Ukrainian officials asked US President Donald Trump’s administration to let them use frozen Russian assets worth $300 billion to buy US-made weapons, according to European officials familiar with the matter.

Donald Trump has spoken of doing a deal with Ukraine to obtain rare earth minerals in exchange for U.S. aid ahead of JD Vance's meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukraine, its armed forces, and its people are fighting against the Russian aggressor not only for their own security but also for the security of the entire European continent. Therefore, Ukraine's position remains unchanged – the country will be a NATO member and will become a European Union member.

The U.S. defense secretary also said that a return to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders, before Russia invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine, “is an unrealistic objective.”

The alliance’s defence ministers are hoping to hear that the US commitment to Nato will not waver. Read more at straitstimes.com.