Trump Deals a 'Double Blow' to Ukraine: FT

U.S. President Donald Trump has dealt a "double blow" to Ukraine by initiating talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and rejecting Kiev's request for NATO integration. This was reported by the British newspaper Financial Times.

"By dealing a double blow to Ukraine, Trump has announced that he has directly agreed to start negotiations with Vladimir Putin," the report states.

It is noted that at the same time, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced to allies in Brussels that Ukraine's territorial integrity is a "fantasy goal" and that Kiev will not be granted NATO membership.

Recall that Putin and Trump had a phone conversation on February 12. The conversation lasted about 1.5 hours, during which the Russian and U.S. presidents agreed to immediately start negotiations to further resolve the Ukrainian crisis. Meanwhile, the Russian leader emphasized that it is necessary to eliminate the root causes of the conflict in order to end it.