Free Republic

The United States is reportedly prepared to recognize Russia's control over Crimea and other Ukrainian territories currently occupied by Russian forces as part of a proposed peace deal to end the nearly four-year war. The move would mark a major shift in longstanding U.S. policy and break with Washington's refusal since 2014 to legitimize Russia's territorial claims, The Telegraph reported Friday. The report says President Donald Trump has dispatched peace envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser Jared Kushner to Moscow to present the offer directly to Vladimir Putin. Moscow confirmed Friday it had received a revised U.S. strategy after emergency talks...

Ukraine has launched a counterattack in the southern Russian border region of Kursk, warning that Russia is “getting what it deserves.” Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Countering Disinformation, an official body, said Ukrainian forces had launched surprise attacks against Russian forces in several locations across Kursk, months after launching its incursion in the region. In a short Telegram post Sunday, the head of the Ukrainian Presidential Office, Andriy Yermak, said: “Kursk region, good news, Russia is getting what it deserves.” The Ukrainian military first launched an incursion into Kursk in August and has held much of...

Ukrainian officials are holding high-level talks with the incoming Trump administration, seeking to narrow wide differences on achieving a settlement of Kyiv’s war with Russia even before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. A top aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is due to meet Wednesday with Keith Kellogg, Trump’s choice as special envoy for Russia and Ukraine, and Mike Waltz, the incoming national security adviser, according to a Trump transition official and several people familiar with the discussions. Kellogg has signaled support for the Biden administration’s efforts to rush weapons to Ukraine, saying it will give Trump leverage with Moscow...