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UNITED NATIONS: The European Union has a message for the Trump administration: It will continue supporting Ukraine against Russia’s illegal invasion, step up humanitarian aid when others pull back, and boost global teamwork to address the world’s challenges.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas never mentioned the United States in her speech to the UN Security Council on Tuesday. But her points were clearly aimed at President Donald Trump ‘s dismissive language about Europe, his massive cutbacks in aid to poor and conflict-torn countries, and his administration’s reluctance to acknowledge that Russia invaded Ukraine.
Following talks in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, the Trump administration said it was lifting its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, and Kyiv signaled that it was open to a 30-day ceasefire in the war with Russia. The US-Ukraine deal is now pending Moscow’s agreement.
Looking at the world 80 years after the UN was founded on the ashes of World War II, Kallas said its foundations are facing “unprecedented pressure.” She cited blatant violations of the UN Charter, “attempts to replace the rule of law by the rule of force,” and universal principles promoting peace, human rights and development “under heavy fire.”
At a news conference afterward, she said, “The world is more dangerous now than it has ever been since the Cold War.”
Kallas told the council, “The EU will remain the UN’s reliable partner of choice” and will defend the UN Charter, which says every country must respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
That’s why it has supported Ukraine’s right to self-defense and stands with Kyiv “for a just and lasting peace in line with the Charter,” she said, stressing that Russia must lose its “colonial war.”
The EU will always support rising humanitarian needs, with almost 2 billion euros this year, she said, a dig at the Trump administration, which dismantled the US aid agency and is eliminating 83 percent of its programs.
Kallas also stressed the need to boost multilateralism and engage with partners, which “is the only way forward in solving issues.”
She was asked afterward about a Trump comment that the EU was created to destroy the US when it comes to trade and was asked whether the 27-nation bloc could overcome that antagonism.
Surrounded by diplomats from all EU member nations, Kallas replied that the EU is “a peace project” created to ensure there would be no more wars among its members.
Right now, “our relations with third parties around the world show that everybody is looking at us because we are the reliable, predictable partner,” she said. “So, I really see the possibility to grow Europe’s geopolitical presence.”
The EU came under attack from Russia during the Security Council meeting.
After Kallas pledged to continue EU support to Ukraine, Russia’s UN ambassador blasted the European bloc for what it called a long history of anti-Russian sentiment.
“This sensible club aimed at integration, which used to promote cooperation with Russia, has today definitively turned into a fossilized, aggressive Russophobia bloc, which has staked its energy, economic, social and financial wellbeing on a pointless confrontation with its eastern neighbor,” Vassily Nebenzia said.
“Today, more than ever, it’s clear that the EU is seriously losing in this confrontation,” he said.
Kallas retorted that Nebenzia’s comments were a good example of rewriting history and how “misinformation and disinformation” and “lies” must be fought.
She said countries are afraid of Russia because of the countries it has attacked, “and these fears are not ungrounded.”

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump shopped for a new Tesla on the White House driveway on Tuesday, selecting a shiny red sedan to show his support for Elon Musk‘s electric vehicle company as it faces blowback because of his work to advance the president’s political agenda and downsize the federal government.
“Wow,” Trump said as he eased his way into the driver’s seat of a Model S. “That’s beautiful.”
Musk got in on the passenger side and joked about “giving the Secret Service a heart attack” as they talked about how to start a vehicle that can reach 60 miles (95 kilometers) per hour in a few seconds.
Trump told reporters that he would write a check for the car, which retails for roughly $80,000, and leave it at the White House so his staff can drive it. The president also said he hopes his purchase will boost Tesla, which is struggling with sagging sales and declining stock prices.
“It’s a great product,” he said. Referring to Musk, Trump said “we have to celebrate him.”
It was the latest — and most unusual — example of how Trump has demonstrated loyalty to Musk, who spent heavily on his comeback campaign last year and has been a key figure in his second administration. Tesla’s stock price increased nearly 4 percent on Tuesday after dropping almost 48 percent since Trump took office in January.
The Republican president announced on social media overnight that he was going to buy a new Tesla as “a show of confidence and support for Elon Musk, a truly great American.”
Musk continues to run Tesla — as well as the social media platform X and the rocket manufacturer SpaceX — while also serving as Trump’s adviser.
“Elon Musk is ‘putting it on the line’ in order to help our Nation, and he is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!” Trump wrote. “But the Radical Left Lunatics, as they often do, are trying to illegally and collusively boycott Tesla, one of the World’s great automakers, and Elon’s ‘baby,’ in order to attack and do harm to Elon, and everything he stands for.”
Others have also rallied to Musk’s defense. Alex Jones, a prominent conspiracy theorist, said that he bought a customized version of a Cybertruck that he’ll give away to a customer of his online store next month.
In addition to Tesla’s struggles, Musk has faced other challenges too. He said X was targeted by a “massive cyberattack” that disrupted the social media platform on Monday, and the last two test launches of his Starship rocket ended in explosions.
Presidents almost never drive for security reasons. Joe Biden got behind the wheel of an electric truck while promoting domestic manufacturing, and Barack Obama took a spin with Jerry Seinfeld in the White House driveway for a comedy show.
But regardless of the practicality of Trump’s purchase, his overnight announcement about buying a Tesla represented another step in how the president has blurred lines between private and public interests.
During his first term, top adviser Kellyanne Conway urged people to show their support for Trump’s daughter Ivanka by purchasing her retail products.
“Go buy Ivanka’s stuff,” she said. “I’m going to give it a free commercial here.”
Trump’s wealth and business savvy is core to his political appeal. The president promoted his products while running for office last year, and he attached his name to a cryptocurrency meme coin that launched shortly before he took office.
However, it’s rare to see Trump use his own money to support an ally, no matter how important they are.
Musk is the world’s richest person, with billions of dollars in government contracts. He’s also exerting sweeping influence over Trump’s administration through the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and traveling frequently with the president.
During an interview with the Fox Business Network on Monday, host Larry Kudlow asked Musk “how are you running your other businesses” while also advising Trump.
“With great difficulty,” he said.
“But there’s no turning back, you say?” Kudlow responded.
“I’m just here trying to make government more efficient, eliminate waste and fraud,” Musk said.
Tesla has recently faced protests and vandalism. Police are investigating gunshots fired at a dealership in Oregon, and fire officials are examining a blaze that destroyed four Cybertrucks at a Tesla lot in Seattle.
At times, the White House has needed to play cleanup for Musk, who had never worked in public service before and has admitted that he’ll make mistakes along the way.
For example, Musk presented inflated estimates of fraud in government benefits like Social Security on Monday, leading Democrats to argue that he was planning cuts to the popular programs.
“Most of the federal spending is entitlements,” Musk said in the interview. “That’s the big one to eliminate.”
The next morning, a White House account on X criticized news organizations as “lying hacks” and told Democrats to “spare us the fake outrage” about reducing benefits.
“He was clearly talking about the WASTE in the programs,” the White House posted.