For today, links to eleven reports: from Reuters, the Kyiv Independent, National Public Radio, Agence France-Presse, Kyiv Post, the Associated Press, and Tass; others or at least headlines are accessible by clicking on their names or initials below. (UKRAINE 8-14–25 is HERE, or scroll down. WEST BANK, GAZA and MEDIA entries for this date are HERE, HERE and HERE, or scroll up or down.) — MCM
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Trump heads to ‘high stakes’ Alaska summit with Putin on Ukraine. From Reuters. Donald Trump headed to Alaska today for what he called a “high stakes” summit with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss a ceasefire deal for Ukraine to help end the deadliest war in Europe since World War Two. READ MORE . . . Click HERE for report from the Kyiv Independent.
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Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage today. Reported by Tamara Keith, Danielle Kurtzleben and Franco Ordoñez | NPR President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet in Anchorage today to talk about Ukraine. Here’s what to know. READ MORE . . .
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Trump speaks to Belarus leader ahead of Alaska summit with Putin. From AFP. U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko — a close ally of Vladimir Putin — by telephone today, hours ahead of the US and Russian leaders’ summit in Alaska. READ MORE . . .
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Ukrainian defenses face a challenge as Russian troops make gains ahead of the Putin-Trump summit, by Hanna Arhirova | AP DONETSK REGION, Ukraine — Days before the leaders of Russia and the U.S. hold a summit meeting in Alaska, Moscow’s forces breached Ukrainian lines in a series of infiltrations in the country’s industrial heartland of Donetsk. READ MORE . . .
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Ukraine reserves contain Russian penetration threatening critical Pokrovsk sector, by Stefan Korshak | Kyiv Post Ukrainian forces are counterattacking a dangerous Russian penetration of defenses in the operationally critical eastern Pokrovsk sector, but a dangerous 10-kilometer (6-mile) deep salient carved out into Ukrainian lines by infiltrating Russian infantry is far from eliminated, news reports and official statements said today. READ MORE . . .
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No longer isolated, Russia sees opportunity as Putin and Trump meet in Alaska. Reported by Charles Maynes and A Martínez | NPR Vladimir Putin was once an international pariah because of Russia’s war in Ukraine, but now he’s secured a meeting with President Trump to negotiate an end to the conflict. The Kremlin is portraying it as an opportunity for economic cooperation with the U.S. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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A former U.S. ambassador to Russia on the Trump-Putin summit. Michel Martin of NPR speaks with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the diplomatic dynamics ahead of today’s US-Russia summit in Alaska. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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Russian offensive unstoppable, this is main reason for U.S. wish to hold summit — expert. From Tass. RIO DE JANEIRO — “This [summit] meeting is driven by two significant aspects,” Brazilian military historian and political scientist Joao Pitilho said in an interview. “Firstly, the relentless advance of the Russian military . . . READ MORE . . .
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Sidelined from peace talks, Ukrainians watch as Trump meets Putin in Alaska. Reported by Greg Myre and Michel Martin | NPR Ukrainians are concerned that not being included in the summit will force the country to make concessions. Russia has pushed back against including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in talks to end the war until a deal is reached by both sides. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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Ukrainian historian Yaroslav Hrytsak on the path ahead for his country. Reported by A Martínez | NPR Ukrainians say peace can’t be achieved in their war with Russia without Ukraine being involved. Yaroslav Hrytsak, a historian at Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, talks about what options Ukrainians think they have. Click HERE to listen and, later, read.
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