Free Republic

An impending government shutdown presents an opportunityThe U.S. government is about to run out of money. If Congress does not pass a spending bill -- or a short-term continuing resolution that keeps money flowing temporarily -- there will be a federal government shutdown this coming Tuesday. Moments like these are rare opportunities for the party that is not in control of Congress. As the New York Timesopens in a new tab or window described it, "...passing a government spending bill that can win the necessary 60 votes depends on attracting at least a small amount of Democratic support. That will...

The Trump administration signaled a dramatic shift in its approach to the Ukraine conflict Wednesday, with Vice President JD Vance warning that President Donald Trump is "growing incredibly impatient" with Moscow after diplomatic efforts to end the war have faltered. -snip- "He doesn't feel like they're putting enough on the table to end the war," Vance said during remarks in North Carolina, referring to Russian negotiating positions. "If the Russians refuse to negotiate in good faith, I think it's going to be very, very bad for their country." -snip- Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the administration's hardening position during...

... Or face 100% secondary tariffs BREAKING News. Trump speaking now.

US President Donald Trump has said he will have "a major statement" on Russia on Monday, without going into detail. Trump made the remark in a phone interview with NBC News on Thursday, referring to the situation in Ukraine. The president said, "I'm disappointed in Russia, but we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks." Trump has recently been stepping up his criticism of Russia. He has suggested he would consider additional sanctions against Moscow. Russia's presidential spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said on Friday that Moscow is waiting for the statement to understand what exactly President Trump means.

VLADIMIR Putin's brutal war machine was dealt another blow today as Moscow confirmed the death of another top Russian military chief. Russian authorities have confirmed the death of Colonel Sergei Ilyin, commander of Russia's notorious 155th Marine Brigade. Telegram news channel Astra reported the Colonel's death on Friday, citing a now-deleted post from officials, the Moscow Times has reported. Ilyin had died "during the special military operation" according to a post attributed to the Urmarsky district administration. "Special military operation" is the euphemism used by Kremlin authorities when referring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It follows speculation that the...

President Trump said Friday he plans to make a “major statement” on Russia early next week — as the Senate considers legislation to force his hand on sanctions after months of threats from the commander-in-chief. “I think I’ll have a major statement to make on Russia on Monday,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview Thursday. “You’ll be seeing things happen,” Trump told a reporter Friday morning on the White House lawn when asked about an overnight Russian drone attack that damaged a maternity hospital in Ukraine’s second city of Kharkiv.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived on Friday in the coastal city of Wonsan, North Korea, according to RIA Novosti. The visit comes ahead of the second round of the strategic dialogue between Moscow and Pyongyang, with Lavrov scheduled to meet his North Korean counterpart, Choe Son Hui, to discuss bilateral ties. Earlier this week, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova announced the meeting would take place, adding that the first round of the dialogue took place in Moscow in January 2024.

Vladimir Solovyov threatens America

President Donald Trump for the first time since returning to office will send weapons to Kyiv under a presidential power frequently used by his predecessor, two sources familiar with the decision said on Thursday, a move suggesting new interest by the president in defending Ukraine. More than three years after Russia's invasion of its neighbor, Trump's team will identify arms from U.S. stockpiles to send to Ukraine under the Presidential Drawdown Authority, the sources said, with one saying they could be worth around $300 million. Trump on Tuesday said the U.S. would send more weapons to Ukraine to help the...

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he had held a "substantive" conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy, Keith Kellogg, in Rome shortly after Trump pledged to send more defensive weapons to Kyiv. "We discussed weapons supplies and strengthening air defense. Given the increase in Russian attacks, this remains one of our top priorities," Zelenskiy wrote on the X social media platform. "We also covered the purchase of American weapons, joint defense manufacturing, and localization efforts in Ukraine," he added. Both men were in Italy ahead of a conference on July 10-11 dedicated to Ukraine's recovery and long-term...

While Russia's overnight drone and missile attacks on Ukraine have hit record levels, on the ground its military is claiming territorial gains. Last month Russian forces seized 556 sq km (215 sq miles), its biggest land grab this year, according to the open-source DeepState monitoring website in Ukraine. That is an area four times the size of Liverpool and nearly the same size as the city of Chicago. Russia's goal is to cut off supply routes used by Ukrainian troops in the east, and create a buffer zone inside Ukraine's northern borders. But its advance remains relatively slow. At this...

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Tuesday that the Senate will move “soon” on a “tough” Russia sanctions bill that will also penalize the Kremlin’s top energy recipients, China and India. “President @realDonaldTrump is spot on about the games Putin is playing,” Graham said in a Tuesday post on X. “The Senate will move soon on a tough sanctions bill – not only against Russia – but also against countries like China and India that buy Russian energy products that finance Putin’s war machine. The Senate bill has a presidential waiver to give President Trump maximum leverage.” “When it comes to...

The dominant Western narrative that Europe can arm Ukraine to victory against Russia is a “dangerous fantasy.” Europe’s defense industrial base is too hollowed out, its weapons production timelines too long, and its political will too fragile to offset Russia’s formidable military and industrial might.

At President Trump's direction, the Department of Defense is sending additional defensive weapons to Ukraine to ensure the Ukrainians can defend themselves while we work to secure a lasting peace and ensure the killing stops. Our framework for POTUS to evaluate military shipments across the globe remains in effect and is integral to our America First defense priorities.

WASHINGTON—President Trump told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he wasn’t responsible for a halt in weapons shipments to Kyiv, signaling U.S. openness to continuing military aid for Ukraine. Trump informed Zelensky in a Friday phone conversation that he had directed a review of Pentagon munitions stockpiles after the U.S. struck Iran’s nuclear sites last month but didn’t order the department to freeze the arms deliveries, according to people briefed on the conversation. The call came shortly after Trump publicly acknowledged he was “very disappointed” and “didn’t make any progress” on an Ukraine peace deal in a separate call Thursday with...

President Trump said Monday his administration would send Ukraine additional weapons after his administration imposed a pause on some shipments to Kyiv. “We’re going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They’re getting hit very hard now,” Trump told reporters during a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Defensive weapons, primarily, but they’re getting hit very, very hard. So many people are dying in that mess,” he added. The Pentagon last week confirmed a decision to halt the delivery of some air defense missiles and munitions to Ukraine, citing concerns...

@Mylovanov Trump: We had a strong, strategic call with Zelenskyy — we continue our support. The situation is tough. My call with Putin was disappointing. He seems determined to keep the war going. Not good.

Mr. President, we know you understand that the primary obstacle to peace in Ukraine is Russia’s aggression. You said you were “disappointed” in the conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, and that you “don’t think he’s looking to stop.” Putin again insisted he was unwilling to commit to a ceasefire until the “root causes” of the conflict were addressed. For Vlad, the “root cause” is the existence of Ukraine. He followed your call with the largest drone and missile strike of the war, killing at least one. So why, Mr. President, is your administration punishing Ukraine? The Pentagon has halted...

Did Russia Help America in the Revolutionary War? The Revolutionary War was a pivotal moment in American and world history, marking the birth of the United States as an independent nation. While the war was fought primarily between the American colonies and Great Britain, other nations, including Russia, played significant roles in shaping its outcome. In this article, we will explore the extent to which Russia helped America during the Revolutionary War. Early Relations between Russia and the American Colonies Before delving into the specifics of Russian-American relations during the Revolutionary War, it is essential to understand the early history...

Zelensky described the conversation with the US leader as "very important and useful"MOSCOW, July 4. /TASS/. Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky discussed air defense and the situation on the front line with US President Donald Trump amid reports about a pause in Washington’s weapons supplies to Kiev. "We discussed air defense opportunities and agreed to work toward increasing the protection of the skies. And we agreed to hold a corresponding meeting between our teams," Zelensky wrote on his Telegram channel following a phone call with Trump. Zelensky described the conversation as "very important and useful" and said that Trump "is very well...