Free Republic

President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a series of steps to work toward an eventual ceasefire in Ukraine following a two-hour call Tuesday. Putin continued to signal, however, that he has major reservations about the unconditional ceasefire Trump has proposed, according to the Kremlin. -snip- The Kremlin said Russia was prepared to halt attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure for 30 days, and the White House statement signaled Ukraine will also be expected to comply. Kyiv has conducted drone strikes in recent days on Russian fuel facilities, while Russia has made repeated attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure a key...

On Monday’s broadcast of Newsmax TV’s “Rob Schmitt Tonight,” President-Elect Donald Trump responded to a question on his strategy to end the Russia-Ukraine war by stating that “there’s only one strategy, and it’s up to Putin. And I can’t imagine he’s too thrilled with the way it’s gone, because it hasn’t gone exactly well for him either.” Host Rob Schmitt asked, “You’ve said you want this war ended in six months. What is the strategy to do that? Can you give us any insight?” Trump answered, “Well, there’s only one strategy, and it’s up to Putin. And I can’t imagine...

In a coordinated operation, Russian authorities conducted raids on three of Moscow’s largest and most popular nightclubs on Friday night, detaining hundreds of men and taking them to military conscription offices. The raids, which took place at the Simachev, Mutabor/ARMA, and Mono nightclubs, began around 2 a.m. and continued for several hours, sending shockwaves through the city’s nightlife scene. According to witnesses, dozens of police vehicles, including paddy wagons, lined up outside the nightclubs as enforcement personnel, accompanied by police K9 units, systematically entered the establishments. Clubgoers described the scene as chaotic, with people being escorted out in groups. The...

As the sun set on Syria’s north-western city of Aleppo, a group of rebel fighters reached Al-Basel square. Towering over the junction is a statue of president Bashar al-Assad’s brother, Bassel, a Syrian army general who was widely anticipated to take over the leadership of the country from his father, Hafez before he died in a car crash in 1994. The monument was meant to symbolise the regime’s strength. But on Friday, fighters pulled down its adjoining Syrian flag as they captured at least five of the city’s neighbourhoods. Videos poured on to social media, many released by the slick...

President Biden’s decision to provide anti-personnel mines to Ukraine, and allow the use of long-range missiles on Russian territory comes as the Russian military is accelerating its gains along the front line. Data from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) shows that Russia has gained almost six times as much territory in 2024 as it did in 2023, and is advancing towards key Ukrainian logistical hubs in the eastern Donbas region. Meanwhile, Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk region is faltering. Russian troops have pushed Kyiv's offensive backwards. Experts have questioned the success of the offensive, with one...

Vladimir Putin has mysteriously disappeared from public view as his regime issued apocalyptic World War Three nuclear threats over the use of long-range Western missiles by Ukraine against Russian territory. It is unclear if during the past 12 days of high international tension the Kremlin dictator has been holed up in a hi-tech bunker, unwell, underwent another round of plastic surgery, took a secret holiday or simply chose to remain out of sight. Yet Putin, 72, has not been definitively seen since an appearance at the Valdai Forum in Sochi on November 7 when he congratulated a "courageous" Donald Trump...

Moscow signaled to the West that it’s ready for a nuclear confrontation. Ukrainian news outlets reported early Tuesday that the missiles had been used to attack a Russian military facility in the Bryansk border region.

Key points Moscow says Ukraine has hit Russia with US long-range missiles . Putin signs doctrine lowering threshold for nuclear weapons use after US missile decision . Kremlin warns Ukraine's use of Western-supplied missiles against Russia could trigger nuclear response . Ukrainian region hit by deadly Russian attack for second day