This week, Rome was the epicenter of positive discussion about Ukraine, as thousands gathered to explore the most important and practical next steps for the country.
In attendance were heads of state, dignitaries, business leaders, NGOs, and representatives from Ukraine’s many regions. President Zelensky was present, as was Trump’s special envoy, General Keith Kellogg.
Today, I spoke with my friend Kateryna Musienko, reporting live from the ground in Rome at this week’s Ukraine Economic Recovery Conference. Katya has spent more than half a decade representing Ukrainian interests in Brussels at the European Parliament.
We discussed how to strengthen our shared commitment to supporting Ukrainian defense and how to make reconstruction truly meaningful—grounded in justice and resilience.
In today’s video, you can listen to Katya and me discuss the reality that recovery efforts mean little without immediate air support for Ukraine. We also explored hopeful steps being considered in Rome to reduce European energy dependence on Russia as part of the next wave of sanction packages.
As Katya articulated so well: “Transatlantic unity must be preserved if we are to prevail in the confrontation with the global rise of authoritarianism.”
Katya's perspectives are compelling. She is not just a patriot but an articulate spokeswoman for the cause—someone who has been fighting for Ukraine for well over a decade. She was especially helpful when my son, Honor Phillips, addressed the European Parliament about his experiences on the front line in Pokrovsk.
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DW Phillips is a constitutional attorney, a filmmaker, and journalist who directs Ukraine Story, a foundation for documentary reporting.
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