulder most of the burden of supporting Kyiv with troops to oversee a cease-fire and weapons to deter Russia. At a meeting in Paris on Dec. 7, Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron that he doesn’t support Ukrainian membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but that he wanted to see a strong, well-armed Ukraine emerge from any cessation...

KYIV—Ukraine’s battle-weary troops are desperate for reinforcements. Civilians want to keep up the fight but are less eager to pick up rifles. The West is dangling membership in political and military blocs and feeding military aid but not enough for a breakthrough. As Russia’s invasion enters a third summer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is juggling competing domestic and international priorities even as Ukrainians and their Western allies agree: Russia can’t be allowed to win. On Tuesday, Ukraine officially began negotiations to join the European Union, a symbolic step toward the West, and a small victory for Zelensky. Still, EU accession...

Ukraine is considering shutting down the sole remaining reactor at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Friday, after shelling left the plant without a safe and sustainable source of backup power. The plant, which has already shut down five of its six reactors, risks having only one remaining source of electricity to power its systems in case the sixth reactor has to go offline, said Director General Rafael Grossi. Normally, if the plant can’t supply itself power, it can draw electricity from a nearby thermal-energy plant. But shelling overnight Thursday destroyed a switchyard that carries electricity...

France on Saturday outlined one part of what the gradual ramp-up of Iran’s nuclear program could entail after the initial 10-year phase of a framework accord. Since Thursday’s deal between Tehran and a group of six world powers on the outlines of a final agreement, the U.S., the Iranians and the French have each produced their own documents outlining what they see as the highlights of the deal. That has led to squabbling between U.S. and Iranian officials over differences in their versions. According to a French fact sheet, Iran would be able to carry out a “gradual, clearly defined...