Наталія Роп

political analyst

Education: studied journalism at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Lviv Polytechnic National University.

At various times, she worked for the publication Censor.NET and Hromadske Radio.


Peace talks without peace /
How Russian strikes shaped Kyiv’s view of the Abu Dhabi negotiations

As Ukraine and its partners prepare for a second round of peace talks in Abu Dhabi, doubts are growing within President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s own political team about whether the negotiations will deliver any real results — or amount to little more than an exercise in imitation.
4 February, 11:26 AM 197
Russian war

After the war /
Former Estonian president: Ukraine must stay a top priority after fighting ends

Former Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid warned that Ukraine faces a serious risk of repeating the “Georgian scenario” if the West fails to act decisively after the fighting ends — a mistake she said could have lasting consequences for both Ukraine and Europe.
30 January, 08:21 PM 258
Russian war

Aid package details /
EU ambassador explains how the €90B Ukraine package will work

As Ukraine faces mounting military and budgetary pressure in the third year of Russia’s full-scale invasion, the European Union is moving to lock in long-term support. In an interview with NV correspondent Nataliia Rop, EU Ambassador Katarina Mathernova explains how a newly approved €90 billion EU support package is structured, why most of the funding is earmarked for defense, and how Brussels plans to move quickly while tying financial aid to reforms and future Russian reparations.
15 January, 03:45 PM 232
Nation

'Witkoff is an idiot' /
Stephen Blank: Trump’s peace plan is doomed — and Zelenskyy must mirror Putin’s tactic

U.S. expert on Russia Stephen Blank tells NV that Trump’s negotiating team and peace plan offer little cause for optimism — and explains why Zelenskyy must, right now, copy one key tactic from Putin to achieve a just peace.
3 December 2025, 03:45 PM 1134
Russian war

In candid interview /
John Herbst discusses U.S. leverage over Putin and Trump’s shifting Ukraine position

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst explained to NV how Washington can push Putin toward peace, whether Donald Trump truly wants that outcome, and whether he is capable of achieving it.
15 November 2025, 04:55 PM 460
Russian war

Amid war and politics /
The quiet rival: Why Valerii Zaluzhnyi still haunts Bankova

With insight from people close to Valerii Zaluzhnyi and sources within the government, NV examined whether Ukraine’s former commander-in-chief plans to enter politics, what his views really are, and why he continues to irritate those in power on Bankova Street.
18 October 2025, 04:21 PM 585
Nation

What the West missed /
Janis Kluge: Western pressure alone won’t cripple Russia’s war machine

As Western nations escalate sanctions against Russia, questions persist about their real impact on the Kremlin’s war economy. To unpack the latest U.S. and EU measures—and whether they can truly hinder Vladimir Putin’s ability to wage war—NV special correspondent Nataliia Rop spoke with Dr. Janis Kluge, deputy head of the Eastern Europe and Eurasia Division at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP Berlin) and a leading expert on the Russian economy and sanctions policy.
8 August 2025, 04:30 PM 226
Business

Dark side of Trump /
John Herbst: Trump has yet to 'bring the hammer down' on the Kremlin

Former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, in an interview with NV’s Nataliia Rop, explains why Donald Trump blames his predecessor for the war, how his sympathy for Vladimir Putin took shape, and what could eventually push him to put real pressure on Russia.
6 July 2025, 10:50 AM 1656
Russian war

On Russia’s threat /
Estonian FM: Trump won’t weaken NATO’s Article 5 guarantee

Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna told NV special correspondent Nataliia Rop on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin should not count on U.S. weakness—even with Donald Trump in the White House.
3 July 2025, 03:33 PM 288
Nation

With 'Daddy' in focus /
Zelenskyy, Trump, and NATO’s next chapter unfold in The Hague

A pleased Donald Trump, a diplomatically slick Mark Rutte, a sharply dressed Volodymyr Zelenskyy, thousands of troops on high alert, and Patriot missiles on standby—NV takes you inside the sealed-off, sky-guarded, sea-surrounded world of NATO’s most expensive summit yet.
28 June 2025, 06:05 PM 549
Nation

On the agenda /
Ukraine to be key focus on day two of NATO summit

Ukraine will be a “major topic” at the NATO summit day two, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said, NV correspondent Natalia Rop reported on June 25.
25 June 2025, 12:23 PM 229
Nation

In response to Kremlin attacks /
NATO’s Rutte condemns Russian strikes, promises more aid to Ukraine

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte condemned Russia’s recent mass attacks on Ukrainian cities as “unacceptable” during a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague on June 24, NV correspondent Nataliia Rop reported.
24 June 2025, 07:30 PM 210
Russian war

'We stormed into Russia' /
Exclusive: Ukrainian troops recall moment they invaded Russian territory

NV breaks down Ukraine’s boldest cross-border operation in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, as told by those who carried it out — a mission that dismantled the myth of Russian invulnerability.
21 June 2025, 11:29 AM 668
Russian war

Exclusive NV interview /
Putin repeatedly humiliated Trump and his envoys, says Finnish MEP Pekka Toveri

General Pekka Toveri, Member of the European Parliament from Finland, speaks with NV journalist Natalia Rop about Donald Trump’s peace attempts, the tools the EU still hasn’t used against the Kremlin, and why European peacekeepers must have the authority to use force against Russia if needed.
17 May 2025, 03:30 PM 317
Nation

Exclusive interview /
EU Defense Commissioner Kubilius: Trump’s approach to peace talks only made Putin stronger

At the Kyiv Security Forum, NV correspondent Nataliia Rop spoke with Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, about boosting military aid to Ukraine, Trump’s peace efforts, and why Europe must prepare to defend itself as U.S. focus shifts toward the Indo-Pacific.
15 May 2025, 07:08 PM 404
Nation

Frontline experiences /
Old machines, new missions: Ukraine's helicopter crews adapt

In the frigid morning of February 12, 2025, near an undisclosed location in Ukraine, a Mi-8 helicopter descended onto a makeshift landing zone. The crew, part of the 16th Separate Army Aviation Brigade from Brody, had just returned from a mission targeting Russian positions in the Donbas region. Pilots Yurii and Pavlo, both 24, shared their experiences operating the aging Mi-8 helicopters under constant threat from Russian air defenses.
15 April 2025, 10:35 AM 552
Russian war

Pledges long-term support /
Exclusive: Mark Rutte on NATO, Trump, and Ukraine’s place in Europe’s security future

In an exclusive interview with NV journalist Nataliia Rop, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Ukraine’s path to NATO remains irreversible, but emphasized that membership will not be part of any potential peace deal with Russia.
6 April 2025, 07:15 PM 885
Nation

Political endurance /
Shmyhal's low profile helps him remain Ukraine's PM despite frequent shake-ups

With the help of members of the president's team, former ministers, MPs, and experts, NV has identified four key qualities of Denys Shmyhal that have enabled him to lead the government for over four years.
3 October 2024, 05:06 PM 7391
Nation

'Thoroughly professional officer' /
Who is Marine General Hnatov, who Zelenskyy appointed after unexpectedly dismissing Marine General Sodol?

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced Marine General Andriy Hnatov as the new Joint Forces commander while in frontline Pokrovsk on June 26.
28 June 2024, 12:42 PM 19473
Nation

Ghosts of Kyiv /
The story of several dozen pilots who protected the skies of the Kyiv in the first days of the full-scale war

With the help of eyewitnesses, NV reproduced the events of the air battle during which Ukrainian fighters held off an armada of enemy aircraft, thereby saving the capital and the north of the country from methodical destruction.
21 June 2023, 01:30 PM 3001
Nation