Ukraine, Putin warns: 'Western troops a legitimate target'. Trump: we will help Kiev with security guarantees

Meanwhile, Donald Trump sends out soothing messages. "I will talk to Putin, we have a good dialogue," the president said in response to those who asked him whether he would hear from Vladimir Putin after his telephone conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky, for his part, speaking on video at the Cernobbio Economic Forum, stressed that it is important that the security guarantees promised to Kiev by the countries of the coalition of the willing take effect immediately, "without waiting for the end of the fighting". Zelensky went on to say that the guarantees are also of an economic nature, thanking the 26 countries that have agreed to support Ukraine's security, speaking of an 'important step forward'.

Finally, China's role in Russian aggression against Ukraine. Beijing said it "strongly opposes" calls to exert economic pressure on China over its relations with Russia and the war in Ukraine, after US President Donald Trump urged European countries to exert it. "We strongly oppose the practice of constantly dragging China into the issue (of the Ukrainian war) and we strongly oppose the imposition of so-called economic pressure on China," Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun told a press conference.

It is not just a military plan, but an all-round strategy with a clear objective: to prevent any further Russian offensive in Ukraine. The moves by the EU and the West to guarantee Kiev, although there are no signs of peace, are taking on a more and more concrete form. At a press conference from Uzhorod, although without going into details of the military strategy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Council President Antonio Costa dwelt on the plan that, according to the EU and Kiev, cannot be separated from Kiev's entry into the Union.

Zelensky repeated the need for the Coalition of the 26 Willing to keep the military plan to protect Ukraine top secret. However, he emphasised that Western troops on the ground will be "in the thousands. This is a fact, but it is still a bit early to talk about it,' he pointed out. The plan will involve the participation of all 26 countries that are part of the Volunteers, but not in the same way. Italy (but also Poland, while a question mark remains over Germany) has already announced that it will not send boots on the ground. Instead, the government is likely to focus on training the Ukrainian army. On the US backstop, the Europeans are currently in no doubt. "Trump has been clear in his support," Zelensky explained, referring to the Paris call between the US president and the leaders of the Volunteers.

"The war in Ukraine is a disgrace, I want it to end," Donald Trump said in the Oval Office. He added: "We will help" Ukraine with security guarantees, "we want to save so many lives, we will do something". "Europe will be first. European countries want to be first and they want to see the war end," he added.

Costa was clear: sanctions are a tool for peace because they increase the pressure on the Kremlin. Forward, therefore, with the 19th package of European measures. And, above all, ahead in the quest to coordinate EU sanctions with those of the Allies, first and foremost the United States. A team from the Commission flew overseas precisely to take stock with Washington of the further sanctions to be put in place. The topic was also the focus of a phone call between Ursula von Leye and US Vice-President JD Vance.

'It is crucial that everyone sees Ukraine in the EU'. Entry into the Union, for Zelensky, remains one of the biggest security guarantees to be obtained. Not least because, as the Ukrainian president explained, the goal enjoys the support of the US and even Russia does not oppose it. The problem the EU has at home is called Hungary. Brussels has adopted a strategy from now until the coming months: no longer bring the steps for Kiev's accession to the European Council, preventing Viktor Orban from blocking them. Meanwhile, the work of moral suasion towards Budapest continues. That is, if the elections in January do not spell the end for the sovereignist premier.

"I had a substantive conversation with the Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico. We discussed key issues, matters of principle for Ukraine and matters of principle for Slovakia'. This is what Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who welcomed the Slovak premier on a visit, announced on X. "I informed him about our conversation yesterday with President Trump, our work with the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing to promote peace and ensure the security of Ukraine, and the security architecture for Europe. And Slovakia will not stand idly by."

'The prime minister,' Zelensky continued, 'told me about his contacts in China. A separate and important topic was Europe's energy independence: Russian oil, as well as Russian gas, have no future. Slovakia supports Ukraine on its path to the European Union. This is highly significant. We also share the view that Ukraine and Moldova should continue to advance together towards EU membership. It is equally important that bilateral economic, energy and infrastructure cooperation here in our region strengthens our peoples and countries'.

Slovakia and Hungary receive Russian oil through the Droujba pipeline, which has recently been targeted by Ukrainian attacks, creating tensions between Kiev and these countries. In yesterday's video conference, Trump told the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing that Europe must stop buying Russian oil, and Zelensky added that it was important that Hungary also "listen to these signals".Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto reacted during a press conference to the criticism by dismissing the blame on the EU. "The fact that Hungary cooperates with Russia on security of supply is largely due to the EU's rejection of our request for assistance in increasing the capacity of the gas pipelines in south-eastern Europe."