WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he believes Ukraine could &#8220;take back&#8221; its country in its &#8220;original form&#8221; from Russia, promising to continue to supply weapons for NATO.
The president spoke out shortly after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the United Nations headquarters in New York. About 20 minutes later, the president posted a lengthy message on his platform, TruthSocial, sharing a rather surprising update.
&#8220;After getting to know and fully understand the Ukraine/Russia Military and Economic situation and, after seeing the Economic trouble it is causing Russia, I think Ukraine, with the support of the European Union, is in a position to fight and WIN all of Ukraine back in its original form,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;With time, patience, and the financial support of Europe and, in particular, NATO, the original Borders from where this War started, is very much an option.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_976007" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donald-trump-ukraine-could-take-back-its-country-in-original-form-from-russia/world-leaders-gather-for-the-80th-session-of-the-united-nations-general-assembly-3" rel="attachment wp-att-976007"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-976007" class="wp-image-976007 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236960647-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236960647-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236960647-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236960647-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/GettyImages-2236960647.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at the UN’s General Assembly (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;Why not?&#8221; he questioned. &#8220;Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than a week to win. This is not distinguishing Russia. In fact, it is very much making them look like &#8216;a paper tiger.'&#8221;
The president continued: &#8220;When the people living in Moscow, and all of the Great Cities, Towns, and Districts all throughout Russia, find out what is really going on with this War, the fact that it’s almost impossible for them to get Gasoline through the long lines that are being formed, and all of the other things that are taking place in their War Economy, where most of their money is being spent on fighting Ukraine, which has Great Spirit, and only getting better, Ukraine would be able to take back their Country in its original form and, who knows, maybe even go further than that!&#8221;
Trump concluded the Truth Social missive by promising to continue to supply weapons to NATO.
&#8220;Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;In any event, I wish both Countries well. We will continue to supply weapons to NATO for NATO to do what they want with them. Good luck to all!&#8221;
The White House declined to provide any further information on the topic at this time.

Trump Meets With Foreign Dignitaries On Sidelines Of UNGA

Donald Trump: Ukraine Could ‘Take Back’ Its Country In ‘Original Form’ From Russia

Donald Trump

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that there was one prize that was more valuable to him than any Nobel Peace Prize or international recognition — &#8220;the sons and daughters who live to grow up&#8221; because of the wars that were ended or prevented altogether.
Trump raised the topic of the prestigious <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pax-trumpana-trumps-resume-for-winning-the-nobel-peace-prize">Nobel Peace Prize</a> during his remarks before the United Nations, noting that several world leaders had already voiced support for him to receive it. Just this year, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had formally nominated him receive it, as had the government of Pakistan.
And while such recognition for his foreign policy achievements might certainly be a feather in his cap, Trump told the UN General Assembly that the lives saved when wars were ended were the greatest prize.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: After ending these wars and earlier negotiating the Abraham Accords, everyone says that I should get the Nobel Prize — but for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless wars. <a href="https://t.co/msmmbfCRY1">pic.twitter.com/msmmbfCRY1</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1970495024522772744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;Now after ending all of these wars and also earlier negotiating the Abraham Accords, which is a very big thing for which our country received no credit, it never receives credit, everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;But for me, the real prize will be the sons and daughters who live to grow up with their mothers and fathers because millions of people are no longer being killed in endless and inglorious wars,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;What I care about is not winning prizes, it&#8217;s saving lives. We&#8217;re saving millions and millions of lives with the seven wars, and we have others that we&#8217;re working on — and you know that.&#8221;
Trump mentioned the Abraham Accords directly, but also referenced peace deals he negotiated in his second term alone — between Armenia and Azerbaijan, between India and Pakistan, between Thailand and Cambodia — and the recent ceasefire deal he brokered between Israel and Iran.

World Leaders Gather For The 80th Session Of The United Nations General Assembly

Trump Says There’s One ‘Prize’ He Values More Than Any Nobel Peace Prize

Trump Says There's One 'Prize' He Values More Than Any Nobel Peace Prize

Global Politics

India

Nobel Peace Prize

Pakistan

Politics

Ukraine Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

Polish officials said Wednesday its forces had shot down a “huge number” of Russian drones overnight that violated the country’s airspace during an attack on Ukraine.
Polish fighter jets, backed by NATO aircraft from Italy, the Netherlands, and Germany, intercepted and destroyed the drones, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said. He added that allies stood in solidarity with Poland and denounced Russia’s “reckless behavior.”
“Last night the Polish airspace was violated by a huge number of Russian drones. Those drones that posed a direct threat were shot down,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk <a href="https://x.com/donaldtusk/status/1965663914139824231">wrote</a> on X. “I am in constant communication with the Secretary General of NATO and our allies.”
He said 19 drones had been in Polish airspace, later telling Parliament that Russia had gone too far. 
&#8220;I have no reason to claim we&#8217;re on the brink of war, but a line has been crossed, and it&#8217;s incomparably more dangerous than before,&#8221; Tusk said, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/poland-is-its-closest-open-conflict-since-world-war-two-pm-says-2025-09-10/">according</a> to Reuters. &#8220;This situation brings us the closest we have been to open conflict since World War II.”
The Kremlin refused to comment on the situation.
“This is not for us to do so,&#8221; said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c2enwk1l9e1t">according</a> to the BBC. &#8220;It’s a matter for the [Russian] defence ministry.”
Russia&#8217;s Defense Ministry <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poland-drones-1232774279039f9e5c5b78bd58686cb9">said</a> it did not target Poland, and General Pavel Muraveiko, the Russian-aligned commander of Belarus’s armed forces, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/10/world/europe/poland-russia-drones-ukraine-attack.html">claimed</a> that the drones “lost their course as a result of electronic warfare.”
Several European leaders condemned the drone incursion. 
“This was an extremely reckless move by Russia and only serves to remind us of President Putin’s blatant disregard for peace, and the constant bombardment innocent Ukrainians face every day,&#8221; said U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 
“Hungary stands in full solidarity with Poland following the recent drone incident. The violation of Poland’s territorial integrity is unacceptable,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán wrote on X. “The incident proves that our policy of calling for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war is reasonable and rational. Living in the shadow of a war is fraught with risks and dangers. It’s time to make it stop! To this end, we support the efforts of President [Donald Trump] aimed at achieving peace.”
President Donald Trump has pushed for an end to the Ukraine-Russia war, but the fighting between the two countries has continued. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky have not yet met to discuss a possible end to the conflict.

NATO member Poland shoots down Russian drones in unprecedented ‘airspace violation’

Poland Downs ‘Huge Number’ Of Russian Drones Violating Its Sovereign Airspace

Drones

NATO

Poland

Russia

World

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Poland has placed its air defense forces on high alert following reports that Russian drones entered its airspace during overnight attacks on Ukraine.
&#8220;The Operational Command of the Armed Forces is observing intense activity of the Russian Federation&#8217;s long-range aviation tonight, related to air and missile strikes on targets located in the territory of Ukraine,&#8221; the operational command of the Polish armed forces wrote on X. &#8220;All necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace have been activated, and the Operational Command of the Armed Forces is continuously the situation. We warn that Polish and allied aircraft have been activated, which may result in increased noise levels, especially in the southeastern region of the country.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ obserwuje dzisiejszej nocy intensywną aktywność lotnictwa dalekiego zasięgu Federacji Rosyjskiej, związaną z uderzeniami lotniczo-rakietowymi na obiekty znajdujące się na terytorium Ukrainy.
Wszystkie niezbędne procedury mające na celu zapewnienia… <a href="https://t.co/hnhbaxanVc">pic.twitter.com/hnhbaxanVc</a>
— Dowództwo Operacyjne RSZ (@DowOperSZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DowOperSZ/status/1771738523600556042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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According to Ukrainian military officials, multiple Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace while en route to targets in western Ukraine. Poland’s Ministry of Defense confirmed the airspace violation and responded by activating its aircraft, radar systems, and ground-based air defenses. No damage or injuries were reported, and the drones reportedly exited Polish airspace without being intercepted.
This is the latest in a series of drone-related incidents involving Poland. Earlier this month, on September 2 and 3, two Russian drones also briefly entered Polish territory but did not cause harm. In a more serious incident on August 20, a Shahed drone crashed and exploded in a cornfield roughly 100 kilometers from the Ukrainian border.
In response to the increasing frequency of these incursions, Poland is taking broader security measures. Airspace over Warsaw was <a href="https://bnonews.com/index.php/2025/09/poland-on-high-alert-after-ukraine-says-russian-drones-entered-its-airspace/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">reportedly closed</a>. The government announced that it will <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/ukraine-war-briefing-russian-drone-alert-in-poland-before-belarus-border-closure?utm_source=chatgpt.com">close its border</a> with Belarus starting Thursday, citing growing concerns over the ongoing joint Russian-Belarusian military exercises known as Zapad-2025. Polish authorities view the drills, taking place near its eastern frontier, as a potential threat to national security.
Several regional airports were temporarily closed as a precaution during the latest drone alert. No civilian casualties have been reported, but air travel and commercial logistics have been disrupted.
Poland’s actions come amid rising fears of spillover from the ongoing war in Ukraine, with NATO member states increasingly concerned about the potential for cross-border incidents. While NATO has not issued a formal response to the latest drone intrusion, Polish officials have reportedly briefed alliance partners and continue to coordinate surveillance and airspace defense measures with neighboring countries.
The Polish government has emphasized its readiness to defend national airspace and respond to further provocations. “We are treating these violations with the utmost seriousness,” a defense ministry spokesperson said. “Our armed forces are fully prepared to take necessary action.”
The situation remains fluid, with officials urging the public to remain alert but calm. Further monitoring of the eastern border is underway, and authorities have not ruled out additional security measures in the coming days.
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Russia Hits Government Building in Kyiv During Air Barrage

Poland On High Alert After Russian Drones Violate Airspace

Military

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&#8217;s chief of staff discussed Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday and told him a government building that came under attack on Sunday was hit by a Russian ballistic missile.
Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak, writing on Telegram, also said he and Rubio discussed U.S. military aid for Ukraine, security guarantees for Ukraine that have been under discussion with Kyiv&#8217;s allies, and increased pressure on Russia.
&#8220;I informed him of the constant Russian strikes that attack our cities, our residential buildings with drones and missiles,&#8221; Yermak wrote.
&#8220;They kill civilians and children, destroy our infrastructure. For the first time, the enemy attacked the Ukrainian Government building &#8211; the strike was carried out by an Iskander ballistic missile.&#8221;
In a separate post, Yermak said he had held a video conference with the national security advisers of Britain, France, Germany, and Italy.
He said the discussion was a continuation of a meeting in Paris last week with Ukrainian allies within the Coalition of the Willing and said &#8220;a further strengthening of Ukraine&#8217;s positions in confronting Russian aggression is necessary.&#8221;
The European Union&#8217;s top sanctions official was in Washington with a team of experts to discuss what would be the first coordinated transatlantic measures against Russia since President Donald Trump returned to office.
On Sunday, after the war&#8217;s biggest air attack set fire to a government building in Kyiv, Trump said he was ready to move to a second phase of restrictions.
(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel)

View shows Ukrainian government headquarters building damaged during a Russian drone and missile strike in Kyiv

Rubio Meets With Zelensky’s Chief Of Staff To Discuss Recent Russian Strikes

Marco Rubio

Ukraine

President Donald Trump said Tuesday night that China was conspiring with North Korea and Russia as it conducted a massive military parade. 
China’s military parade, to celebrate Japan’s surrender at the end of World War II, was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. In a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115137717177283585">post</a>, Trump said the three were working to “conspire” against the United States and pondered whether China would recognize America’s World War II contributions. 
“The big question to be answered is whether or not President Xi of China will mention the massive amount of support and ‘blood’ that The United States of America gave to China in order to help it to secure its FREEDOM from a very unfriendly foreign invader,” Trump wrote. “Many Americans died in China’s quest for Victory and Glory. I hope that they are rightfully Honored and Remembered for their Bravery and Sacrifice! May President Xi and the wonderful people of China have a great and lasting day of celebration. Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America.”
During the parade, China <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-parade-world-war-xi-jinping-ed1f7b3e245882dd91b597df24eafbea">showcased</a> a wide array of military equipment and capabilities, including an underwater drone, hypersonic missiles, an intercontinental ballistic missile, and fighter jets. 
“The Chinese people are a people that are not afraid of violence and are self-reliant and strong,” Chinese President Xi Jinping <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-military-parade-world-war-xi-jinping-ed1f7b3e245882dd91b597df24eafbea">said</a>, according to the Associated Press. “The Chinese people’s rejuvenation cannot be blocked, and the noble goal of the peaceful development of human civilization must triumph.”
Russia pushed back on Trump’s conspiracy allegations. 
“Let’s hope that it was meant in some figurative sense,” <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09/03/us/trump-news/ca4818c8-0044-558f-aa96-b2e849102cc4?smid=url-share">said</a> Putin spokesman Dmitri Peskov. “No one is plotting any conspiracies — no one has the desire or the time for this.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Trump <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6aGNqrwmHY">said</a> that he didn’t think the military parade was a “challenge” to the United States. 
“China needs us and I have a very good relationship with President Xi as you know. But China needs us much more than we need them,” Trump said. “I had, actually, a very good meeting with President Putin a couple of weeks ago. We’ll see if anything comes of it. If it doesn’t, we’ll take a different stance.”
The Trump administration is currently working to negotiate a trade deal with China after months of back-and-forth tariffs. Last month, Trump signed a 90-day pause on higher tariffs on China as the two sides continue to work out a deal.

CHINA-DEFENCE-ANNIVERSARY-WWII-PARADE

Trump Accuses China Of Plotting Against US As Xi Flexes Military Power Alongside Putin

China

Executive

Kim Jong Un

North Korea

Xi Jinping

Russia launched a sweeping attack on Ukraine which killed one person, injured at least 24 others, and damaged infrastructure and residential buildings, authorities said on Saturday.
Three children were among the 24 wounded in the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, its Regional Governor Ivan Fedorov said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported impacts on 14 regions by the attack, which used over 500 drones and 45 missiles.
Diplomatic efforts to end Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion have so far yielded little, even after U.S. President Donald Trump met separately with Russian and Ukrainian leaders earlier this month.
On Friday, Zelensky brought up Trump&#8217;s self-imposed deadline for deciding on new measures against Russia if President Vladimir Putin fails to commit to a one-on-one meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
&#8220;Two weeks will be on Monday. And we will remind everybody,&#8221; he said.
Russia has said there is no agenda for a potential summit between Putin and Zelensky.
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&#8220;It is absolutely clear that Moscow used the time meant for preparing a leaders-level meeting to organize new massive attacks,&#8221; Zelensky said on Saturday, calling for sanctions on Russian banking and energy sectors.
The air force recorded five missile and 24 drone hits at 7 locations with debris falling on 21 sites, according to the statement on the Telegram messaging app.
The attack on Zaporizhzhia cut power to 25,000 residents, Fedorov said. The local energy facility said the attack damaged its equipment and that repairs were underway.
As of early Saturday, Ukrainian state-owned railway Ukrzaliznytsia said it had repaired the damage to its infrastructure in the Kyiv region.
(Reporting by Anastasiia MalenkoEditing by Bernadette Baum)

Russia Hits Ukrainian City With Massive Drone And Missile Attack

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he is prepared to impose economic sanctions against Russia if its president, Vladimir Putin, fails to agree to a ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.
&#8220;It&#8217;s very, very serious what I have in mind, if I have to do it, but I want to see it end,&#8221; Trump told a reporter who asked if Putin would face consequences. &#8220;We have economic sanctions. I&#8217;m talking about economic because we&#8217;re not going to get into a world war.&#8221;
The president has withheld long-threatened sanctions against Putin in his latest push to end the more than three-year-long war that has so far defied his efforts at mediation.
Trump is seeking one-on-one talks between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Putin. Though Zelensky has agreed in principle to such talks, Putin has not. The Kremlin has suggested no such meeting is currently on the cards.
&#8220;It will not be a world war, but it will be an economic war,&#8221; Trump said at a White House Cabinet meeting. &#8220;An economic war is going to be bad, and it&#8217;s going to be bad for Russia, and I don&#8217;t want that.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;Zelensky is not exactly innocent, either.&#8221;
Despite slow diplomatic progress, U.S. and European officials have been discussing potential security guarantees that Washington might provide Kyiv after a hypothetical deal is reached, potentially including support by air or intelligence sharing.
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Trump has long suggested using economic tools as leverage against warring nations. He is preparing to slap 25% more in tariffs on India&#8217;s U.S.-bound exports on Wednesday over New Delhi&#8217;s Russian oil buying.
India is one of the biggest consumers of Russian oil.
Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was open to &#8220;using a very strong tariff system that&#8217;s very costly to Russia or Ukraine&#8221; to make peace.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Additional reporting by Nandita Bose; Editing by Don Durfee and Nia Williams).

U.S. President Trump And Russian  President Putin Meet On War In Ukraine At U.S. Air Base In Alaska

Trump Still Weighing ‘Very Serious’ Economic Sanctions On Russia

Sanctions

U.S. President Donald Trump renewed a threat to impose sanctions on Russia on Friday if there is no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine in two weeks, showing frustration at Moscow a week after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to make a decision as to what we do and it&#8217;s going to be, it&#8217;s going to be a very important decision, and that&#8217;s whether or not it&#8217;s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both, or we do nothing and say it&#8217;s your fight,&#8221; Trump said.
He was unhappy about Russia&#8217;s deadly strike on a factory in Ukraine this week, he said.
&#8220;I&#8217;m not happy about it, and I&#8217;m not happy about anything having to do with that war,&#8221; Trump told reporters at the White House.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, meanwhile, said on Friday that Russia was doing everything it could to prevent a meeting between him and Putin, while Russia&#8217;s foreign minister said the agenda for such a meeting was not ready.
Zelensky has repeatedly called for Putin to meet him, saying it is the only way to negotiate an end to the war.
Trump had said he had begun the arrangements for a Putin-Zelensky meeting after a call with the Russian leader on Monday that followed their Alaska meeting on August 15.
Zelensky accused Russia of stalling.
&#8220;The meeting is one of the components of how to end the war,&#8221; he said on Friday at a press conference in Kyiv with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. &#8220;And since they don&#8217;t want to end it, they will look for space to (avoid it).&#8221;
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told NBC there was no agenda for such a summit.
&#8220;Putin is ready to meet with Zelensky when the agenda would be ready for a summit. And this agenda is not ready at all,&#8221; he said.
The statement echoed Moscow&#8217;s established rhetoric about a leaders&#8217; meeting being impossible unless certain conditions were met.
Asked for his response to Lavrov&#8217;s comments and what the next steps are, Trump told reporters earlier on Friday: &#8220;Well, we&#8217;ll see. We&#8217;re going to see if Putin and Zelensky will be working together. It&#8217;s like oil and vinegar a little bit.&#8221;
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Trump had taken sanctions off the table in preparation for his summit in Anchorage with Putin. But at the same White House event where he mentioned possible sanctions, he showed a photograph of his meeting with Putin on the red carpet in Alaska, saying Putin wanted to attend the World Cup 2026 soccer tournament in the United States.
&#8220;I&#8217;m going to sign this for him. But I was sent one, and I thought you would like to see it, it&#8217;s a man named Vladimir Putin, who I believe will be coming, depending on what happens. He may be coming, and he may not, depending on what happens,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump&#8217;s comments did not address the fact that Russia was banned from international competitions such as the World Cup after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and has not taken part in qualification for the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
During a visit to a nuclear research center on Friday, Putin said Trump&#8217;s leadership qualities would help restore U.S.-Russia relations.
&#8220;With the arrival of President Trump, I think that a light at the end of the tunnel has finally loomed. And now we had a very good, meaningful and frank meeting in Alaska,&#8221; Putin said.
Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Russia launched in 2022. Analysts estimate that more than a million soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded and fighting is continuing unabated, with both sides also attacking energy facilities.
Russia has maintained its longstanding demand for Ukraine to give up land it still holds in two eastern regions while proposing to freeze the front line in two more southerly regions Moscow claims fully as its own and possibly hand back small pieces of other Ukrainian territory it controls.
Zelensky meanwhile has dropped his demand for a lengthy ceasefire as a prerequisite for a leaders&#8217; meeting, although he has previously said Ukraine cannot negotiate under the barrel of a gun.
At the press conference with Rutte, Zelensky said they had discussed security guarantees for Ukraine. He said the guarantees ought to be similar to NATO&#8217;s Article 5, which considers an attack on one member of the alliance as an attack against all.
Rutte said NATO allies and Ukraine are working together to ensure security guarantees are strong enough that Russia will never try to attack again.
&#8220;Robust security guarantees will be essential, and this is what we are now working on to define,&#8221; he said.
(Reporting by Yuliia Dysa, Sabine Siebold, Steve Holland, Andrea Shalal and Jonathan Spicer; Writing by Max Hunder and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Philippa Fletcher, Rosalba O&#8217;Brien and Daniel Wallis)

With No Ukraine Peace Deal, Trump Again Threatens Russia Sanctions

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Ukraine should have been allowed to conduct more offensive strikes against Russia early on in the war, arguing that former President Joe Biden didn&#8217;t let the country &#8220;FIGHT BACK.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115067017601499775">posted</a> on Truth Social that a nation must fight both offensively and defensively to have any &#8220;chance of winning.&#8221; The president&#8217;s comments come as he continues to push Russia and Ukraine toward a peace deal, while Russian President Vladimir Putin doubles down on his drone and missile attacks targeting Ukrainian cities.
&#8220;It is very hard, if not impossible, to win a war without attacking an invaders [sic] country. It’s like a great team in sports that has a fantastic defense, but is not allowed to play offense. There is no chance of winning!&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;It is like that with Ukraine and Russia. Crooked and grossly incompetent Joe Biden would not let Ukraine FIGHT BACK, only DEFEND. How did that work out? Regardless, this is a war that would have NEVER happened if I were President &#8211; ZERO CHANCE. Interesting times ahead!!!&#8221;
When the United States first began sending weapons to Ukraine at the beginning of the war, the Biden administration held back on giving Kyiv any long-range missiles that could strike Russia within its borders. Last November, however, Biden <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/biden-approves-ukraines-use-of-long-range-missiles-inside-russia-003154be?mod=article_inline">approved</a> of Ukraine firing long-range U.S.-made missiles inside Russia.
When Biden authorized Ukraine&#8217;s use of long-range missiles to target Russia, then-president-elect Trump called the move &#8220;stupid,&#8221; according to The Wall Street Journal.
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“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,” he said.
The president&#8217;s comments on Thursday could be a negotiating tactic to keep pressure on Putin as the Russian dictator is expected to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the coming weeks. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that “the president is making an observation, which happens to be true,&#8221; according to the WSJ.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/moscow-draws-hard-line-over-security-guarantees-for-ukraine-4b1e8428?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=ASWzDAj0voDE1VVEYWsO0kxr-PPysLoc2J7XGdZ6ZXqHWakNyRjtJ7-A3rSiKVcoxgU%3D&amp;gaa_ts=68a77756&amp;gaa_sig=Z5E9i-Wzt5X0yX8iKE96lJUVBMuzpyNWHaiTGIxTqD87Z3fWXkx4z6pjzOyKIY3TNmJ8G_ye6MRwdtjRb6kHOg%3D%3D">raised</a> some doubts over whether a Putin-Zelensky summit would happen. The Kremlin also said that it would have veto power over any security guarantees for Ukraine after Trump and other European leaders vowed on Monday to provide security for Kyiv if a peace deal is reached. Lavrov added that China should be involved in the discussions on security guarantees.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-witkoff-ukraine-russia-putin-war-048aa829a69b4020ca368577bfe18aee">said</a> that during Trump&#8217;s summit with Putin last week, the Russian dictator agreed to U.S. and European security guarantees for Ukraine, adding that it “was the first time we had ever heard the Russians agree to that.&#8221;

‘Biden Would Not Let Ukraine FIGHT BACK’: Trump Says Kyiv Should’ve Launched More Attacks On Russia

KYIV (Reuters) -Russia targeted a U.S.-founded electronics manufacturer near Ukraine&#8217;s border with the European Union in a major air attack on Thursday as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy sought U.S. support to bring Russian leader Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
The overnight attack, which included 574 drones and 40 missiles, was one of the largest of Russia&#8217;s full-scale invasion of its neighbour, now in its fourth year.
One person was killed and 22 were wounded, most of them in the attack that damaged storage facilities at the electronics manufacturer in Ukraine&#8217;s far-Western Zakarpattia region, authorities said.
&#8220;It was a regular civilian business, supported by American investment, producing everyday items like coffee machines. And yet, it was also a target for the Russians,&#8221; Zelenskiy wrote on X.
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&#8220;This is very telling.&#8221;
Mukachevo mayor Andriy Baloha said the damaged enterprise belonged to the U.S.-listed company Flex Ltd. The corporate headquarters of the company, a global technology, supply chain and advanced manufacturing solutions partner, is in Austin, Texas and its registered office is in Singapore.
The company employed thousands of the area&#8217;s residents, Baloha said. Flex, which grew from a family firm founded in Silicon Valley in 1969, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In Ukraine&#8217;s western city of Lviv, the attack killed one person, wounded three others and damaged 26 homes, said Governor Maksym Kozytskyi. Authorities in southeastern Ukraine&#8217;s Dnipropetrovsk region also reported damage to businesses, homes and gas lines. Two industry sources told Reuters a key gas pumping facility had been attacked, without giving a location.
Russia said Putin had repeatedly said he was ready to meet Zelenskiy but that Ukraine was trying to undermine Trump&#8217;s efforts to resolve the conflict and its leader was illegitimate.
The defence ministry in Moscow said it had struck Ukrainian energy and airfield infrastructure as well as military industrial facilities overnight, and captured another frontline village &#8211; Oleksandro-Shultyne, Russian news agency RIA reported. Ukraine said it had hit a Russian oil refinery, a drone warehouse and a fuel base.
Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield reports.
SECURITY TALKS
U.S. President Donald Trump met both Zelenskiy and Vladimir Putin over the past week in pursuit of a diplomatic end to the fighting but has acknowledged that his Russian counterpart may not want to make a deal. Zelenskiy urged Trump to react firmly if that was the case.
&#8220;We are ready. But what if the Russians are not ready?&#8221; he said in comments released on Thursday. &#8220;If the Russians are not ready, we would like to see a strong reaction from the United States.&#8221;
U.S. and European military planners have begun exploring post-conflict security guarantees for Ukraine, according to U.S. officials and sources, but the path to peace remained uncertain.
A defence ministry source in Turkey, which has opposed sanctions on Russia while also giving military help to Ukraine and joining a &#8220;Coalition of the Willing&#8221; to help it with post-conflict security, said peace was still far off.
&#8220;It is necessary to first secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, then determine the framework of a mission with a clear mandate, and clarify the extent to which each country will contribute,&#8221; the Turkish source said on condition of anonymity.
The Kremlin said Putin had discussed Ukraine with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday, when Moscow also said attempts to resolve security issues without Russian involvement were a &#8220;road to nowhere&#8221;.
On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was ready for an honest talk about security guarantees for Ukraine and accused Ukraine&#8217;s European backers of &#8216;adventurism&#8217; by excluding Moscow from their discussions.
Russia, which denies targeting civilians, has used missiles and drones to strike Ukrainian towns and cities far from the front lines throughout the war.
Thousands of civilians, the vast majority of them Ukrainian, have been killed since Moscow&#8217;s full-scale invasion of February 2022. More than a million Russian and Ukrainian soldiers are estimated to have been killed or wounded.
(Reporting by Anastasiia Malenko; Writing by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Tomasz Janowski, Philippa Fletcher)
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Russian drone and missile strike in Lviv

Russia Slams Ukraine In Massive Strikes, Blames Kyiv For Blocking Peace Talks

Overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, NATO scrambled two German warplanes after Russia launched missiles and drones at a Ukrainian city near the border with Romania, a NATO member.
The Russian missiles and drones targeted an area less than a mile from Romania&#8217;s border, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/nato-scrambles-warplanes-russia-hits-near-romanian-border-ukraine">reported</a>. The Romanian government said that two German Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft were flown out &#8220;to monitor the air situation&#8221; as part of NATO&#8217;s Enhanced Air Policing. No Russian missiles or drones crossed over into NATO territory.
Russia also targeted Ukraine&#8217;s northern Sumy region on Tuesday night in an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said wounded 14 people.
&#8220;A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at least three people still remain under the rubble,&#8221; Zelensky posted on X early Wednesday morning. &#8220;The rescue operation continues. There was also a treacherous strike on a gas distribution station in the Odesa region. Shelling also targeted the Chernihiv, Kharkiv, and Poltava regions. In total, more than 60 drones and a ballistic missile were used.&#8221;
Zelensky added that Russia&#8217;s attacks &#8220;only confirm the need to put pressure on Moscow, the need to impose new sanctions and tariffs until diplomacy is fully effective.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at… <a href="https://t.co/TWRPo4Po6F">pic.twitter.com/TWRPo4Po6F</a>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1958080483100700983?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The attack is just the latest in a major Russian offensive that has taken place as President Donald Trump attempts to get Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to work out a peace deal. Earlier this week, Russia launched its largest attack of the month shortly after Zelensky and other European leaders met with Trump at the White House to discuss a potential path to peace with Russia. On Monday night and into Tuesday morning, Moscow fired 270 drones and 10 missiles at Ukraine, with at least 40 drones and four missiles striking in Ukraine&#8217;s central Poltava region, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/russia-launches-largest-attack-august-ukraine-after-trump/story?id=124768391">reported</a>.
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Despite Putin&#8217;s continued aggression, President Trump still believes Russia and Ukraine can reach a peace agreement and end the bloodshed. Trump set up a one-on-one meeting for Putin and Zelensky, scheduled to take place in the next two weeks. The president also said he would be willing to step in for a trilateral meeting with Putin and Zelensky if the Ukrainian leader wants him to.
Following his meeting with Putin last week, Trump said he wanted more than a &#8220;mere Ceasefire Agreement&#8221; between Russia and Ukraine, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115037569702889410">writing</a> on Truth Social that &#8220;it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up.&#8221;
Trump vowed to provide security guarantees for Ukraine if Kyiv reaches a deal with Moscow, but he promised that U.S. troops would not be on the ground in the country. The president also left the door open to the United States providing air support for Ukraine if a peace agreement is reached.

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