The US must support Ukraine now more than ever, as Putin is responding to peace proposals by escalating attacks on Ukrainian cities. At the same time, backing Ukraine serves America's strategic interests — regardless of what "twisted ideologues" in the Pentagon might say,

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on the phone on Thursday about arms deliveries to Ukraine, a spokesperson for the German leaders told Reuters. Merz initiated the call with Trump,

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he held a "very important and fruitful conversation" with US President Donald Trump on Friday against the backdrop of a partial freeze in US arms deliveries.

Russia has intensified its air assault against Ukraine since the United States froze an air defense shipment, citing a waning weapons stockpile earlier this week.

Waves of drones and missiles targeted Kyiv overnight in the largest aerial assault since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began more than three years ago, officials said Friday, amid a renewed Russian push to capture more of its neighbor’s land.

It was the latest in a series of almost weekly large-scale missile and drone attacks. President Trump said he “didn’t make any progress” with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.