| August 18, 2025 07:43:43 AM |
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| August 18, 2025 07:43:43 AM |
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Ukraine's future could hinge on a hastily assembled meeting Monday at the White House as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy brings with him an extraordinary cadre of European leaders to show U.S. President Donald Trump a united front against Russia.
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, right, and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy participate in a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo) |
Zelenskyy brings Europe's top leaders with him to meet Trump |
Planning to join Zelenskyy in America's capital are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. On the table for discussion are possible NATO-like security guarantees that Ukraine would need for any peace with Russia to be durable. Russian President Vladimir Putin opposes Ukraine joining NATO outright, yet Trump's team claims the Russian leader is open to allies agreeing to defend Ukraine if it comes under attack.
The influx of European political heavy-hitters comes after they were left out of Trump’s summit with Putin last Friday and as they look to safeguard Ukraine and the continent from any widening aggression from Moscow. The sitdown in Alaska yielded the possible contours for stopping the war in Ukraine that began in 2022 with Russia’s invasion, though it was unclear whether the terms discussed would ultimately be acceptable to Zelenskyy or Putin. Read more.
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Of note:
By arriving as a group, they hope to avoid any debacles like Zelenskyy’s February meeting in the Oval Office, where Trump chastised him for not showing enough gratitude for American military aid. |
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Russia hijacks satellite to broadcast Victory Day parade in Ukraine |
As Russia held its Victory Day parade this year, hackers backing the Kremlin hijacked an orbiting satellite that provides television service to Ukraine. Instead of normal programing, Ukrainian viewers saw parade footage beamed in from Moscow: waves of tanks, soldiers and weaponry.
The message was meant to intimidate, and it was also an illustration that 21st-century war is waged not just on land, sea and air, but also in cyberspace and in the reaches of outer space. Disabling a satellite could deal a devastating blow without a single bullet, and it can be done by targeting the satellite's security software or disrupting its ability to send or receive signals from Earth. Read more.
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Of note:
National security officials say Russia is developing a nuclear, space-based weapon designed to take out virtually every satellite in low-Earth orbit at once. The weapon would combine a physical attack that would ripple outward, destroying more satellites, while the nuclear component is used to fry their electronics. |
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Democrats seek a new crop of candidates who can help win the House |
Democrats say their new recruits for U.S. House seats in next year’s midterm elections are uniquely suited to break through in districts where Trump’s popularity remains dominant. Many are already a well-known presence in their communities. And in parts of North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and elsewhere, the party is betting that kind of local credibility can cut through skepticism in places where the Democratic brand has fallen.
Heading into next year’s midterms, Democrats believe momentum is on their side. Historically, the president’s party loses ground in the midterms, and Democrats need to pick up only a few seats to break the GOP's hold on Washington. Read more. |
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Of note:
Republicans remain confident, pointing to having far fewer vulnerable seats than Democrats have this cycle. Only three Republicans hold House districts that Democrat Kamala Harris won last year, while 18 Democrats represent Trump-won districts. |
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President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin arrive for a press conference at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson, Friday, Aug. 15, 2025, in Anchorage, Alaska. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) |
- Trump meets with Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House on Monday.
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