Trump’s deadline for the Kremlin looms but Putin shows no sign of making concessions

Air raid sirens across Ukraine and Russia's, it seems, relatively new tactic of trying to saturate the air defenses of particular cities last night, the capital Kiev, to see if in this case not *** record number of drones, far from it, just short of 200, could indeed get through, and some did. An apartment block seems to have been the predominant source of most of the dead here. 7 in Kiev, 8 nationwide, the 7 in Kiev, an apartment building. was indeed *** six year old boy taken away by emergency responders there who died in the ambulance, according to local officials. Dozens injured across the country. Look, this is part of daily life for Ukrainians, but those aerial assaults which at times peak or seem to alter in their focus, one story quite frankly shocking to see in the last weeks the pace of Russian progress along the front line. Now today their Ministry of has claimed to have captured Chasar. Now that is not something known globally as an important place, but it is utterly vital on the battlefield. Sometimes Russia claims places in advance of them actually having full control of them, but it does seem as though the constant pressure of months of assaults on this key hilltop town may be paying off. Now if they have captured it, it gives them the heights above *** key eastern town called. And massively eases their continuing successful assaults on other parts of that front line. Konstantinka, so close to Chasa that is at risk of encirclement by Russia. Taking Chasar will massively ease that task that they've seen great progress and in just the last week or sorovs to the south. Well, we were just near there, frankly, I didn't speak to many Ukrainians who felt they were going to be able to hold onto that much longer. On their supply lines and their troops inside that town. Again besieged by Russia for months to huge Russian casualties. On the supply lines are cut for Ukraine, I think the argument amongst many Ukrainians we spoke to is they need to get what remaining troops they have in there out rather than again sacrifice people in the defense of *** town that Russia eventually takes. That's an exceptionally complicated decision for President Vlamy Zelensky of Ukraine and the pace of Russian advances, not just troops on the ground. Of that takes longer, but the pace in which they To use increasingly longer range attack drones often controlled by *** gaming type console from 2030 kilometers away. They're able to move forwards and render villages suddenly overnight impossible for civilians to live in. We've seen that very fast moving, people suddenly leaving and evacuating, *** sign of Russia's continual progress. It's been incremental for so many months, but now those little changes building up into what feels like *** strategic change.

Updated: 1:21 PM CDT Aug 4, 2025

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Trump’s deadline for the Kremlin looms but Putin shows no sign of making concessions

Updated: 1:21 PM CDT Aug 4, 2025

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The coming week could mark a pivotal moment in the war between Russia and Ukraine, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s deadline for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal approaches — or it could quietly pass without consequence.Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected in Moscow midweek, just before Trump’s Friday deadline for the Kremlin to stop the killing or face potentially severe economic penalties from Washington.So far Trump's promises, threats and cajoling have failed to shift the Kremlin's position, and the stubborn diplomatic stalemate remains in place. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defenses.Trump's envoy is expected in MoscowWitkoff is expected to land in the Russian capital on Wednesday or Thursday, according to Trump, following his trip to Israel and Gaza.“They would like to see (Witkoff),” Trump said Sunday of the Russians. “They’ve asked that he meet so we’ll see what happens.”Trump, exasperated that Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t heeded his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, a week ago moved up his ultimatum to impose additional sanctions on Russia as well as introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil, including China and India.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that officials are happy to meet with Trump’s envoy. “We are always glad to see Mr. Witkoff in Moscow,” he said. “We consider (talks with Witkoff) important, substantive and very useful.”Trump is not sure sanctions will workTrump said Sunday that Russia has proven to be “pretty good at avoiding sanctions.”“They’re wily characters,” he said of the Russians.The Kremlin has insisted that international sanctions imposed since its February 2022 invasion of its neighbor have had a limited impact.Ukraine insists the sanctions are taking their toll on Moscow’s war machine and wants Western allies to ramp them up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday urged the United States, Europe and other nations to impose stronger secondary sanctions on Moscow’s energy, trade and banking sectors.Trump’s comments appeared to signal he doesn’t have much hope that sanctions will force Putin’s hand.The secondary sanctions also complicate Washington’s relations with China and India, who stand accused of helping finance Russia’s war effort by buying its oil.Since returning to office in January, Trump has found that stopping the war is harder than he perhaps imagined.Senior American officials have warned that the U.S. could walk away from the conflict if peace efforts make no progress.Putin shows no signs of making concessionsThe diplomatic atmosphere has become more heated as Trump’s deadline approaches.Putin announced last Friday that Russia’s new hypersonic missile, the Oreshnik, has entered service.The Russian leader has hailed its capabilities, saying its multiple warheads that plunge to a target at speeds of up to Mach 10 cannot be intercepted. He claimed that they are so powerful that the use of several of them in one conventional strike could be as devastating as a nuclear attack.Separately, one of Putin’s top lieutenants warned that the Ukraine war could nudge Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict.Trump responded to what he called the “highly provocative statements” by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev by ordering the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines.Putin has repeated the same message throughout the war: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met.The war is killing thousands of troops and civiliansRussia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line have killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. It has pushed on with that tactic despite Trump’s public calls for it to stop over the past three months.On the 620-mile front line, Russia’s bigger army has made slow and costly progress. It is carrying out a sustained operation to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub whose fall could open the way for a deeper drive into Ukraine.Ukraine has developed technology that has allowed it to launch long-range drone attacks deep inside Russia. In its latest strike it hit an oil depot near Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, starting a major fire.

WASHINGTON —

Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff was expected in Moscow midweek, just before Trump’s Friday deadline for the Kremlin to stop the killing or face potentially severe economic penalties from Washington.

So far Trump's promises, threats and cajoling have failed to shift the Kremlin's position, and the stubborn diplomatic stalemate remains in place. Meanwhile, Ukraine is losing more territory on the front line, although there is no sign of a looming collapse of its defenses.

Trump's envoy is expected in Moscow

Witkoff is expected to land in the Russian capital on Wednesday or Thursday, according to Trump, following his trip to Israel and Gaza.

“They would like to see (Witkoff),” Trump said Sunday of the Russians. “They’ve asked that he meet so we’ll see what happens.”

Trump, exasperated that Russian President Vladimir Putin hasn’t heeded his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, a week ago moved up his ultimatum to impose additional sanctions on Russia as well as introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil, including China and India.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday that officials are happy to meet with Trump’s envoy. “We are always glad to see Mr. Witkoff in Moscow,” he said. “We consider (talks with Witkoff) important, substantive and very useful.”

Trump is not sure sanctions will work

Trump said Sunday that Russia has proven to be “pretty good at avoiding sanctions.”

“They’re wily characters,” he said of the Russians.

The Kremlin has insisted that international sanctions imposed since its February 2022 invasion of its neighbor have had a limited impact.

Ukraine insists the sanctions are taking their toll on Moscow’s war machine and wants Western allies to ramp them up. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday urged the United States, Europe and other nations to impose stronger secondary sanctions on Moscow’s energy, trade and banking sectors.

Trump’s comments appeared to signal he doesn’t have much hope that sanctions will force Putin’s hand.

The secondary sanctions also complicate Washington’s relations with China and India, who stand accused of helping finance Russia’s war effort by buying its oil.

Since returning to office in January, Trump has found that stopping the war is harder than he perhaps imagined.

Senior American officials have warned that the U.S. could walk away from the conflict if peace efforts make no progress.

Putin shows no signs of making concessions

The diplomatic atmosphere has become more heated as Trump’s deadline approaches.

Putin announced last Friday that Russia’s new hypersonic missile, the Oreshnik, has entered service.

The Russian leader has hailed its capabilities, saying its multiple warheads that plunge to a target at speeds of up to Mach 10 cannot be intercepted. He claimed that they are so powerful that the use of several of them in one conventional strike could be as devastating as a nuclear attack.

Separately, one of Putin’s top lieutenants warned that the Ukraine war could nudge Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict.

Trump responded to what he called the “highly provocative statements” by former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev by ordering the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines.

Putin has repeated the same message throughout the war: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they’re met.

The war is killing thousands of troops and civilians

Russia’s relentless pounding of urban areas behind the front line have killed more than 12,000 Ukrainian civilians, according to the United Nations. It has pushed on with that tactic despite Trump’s public calls for it to stop over the past three months.

On the 620-mile front line, Russia’s bigger army has made slow and costly progress. It is carrying out a sustained operation to take the eastern city of Pokrovsk, a key logistical hub whose fall could open the way for a deeper drive into Ukraine.

Ukraine has developed technology that has allowed it to launch long-range drone attacks deep inside Russia. In its latest strike it hit an oil depot near Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, starting a major fire.

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