Europe

• Stakes High, Europe Races to Save Its Financing Plan for Ukraine - The European Union has a proposal for how to turn Russian frozen assets into a giant loan for Ukraine. If it fails, it could further weaken Europe’s global image.
• Russia says battlefield success strengthening its hand in Ukraine talks - The Kremlin said Wednesday that its army's recent battlefield successes in Ukraine had bolstered its position in talks to end the fighting, as both Moscow and Kyiv prepared for more negotiations with the US. US President Donald Trump's envo
• Europe Wants to Get the Word Out: Russia Is to Blame for Sabotage - Officials are accusing Russia of smaller-scale assaults. President Vladimir V. Putin sought to turn the tables, saying that if Europe were to start a war, Russia is ready.
• WSJ Bombshell: Trump Chiefs Met With Putin Honcho On Peace Plan To Access Billions Frozen In Europe - Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner met with Kirill Dmitriev to hammer out a peace deal that would unlock hundreds of billions in funds frozen in Europe
• In Firing His No. 2, Zelensky Loses Both a Negotiator and an Enforcer - Andriy Yermak had ensured internal discipline in Ukraine’s wartime politics. He also led the country’s peace negotiations, which now must go on without him.