NewsNation National Correspondent Robert Sherman has found himself on the frontlines of some of the world’s biggest stories: from Ukraine to Israel and across the United States. He shares what he’s seeing on the ground. Subscribe to his newsletter: Frontlines with Robert Sherman here.
(NewsNation) — Good afternoon.
Like every day now, so it seems, we have a busy day on the international stage.
High stakes meeting in Moscow
Well, here we go.
Today, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who is President Trump’s trusted negotiator, is in Moscow meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Joining him there is Jared Kushner, who played a big role in the talks in Israel.
The president has put pressure on to get a deal done that ends the fighting in Ukraine. People on the ground there I am hearing from fear this will end in an effective Ukrainian surrender — or at the very least something that feels that way.
The president has said his peace plan has been “fine-tuned” since the initial, concerned reaction from European leaders. Witkoff and Kushner are in Moscow to help bridge gaps.
On the Russian side, President Putin is joined by Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev, Presidential Representative for Investment & Economic Cooperation and CEO of RDIF. Ushakov, you might recall, was on the other side of that phone call with Witkoff where the Special Envoy appeared to give advice to Russia on how to negotiate with President Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, meanwhile, is calling for the West to keep the pressure on Russia. Namely, in the form of sanctions, which he hopes will be directed towards Ukraine.
The Ukrainians also remain insistent that they must be a part of all conversations aimed at securing peace.
“There will be no simple solutions to ending this war. We understand what is happening,” Zelenskyy said on X. “We understand who we are dealing with. The issue is not the difficulty of making decisions. I am capable of making them. What matters is that everything is fair and transparent. That there are no games played behind Ukraine’s back. That nothing is decided without Ukraine — about us, about our future.”
The future world order
Finnish President Alexander Stubb has an op-ed out in Foreign Affairs today that lays out the stakes of the moment:
“The next five to ten years will likely determine the world order for decades to come. … This is the last chance for Western countries to convince the rest of the world that they are capable of dialogue rather than monologue, consistency rather than double standards, and cooperation rather than domination.”
It’s not hyperbole to say this is one of the most potentially consequential moments since the war broke out in February of 2022.
Europe at large has drawn the ire of Russia in recent days. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Europe of attempting to scuttle peace efforts with their criticisms of the peace deal that’s on the table.
Putin also said that if Europe wants war, Russia is “ready” for it.
I remind you of some of the reporting we did in the Baltic Sea a few weeks back. That’s a waterway in which Russian and NATO ships cross paths every day, and the Commodore of the Estonian Navy described it as “highly contested.”
Estonia, in particular, has probably articulated fears of expanded conflict most openly. Over the summer, the Estonians dug anti-tank trenches along their border with Russia. The so-called “Friendship Bridge” that connects Estonia to Russia has been outfitted with “Dragon’s Teeth” meant to stop tanks and heavy military vehicles from advancing.
You’ll know by now that my favorite expression is, “The table looks different depending on where you sit.”
The United States is seeking peace that ends the war. The European perspective is a deal that, from their vantage rewards Russia, will inevitably lead to future conflict.
It’s a complicated, high-stakes world.
Update on ‘Lessons from the Front’
I’m humbled and grateful to share this endorsement from Bill O’Reilly — the bestselling nonfiction author in American history — for my debut book.
“The state of American journalism is shaky at this point in history, but brave guys like Robert Sherman just might save the industry. On the ground in Ukraine and the Middle East, the 25-year-old war correspondent literally risks his life to tell important stories. Lessons from the Front puts the reader right there. A fascinating book.”
I got into this industry because I saw too much journalism built on grandstanding and noise. This book is for anyone who feels overwhelmed by the climate we’re in. In a world this complex, hope comes from remembering what’s simple: family, home, time. At least, that’s what war taught me when I was a then 25-year-old kid from Cleveland who was humbled by the globe.
I can’t thank you enough for your support. Pre-orders are rolling in quicker than anticipated, and Amazon is a bit backed up at the moment. Everyone who wants a copy will get one, I promise, and we’re working to make sure holiday shoppers won’t leave empty-handed. For those still interested in preordering, you can do so through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Bloomsbury.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation.