President Donald Trump has directed U.S. officials to help to facilitate a «lasting and durable peace» between Ukraine and Russia, with officials touting the «very, very strong» package presented for negotiations in Berlin over the weekend.

Fox News Digital participated in a briefing with U.S. officials Monday morning to discuss ongoing discussions in Berlin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his team, and European security officials.

ZELENSKYY VISITS FRONTLINE UKRAINIAN CITY WEEKS AFTER RUSSIA CLAIMED IT TOOK CONTROL

U.S. officials met with Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation Sunday for nearly six hours, and spent more than two hours with them Monday.

Officials said Trump’s goal is to «stop the Russians from moving west.»

«President Trump’s very focused on reaching a conclusion to this conflict that really stops the Russians from from moving west,» one official said. «Under President Bush, Russia moved west. Under President Obama, Russia moved west. Under President Biden, Russia move west. President Trump really wants to see this as an agreement that ends that, for good.»

Officials also discussed the economic situation for Ukraine, noting that asset manager BlackRock has assembled a team, pro bono, to begin working on the matter, in coordination with the World Bank.

«We went extensively through all the different financial borders that Ukraine currently faces,» an official said. «What President Trump is trying to do is to save Ukraine as a country and make sure that they then have the ability to be, from a military perspective, security perspective, and then make sure that they can become viable.»

The official said the Europeans involved in discussions expressed «several times that they see Ukraine as critical for their security,» and that they «need Ukraine to be financially viable and strong in order for it to be a good partner.»

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

But the officials said that «security guarantees were the major focus of the discussions.»

«It was a very specific, palpable conversation around how to deter any further incursions and to punish — or address — any further incursions,» an official said. «I think Ukrainians would tell you, as will the Europeans, that this is the most robust set of security protocols they have ever seen.» 

EUROPEAN TALKS RESHAPE UKRAINE’S PEACE PLAN AS ZELENSKYY REFUSES TERRITORIAL CONCESSIONS

The official touted the current package as «very, very strong.»

«Hopefully the Russians are going to look at it and say to themselves, that’s okay, because we have no intention of violating it,» the official continued. «But violations are going to be addressed with this security package.»

The official added: «The Europeans now know that we mean business, and the Ukrainians know it too.»

The package will ensure «oversight» and «deconfliction,» along with «anything that will make the Ukrainian people feel safe.» 

«It’s just that strong,» the official said.

Officials said that the basis of the agreement is to have «really, really strong Article Five guarantees.»

Officials said that President Donald Trump has been «very, very clear» that he is «not looking to put pressure on Ukraine.» (Al Drago/Reuters)

«We believe the Russians, in a final deal, will accept all these things which will allow for a strong and free Ukraine,» an official said. «Russia has indicated they would be open to Ukraine joining the E.U., which would be, I think, the biggest expansion of the Euro-free zone since the Berlin Wall — this would be two huge wins for them.»

Officials said that Trump has been «very, very clear» that he is «not looking to put pressure on Ukraine.»

«He has done his best to help define these issues and whatever decision they ultimately make on their territorial issues around these other outstanding issues will be up to them,» the official said.

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Meanwhile, the officials touted the conversations with the European community, specifically the Germans, the English, and the French.

«I can’t say enough good things about them,» one official said. «Everyone has been dug in to end this conflict. Hopefully we are on the path to peace.»

Another official said this is a «full U.S.-European effort to try to come up with the strongest package possible in order to see if we can go back to Russia with something that can close this out.»

The official added that President Donald Trump’s focus on the deal has been to ensure «robust security so that this war really ends and that this will not happen again.»  (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The official added that Trump’s focus on the deal has been to ensure «robust security so that this war really ends and that this will not happen again» and to reach an agreement to deal with «all of the economic issues for Ukraine so that they have a bright and prosperous future.»

The official also said Trump hopes that Russia can «get back into the global economy so that they have incentive not to go back to war in the future.»

The U.S. officials said Monday conversations are ongoing, but touted the «multiple different solutions» they have presented that can «bridge the gap between the parties.»

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«We have moved considerably closer in narrowing the issues between the Ukrainians and the Russians,» one official said. «It is a really good faith effort.»

«Are we prepared to go to Russia if needed? Absolutely. Are we prepared to go to Ukraine if needed? Absolutely,» the official said.

«We are under instructions to do what it takes to help facilitate, on behalf of President Trump, a lasting and durable peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation,» the official continued. «And we intend to do our best.» 

Ahmed al Ahmed, the Australian immigrant who heroically wrested a gun away from one of the shooters involved in the deadly antisemitic terror attack on Sunday in Australia, said he would do it all over again, his migration lawyer, Sam Issa, said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

«He doesn’t regret what he did. He said he’d do it again. But the pain has started to take a toll on him,» Sam Issa noted Monday night after visiting the wounded man, the outlet reported. «He’s not well at all. He’s riddled with bullets. Our hero is struggling at the moment.»

The wounded Muslim father, 44, has daughters who are five and six-years-old, according to the outlet, which reported that he came to Australia from Syria in 2006 and later received citizenship in 2022.

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«Ahmed’s a humble man, he’s not interested in coverage, he just did what he was compelled to do as a human being on that day,» Issa noted, according to the outlet. «He gets that gratitude from being in Australia. This is his way of conveying his gratitude for staying in Australia, for being granted citizenship.

«He has really appreciated this community, and he felt that as a member of the community, he had to act that way and contribute.»

RABBI SLAMS AUSTRALIA OVER BONDI MURDER OF TWO JEWISH LEADERS, ONE WITH ‘DEEP US TIES’

At least 15 people were killed in the shooting.

ISRAELI KNESSET MEMBER SAYS AUSTRALIAN OFFICIALS ‘DID NOTHING’ AMID RISE OF ANTISEMITISM BEFORE SYDNEY ATTACK

Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, during a news conference in Sydney, Australia, on Monday, Dec. 15, 2025.  (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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The attack «was an act of pure evil,» «antisemitism,» and «terrorism» that was «deliberately targeted at the Jewish community on the first day of Hanukkah,» Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said.

El Gobierno de Trinidad y Tobago autorizó vuelos militares de Estados Unidos hacia y desde los aeropuertos internacionales de Piarco y Arthur NR Robinson durante las próximas semanas, como parte de una cooperación bilateral en materia de seguridad.

Las autoridades aclararon que los movimientos tendrán carácter logístico y se producen en medio de la mayor presencia militar estadounidense en el Caribe.

El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores informó que dio luz verde al tránsito de aeronaves militares estadounidenses por ambos aeropuertos. Según la cartera, Washington notificó que las operaciones “son de naturaleza logística, facilitando el reabastecimiento y las rotaciones rutinarias de personal”.

El ministro Sean Sobers sostuvo que la medida se inscribe en el diálogo permanente con la Embajada de Estados Unidos en Puerto España.

Trinidad y Tobago reiteró que la cooperación responde a un compromiso asumido por la primera ministra Kamla Persad-Bissessar para reforzar la seguridad nacional y regional. Sobers afirmó que la jefa de Gobierno “ha reafirmado el compromiso del Gobierno con la cooperación y la colaboración en la búsqueda de la seguridad para Trinidad y Tobago y la región en general”.

El anuncio se conoció una semana después de la publicación de la Estrategia de Seguridad Nacional 2025 de Estados Unidos, firmada por el presidente Donald Trump.

En el documento, la Casa Blanca plantea la intención de “reafirmar y hacer cumplir la Doctrina Monroe para restaurar la preeminencia estadounidense en el hemisferio occidental y proteger nuestra seguridad y acceso a geografías clave”.

La estrategia añade que Washington buscará impedir que actores externos a la región establezcan capacidades militares o controlen activos estratégicos en el hemisferio, un enfoque denominado “Corolario Trump” a la Doctrina Monroe.

Dentro de ese marco, Estados Unidos señala que trabajará con socios regionales para “controlar la migración, frenar los flujos de drogas y fortalecer la estabilidad y la seguridad en tierra y mar”. Trinidad y Tobago, por su ubicación en el Caribe, forma parte del área de interés definida en el documento.

Las autoridades de Puerto España destacaron beneficios concretos derivados de la cooperación bilateral. El Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores señaló que el país ha participado en ejercicios militares conjuntos, ha mejorado sus capacidades de vigilancia y ha fortalecido acciones contra el narcotráfico que permitieron la incautación de drogas valuadas en millones de dólares.

En los últimos dos meses, efectivos de la 22ª Unidad Expedicionaria de Marines de Estados Unidos realizaron ejercicios con la Fuerza de Defensa de Trinidad y Tobago, y el destructor USS Gravely hizo escala en el país.

El despliegue estadounidense en el sur del Caribe comenzó con el Gravely y otros dos destructores, fuera de aguas territoriales venezolanas. Luego se amplió con un submarino de ataque nuclear, buques anfibios, unidades de fuerzas especiales, una unidad expedicionaria de marines y el portaaviones USS Gerald R. Ford con su grupo de ataque.

En noviembre, marines estadounidenses instalaron en el aeropuerto Arthur NR Robinson un sistema de radar AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR, diseñado para detectar aeronaves, drones y misiles.

Persad-Bissessar confirmó su existencia el pasado 27 de noviembre tras consultas de la prensa. Un día antes había señalado: “Ellos nos están ayudando con algo en el aeropuerto”. Luego precisó que el plan incluía “la pista y un radar” para mejorar la vigilancia frente al narcotráfico.

La primera ministra atribuyó a ese sistema un papel en la incautación de marihuana valuada en 171 millones de dólares encontrada en una embarcación no tripulada en el pantano de Caroni. Tras el operativo, indicó que mantuvo conversaciones con funcionarios de la Embajada estadounidense sobre “nuestra cooperación continua en la lucha contra el crimen”.

El uso del radar generó cuestionamientos de la oposición, que fueron rechazados por el Gobierno. En paralelo, otros países caribeños también evalúan solicitudes de Washington. En agosto, Estados Unidos pidió a Granada permiso para instalar un radar en el aeropuerto internacional Maurice Bishop. El primer ministro Dickon Mitchell dijo que su Gobierno analiza la propuesta sin aceptar plazos externos.

Trinidad y Tobago mantiene además un acuerdo de estatus de fuerzas con Estados Unidos, firmado en 2024, que permite cooperación militar bilateral. Persad-Bissessar indicó en agosto que su país permitiría operaciones estadounidenses si Venezuela realizara una incursión en Guyana y mediara una solicitud formal, en el contexto de la histórica disputa por el Esequibo.