First, links to reports from National Public Radio, the Associated Press, Anadolu Ajansi, Reuters, the Cradle, and CNN; others or at least headlinesare accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-9-25 is HERE, or scroll down.  SYRIA and GAZA entries for today, so far, are HERE and HERE, or scroll up.) — MCM

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Trump-Putin to hold summit to discuss peace deal, Zelenskyy says he won’t attend. Reported by Adrian Ma and Greg Myre | NPR  President Trump says he’ll meet President Putin in Alaska on Friday. To get a peace deal, President Trump has indicated some territory needs to be “switched.” We look to Ukraine for reaction. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.

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European leaders rally behind Ukraine ahead of Trump-Putin meeting, by Samya Kullab | AP  KYIV — European nations rallied behind Ukraine, saying peace in the war-torn nation can’t be resolved without Kyiv, ahead of a planned meeting this Friday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from Anadolu Ajansi. 

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Zelenskiy thanks EU for support as Trump, Putin to meet, by Dan Peleschuk and Mark Trevelyan | Reuters  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has thanked European leaders for backing his demand for a seat at the table as Russia and the United States prepare for a summit where Kyiv fears they could seek to dictate terms to it for ending the war. READ MORE . . .

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FROM AUG. 8  Pentagon paves way to reclaim Ukraine-bound arms to U.S. stockpiles. From the Cradle. A memo written by the U.S. Defense Department’s policy chief will allow U.S. weapons and equipment earmarked for Ukraine to be diverted back into U.S. stockpiles, CNN reported on Friday. READ MORE . . .  Click HERE for report from CNN.

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MAY BE CONTINUED