Free Republic

A meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is being planned, with a broad agenda on the table, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin on the sidelines of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in response to a related question, according to Report. "It is being planned; the agenda is extensive," he said. "The meeting itself is important."

US President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York after blasting world leaders during his speech. Speaking to reporters before the bilateral talks, Trump hailed Zelenskyy as a courageous leader. "He’s a brave man, and he’s putting up one hell of a fight," Trump said. "We have about 30 meetings scheduled today, but this is an important one -- and we have great respect for the fight that Ukraine is putting up. It is pretty amazing."

Chief Pentagon Spokesman, Sean Parnell, provided the following readout: On September 22, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke with his Estonian counterpart, Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur. Secretary Hegseth affirmed the Department of War stands with all NATO allies and that any incursion into NATO airspace is unacceptable. The Secretary commended the quick response by European allies' air defenses stating it showed NATO at its best, ready and focused on their core mission. The Secretary ensured the Minister that he was in close consultation with the Supreme Allied Commander for Europe about next steps and would continue to track the...

US President Donald Trump admitted Tuesday that his past relationship with Russia President Vladimir Putin failed to influence Russia's war in Ukraine. Speaking at a bilateral meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron during the 80th UN General Assembly, Trump said he once believed his personal connection with the Russian leader could ease tensions but "unfortunately, that relationship didn't mean anything." He criticized Moscow for prolonging the conflict, noting that after more than three years of fighting, "thousands are being killed weekly with no progress." Trump also praised France's role in helping address other regional disputes, saying Macron’s support had been...

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he believes Ukraine, with the support of the European Union and NATO, can win back all of the territory Russia has taken since its invasion. -snip- In the post, Trump criticized Russia's prosecution of the war, saying it had been fighting "aimlessly" in a war that a "real military power" would have won in "less than a week." "Putin and Russia are in BIG Economic trouble, and this is the time for Ukraine to act," the post continues.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that NATO countries should shoot down Russian aircraft if they enter NATO territory, shortly after nations in the Western military alliance condemned Moscow for violating Estonian airspace. "Yes I do," Trump told reporters when asked about whether he would support such moves. Trump made the comments to reporters before a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. More to follow...

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. 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. Why not? Russia has been fighting aimlessly for three and a half years a War that should have taken a Real Military Power less than...

President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russia is deliberately slowing its economic growth in order to suppress inflation. "As for the decline from more than 4% GDP growth: this is not a decline, it is a deliberate action. It is a slowdown in growth in exchange for curbing inflation and maintaining macroeconomic stability," Putin said during a televised meeting with top lawmakers. A graph published in Russian central bank's report earlier in September showed two consecutive quarters of gross domestic product (GDP) decline in quarter-on-quarter terms, aligning with the common definition of a technical recession.

After imposing steep tariffs on Indian goods, the US seems to be exploring a new front: potential tariffs on IT services, foreign remote workers, and outsourced business processes. Coupled with proposals to overhaul the H-1B visa system, and an increased levy on remittances made by Green Card holders and temporary visa workers, the move points to a broader strategy that could constrain India's most significant export engine: its human resources, including its engineers, coders, and students who sustain both Silicon Valley and the ITES boom in the US. The debate gained traction when conservative commentator Jack Posobiec posted on X...

US President Donald Trump urged Europe to cease its purchases of Russian oil on a call with European leaders at the Coalition of the Willing, Fox News reported on Thursday, citing a White House official. Additionally, Trump stressed that European leaders should increase economic pressure on China "for funding Russia's war efforts," while stressing the importance of curbing financial aid to Russia. More to come...

China kicked off its largest-ever military parade on Wednesday, a show of its growing firepower and geopolitical clout as President Xi Jinping seeks to cast Beijing as the custodian of a post-U.S. international order. Flanked by Russia's Vladimir Putin and North Korea's Kim Jong Un, a smiling Xi strolled up a red carpet to take his seat for the lavish event at Tiananmen Square to mark 80 years since Japan's defeat at the end of World War Two. More than 50,000 spectators packed into stands joined a vast choir singing patriotic songs as the dignitaries took their seats on the...

Donald Trump has imposed a hefty 50% tariff on Indian goods, a move prompted by India's continued purchase of Russian oil. This action endangers over half of India's exports to its biggest market. According to New Delhi, the tariffs that come into effect today (Wednesday, August 27) will impact £35.8billion ($48.2bn) worth of exports. Initially, the US President announced a 25% tariff on Indian goods. However, earlier this month, he signed an executive order for an additional 25% tariff in response to India's purchases of Russian oil. This brings the total tariffs levied by the United States on its ally...

The deputy governor of a Russian region bordering Ukraine has been detained as part of a criminal case involving the embezzlement of 1 billion roubles (S$15.8 million) earmarked for defensive fortifications, the Tass state news agency reported. The office of Deputy Kursk Governor Vladimir Bazarov, who previously worked as deputy governor in the neighbouring Belgorod region, was being searched, Tass reported. The detention of Bazarov was confirmed by Kursk Governor Alexander Khinshtein, who said the case related to his work in the Belgorod region. He gave no further comment. Reuters was unable to contact Bazarov or his lawyer. Since Ukrainian...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday he and U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg had held a good meeting and discussed exerting pressure on Russia to hold "real talks" on ending more than three years of war, APA reports citing Reuters. "A good meeting with the special U.S. presidential envoy Keith Kellogg," Zelenskyy wrote on the Telegram messaging app. "We discussed how to exert influence on Russia, oblige them to hold real talks on ending the war ... We are ready to talk in a format with leaders. This is needed to resolve key issues." Zelenskyy said Ukraine valued the "readiness...

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei took to X on Sunday to accuse United States President Donald Trump, whom he described as "the man who is now in office" in Washington, of wanting to have Tehran obedient to the North American country. "The Iranian nation feels deeply offended by such a grave insult, and they will stand with all their might against anyone who has such an illegitimate expectation," Khamenei wrote. He praised his nation for its response to Israel and the United States' recent strikes on Iran. Furthermore, Khamenei accused the US of interfering in Iran's internal affairs in...

A fire at Russia's Novoshakhtinsk refinery was burning for the fourth day on Sunday after a Ukrainian drone strike, the acting governor of the region said. A fire was reported at in Novoshakhtinsk on Thursday. The refinery there sells fuel mainly for export, and has annual capacity of 5 million metric tons of oil, or around 100,000 barrels per day. Yury Slyusar, the acting governor of the Rostov region, said he had a meeting in Novoshakhtinsk. "The fire area at the Novoshakhtinsk oil products plant has now been reduced," he said on Telegram. "Since August 21, firefighters have been fighting...

US President Donald Trump joined other world leaders in sending messages of support to Ukraine on Sunday as it celebrates Independence Day at a time when there is little hope for peace despite intense diplomatic efforts. Trump sent a letter to Ukraine on the country’s 34th Independence Day – which marks the anniversary of declaring itself free of Soviet rule – praising its courage and saying the United States believes in its future as an independent state. -snip- In the letter, Trump wrote: “The people of Ukraine have an unbreakable spirit, and your county’s courage inspires many. As you mark...

U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Keith Kellogg visited Kyiv on August 24 to take part in the celebrations marking Ukraine’s Independence Day. Kellogg attended the ceremony on Sophia Square in central Kyiv, where President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered an address, Caliber.Az cites Ukrainian media. Alongside Kellogg, representatives and officials from other countries also joined the celebrations, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Foreign guests also included the defence ministers of Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Lithuania, Latvia, and Canada, as well as the UK’s Minister for Veterans’ Affairs. Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day on August 24, marking the anniversary of the 1991 declaration...

On the anniversary of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Polish President Karol Nawrocki drew parallels between past and present-day aggression in a message posted on social media. In his statement, he referred to “unresolved injustices” and “sick dreams of an empire.” “Eighty-six years ago, Stalin and Hitler signed the Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact—an agreement that paved the way for World War II and claimed the lives of millions around the world. Poland was the first victim of German, and later Soviet, aggression,” Nawrocki wrote on Saturday, August 23rd. He continued: “Germany has still not paid its historical debts, while imperialist sentiments have reawakened in...

Two years ago today, a small plane exploded in mid-air over Russia and killed all 10 people on board, including the infamous Yevgeny Prigozhin. The 62-year-old billionaire was the head of a mercenary gang called the Wagner Group. His abrupt end, however, came just two months after his bold - some would say barmy - decision to march his team towards the Moscow in an act of utter defiance against Mad Vlad's authority. Formerly an ally of the Russian dictator, he went from being Putin's chef to public enemy number one of the Kremlin. Below we take a look at...