Donald Trump revealed that he spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin for 40 minutes during a series of meetings with European leaders and Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Trump said he began working on arranging a trilateral meeting between himself, Putin, and Zelensky. “I will sit down with both presidents and help decide the venue for the talks,” he announced.
He added that discussions also covered security guarantees for Ukraine, with European countries expected to coordinate efforts alongside the U.S.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has emphasized the need for a permanent peace agreement to end the Russia-Ukraine war, rather than a temporary ceasefire.
Speaking after a 90-minute meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Trump said, “I personally like ceasefires because they stop the killings immediately, but in the end, we need a sustainable peace deal.”
However, German Chancellor Merz stated that a ceasefire must precede any peace talks. “I cannot imagine negotiations without a ceasefire. Russia must be pressured into stopping hostilities first,” he said.

Australia has revoked the visa of Israeli far-right politician Simcha Rothman, who was scheduled to speak at events organized by Australian Jewish groups. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke cited concerns over spreading division and hatred. Rothman, leader of the National Religious Party—Religious Zionism, will be barred from visiting Australia for three years. The move has drawn criticism from the Australian Jewish community, calling it anti-Semitic. Australia plans to recognize Palestine next month, a step Rothman has strongly opposed.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could end the war with Russia immediately if he wished. Speaking ahead of their meeting in Washington, Trump also dismissed Ukraine’s NATO membership prospects and recalled Crimea’s 2014 annexation under the Obama administration. Writing on Truth Social, he emphasized that “some things never change.” Trump added that the White House meeting with Zelensky would be significant, with numerous European and NATO leaders expected to join the discussions.

The United States is closely watching India-Pakistan relations every day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday. He warned that ceasefires are fragile and hard to sustain, noting parallels with the Russia-Ukraine war. Rubio and President Trump both claimed Washington helped avert a possible nuclear clash, though India denied any external role. Pakistan, however, credits Trump’s intervention and has deepened engagement with the US. Washington now seeks to balance ties with both neighbors while valuing India’s strategic importance due to its ties with Russia.

Just hours before his scheduled White House meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump declared on Truth Social that peace with Russia requires Ukraine to abandon its NATO ambitions — and give up hope of ever reclaiming Crimea.

“Crimea will never return to Ukraine. Russia took it more than a decade ago,” Trump wrote. His remarks sparked sharp criticism, with analysts saying the U.S. president’s stance echoed Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric.

In a separate post, Trump celebrated the gathering of European leaders at the White House, calling it “a big day” and an honor to host so many leaders together for the first time.

Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized Moscow’s commitment to resolving disputes peacefully while respecting the U.S. administration’s stance on ending conflicts swiftly. After returning from a high-level summit in Alaska with President Donald Trump, Putin met with top Russian officials to review the talks’ outcomes. He described the visit as “timely and highly effective” and highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of the crisis, stating that eliminating these underlying issues should form the foundation for a lasting solution.

U.S. President Donald Trump is planning a trilateral summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by August 22. The move follows Trump’s three-hour meeting with Putin in Alaska, where he reportedly proposed a peace plan involving a Donbas concession and ceasefire. Zelensky confirmed he will meet Trump in Washington on Monday. European leaders have also been invited, though Russia has not publicly committed. Reports suggest the talks aim to ensure security guarantees for Kyiv and Europe.

The U.S. State Department has announced the suspension of all visas for Palestinians living in Gaza, citing an ongoing review of humanitarian visa procedures.

The move comes shortly after three severely injured Palestinian children and their families were brought to the U.S. for treatment through a non-profit initiative. The case triggered outrage from far-right activist Laura Loomer, a close ally of Donald Trump, who criticized the decision.

Until the review is complete, no new visas will be issued to Gazans.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said Ukraine should seek a peace settlement with Russia, stressing that “Russia is a massive power, and Ukraine is not.” His comments come after a high-stakes meeting in Alaska, where President Vladimir Putin reportedly demanded additional Ukrainian territory.

Following the talks, Trump informed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Putin would agree to a ceasefire if Kyiv ceded full control of the Donetsk region — a demand Zelenskyy immediately rejected.

Trump emphasized that a mere ceasefire would not suffice, arguing that a formal peace treaty was essential. Zelenskyy, however, countered that Russia’s unwillingness to halt aggression remains the greatest obstacle to lasting peace, adding that “stopping the bloodshed is the only path to ending the war.”

Despite sharp disagreements, Zelenskyy is set to meet Trump in Washington on Monday. European allies have cautiously welcomed Trump’s mediation efforts but reaffirmed their continued support for Ukraine, alongside pledges to tighten sanctions against Moscow.

U.S. President Donald Trump has backed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s proposal for Ukraine to cede some territory to end the war, revealed after a three-hour meeting in Alaska. Ukrainians reacted angrily, calling it a diplomatic victory for Putin and a humiliation for the U.S. Residents in Kyiv and Kharkiv expressed frustration, saying the talks ignored Ukraine’s role. Meanwhile, Washington proposed NATO-style security guarantees for Ukraine, reportedly with Putin’s consent, during a call with President Zelensky and European leaders.

U.S. authorities have secretly embedded trackers in select shipments of advanced AI chips and servers to prevent illegal transfers to China, according to Reuters sources. The devices, hidden in packaging or servers, target shipments under investigation, particularly involving Dell and Supermicro products with Nvidia and AMD chips. Officials say trackers help trace smuggling networks and enforce export controls. Since 2022, Washington has restricted chip sales to China to limit its military modernization.

Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Kyiv reported 85 drone strikes and one Iskander-M ballistic missile between August 15 evening and August 16 morning, while frontline regions were also hit. Ukraine’s air defense destroyed 61 drones. Despite Western pressure, the summit ended without a ceasefire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has yet to respond. The invasion, ongoing since February 2022, has already claimed thousands of lives.

A massive explosion at a gunpowder and ammunition factory outside Moscow has killed at least 11 people and injured around 130, Russian authorities reported. Images shared on social media show severe damage and debris at the site. Emergency services are working to clear rubble and rescue the injured. The blast occurred in Ryazan region, where a similar explosion in 2021 claimed 17 lives. Regional authorities have ordered national flags at half-mast to mourn the victims.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Anchorage, Alaska, in a three-hour summit focused on ending the Ukraine war. Trump called the talks “extremely productive” but said some issues remain unresolved and that any final deal will depend on Ukraine and NATO allies. Putin described the war as a “tragedy” and stressed the need to address its root causes for a lasting solution, though he did not specify them. Both leaders pledged to keep pursuing peace.