Mr. Trump has long demanded that NATO and other allies contribute more to their own defense. But the minerals agreement would represent a major escalation in his transactional approach to foreign policy. The United States was once seen as the world’s policeman, but to many analysts it now seems more like an extortionate Mafia kingpin.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that Russian President Vladimir Putin accepts the idea of Europe sending peacekeepers to Ukraine as part of a ceasefire agreement, and French President Emmanuel Macron said Europe is ready to help.

President Trump on Monday signaled he could meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in the coming weeks to finalize a deal on critical minerals.

Germany's election winner Friedrich Merz warned the United States on Monday against turning its back on allies but also urged Europeans to build up their own defence capabilities, saying it was now "five minutes to midnight for Europe".

Friedrich Merz is on course to become post-World War II Germany’s 10th chancellor, the culmination of a yearslong political career that was once sidelined by his party’s iconic leader

Friedrich Merz, on course to become post-World War II Germany's 10th chancellor after the country's election, has vowed to prioritize European unity and the continent's security as it grapples with the new Trump administration and Russia's war on Ukraine.