OT subject but worth a main-stream read- OT News Feeds...

lousubcap

Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to freeze the front lines in Ukraine’s Kherson and Zaporizhia regions if Kyiv ceded full control of Ukraine’s Donetsk and Luhansk regions, during his meeting with United States President Donald Trump on Friday, according to several media outlets, including The New York Times and the AFP and Reuters news agencies.

Trump informed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of the offer during a phone call, but Zelenskyy rejected the demand, Reuters reported

Trump described the meeting with Putin as “a great and very successful day in Alaska!” and told Fox News that Ukraine should make a deal to end the war with Russia because “Russia is a very big power, and they’re not”.

The US president also said he agreed with Putin that a peace agreement should be sought without a prior ceasefire, marking a change in his position before the summit.

“The best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement… and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

Zelenskyy, who was not invited to the summit in Alaska, said in a post on X that Russia’s unwillingness to pause the fighting would complicate efforts to forge a lasting peace.

Nevertheless, he said he will meet with Trump in Washington, DC, on Monday. “I am grateful for the invitation,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X.

A number of European leaders have also been invited to attend, a European Union source told the AFP news agency.

European leaders, including from France, Germany and the United Kingdom, promised to maintain the pressure on Russia through sanctions and called for “ironclad” security guarantees for Ukraine. They also said they were ready to work towards a three-way summit between Trump, Putin and Zelenskyy.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told German media that the US was willing to be part of security guarantees for Ukraine and that he and other European leaders will be speaking with Zelenskyy on Sunday to prepare him for the White House meeting with Trump.

The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that while “Trump’s resolve to get a peace deal is vital… the harsh reality is that Russia has no intention of ending this war anytime soon”, in a post on X.

The Leaders of the Nordic Baltic Eight group of countries issued a joint statement, reiterating support for Ukraine and saying that “a just and lasting peace requires a ceasefire” and that “experience has shown that Putin cannot be trusted”."

lousubcap

Monday Middle East update:

"The U.S. State Department on Saturday announced it had paused approvals of visitor visas for people from Gaza to conduct a “full and thorough review” of the process by which temporary medical visas are issued. The move, which halts a pathway for those seeking medical care in the United States, came after a lobbying campaign by the far-right activist Laura Loomer, who called medical evacuation flights of children from Gaza a “national security threat.” Hamed Aleaziz and Ken Bensinger report for the New York Times; Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing reports for POLITICO.

A group of between 30 and 50 critically ill and injured Palestinian children will travel to the United Kingdom for medical treatment from Gaza in the coming weeks, according to BBC News. Leila Nathoo and Jessica Rawnsley report.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis yesterday participated in some of the largest anti-war protests in months, organized by a group representing families of Israeli hostages, according to local media reports. While the protests were ongoing, the IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, and senior military commanders in Gaza approved a plan for “the next phase of the war” focused on capturing Gaza City, according to an IDF readout and Israel’s public broadcaster Kan. Claire Parker, Heidi Levine, Alon Rom, and Abbie Cheeseman report for the Washington Post."

lousubcap

Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Several European leaders will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy when he meets with President Trump at the White House later today, to present a “united front between Europeans and Ukrainians,” French President Emmanuel Macron said. Zelenskyy and Trump are expected to discuss the outcome of the Friday summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, which failed to yield a ceasefire agreement. Macron, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are all expected to be present during the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting. Constant Méheut and Enjoli Liston report for the New York Times; BBC News reports; Maegan Vazquez reports for the Washington Post.

Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Ukraine’s Donbas region in exchange for freezing other frontlines of the war and a written promise not to attack Ukraine or any European country, Trump told European leaders and Zelenskyy. According to sources, Trump also dropped his demand for an immediate ceasefire, stating that Ukraine and Russia should go straight to negotiating a peace treaty. Russian forces at present occupy almost all of the Luhansk region of Donbas, but do not control part of the strategic, fortified Donetsk region. Christopher Miller, Amy Mackinnon, Max Seddon, and Anne-Sylvaine Chassany report for the Financial Times; Ellen Francis, Siobhán O'Grady, Catherine Belton, and David L. Stern report for the Washington Post; Steven Erlanger reports for the New York Times. 

Trump told European leaders he is open to offering U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine, a move commended by the Europe's “coalition of the willing.” According to three European officials, Trump indicated such guarantees could include U.S. military support for a European-led security force and said that Putin had accepted that a durable peace would need to include the presence of Western troops in Ukraine. Bojan Pancevski, Laurence Norman, and Daniel Michaels report for the Wall Street Journal; BBC News reports.

There is “no going into NATO by Ukraine” and “no getting back” of the Crimean peninsula, Trump stated in a social media post yesterday. He also incorrectly claimed that Crimea was occupied by Russia “without a shot being fired.” Kevin Liptak reports for CNN; Vitaliy Shevchenko reports for BBC News.

U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff yesterday told CNNthat Putin agreed to “robust security guarantees” and “legislative enshrinement” of a promise not to invade Ukraine or another European country during the Friday summit in Anchorage. Neither provision has been mentioned in Russian accounts of the summit. Separately, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told ABC News that while “progress was made … we’re not at the precipice” of a peace deal. Kevin Liptak reports; Kelsey Walsh reports."

lousubcap

Tuesday Middle East update:

"Hamas has accepted a new Gaza ceasefire proposal put forward by Qatar and Egypt, two diplomats and an Egyptian official said yesterday.According to the sources, while the latest terms are similar to those that Israel had previously accepted, it was unclear if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel would accede to the proposal. Adam Rasgon, Isabel Kershner, and Ronen Bergman report for the New York Times.

Syria’s former Assad regime forced the disappearances of hundreds of children, conspiring with ministers and governors to place the children of political prisoners in orphanages, according to an investigation by the New York Times’ Shane Bauer. The regime sent children to at least nine care centers, six of which were part of SOS Children’s Villages International, according to Bauer’s documents and interviews. 

The Lebanese government “has done their part” in endorsing a U.S.-backed plan for the Hezbollah militant group to disarm, and “what we need is for Israel to comply with that equal handshake,” U.S. Special Envoy to Lebanon Tom Barrack said yesterday following months of trilateral shuttle diplomacy aiming at long-term cessation of Lebanon-Israel hostilities. Kareem Chehayeb reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet “within the next two weeks,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said after yesterday’s summit. President Trump, who, according to sources, interrupted his talks with European leaders yesterday to call Putin, also suggested he “began the arrangements for a meeting” between the two leaders. The Kremlin was more non-committal, with a foreign policy adviser suggesting that Putin and Trump discussed “the idea that it would be advisable to explore the possibility of raising the level of representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian sides.” Michael Birnbaum and Cat Zakrzewski report for the Washington Post; Barak Ravid and Dave Lawler report for Axios.

In a social media post, Trump yesterday said he had discussed the United States playing a “coordination” role in helping secure the peace in Ukraine. According to European officials, Trump and European leaders yesterday agreed that Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead a task force of national security advisers and NATO officials to draft security assurances for Ukraine. The security guarantees will likely be “formalised on paper within the next week to 10 days,” Zelenskyy suggested during today. Michael R. Gordon, Bojan Pancevski, and Annie Linskey report for the Wall Street Journal; Yuliia Dysa and Lidia Kelly report for Reuters.

Zelenskyy yesterday offered to purchase $100 billion worth of U.S. weapons and equipment, with financing help from European partners, in a bid to obtain U.S. security guarantees, according to a document seen by the Financial Times. The document also suggests Kyiv and Washington would strike a $50bn deal to produce drones with Ukrainian companies under the proposals. Trump appeared to have a favorable response to the purchase proposal during yesterday's meeting, according to European officials. Max Seddon, Christopher Miller, and Ben Hall report; Michael R. Gordon, Bojan Pancevski, and Annie Linskey report for the Wall Street Journal.

The "United States and some countries have said that they are against NATO membership for Ukraine” but there are discussions on “Article 5 type of security guarantees,” NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said yesterday. Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty postulates that an attack on any of its members is considered an attack on all. The Russian foreign ministry yesterday issued a lengthy statement rejecting the deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine as part of any security guarantees. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters; Neil MacFarquhar reports for the New York Times.

While Zelenskyy and European leaders met with Trump yesterday, Russia launched its heaviest aerial attack on Ukraine since July, killing eight people and wounding 54 others, according to Ukrainian authorities. The Ukrainian Air Force said Russia launched 270 drones and 10 missiles overnight, with strikes recorded at 16 locations. Svitlana Vlasova and Victoria Butenko report for CNN; Reuters reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Middle East update:

"The Israeli military today announced that it would call up 60,000 reservists and lengthen the service of 20,000 currently serving reservists in preparation for an expanded military operation in Gaza City. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz today approved plans to begin the new phase of operations, the military added, with a source suggesting that the army’s chief of staff is expected to approve military operations in new parts of Gaza City in the coming days. Melanie Lidman and Sam Metz report for AP News.

Israel is considering Hamas' response to a proposal for a 60-day ceasefire and release of half the hostages held in Gaza, according to Israeli officials. An Israeli political source suggested that Israel demands the release of all 50 hostages. Separately, a Palestinian source indicated that Israel’s response was expected in the coming two days. Maayan Lubell and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday accused Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of “betraying Israel” and “abandoning” Australia’s Jewish community. Australia on Monday barred a far-right member of Netanyahu's ruling coalition from entering the country, with Israel revoking the visas of Australian representatives to the Palestinian Authority in response. Maia Davies and Tiffanie Turnbull report for BBC News.

Israel is not letting humanitarian supplies into Gaza in quantities sufficient to avert widespread starvation, a U.N. human rights office spokesperson said yesterday. Reuters reports."

lousubcap

Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Trump yesterday floated providing U.S. pilots and warplanes as part of security guarantees for Kyiv, while pledging that he would not put U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine. Separately, a senior administration official on Monday told POLITICO there were no red lines on a prospective U.S. role, adding that the United States could participate in a peacekeeping force “if it is the last piece required for a deal.” Laura Kelly reports for the Hill; Irie Sentner reports for POLITICO.

Trump also said that he does not think the presence of European troops as part of a peacekeeping force in Ukraine “is going to be a problem.” Trump’s remarks seemed to run counter to the Russian Foreign Ministry Monday reiteration of Moscow’s “longstanding position of unequivocally rejecting any scenarios involving the deployment of NATO military contingents in Ukraine.” Paul Sonne reports for the New York Times.

U.S. and European military planners have begun examining options for security guarantees for Ukraine, with the Pentagon carrying out planning exercises on how the United States could support Kyiv beyond providing weapons, according to U.S. officials and sources. A separate source said that Trump has tasked Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs, to develop options for NATO-like security guarantees for a multinational security force in Ukraine. Idrees Ali, Jonathan Landay, and Sabine Siebold report for Reuters; Lara Seligman, Michael R. Gordon, and Max Colchester report for the Wall Street Journal.

The White House and the Kremlin diverged in their characterization of the progress toward a summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Putin has agreed to have a direct meeting with Zelenskyy in the coming weeks. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, meanwhile, stated that any such summit must be prepared “step by step, gradually, starting from the expert level.” Patrick Svitek and Cat Zakrzewski report for the Washington Post; Maureen Chowdhury reports for CNN; Filip Timotija reports for the Hill.

The White House is eyeing Hungary or Switzerland to hold a possible meeting between Putin, Zelenskyy, and potentially Trump, according to White House officials. Kristen Holmes reports for CNN; Dasha Burns and Paul McLeary report for POLITICO."

lousubcap

Thursday Middle East update:

"Israel’s military yesterday announced it had begun “the preliminary operations and the first stages” of its planned ground offensive on Gaza City, with IDF forces “holding the outskirts” of the city. According to local officials, Palestinians are fleeing parts of the city to escape the offensive. Separately, an Israeli military official said that Israeli troops yesterday clashed with more than 15 Hamas militants in the southern Khan Younis area, with the militants severely wounding one soldier and lightly wounding two others. Alexander Cornwell, Maayan Lubell, and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report for Reuters; Yolande Knell, David Gritten, and Gabriela Pomeroy report for BBC News.

The U.S. State Department on Monday fired its top press officer for Israeli-Palestinian affairs, Shahed Ghoreishi, according to U.S. officials and documents seen by the Washington Post. According to a memo dated last week, State Department leadership instructed officials to “cut” a line that the United States does not “support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza that Ghoreishi drafted. Far-right influencer Laura Loomer yesterday accused Ghoreishi of not being fully supportive of the administration’s policies in the Middle East. John Hudson reports; Matthew Lee reports for AP News."

lousubcap

Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russia insists on being a part of any future security guarantees for Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters yesterday, adding that security guarantee discussions will be a “road to nowhere” unless Moscow is involved. Lavrov stated that any agreement on guarantees should be based on the Russian proposal presented during the failed March 2022 peace talks, which would grant Russia veto power over any actions by other security guarantors. Lavrov’s statements seemed to contradict the Trump administration’s insistence that Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to European and U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine during last week’s summit.  Anton Troianovski reports for the New York Times; Yaroslav Trofimov and Georgi Kantchev report for the Wall Street Journal.

A major Russian overnight attack on western Ukraine killed at least one person, injured 15 others, and struck a “major American electronics manufacturer,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said today. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said it was “very telling” that the U.S.-owned civilian enterprise came under attack. Samya Kullab reports for AP News.

Russia is pushing to capture as much land as possible along the Donetsk frontlines, stepping up its offensive actions in the north of Donetsk while continuing to push toward the region’s east, according to Ukraine’s top military commander, Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, and the New York Times’ interviews with Ukrainian troops. Kim Barker and Michael Schwirtz report.

The U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, Elbridge Colby, has told defense chiefs from allied countries that the United States plans to play a minimal role in any Ukraine security guarantees, according to a European official and another source. U.S. and European officials say that the comments and another hastily arranged meeting of NATO leaders left allies increasingly concerned that Trump will rely on Europe to ensure a long-term peace in Ukraine. “There’s the dawning reality that … the U.S. is not fully committed to anything,” a NATO diplomat said. Paul McLeary, Jack Detsch, Jacopo Barigazzi, and Chris Lunday report for POLITICO."

lousubcap

Friday Middle East update:

"Famine is occurring in Gaza City, and is projected to expand across the territory without a ceasefire and restrictions on aid entry being lifted, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) said today. The assessment, issued by the world’s leading authority on food crises, is the first time the IPC has confirmed a famine in Gaza. According to the IPC, approximately a quarter of the population in Gaza is facing “catastrophic” levels of hunger, and conditions in North Gaza Governorate are estimated to be as severe as in Gaza City or worse, despite limited data. Israel’s foreign affairs ministry rejected the IPC’s report, accusing it of publishing a “fabricated” report “based on Hamas lies laundered through organizations with vested interests.” Sam Mednick and Wafaa Shurafa report for AP News; BBC News reports.

The critically low supplies of fortified milk and special nutritious pastes are exacerbating food shortages in Gaza and pushing greater numbers of children into starvation, three hunger experts and aid workers from six agencies told Reuters. ​​Dawoud Abu Alkas, Olivia Le Poidevin, and Nidal Al-Mughrabi report.

Gaza City could “turn into Rafah and Beit Hanoun” unless Hamas agrees to Israel’s conditions for ending the war, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on social media today. The two areas were reduced to ruins following Israel’s military operations earlier during the war. Separately, Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital said that at least 17 Palestinians were killed today amid Israel’s escalating activity in the city. Wafaa Shurafa and Sam Metz report for AP News; James Gregory reports for BBC News.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday said that he had ordered negotiations for the release of all hostages and an end to the war in Gaza “on terms acceptable to Israel,” and that the Israeli military still intends to advance plans to take control of Gaza City. Netanyahu did not specify to whom he gave the order or what proposal is being discussed. Tal Shalev and Mitchell McCluskey report for CNN. 

As of Friday morning, 28 countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Japan, signed a statementurging Israel to “allow immediate independent foreign media access and afford protection for journalists operating in Gaza.” The text of the statement was released by the intergovernmental Media Freedom Coalition group. Tom Bateman reports for BBC News."

lousubcap

Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"U.S. and European military chiefs yesterday developed options for providing security guarantees to Ukraine and presented them for “appropriate consideration” to their national security advisers, the Pentagon said in a statement. A source said that the final details of the proposals are yet to be worked out, with European countries set to provide “the lion’s share” of any forces and Washington still "determining the scope of its role.” Idrees Ali and Jonathan Landay report for Reuters.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday told European counterparts that the United States would participate in post-war security guarantees for Ukraine, though he did not provide a detailed vision of the guarantees to which the U.S. government might commit, according to a European diplomat. Kylie Atwood, Haley Britzky, Zachary Cohen, and Isabelle Khurshudyan report for CNN.

U.S. National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard on July 20 directed the U.S. intelligence community not to share information about the Russia-Ukraine peace negotiations with the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, according to multiple U.S. intelligence officials. The alliance comprises the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. According to the sources, Gabbard’s directive prohibits all foreign dissemination of analysis and information related to the negotiations, and extends to limiting the distribution of material to foreign agencies that created or originated the intelligence. The memo does not appear to limit the sharing of information not related to the talks or not gathered by the U.S. intelligence community. James LaPorta reports for CBS News.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that large-scale Russian attacks overnight in various parts of Ukraine showed Moscow was avoiding negotiations about ending the more than three-year-long war.

Russia’s latest strikes involved 574 drones and 40 missiles, President Zelenskyy said, and were one of the largest of Russia’s attacks so far on Ukraine. One person was killed and 22 were wounded in the overnight strikes, authorities said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that large-scale Russian attacks overnight in various parts of Ukraine showed Moscow was avoiding negotiations about ending the more than three-year-long war.

Russia’s latest strikes involved 574 drones and 40 missiles, President Zelenskyy said, and were one of the largest of Russia’s attacks so far on Ukraine. One person was killed and 22 were wounded in the overnight strikes, authorities said."

lousubcap

I hope this link works: (Test run was good to go-a great read!)
From The Atlantic-
Tom Nichols in The Atlantic (Gift Article): "Newsom has taken to trolling Trump on social media by imitating his bizarre rants, odd capitalizations, and affection for exclamation points."

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/08/gavin-newsom-social-media-trump/683968/?gift=201cWZnM2XBz2eP81zy0pE6ZPNGKQqvE-IYpBq1-5rg&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

lousubcap

Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"President Donald Trump renewed a threat on Friday to impose sanctions on Russia if there is no progress towards a peaceful settlement in Ukraine in two weeks, showing frustration at Moscow a week after his warm meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there is no agenda for a potential summit between Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whom he accused of saying “no to everything”.

Lavrov said a meeting with Zelenskyy and a deal were possible, provided there was a proper agenda for such a session.

Zelenskyy has accused Russia of doing everything it can to make sure that a meeting between him and Putin does not take place, and called on Ukraine’s allies to apply renewed sanctions on Moscow if it continues to show no desire to end its invasion of his country.

Putin has said there was “light at the end of the tunnel” in Russia-US relations, and that the two countries were discussing joint projects in the Arctic and Alaska, signalling Russia’s optimism that it can mend relations with Washington and strike business deals with Trump, despite a lack of progress towards ending its war on Ukraine."

lousubcap

From Politico Playbook today:

"EPSTEIN, AGAIN: The coming weeks may prove to be crucial ones for President Donald Trump and his allies if they hope to bring the controversy surrounding the release of the so-called Epstein files to something approximating a close. It’s been more than six weeks since the release of the brief and unsigned joint Justice Department-FBI memo that kicked things off in earnest by reporting that the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had indeed taken his own life and that there was no “client list” to disclose — despite the various assurances and promises of transparency made over the years by Trump, VP JD Vance, AG Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, among others. Since then, the White House and Republican allies in Congress have engaged in scattered — you might even say flailing — efforts to tamp things down. As of Friday, the House Oversight Committee now has the first tranche of the DOJ’s rolling production of documents in response to a subpoena, so you can safely expect more activity on this front — and lots more chatter — once members return to Washington next week after the end of August recess. As a result, we thought now would be a good time to take a step back and see where things otherwise stand on the government’s Epstein-related investigative forays. To start, let’s level set with the most important question: What could the public usefully learn at this point? You can break that down into two subsidiary questions based on public polling, media coverage and our admittedly subjective assessment of the political-legal zeitgeist. 1. What was done to prepare the DOJ-FBI memo? Or, to be more precise, what did the DOJ and FBI actually do in recent months to review the Epstein investigation, and what did they learn about the broader conspiracies alleged by skeptics? According to polling released last month, more than two-thirds of the country believes that the Trump administration is hiding information about Epstein. 2. What references to Trump are reportedly in the investigative files? Roughly half of the country apparently now believes that Trump was involved in crimes that were committed by Epstein. Thus far, the Trump DOJ has failed to answer these in any meaningful way. The DOJ’s effort to secure the release of grand jury transcripts was a comprehensive flop. There was never much reason to expect to learn anything from them, but as of last week, the administration has now lost in all three of the relevant courts. Two of the judges were particularly sharp in their brushbacks — writing in their opinions that the DOJ had effectively misled the public by suggesting that they would learn anything new from the material, and that the motions were political diversionary tactics.

The Trump DOJ’s release on Friday of the audio and transcript of the Ghislaine Maxwell interview conducted by Deputy AG Todd Blanche was also effectively meaningless. The decision to interview Maxwell in the first place was — at least as an investigative and prosecutorial matter — a baffling one. For reasons too numerous to recount, no serious prosecutor would take her at her word on anything related to her misconduct, Epstein’s misconduct or, frankly, pretty much anything. Ironically, the department’s release of the Maxwell interview itself ought to put to rest the notion that she is credible in any form. That is because Maxwell told the DOJ that she was unaware of any criminal misconduct and that she never witnessed any misconduct by any men who visited or traveled with Epstein. As a practical matter, that would mean one of two things. The first possibility is that Maxwell was indeed innocent all along — that the first Trump DOJ falsely accused Maxwell when they charged her, that she was wrongfully convicted at trial by a unanimous jury, that most if not all of the overwhelming evidence against Maxwell at the trial was false or fabricated and, in addition, that for some reason she did not testify in her own defense despite watching all of this false evidence come in. The second possibility is that she is a serial liar who committed terrible crimes and whose self-serving interview with Blanche should be dismissed out of hand — whether it helps or hurts Trump or anyone else. (If you need a refresher on what the evidence at trial revealed about the type of person that Maxwell is, we suggest pages 5-14 of the DOJ’s post-trial sentencing submission.) We’re going with Occam’s razor on this one. Meanwhile, House Oversight Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) has just begun a series of depositions on the Epstein matter. Former AG Bill Barr appeared last week, and the remainder of the schedule includes former AGs Alberto Gonzales, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Merrick Garland, among others. None of these people would seem to have much useful information to offer. In fact, to answer the most pressing Epstein-related questions, the people you would want to speak with would probably include — in no particular order — Trump himself, Bondi, Patel, Blanche, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino and Alex Acosta, who negotiated the sweetheart 2007 plea deal with Epstein while serving as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida. You might even call these bizarro investigations. They do not appear to be asking the right questions or talking to the right people to address the things that the average American might actually want to know. Will the Trump DOJ’s document production be better? That remains to be seen, but a very healthy dose of skepticism is in order. Among other things, the DOJ gets to pick which documents it produces and when it produces them. Yesterday, Rep. Robert Garcia(D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said that the overwhelming majority of the 30,000+ pages produced by DOJ on Friday was material that was already public. If you put it all together, an unfortunate verdict emerges: The public has learned pretty much nothing new from the government about the Epstein investigation since this controversy kicked off. What they have learned, perhaps, is that the Trump White House, the Trump DOJ and House Republicans have provided the appearance of investigative activity and of forward momentum — but that that appearance is, in fact, an illusion."

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Monday Middle East update:

"The IDF’s Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Eyal Zamir, has reportedly said that there is a “deal on the table” for the remaining hostages in Gaza that the Israeli military had brought about the conditions for, according to Israel’s Channel 13 News outlet. Channel 13 News reported that Zamir said that the deal is now in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hands. Israel’s security cabinet is expected to discuss the latest ceasefire and hostage deal proposal tomorrow. Yolande Knell and Ruth Comerford report for BBC News.

Israeli planes and tanks pounded the buildings and homes on the eastern and northern outskirts of Gaza City over the weekend, according to residents. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday vowed to press on with the offensive on the city, where conditions of famine were confirmedon Friday. Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Lili Bayer report for Reuters.

Israel yesterday struck the Yemeni capital Sanaa in retaliation for the Houthi rebels’ firing of missiles towards Israel, killing six people and wounding 86 others, according to a tally published by a Houthi health official on social media. Reuters reports."

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Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Since late spring 2025, the Pentagon has been blocking Ukraine from using U.S. missiles to strike targets inside Russia, according to U.S. officials. The halt resulted from the introduction of a high-level procedure developed by the DOD Undersecretary for Policy Elbridge Colby that gives Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth the final say on Kyiv’s requests to fire U.S.-made weapons, or weapons that rely on U.S. intelligence, to strike inside Russia. The officials said that Ukraine’s request to use U.S.-made long-range Army Tactical Missile Systems on a target in Russia has been rejected on at least one occasion. Alexander Ward, Michael R. Gordon, and Lara Seligman report for the Wall Street Journal.

President Trump on Friday said that he would know “which way [he’s going]” on the Russia-Ukraine conflict in “two weeks,” a shift from his earlier projection of confidence that the war between the countries could be brought to an end quickly amid stalled peace talks momentum. Kit Maher reports for CNN.

“Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all,” Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told NBC News on Friday, adding that no meeting is planned between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Trump last week suggested that Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to meet and that he was making preparations for their imminent summit. Freddie Clayton reports; Tyler Pager and Ashley Ahn report for the New York Times."

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Tuesday Middle East update:

"The Executive Editor of the Associated Press, Julia Pace, and Reuters’ Editor-in-Chief Alessandra Galloni yesterday wrote to Netanyahu and IDF leaders “to demand a clear explanation” for Israel’s killing of five journalists in a hospital strike, adding that they are “outraged that independent journalists were among the victims of this strike on the hospital, a location that is protected under international law” and that the IDF’s actions raise “serious questions, including whether Israel is deliberately targeting live feeds in order to suppress information.”

President Trump yesterday claimed that the war in Gaza will have a “pretty good, conclusive” ending “within the next two to three weeks,” adding that he “deals with” Netanyahu “quite a bit” and has told him the war needs to end soon. He did not provide further specifics. Elise Hammond reports for CNN.

Germany will not join an initiative by France and Canada to recognise a Palestinian state at next month's U.N. General Assembly, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said yesterday, stating that Germany does not “see the requirements met.” BBC News reports."

Edit to add:

Israeli forces could begin withdrawing from southern Lebanon if Lebanon takes the necessary steps to disarm Hezbollah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday. Lebanon’s Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri responded by stating that Israel has an obligation to comply with the ceasefire agreement, “which has not yet happened.” AP Newsreports."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Officials are working “very, very hard” to end the Russia-Ukraine war, U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg said during a Kyiv visit yesterday, adding that the officials are “hoping to get to a position where, in the near term, we have, with a lack of a better term, security guarantees.” Illia Novikov reports for AP News.

U.S. and Russian government officials discussed several energy deals on the sidelines of U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff’s trip to Moscow and the Trump-Putin Alaska summit earlier this month, sources say. The deals were put forward as potential incentives to encourage Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine and for the United States to ease its sanctions on Moscow, the sources add. Anna Hirtenstein and Marwa Rashad report for Reuters.

TASS reported that Russian forces shot down 151 Ukrainian drones and four aerial bombs, and destroyed two missile launchers, in one day.

Germany will take part in providing security guarantees for Ukraine alongside European partners, but the talks are at an early stage and must be shaped by Kyiv, German Vice Chancellor Lars Klingbeil said on Monday, while visiting the Ukrainian capital.

Asked why Russia President Vladimir Putin appears reluctant to sit down for peace talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump told reporters it is “because he doesn’t like him”.

“The one I thought would be the easiest, frankly, was Russia and Ukraine. But it turns out there are some big personality conflicts,” Trump said."

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Wednesday Middle East update:

"Egypt has started providing security training to hundreds of Palestinians to be part of a force that would provide security for postwar Gaza, Arab officials said. Most of the Palestinians in the force would come from the Palestinian Authority’s security services in the occupied West Bank, the officials added. Summer Said and Benoit Faucon report for the Wall Street Journal.

In a letter to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday argued that France’s call for the creation of an independent Palestinian state did not promote antisemitism and is an “essential” path to security for Israel. Commenting on accusations that he had not done enough to protect French Jews, Macron also called antisemitic attacks an “abomination,” combating which has been his “absolute priority” since “day one.” Catherine Porter reports for the New York Times.

President Trump will today chair a meeting on Gaza at the White House,U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said yesterday, adding that the United States expects the Israel-Hamas war to be settled by the end of the year. Separately, the U.S. State Department said Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar today. Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward report for Reuters.

Israel’s investigations into deaths in Gaza “need to yield results,” a U.N. human rights office spokesperson said yesterday, adding that “we haven't seen results or accountability measures yet.” André Rhoden-Paul reports for BBC News."

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Wednesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Special Envoy Steve Witkoff yesterday said that he would meet with Ukrainian envoys in New York this week, adding that “we talk to the Russians every day.” Kanishka Singh and Jasper Ward report for Reuters.

Russian air defences shot down 191 Ukrainian drones, six guided aerial bombs, and a long-range guided missile in one day, Russia’s state TASS news agency reports.

President Donald Trump said he is prepared to impose economic sanctions against Russia if its leader, Vladimir Putin, fails to agree to a peace deal in Ukraine: “We want to have an end. We have economic sanctions. I’m talking about economic because we’re not going to get into a world war.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged governments to work quickly on creating security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia, saying: “We must intensify our work to the maximum and ensure clarity and transparency in everything related to security guarantees”.

The US may provide intelligence assets and battlefield oversight to assist Western powers in the provision of security guarantees for post-war Ukraine, as well as take part in a European-led air defence shield for the country, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed European and Ukrainian officials."

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Thursday Middle East update:

"Britain, France, and Germany are planning to jointly notify the U.N. Security Council today that Iran is in “significant” violation of a 2015 nuclear agreement and that they are reinstating international sanctions on Iran, according to several European officials. The intention of the three countries, jointly known as E3, is reportedly to trigger the 30-day countdown to sanctions reimposition before Russia takes over the Security Council’s rotating chairmanship on October 1. Diplomats say the E3 hope that Tehran will provide nuclear programme commitments within 30 days that would justify deferring the sanctions threat. Karen DeYoung reports for the Washington Post; John Irish and Parisa Hafezi report for Reuters.

Iranian officials yesterday confirmed that International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors have supervised the changing of fuel at Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant for the first time since the country suspended cooperation with the nuclear watchdog last month. IAEA’s Director-General Rafael Grossi said that the agency is still discussing how to resume inspections, and has not yet been given access to the enrichment sites damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes in June. Erika Solomon and Julian E. Barnes report for the New York Times; Michael R. Gordon and Laurence Norman report for the Wall Street Journal; Reuters reports.

Israel’s foreign ministry yesterday asked the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) to retract its assessment finding famine in Gaza City and surrounding areas. In a message to the global hunger monitor, the ministry alleged the report is “deeply flawed, unprofessional, and gravely missing the standards expected from an international body” and threatened to urge the IPC’s donors to halt their funding if the report is not retracted. Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry yesterday said that 10 more people had died from hunger in the territory in the preceding day. Reuters reports.

All U.N. Security Council member states, except for the United States, yesterday issued a joint statement describing the famine in Gaza as a “man-made crisis” and calling for an immediate ceasefire accompanied by the release of all hostages and the resumption of aid deliveries. Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Shea questioned the credibility and integrity of the report finding famine to be present in Gaza during the Security Council meeting. Reuters reports.

Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner presented Trump with ideas for a post-war plan for Gaza during a White House meeting yesterday, according to sources. Barak Ravid and Marc Caputo report for Axios."

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Thursday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A “massive” overnight Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital city Kyiv killed at least 15 people and wounded 48 others.  Russia’s defense ministry said it struck “military-industrial complex enterprises and military air bases in Ukraine.” Hanna Arhirova and Samya Kullab report for AP News; Laura Sharman, Svitlana Vlasova, Daria Tarasova-Markina, and Catherine Nicholls report for CNN.

Russia’s attack on Kyiv damaged the building of the EU mission to Ukraine, Ukraine's foreign minister said. The offices of the British Council were also “severely damaged” in the attack, the Council said. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today said that she confirmed no diplomats were hurt and was “outraged” by the strikes, while the bloc’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said that Russia’s attack “shows a deliberate choice to escalate and mock the peace efforts.” BBC News reports.

President Zelenskyy said he saw “very arrogant and negative signals from Moscow regarding the negotiations” on an end to the war with Russia, and called for “pressure” to be exerted to “force Russia to take real steps” towards peace.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rebuffed demands for swift peace talks, saying Russian President Vladimir Putin had many priorities, including embarking on an unprecedented trip to China and preparing for an economic forum in the city of Vladivostok, in the Russian Far East.

Peskov also pushed back against the idea of European peacekeeping troops being deployed to Ukraine, saying: “We view such discussions negatively.” He said it was “exactly this movement of NATO military infrastructure … into Ukraine” that Russia sees as one of the “root causes” of the war."

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How CHEETO got played once again by Putin:
https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/08/us-russia-diplomacy-europe/684034/?gift=201cWZnM2XBz2eP81zy0pPejk3JE9CdEDgdwEm4KmwU&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share

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Friday Middle East update:

"Hundreds of staffers working at the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, on Wednesday wrote to him asking to take a “clear and public” position describing the Gaza war as a genocide,according to a letter seen by Reuters. In the letter, the staff say they consider that the legal criteria for genocide have been met in the Israel-Hamas war. A U.N. spokesperson said that Türk has the full support of the U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and that “labelling of an event as a genocide is up to a competent legal authority.” Emma Farge reports.

The British government has barred Israeli officials from participating in the United Kingdom’s biggest defense trade show due to the Israeli government's decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza, a government spokesperson confirmed today. Israeli defense companies will still be able to attend the event. Reuters reports.

The “little bit more food” that is coming into Gaza is “not nearly enough to do what we need to do” in order to prevent widespread starvation, the World Food Programme’s Executive Director, Cindy McCain, told Reuters. Separately, McCain said that she has “personally met mothers and children who were starving in Gaza” and spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about increasing the flow of aid. Olivia Le Poidevin reports; Sam Mednick and Samy Magdy report for AP News."

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Friday Russia-Ukraine update:

"European defense ministers will meet in Copenhagen to discuss the war in Ukraine today, following a Russian attack on Kyiv that killed 23 people and significantly damaged a EU diplomatic compound and the British Council’s offices. Both the EU and the United Kingdom summoned their respective Russian ambassadors in response to the strikes. The U.N. Security Council has also scheduled an emergency meeting on airstrikes against Ukraine for this afternoon at the request of Ukraine, the United Kingdom, France, Slovenia, Denmark, and Greece. Sam McNeil reports for AP News; Filip Timotija reports for the Hill.

The Trump administration yesterday announced it had approved a proposed $825 million sale of 3,350 Extended Range Attack Munition (ERAM) missiles to Ukraine. A source said that if the sale is concluded as expected, the missiles could be delivered later this year. The move appears to be the Trump administration’s first major arms sale of new weapons to Kyiv. Jennifer Hansler reports for CNN.

Ukraine and Russia are “perhaps … not ready to end [the war] themselves,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said yesterday while commenting on Russia’s strike on Kyiv. Leavitt said that Trump was “not happy” but “not surprised” by Russia’s attack, and noted that Ukraine launched effective assaults on Russia’s oil industry in recent weeks. Sam McNeil reports for AP News.

Asked about Moscow’s deadly strike on Kyiv, a Kremlin spokesperson yesterday said that Russia remains interested in pursuing peace talks on Ukraine, but Moscow’s “the special military operation continues” and Kyiv “also continues strikes on Russian infrastructure.” Dmitry Antonov reports for Reuters.

Surveillance drones operated by Russia or its proxies are flying over routes used by the United States and Ukraine’s other allies to ferry military supplies through eastern Germany, according to U.S. and other Western officials. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius yesterday said that Berlin’s attempts to stop the drones are a “constant technical cat-and-mouse game” and that Germany is doing “everything [it] can” to counter the flights. A Kremlin spokesperson dismissed the report as “likely” fake news. Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times; Reutersreports.

European leaders are considering creating a buffer zone between the Russian and Ukrainian frontlines as part of a ceasefire or peace deal,European diplomats suggest. Moscow has previously embraced the idea of a buffer zone, and it is not clear Kyiv would accept the plan, as it would likely come with territorial concessions. The United States does not appear to be involved in the buffer zone discussions. Paul McLeary and Jack Detsch report for POLITICO.

Ukraine’s air force said Moscow fired at least 629 drones and missiles, making it the second-largest overnight barrage of the entire war, according to Kyiv’s data.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “sabotaging hopes of peace”, while German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said “Russia showed its true face” with the latest strikes.

French President Emmanuel Macron slammed Russian “terror and barbarism”, saying on X: “This is Russia’s idea of peace.”

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen spoke with both Zelenskyy and Trump following the attacks, insisting afterwards that “Putin must come to the negotiating table”."

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Saturday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said the Russian army had sped up its rate of advance in Ukraine and was taking control of some 600 to 700 square kilometres (231- 270sq miles) each month compared to 300-400 square kilometres (115-154sq miles) at the start of this year.

Belousov also said that Russia had inflicted significant damage on Ukraine’s military and industrial infrastructure, carrying out 35 strikes this year on what he called 146 critically important targets. He also claimed that 62 percent of key enterprises in “Ukraine’s military-industrial complex” suffered damage.

Russia’s deputy UN ambassador, Dmitry Polyanskiy, said Moscow was prepared to consider a summit with Ukraine “provided that there is thorough prior preparation for such a meeting and the substantive content of it; otherwise, it would simply not have any meaning”.

President Zelenskyy said he expected to continue talks with European leaders next week on “NATO-like” commitments to protect Ukraine, adding that US President Donald Trump should also be involved in the discussions.

The Ukrainian leader also said he wanted Ukraine’s allies to ratify any security guarantees through their parliaments, invoking a 1994 deal in which Kyiv agreed to give up its nuclear arsenal in exchange for security assurances that proved insufficient to deter Russia’s invasion.

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said proposals on security guarantees for Ukraine would increase the risk of conflict between Moscow and the West by turning Kyiv into a “strategic provocateur” on Russia’s borders."

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Sunday Russia-Ukraine update:

"Ukraine’s Air Force said it had downed 510 of 537 drones and 38 of 45 missiles launched by Russia in the overnight attack.

The chief of Russia’s general staff, Valery Gerasimov, said that Russian forces are waging a nonstop offensive along almost the entire front line in Ukraine and have the “strategic initiative”.

In a speech to his deputies, Gerasimov also said that Russian forces now control 99.7 percent of Ukraine’s Luhansk region, 79 percent of the Donetsk region, 74 percent of the Zaporizhia region and 76 percent of the Kherson region. He went on to claim that Russian troops have almost completely blockaded the city of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region, and control about half of its area.

But Ukrainian military spokesperson Viktor Trehubov said that Kyiv’s forces had scored front-line successes, keeping Russian troops from seizing targets in the Donetsk region and halting further advances into the Dnipropetrovsk region. In one area, he said, Kyiv’s troops had surrounded Russian units.

President Donald Trump outlined how his policy on Ukraine fits with his America First agenda, saying, “We’re not spending any money in the war”, describing this as a “big difference” in comparison with the “hundreds of billions of dollars” the US was previously spending.

He also told The Daily Caller that the US will not send ground troops to Ukraine and that the US now sells equipment to NATO. “We don’t sell it to Ukraine. We sell it to NATO. They pay for the equipment,” Trump said."

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Monday Russia-Ukraine update:

"In the Zaporizhia region alone, Russian forces launched 286 drone attacks, 10 missile attacks and five air strikes on 16 settlements in one day, Governor Ivan Fedorov wrote on Telegram.

The Ukrainian military said Russia had attacked Ukraine with 142 drones overnight, and, while its air defence forces managed to shoot down most of them, the drones struck 10 locations.

The Kremlin accused European powers of hindering United States President Donald Trump’s peace efforts and said that Russia would continue its operation in Ukraine until Moscow saw real signs that Kyiv was ready for peace.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he was bracing himself for the Russia-Ukraine war “to last a long time”. He told German public broadcaster ZDF that diplomatic efforts to bring the conflict to an end could not come “at the price of Ukraine’s capitulation”.

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, announced additional funding for European Union member states bordering Russia and Belarus during a visit to Poland’s border, near Belarus, where she called Putin a “predator” who could only be kept in check through “strong deterrence”.  Von der Leyen also told the Financial Times that Europe is drawing up “pretty precise plans” for a multinational troop deployment to Ukraine as part of proposed post-conflict security guarantees.

She said Trump had assured Europe that “there will be [an] American presence as part of the backstop”."

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Tuesday Middle East update:

"The United States will not issue visas to Palestinian officials to prevent them from attending the U.N. General Assembly next month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Friday. According to the State Department, the move is intended to hold the Palestinian Authority and the Palestine Liberation Organization “accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace.” The office of the PA and PLO’s leader, Mahmoud Abbas, expressed “deep regret and astonishment” at Rubio’s decision, according to Wafa, the occupied West Bank’s government-run news agency. Edward Wong and Adam Rasgon report for the New York Times.

The State Department has also instructed U.S. diplomats to refuse nonimmigrant visas for Palestinian passport holders, regardless of their place of residence, according to an internal cable from Rubio to U.S. embassies and consulates dated August 18 and reviewed by CNN. Jennifer Hansler reports.

A prospectus with a proposal for a postwar plan for Gaza circulating within the Trump administration envisions a temporary relocation of all of Gaza’s more than 2 million population through “voluntary departures,” the Washington Post reports. Under the proposal, developed by some of the same people who created and set in motion the U.S.- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, says Gaza should be turned into a U.S.-administered trusteeship for at least 10 years, during which it would be transformed into a tourism resort and high-tech manufacturing and technology hub. Karen DeYoung and Cate Brown report.

Israel is set to pause airdrops of aid over Gaza City and reduce the entry of relief trucks to the area ahead of its planned major offensive, a source tells CNN. The Israeli military already announced it is ending a policy of pausing daytime military operations in Gaza City to facilitate aid delivery, describing the area as a “dangerous combat zone” in a Friday statement. The International Committee of the Red Cross denounced Israel’s instructions for the city's residents to evacuate, saying that it is “impossible that a mass evacuation of Gaza City could ever be done in a way that is safe and dignified.” Mahmoud Atef, Eugenia Yosef, Kareem El Damanhoury, Ibrahim Dahman, Sana Noor Haq, Abeer Salman, Eyad Kourdi report; Adam Rasgon reports for the New York Times.

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have vowed to respond to an Israeli strike that, according to Houthi officials, killed the militia’s prime minister, Ahmed al-Rahawi, and “several of his colleagues” last week. Shuaib Almosawa and Vivian Nereim report for the New York Times."

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Tuesday Russia-Ukraine update:

"A suspected Russian interference attack targeting the jet carrying European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday deprived the plane of electronic navigational aids while on approach to a Bulgarian airport, three officials briefed on the incident say. According to online flight trackers, the interference did not appear to have affected another aircraft in the area. A Kremlin spokesperson denied Russia was behind the incident. Henry Foy reports for the Financial Times.

European countries are working on “pretty precise plans” for potentially deploying their troops to Ukraine as part of post-conflict security guarantees, Ursula von der Leyen told the Financial Times, adding that Trump “reassured” European leaders that the planned multinational troop force would have an “American presence as part of the backstop.” Henry Foy reports.

Russia’s Ministry of Defence said that its forces shot down 260 Ukrainian drones and three rockets launched in a 24-hour period, according to the Russian state news agency TASS.

Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Western countries for causing the war in Ukraine by provoking Russia, in a speech at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, in Tianjin, China.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement noting surprise that an SCO statement did not include a reference to the “largest war of aggression in Europe since World War II”, in reference to Russia’s war in Ukraine."