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Russia’s war against Ukraine
A Ukrainian soldier is greeted by his girlfriend at Sloviansk train station on Aug. 25, 2025. Sloviansk was among the first cities seized by Russia-backed militants led by Igor Girkin (Strelkov) in April 2014, before being retaken by Ukrainian forces in early July 2014. (Pierre Crom/Getty Images)
Putin reluctant to meet Zelensky ‘because he doesn’t like him,’ Trump says. During his Aug. 25 speech, Trump made contradictory statements about the possibility of ending Russia’s war against Ukraine. He said he intends to arrange a meeting between the leaders of Ukraine and Russia but then added that it might not happen at all.
Ukraine, US to meet this week to discuss potential Zelensky-Putin talks. “We would like to understand from the American side whether the Russians are ready — and in what format — for a bilateral, and eventually trilateral, meeting,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Canada open to sending troops to postwar Ukraine, defense minister says. Speaking to reporters in Warsaw on Aug. 25, Canada’s Defense Minister David McGuinty expressed confidence in Canada’s operational capacity. “We’ve just come back from Ukraine. We’ve been able to assess and see more clearly what the needs are.”
Kupiansk left without water, electricity, and gas amid Russian attacks. “They are living in nearly inhumane conditions. We cannot provide any administrative or social services there,” Andriy Besedin, head of the Kupiansk military-civil administration, said.
Ukraine seeks $1 billion a month for US weapons purchases, Zelensky says. “We also discussed our domestic drone production and joint opportunities with partners. Investments now can help not only physically but also force Russia to end this war,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
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‘This is a disgrace’ — Ukraine condemns Woody Allen’s participation in Moscow film festival. “By taking part in a festival that brings together (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s supporters and mouthpieces, Allen is deliberately turning a blind eye to the atrocities that Russia has been committing in Ukraine every day for 11 years,” Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said.
Russia plans withdrawal from European Convention preventing torture. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin on Aug. 25 signed a resolution calling for Moscow to withdraw from the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture.
Ukraine has upgraded its Neptune missile — here’s what we know. But another recent announcement may make the “Long Neptune” slightly redundant.
‘Cyber partisans’ hack Russian TV, broadcast battlefield casualties and ‘truth’ about war, HUR source claims. The video showing Russia’s fuel crisis, water shortages in occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast, Ukrainian strikes on oil refineries and Russia’s military losses, was aired simultaneously on 116 television channels on Ukraine’s Independence Day, according to the source.
Ukraine calls for additional Russia sanctions as Moscow aims to open occupied seaports to international ships. “Ukraine calls on partners to introduce additional tough sanctions against all Russian individuals and legal entities, foreign companies, in case of their involvement in commercial activities in the seaports of Berdiansk and Mariupol,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
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Ukraine war latest: Ukraine, US to meet this week to discuss potential Zelensky-Putin talks
Ukrainian and U.S. officials are expected to meet later this week to discuss a potential meeting between Kyiv and Moscow, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Aug. 25. The news comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s push for a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine. Following separate meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky, Trump said that the next step would be a bilateral summit between the two leaders, which he hoped would occur in the next two weeks.
Photo: Andrew Kravchenko / Bloomberg via Getty Images
How Russia targets, detains and kills Ukrainian officials in occupied regions
For Volodymyr Mykolaienko, the former mayor of Kherson, this year’s Independence Day became a second birthday — he regained his freedom after over three years in Russian captivity on Aug. 24. “For the past few years, I haven’t seen anything but bars and concrete walls,” Mykolaienko told journalists upon his release. “I always wondered what my second birthday would be like, and it turned out beautifully that it fell on Aug. 24.” According to his niece Hanna Korshun-Samchuk, Mykolaienko was detained by Russian forces on April 18, 2022.
Photo: Pierre Crom/Getty Images
Analysis: Why JD Vance is very wrong about Russian ‘concessions’ in Ukraine peace talks
In an attempt to put a positive spin on U.S.-led efforts to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Vice President JD Vance on Aug. 24 claimed Moscow had made “significant concessions” during the now months-long and largely stalled peace process. Vance’s comments to NBC News’ “Meet the Press” come after Moscow’s continued refusal to accept U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire proposal, as well as more recently, a refusal to hold a bilateral meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Photo: Annabelle Gordon / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Ukraine courts big foreign investors but leaves smaller players behind
In the last year, Ukraine’s government has accelerated efforts to paint the country as a bankable foreign investment destination to help with its $524 billion recovery needs — but it’s overlooking smaller investors in favor of the financial elite. Most of the advertised projects, like industrial parks and energy facilities, are geared towards cash-rich companies and international financial institutions (IFIs) that can take on bigger risks. Smaller foreign investors and businesses are largely left out of the equation. As a result, they are fighting an uphill battle to secure capital.
Photo: Mykhaylo Palinchak / LightRocket via Getty Images
From Crimea to Donbas, Russia’s “peace” has always meant more war. We’re here in Ukraine to give the world a reality check. Support independent journalism in this critical moment.
Human cost of Russia’s war
Russian attacks kill 2, injure 33 in Ukraine over past day. Ukrainian forces downed 76 out of the 104 drones, including Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported.
General Staff: Russia has lost 1,076,940 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022. The number includes 870 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Russia slams Ukraine in wake of Trump-Zelensky meeting | Ukraine This Week
International response
Germany reaffirms support for Ukraine, pledges $10.5 billion through 2026. German Finance Minister Klingbeil emphasized that Germany “will not duck its responsibility” in supporting Ukraine, and reiterated that Berlin remains Kyiv’s second-largest backer globally and its largest within Europe.
Norway pledges $8.5 billion in aid to Ukraine in 2026. The move underscores Norway’s growing role in supporting Ukraine’s defense as Western partners move closer to finalizing security guarantees amid a push to organize a high-level meeting between Kyiv and Moscow.
‘Treat them like you’re treating Washington’ — Democrat tells Trump to toughen stance on Russia. “Maybe just treat them like you’re treating Washington, D.C., or how you treated Greenland when you came into office, or how you treated Canada when you came into office,” Florida House Democrat Jared Moskowitz said.
In other news
Zaluzhnyi declined call from Vance days after Oval Office clash, Guardian reports. A source close to Zaluzhnyi told the Guardian that his refusal was a “principled position” and a sign of unity, reflecting Ukraine’s feeling of having been “humiliated.”
Polish president vetoes Ukraine aid law, threatens Starlink services for Ukraine. “I can’t imagine a better gift for (Russia’s President Vladimir) Putin’s troops than cutting off Ukraine from the Internet,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said.
Ukrainian drone attack forces Russian commercial plane to divert to Estonia, passengers forbidden from disembarking. The aircraft, operated by Egyptian carrier AlMasria Universal Airlines, had departed from Sharm El Sheikh and landed in Tallinn at 5:33 a.m. local time. It was able to continue its journey to St. Petersburg nearly six hours later.
Trump admin weighs sanctions on EU officials over Digital Services Act, Reuters reports. The potential move comes amid ongoing U.S. complaints that the law censors American voices and places an unfair burden on U.S. tech companies.
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