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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong>Read more<\/p>\n President Donald Trump<\/a> is pushing for an end to the Russia<\/a>–Ukraine<\/a> war while ruling out sending U.S. troops to Ukraine<\/a>.<\/p>\n No American troops will be included in any security guarantees for Ukraine<\/a>, but the administration could provide assistance in other ways, including air support, Trump told Fox News on Tuesday. White House<\/a> Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said that air support is \u201can option and a possibility.\u201d <\/p>\n This comes after Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky<\/a> and key European leaders in the White House<\/a> on Monday to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.<\/a><\/p>\n While Trump has ruled out sending troops, the UK is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine<\/a> as part of a \u201creassurance force\u201d if a peace deal with Russia<\/a> is reached.<\/p>\n Trump is now arranging for a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin<\/a> and Zelensky.<\/p>\n \u201cI called President Putin, and began the arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between President Putin and President Zelensky. After that meeting takes place, we will have a Trilat, which would be the two Presidents, plus myself,\u201d Trump wrote on Truth Social.<\/p>\n The U.S. leader also blamed Ukraine for \u201ctaking on a nation that\u2019s 10 times your size\u201d<\/a> on Tuesday, despite Russia<\/a> undertaking a full-scale invasion of its neighbor.<\/p>\n Ukraine-Russia latest: Key pointsWhat to know about the Ukraine-Russia peace talks<\/p>\n President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and several key European leaders met in the White House yesterday to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n Now, Trump says he\u2019s arranging for a meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you need to know:<\/p>\n Read more<\/p>\n Katie Hawkinson19 August 2025 17:09<\/p>\n <\/a>US and European allies begin planning for Ukraine security options<\/p>\n U.S. and European military planners have started exploring post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine, U.S. officials and sources told Reuters on Tuesday. This follows a pledge from President Donald Trump to help defend the country under any agreement to end Russia\u2019s war. Ukraine and its European allies were encouraged by Trump\u2019s promise of security assurances for Kyiv, made during a Monday summit, though many questions still remain unanswered.<\/p>\n The Pentagon is conducting planning exercises on the support Washington could offer beyond providing weapons, officials said. They cautioned, however, that determining what would be both militarily feasible and acceptable to the Kremlin would take time. One option involves sending European forces to Ukraine, with the U.S. in charge of their command and control. Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters these troops would operate under their own nations’ flags, not a Nato banner.<\/p>\n Neither the Pentagon nor Nato has commented on the idea. The White House stated the U.S. could help coordinate a security guarantee for Ukraine.<\/p>\n Russia\u2019s Foreign Ministry has ruled out the deployment of Nato troops to help secure a peace deal.<\/p>\n While Trump has publicly ruled out deploying US troops in Ukraine, he appeared to leave the door open to other military involvement on Tuesday. In a Fox News interview, he suggested Washington could provide air support.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen it comes to security, [Europeans] are willing to put people on the ground, we’re willing to help them with things, especially, probably, … by air because nobody has stuff we have, really they don\u2019t have,\u201d Trump said, without elaborating. U.S. air support could involve more air defence systems or enforcing a no-fly zone with US fighter jets.<\/p>\n Since Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion in 2022, the United States has shipped billions of dollars\u2019 worth of weapons and munitions to Kyiv. The Trump administration briefly halted these shipments, including after contentious White House meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February and July. Shipments have since resumed, and Trump has pledged to send primarily defensive weapons to assist the war-torn country.<\/p>\n Nato military chiefs will focus on Ukraine and the way forward during a virtual meeting on Wednesday, first reported by Reuters. U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, who also oversees Nato operations in Europe, will brief defence chiefs on last week\u2019s Alaska meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, confirmed that U.S. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is expected to attend and will meet European counterparts in Washington on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n As Trump continues to press for a quick end to Europe\u2019s deadliest war in 80 years, Kyiv and its allies worry he could seek to force an agreement on Russia\u2019s terms, especially after the warm welcome he extended to Putin last week.<\/p>\n Russia maintains its actions in Ukraine are a \u201cspecial military operation\u201d to protect national security, claiming Nato\u2019s eastward expansion and Western military support pose existential threats. Kyiv and its Western allies, conversely, describe the invasion as an imperial-style land grab.<\/p>\n With reporting from Reuters<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell20 August 2025 00:20<\/p>\n <\/a>Watch: White House attacks reporter for asking why Trump didn’t call Putin in front of European leadersWhite House attacks reporter for asking why Trump didn’t call Putin in front of European leaders<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell20 August 2025 00:00<\/p>\n <\/a>State Department responds to Lavrov’s claim Rubio liked his CCCP sweater<\/p>\n The State Department has responded to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov\u2019s claim that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he liked his sweater bearing the letters \u201cCCCP,\u201d the Cyrillic letters for the Soviet Union.<\/p>\n A State Department spokesperson told The Independent: \u201cIn the midst of historic peace agreements being led by the President of the United States, it is unbelievable, but predictable, that the media will find any reason to avoid covering this administration’s successes.”<\/p>\n The sweatshirt appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek reference to claims from Putin\u2019s critics, who say he wants to rebuild Soviet Russia.<\/p>\n Bryony Gooch <\/strong>has more details on Lavrov\u2019s sweater:<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell19 August 2025 23:45<\/p>\n <\/a>Trump is prepared to ‘crush’ Russia’s economy if no progress on peace talks, senator says<\/p>\n Senator Lindsey Graham has indicated that Donald Trump may now be prepared to back a bipartisan sanctions bill aimed at crippling Russia’s economy, following a phone call between the two.<\/p>\n Speaking to The Associated Press on Tuesday, Senator Graham stated that if peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia do not show significant progress by next month, then a \u201cPlan B\u201d would need to be activated. For months, the Republican senator has been a vocal proponent of imposing severe tariffs on nations that provide financial support for Russia’s military actions.<\/p>\n Following his conversation with Mr Trump, Senator Graham suggested a shift in the president’s stance.<\/p>\n He told reporters in South Carolina: \u201cTrump believes that if Putin doesn\u2019t do his part, that he\u2019s going to have to crush his economy. Because you got to mean what you say.\u201d<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell19 August 2025 23:27<\/p>\n <\/a>Putin would be granted ‘immunity’ in Switzerland, if he attends peace talks there, official says<\/p>\n Russian President Vladimir Putin would be granted\u201cimmunity\u201d if he visits Switzerland for a meeting about the future of the war in Ukraine, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said, Politico<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n The International Criminal Court issued<\/a> an arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023 over his invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n U.S. President Donald Trump announced in a Truth Social post Tuesday that he, was arranging a trilateral meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, but noted the location had yet to be determined.<\/p>\n French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday suggested Geneva, Switzerland host the summit.<\/p>\n Switzerland can host the meeting \u201cdespite the arrest warrant against Putin because of our special role and Geneva\u2019s role as the European headquarters of the U.N,\u201d the country\u2019s foreign minister said.<\/p>\n Kelly Rissman19 August 2025 23:20<\/p>\n <\/a>Where could the next Ukraine-Russia peace talks be held?<\/p>\n Switzerland is open to hosting peace talks, Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said Tuesday to SRF.<\/p>\n \u201cWe are ready for such a meeting, and we are thankful for the trust placed in us,\u201d Cassis said, while at a diplomatic conference in Bern. \u201cWe have always signaled our willingness, but it, of course, hinges on the willingness of the major powers.\u201d<\/p>\n Cassis said Russian President Vladimir Putin, who is the subject of an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court over his invasion of Ukraine, would be granted \u201cimmunity\u201d if he were to attend such a meeting in the country.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have clarified the legal situation,\u201d Cassis said. \u201cWe could hold such a meeting, and we know what needs to be done to ensure it goes smoothly. We can do this despite the arrest warrant against Putin because of our special role and Geneva\u2019s role as the European headquarters of the UN.\u201d<\/p>\n Other world leaders have said they\u2019re on board.<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has expressed support for the idea. “Geneva could be the right venue\u201d for the meeting, Tajani told reporters in Bern<\/a>, adding: “Italy is in favor of taking place in Geneva because it is a country that has always worked for peace-building.\u201d<\/p>\n French President Emmanuel Macron also said he was backing Geneva to host the talks.<\/p>\n \u201cIt will be [hosted by] a neutral country, maybe Switzerland \u2013 I’m pushing for Geneva \u2013 or another country,” Macron told French channel LCI on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell19 August 2025 23:00<\/p>\n <\/a>White House considers trilateral meeting in Budapest: report<\/p>\n The White House is planning for a potential trilateral meeting in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, according to Politico<\/a>.<\/p>\n The trilateral meeting would involve President Donald Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.<\/p>\n White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt declined to provide any details about a venue for the meeting during a briefing on Tuesday.<\/p>\n Oliver O’Connell19 August 2025 22:40<\/p>\n\n
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