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Russia Is Losing the War in Ukraine, U.S. Envoy Keith Kellogg Says

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Special Presidential Envoy Keith Kellogg on Monday said he and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff recently advised President Trump that Russia is losing its war on Ukraine — as Moscow has seen more than 1 million casualties while taking less than 1% of Ukrainian territory since November 2022.

Speaking at the Yalta European Security Conference in Kyiv, Kellogg revealed he and the chairman, Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, each reassured the president of Moscow’s wilting position roughly six weeks ago — shortly before Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

“If Putin thinks Russia is winning, his definition of winning and my definition of winning are absolutely two different things,” Kellogg said. “If he was winning, he’d be in Kyiv. If he’s winning, he’d be west of the Dnipro River. If he was winning, he’d be on Odessa. If he was winning, he would have changed the government.

“Russia is, in fact, losing this war,” he added.

The two military experts gave their assessment in response to Trump’s then-prodding as to whether Putin’s grandstanding of supposed success in Ukraine was true, Kellogg said, giving a rare glimpse into private discussions at the White House. (Read more from “Russia Is Losing the War in Ukraine, U.S. Envoy Keith Kellogg Says” HERE)

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Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska’s Look of Horror After She Was Fatally Stabbed on Train — As Her Final Moments Are Revealed

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Slaughtered Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska looked up at her killer with terror in her eyes after he repeatedly stabbed her with a pocket knife, as no passengers came immediately to her aid, disturbing newly-released surveillance footage shows.

The new extended clip from the Aug. 22 attack on the Lynx Blue Line train shows the 23-year-old cowering in fear and covering her face with her hands after the shocking, unprovoked attack, allegedly carried out by homeless repeat felon Decarlos Brown Jr.

Zarutska, who had come to the US in 2022 seeking safety after Russia invaded her country, pulls up her legs, which can be seen spattered with blood in the video.

It comes as the FBI announced on Monday that Brown was hit with federal charges on top of the state murder rap he already faces. The penalty includes the possibility of the death sentence if he is convicted.

She then falls to the floor about 15 seconds later, the video shows. (Read more from “Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska’s Look of Horror After She Was Fatally Stabbed on Train — As Her Final Moments Are Revealed” HERE)

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Putin’s Three Demands for Ukraine Peace Revealed After Alaska Summit With Trump: Report

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has laid out three conditions he says are necessary to achieve peace in Ukraine, according to a new report.

Putin, who met with Donald Trump two weeks ago in Alaska for a high-stakes summit, is demanding that Ukraine surrender control of the remaining parts of the Donbas region, abandon its bid to join NATO, and accept strict neutrality that bars Western forces from setting foot in the war-torn country, three sources familiar with Kremlin thinking told Reuters.

The reported proposal marks a scaling back from Moscow’s earlier demands. In June 2024, Russia insisted Kyiv give up four provinces: Donetsk and Luhansk in the east, along with Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. Now, according to Russian sources, Putin is seeking only the full Donbas in exchange for halting operations in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.

Russia currently controls about 88% of the Donbas, as well as 73% of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, according to U.S. intelligence estimates and open-source data. Moscow has also signaled it could return small parts of the Kharkiv, Sumy, and Dnipropetrovsk regions as part of a potential settlement.

Still, Putin remains firm on his two other core demands: that Ukraine’s NATO ambitions, written into its constitution, be abandoned, and that Western militaries not be allowed to deploy in Ukraine under any peacekeeping mandate.

“Putin is ready for peace — for compromise,” one Russian source told Reuters. “That is the message that was conveyed to Trump.”Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly rejected any deal that involves ceding internationally recognized Ukrainian territory to Russia. On Thursday, he stressed the Donbas region is essential to his country’s survival.

“If we’re talking about simply withdrawing from the east, we cannot do that,” Zelensky said. “It is a matter of our country’s survival, involving the strongest defensive lines.”

He also argued that Ukraine’s NATO aspirations are a sovereign matter and should not be dictated by Moscow.

For now, no direct talks between Putin and Zelensky are scheduled. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News that “the agenda is not ready at all” for such a summit.

“President Putin said clearly that he is ready to meet provided this meeting is really going to have an agenda, presidential agenda,” Lavrov said, accusing Kyiv of stalling.

Meanwhile, Trump has applied pressure from the sidelines, warning of “massive” sanctions and tariffs if Putin and Zelensky fail to move toward negotiations.

“I’ll see whose fault it is,” Trump said Friday. “If there are reasons why, I would understand that. I know exactly what I’m doing. We’re going to see whether or not they have a meeting — that will be interesting to see.”

Zelensky has said he is ready to meet Putin but accused the Kremlin leader of blocking progress.

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Downed Ukrainian Drone Sparks Massive Forest Fires Miles From Putin’s Mysterious $1.5B Black Sea Palace

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Ukrainian drone strikes sparked massive forest fires that came within miles of Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s opulent mansion along the Black Sea, known as “Putin’s Palace.”

As many as 100 emergency crews battled the fiery scene, which was triggered by falling debris from a Ukrainian drone downed by Moscow defenses, local Russian authorities said.

The flames spread just six miles from Putin’s sprawling 190,000-square-foot compound at Cape Idokopas, near the resort town of Gelendzhik, located not far from Crimea, according to reports from authorities.

But an independent Russian investigative outlet, IStories, placed the Thursday blaze even closer to the Russian strongman’s palatial villa, saying the fire broke out just two miles from the palace.

No injuries or deaths were reported, though local emergency services said 23 vacationers were cut off from evacuation routes by the smoke and had to be brought to safety by boat. (Read more from “Downed Ukrainian Drone Sparks Massive Forest Fires Miles From Putin’s Mysterious $1.5B Black Sea Palace” HERE)

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Report: Pentagon Blocks Ukraine From Firing Western Missiles Deep Into Russia

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The Trump administration’s Department of Defense has reportedly been blocking Ukraine from using American and British-made long-range missiles to strike targets deep inside Russian territory, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

Unnamed U.S. officials told the outlet that Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Eldridge Colby developed a procedure to review any Ukrainian requests to conduct long-range strikes using weapons of U.S. origin, or those that rely on American intelligence or components. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth reportedly has the final authority to approve or deny such strikes.

The restrictions affect weapons like the MGM-140 ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System), a long-range surface-to-surface missile that Ukraine has sought to use against Russia’s military and logistical hubs.

The policy reportedly coincides with President Donald Trump’s push to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment on the matter when reached by WSJ.

The Biden administration had previously allowed Ukraine to conduct strikes with ATACMS in November 2024, just weeks after Trump won the presidential election. Trump sharply criticized that move in a December interview with Time magazine, saying:

“It’s crazy what’s taking place. It’s crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done.”

Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Aug. 15 in Alaska for a high-stakes summit aimed at negotiating a cease-fire in the nearly three-year war. As the two leaders convened, a B-2A Spirit stealth bomber and several fighter jets conducted a flyover at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage.

Three days later, on Aug. 18, Trump held talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and top European leaders to brief them on the summit discussions.

The Pentagon’s restrictions on long-range strikes are the latest flashpoint in the balancing act between supporting Ukraine’s defense and preventing escalation into a direct NATO-Russia conflict.

In July, Trump also struck a deal with NATO allies to boost weapons deliveries to Ukraine, with member nations pledging to purchase U.S.-made arms — including MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile systems — and donate them to Kyiv.

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Russia Hammers Ukraine With One of the Largest Air Strikes of the War

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Russia launched one of its biggest aerial attacks of the year on Ukraine, firing 574 drones and 40 ballistic and cruise missiles overnight, the Ukrainian Air Force said Thursday, while a recent diplomatic push to stop the three-year war is trying to gain momentum.

The attack mostly targeted western regions of the country, the air force said, where much of the military aid provided by Ukraine´s Western allies is believed to be delivered and stored. The strikes killed at least one person and injured 15 others, according to officials.

It was Russia´s third-largest aerial attack this year in terms of the number of drones fired and the eighth-largest in terms of missiles, according to official figures. Most such Russian attacks have hit civilian areas.

The strikes occurred during a renewed U.S.-led effort to reach a peace settlement following Russia´s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor. U.S. President Donald Trump discussed the war with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week, and at the start of this week hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House. (Read more from “Russia Hammers Ukraine With One of the Largest Air Strikes of the War” HERE)

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Trump Clarifies Role American Troops May Play In Ukraine Peace Deal

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President Donald Trump told Fox and Friends the United States may give Ukraine air support as part of the peace deal with Russia.

Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. During the meeting, the president didn’t rule out American troops on the ground in Ukraine but on Tuesday, Trump suggested the U.S. would help by air.

“What did [the world leaders] say to you privately? It looks like they are on the same page as you are,” Fox and Friends host Lawrence Jones asked Trump.

“They are, they’re very good people, they are very good leaders of their country and they want to lead their country. They are consumed with this far more than we are because they are right there. We have an ocean separating us, a thing called an ocean. A big, beautiful ocean. They don’t. They are right there,” Trump began.

“It’s a different kind of a thing for them…when it comes to security, they are willing to put people on the ground, we’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably if you talk about by air because nobody has stuff we have, really they don’t have,” the president said.

(Read more from “Trump Clarifies Role American Troops May Play In Ukraine Peace Deal” HERE)

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Report: Putin Floats Proposal to End Ukraine War

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Russian President Vladimir Putin has reportedly indicated he would be willing to end the war in Ukraine if Kyiv agreed to surrender significant portions of its eastern territory, according to European and Ukrainian officials cited by The Wall Street Journal.

The proposal was allegedly made to U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff during talks on Wednesday. Putin’s offer, as described by officials briefed on the conversation, involved Ukraine ceding the Donbas region — a largely Russian-speaking area — in exchange for an end to active hostilities. The Donbas includes Donetsk and Luhansk, the latter of which Russia already fully controls. Moscow also holds territory in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, though it remains unclear if those areas would be part of any potential withdrawal.

President Donald Trump, who has pursued peace in the region since the start of his term, reportedly took part in the initial discussion alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Vice President JD Vance, and Witkoff. Follow-up calls on Thursday and Friday involved European officials and senior members of Trump’s team, focusing on the structure of Putin’s proposal.

According to Witkoff’s account to European diplomats, the plan would unfold in two stages. First, Ukrainian forces would withdraw from Donetsk, effectively freezing the current frontlines. The second stage would involve negotiations between Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and Putin to reach a longer-term agreement.

Ukrainian officials have reportedly signaled that Kyiv would require a ceasefire before entering into any such talks. The war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, has resulted in hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides and continues to reshape security dynamics across Europe.

Trump and Putin to Meet in Alaska, Zelensky May Join Talks

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Former President Donald Trump has confirmed that he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday, August 15, 2025. The announcement, made on Trump’s Truth Social account, described the event as a “highly anticipated meeting” and promised further details in the coming days.

While Trump stated the date and location were set, a senior White House official reportedly noted that the plans remain “fluid.” According to that official, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky may also become involved in the discussions.

The meeting comes amid ongoing efforts to address the Russia–Ukraine conflict. Moscow had earlier indicated that it expected Trump and Putin to meet in person to discuss the war, with top Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov confirming that a venue had been agreed upon.

This development follows U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff’s recent visit to Russia, where he met directly with Putin. Those talks were described as a “last-bid attempt” to secure peace in Ukraine, though little concrete progress has been reported so far.

Observers note that Trump’s tone on the conflict has shifted over time—from initial optimism about diplomatic solutions to clear frustration at the lack of movement from Moscow.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump remains “open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky” if it could help advance peace negotiations. The Alaska summit, if it proceeds as planned, could mark one of the most high-profile diplomatic events of the year.

Trump Hits India with 25 Percent Tariff, ‘Penalty’ for Enabling Russia

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The U.S. will levy a 25 percent tariff on India, which includes a “penalty” for buying military equipment and energy from Russia amid the war in Ukraine, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.

“Remember, while India is our friend, we have, over the years, done relatively little business with them because their Tariffs are far too high, among the highest in the World, and they have the most strenuous and obnoxious non-monetary Trade Barriers of any Country,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

He continued:

Also, they have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China, at a time when everyone wants Russia to STOP THE KILLING IN UKRAINE — ALL THINGS NOT GOOD! INDIA WILL THEREFORE BE PAYING A TARIFF OF 25%, PLUS A PENALTY FOR THE ABOVE, STARTING ON AUGUST FIRST.

When reporters asked Trump on Tuesday if a deal with India had been finalized, Trump shot back, “No, it’s not,” the Hill reported. The tariff announcement less than 24 hours later confirmed that answer. (Read more from “Trump Hits India with 25 Percent Tariff, ‘Penalty’ for Enabling Russia” HERE)

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