Trilateral Talks, Tanks, and Frustrations with EU Foreign Policy (From News Nation)

The first trilateral talks with the US, Ukraine, and Russia put the spotlight on Europe’s security needs, including Abrams tanks, air power, and more to deter Russia long-term.  Plus: the perils of EU foreign policy, whether on security, digital markets, or space.  Highlights below from the conversation with News Nation’s Markie Martin and Lexington VP Rebecca Grant. 

“There were times when Putin didn’t want to make a deal; times when Zelensky didn’t want to make a deal.  Now I think they both want to make a deal.  We’ll find out,” President Donald J. Trump said aboard Air Force One as he departed Davos, Switzerland on January 22, 2026. 

Markie Martin: President Trump on his way back from Davos signaling high hopes for today’s trilateral meeting between the United States, Ukraine and Russia.  By the way, this is the first since the war began nearly four years ago, and it’s being held in the United Arab Emirates.  The President also said he had a good meeting with Ukrainian President Zelensky on Thursday, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum.  Zelensky later had some pretty tough words for European nations and their ability to counter threats.

Markie Martin: Let me now bring in Rebecca Grant, Senior Fellow at the Lexington Institute and national security analyst. Rebecca, always good to have you again. This marks the first time that these trilateral talks have happened since the full-blown invasion began. In your eyes, how significant is this?

Rebecca Grant: I think it’s a pretty significant step.  Now, the Russian negotiator who is going to the UAE for those meetings has made it clear that Russia will continue to fight until this is all done.  I’m really sorry to see that Ukraine is under so much pressure, and their energy is under pressure from those drone and missile strikes, but it’s pretty clear they’re down to just a few issues on territory and then of course behind all this is going to be massive US and NATO security guarantees to Ukraine and really across all of Europe.  I’m talking Abrams tanks, air power, air defenses, whatever it takes to hold that front after the ceasefire.

Markie Martin: And we know Russia keeps bombarding them during the most brutal winter that they have seen in a long time.  As the President spoke with Zelensky at Davos, Putin was meeting with Steve Witkoff in Moscow. What’s it going to take for any sort of progress to be made today, any sort of breakthrough to actually happen? It is just taking time.

Rebecca Grant: I think Trump is right to keep up the pressure.  He’s kept Kushner and Witkoff in the negotiations.  Ambassador Witkoff has done just an unbelievable, tremendous job and Trump is not going to give up on peace in Ukraine.  The real question is, what is it going to take? Because you know, Putin has now organized all of Russia around fighting this war, and of course it is China who continues to back him with the energy purchases and providing the defense electronics to keep the Russian war machine rolling.

Markie Martin:  I note that ahead of the meeting with Putin, Witkoff said to reporters, quote, “I think we’ve got it down to one issue, and we’ve discussed iterations of that issue and that means it’s solvable.” In your eyes, what is that one issue?

Rebecca Grant:  It’s likely to be Putin’s demand for Ukraine to pull back from areas of the Donbass, which I hate to see them do, but Putin wants them to pull back before there is a ceasefire and a settlement.  That is just so tough.  We think the US side is proposing something more like a Demilitarized Zone, and hey, I’d like to see every Russian out of Ukraine, but this deal hinges on Ukraine getting a great economic path forward that is locked in.

Markie Martin: Rebecca, let me play some sound for you, because Zelensky had some tough words for European nations and their dependence on the United States and their dependence on NATO. I’ll get your take on the other side.

Volodymyr Zelensky (sound on tape): Europe loves to discuss the future, but avoids taking action today.  Today, Europe relies only on the belief that if danger comes NATO will act, but no one has really seen the alliance in action.

Markie Martin: What do you make of Zelensky’s frustration with Europe’s security abilities?

Rebecca Grant: Well, see, it isn’t only Trump who’s frustrated with Europe.  Okay, it’s for different reasons, but you’ve got to hand it to him.  The EU is getting involved in foreign policy, that never does any good.  Now, he’s a little unfair when it comes to Poland. Poland was leaning forward with its defenses: it’s spending almost 5% of its GDP, it sent Zelensky a bunch of tanks, and it intercepts Russian planes.  But, basically, he’s right.  Europe has got to find a way to defend themselves against the threat of Russia.  They’re scared to death of what Putin can do.  They need to take stronger action, stop fooling around, and stop doing all that annoying EU foreign policy on digital acts and the Space Act, and all that crazy bureaucratic stuff they do.  They need to really get their house in order.

Markie Martin: Yes.  We’ll see where these trilateral talks get us, and if that moves the needle at all by the end of the day.  Rebecca Grant, as always, thank you ma’am, appreciate it.

Rebecca Grant: Thank you.

Full Youtube clip here.