Russia will demand Ukraine drastically cut back military ties with the NATO alliance and become a neutral state with a limited army in any talks with Trump.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that Ukraine was not yet in a strong position to begin peace talks with Russia ahead of President-elect Trump taking office next week with a pledge to

British wartime leader Winston Churchill once said he was an optimist, as there was no point being anything else. The year ahead in Ukraine has given rise to wild, perhaps wilful, positivity from Kyiv and – publicly at least – in parts of NATO that the incoming Trump White House can effect meaningful,