Podcasts about russian president putin

The Trump administration is trying to discredit the intelligence assessment that concluded Russian President Putin ordered a campaign to interfere in the 2016 election with the intent of helping elect Trump. Contrary to almost all intelligence findings, Trump and his aides allege a conspiracy by the Obama White House. Geoff Bennett discussed more with former CIA analyst Michael Van Landingham. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For review:1. Doha Hostage & Ceasefire Talks Stalled.2. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “confident” he will be able to reach a deal to free hostages held in the Gaza Strip, in an interview with US media aired late Saturday.3. Russian President Putin Supports Zero Enrichment for Iran.4. A Syrian official and an Israeli official are expected to meet in Baku later Saturday on the sidelines of President Ahmed al-Sharaa's current visit to Azerbaijan,.5. Ukrainian security agents have killed a group of Russian spies near Kyiv in another escalation of the secret war between the two countries.It follows the assassination of a top Ukrainian intelligence officer days earlier.6. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered Moscow his full support for their war in Ukraine during talks with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Pyongyang state media said Sunday.7. Japan Protests to Chinese Ambassador Concerning Unsafe Aircraft Incident over E. China Sea.8. A Philippine Coast Guard cutter intercepted a Chinese Navy spy ship within Manila's western exclusive economic zone over the weekend.

In our news wrap Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu continued his Washington visit by meeting with Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Trump ramped up criticism of Russian President Putin after reversing course on sending additional weapons to Ukraine and the Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump's plan to fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu continued his Washington visit by meeting with Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Trump ramped up criticism of Russian President Putin after reversing course on sending additional weapons to Ukraine and the Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump's plan to fire hundreds of thousands of federal workers. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

For review:1.  Syrian state media reported Wednesday that statements on signing a peace deal with Israel were “premature.”2.   The IDF carried out an airstrike Thursday in the Lebanese village of Sil, near Beirut, targeting an operative for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. According to the IDF, the target was involved in smuggling weapons and advancing terror plots, acting on behalf of the Quds Force, the IRGC's foreign arm.3.  Iran on Wednesday formally suspended its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog- the International Atomic Energy Agency.  Following a parliament vote on the matter last week, the bill was approved by the Guardian Council, a body tasked with vetting legislation, before it received a final ratification from the presidency. 4. Axios Report: US & Iran to Resume Nuclear Talks in Oslo. There is not yet a final date for the talks in the Norwegian capital. Neither Washington nor Tehran has publicly confirmed the meeting.5. Hostage & Ceasefire Efforts Between Israel and Hamas Advancing.6.  US President Trump said on Thursday that a phone call earlier in the day with Russian President Putin resulted in no progress at all on efforts to end the war in Ukraine. 7. Pentagon Reviews US Military Support to Foreign Countries.  The Trump administration is pausing some weapons shipments to Ukraine, including air defense missiles, following a review of military spending and American support to foreign countries, a senior White House official told CNN. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed off on the review, which the official noted had been underway for months. 8.  The House has passed President Trump's “One Big Beautiful Bill,” sending the bill with $150 billion for defense to the President's desk ahead of his 04 July deadline. 

This week we talk about drone warfare, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and total war.We also discuss casualty numbers, population superiority, and lingering munitions.Recommended Book: The Burning Earth by Sunil AmrithTranscriptEight years after Russia launched a halfheartedly concealed invasion of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, under the guise of helping supposedly oppressed Russian-speakers and Russia loyalists in the area, in February of 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.This invasion followed months of military buildup along the two countries' shared borders, and was called a special military operation by Russian President Putin. It was later reported that this was intended to be a quick, one or a few day decapitation attack against Ukraine, Russia's forces rapidly closing the distance between the border and Ukraine's capitol, Kyiv, killing or imprisoning all the country's leadership, replacing it with a puppet government loyal to Putin, and that would be that.Ukraine had been reorienting toward the European Union and away from Russia's sphere of influence, and Russia wanted to put a stop to that realignment and bring the country fully back under its control, as was the case before 2014, when a series of protests turned into an uprising that caused their then-leader, a puppet of Russia, to flee the country; he, of course, fled to Russia.On paper, Ukraine was at a massive disadvantage in this renewed conflict, as Russia is a global-scale player, while Ukraine is relatively small, and back in 2014 had one of its major ports and a huge chunk of its territory stolen by Russia.Russia also has nukes, has a massive conventional military, and has a far larger economy and population. Analysts near-universally assumed Ukraine would collapse under the weight of Russia's military, perhaps holding out for weeks or months if they were really skillful and lucky, but probably days.That didn't end up being the case. Despite Russia's substantial and multifarious advantages, Ukraine managed to hold out against the initial invasion, against subsequent pushes, and then managed to launch its own counterattacks. For more than three years, it has held its ground against Russia's onslaught, against continuous land incursions, and against seemingly endless aerial attacks by jets, by bombers, and by all sorts of rockets, missiles, and drones.It's difficult, if not impossible, to determine actual casualty and fatality numbers in this conflict, as both sides are incentivized to adjust these figures, either to show how horrible the other side is, or to make it seem like they're suffering less than they are for moral purposes.But it's expected that Russia will hit a milestone of one million casualties sometime in the summer of 2025, if it hasn't actually hit that number already, and it's estimated that as many as 250,000 Russian soldiers have already been killed in Ukraine.For context, that's about five-times as many deaths as Russia suffered in all the wars it fought, post-WWII (as both the Soviet Union and Russia), combined. That's also fifteen-times as many fatalities as they suffered in their ten-year-long war in Afghanistan, and ten-times as many deaths as in their 13-year-long war in Chechnya.It's also estimated that Russia has lost something like 3,000-4,000 tanks, 9,000 armored vehicles, 13,000 artillery systems, and more than 400 air defense systems in the past year, alone; those numbers vary a bit depending on who you listen to, but those are likely the proper order of magnitude.The country is rapidly shifting to a full-scale war footing, originally having intended to make do with a few modern systems and a whole lot of antique, Soviet military hardware they had in storage to conduct this blitzkrieg attack on Ukraine, but now they're having to reorient basically every facet of society and their economy toward this conflict, turning a huge chunk of their total manufacturing base toward producing ammunition, tanks, missiles, and so on.Which, to be clear, is something they're capable of doing. Russia is currently on pace to replace this hardware, and then some, which is part of why other European governments are increasing their own military spending right now: the idea being that once Russia has finished their reorientation toward the production of modern military hardware, they'll eventually find themselves with more tanks, missiles, and drones than they can use in Ukraine, and they'll need to aim them somewhere, or else will find themselves have to pay upkeep on all this stuff as it gathers dust and slowly becomes unusable.The theory, then, is that they'll have to open up another conflict just to avoid being bogged down in too much surplus weaponry; so maybe they'll try their luck in the Baltics, or perhaps start shipping more hardware to fellow travelers, terrorists and separatists, in places like Moldova.In the meantime, though, Russian forces are continuing to accrue gains in Ukraine, but very, very slowly. This year they've captured an average of about 50 meters of Ukrainian territory per day, at a cost of around 1,140 casualties per day, of which about 975 are fatalities.That's a huge and horrific meatgrinder, but there's little pushback against the invasion in Russia at this point, as speaking out against it has been criminalized, and a lot of high-profile fines, arrests, kidnappings, and seeming assassinations of people who have said anything even a little bit negative about the war or the Russian government have apparently been effective.Ukraine is holding its own, then, but Russia still has the upper-hand, and will likely have even more weight behind it in the coming months, as its manufacturing base pivots further and further toward a total war stance.What I'd like to talk about today is a seeming renewed effort on the part of Ukraine to strike within Russian territory, taking out military assets, but also destabilizing Russian support for the war, focusing especially on one such recent, wildly successful asymmetric attack.—In addition to all the other advantages Russia has in this conflict, Ukraine's population is about one-fourth the size of Russia's, and that means even if Ukraine is, by some measures, losing one soldier to every two that Russia loses, over time Russia is still gaining firmer and firmer footing; that's a war of attrition Russia will eventually win just because their population is bigger.By some indications, the Russian government is also using this conflict as an opportunity to clear out its prisons, offering prisoners a chance at freedom if they go to the front line and survive for a period of time, many of them dying, and thus freeing up prison space and resources that would otherwise be spent on them, but also sending a disproportionate number of their poor, their disliked ethnic and religious groups, and their young radicals into the meatgrinder, forcing them to serve as cannon fodder, as most of those people will die or be grievously wounded, but those people also, as a side-benefit, will no longer be a problem for the government.Russia is also bringing in troops from its ally, North Korea, to fight on the front lines, alongside all the weapon systems and ammo it's been procuring from them and other allies, like China and Iran.So while this is obviously not great for Russia, losing that many fighters for relatively small gains, they've also figured out a way to make it not so bad, and in some ways even a positive development, according to their metrics for positive, anyway, and again, if they can keep warm bodies flooding to the front lines, they will eventually win, even if it takes a while—at their current rate of advance, it would take about 116 years to capture the rest of the country—and even if the body count is shockingly high by the time that happens.To counter this increasing advantage that Russia has been leveraging, Ukraine has been leaning more heavily on drones, as the invasion has progressed.In this context, a drone might be anything from the off-the-shelf, quadcopter models that hobbyists use to race and shoot aerial photographs, to higher-end, jet or missile or glider-like models similar to what major military forces, like the US military, use to scout and photograph enemy forces and terrain, and in some cases launch assassination attacks or bombing raids on the same.They can be low-flying quad-copters, or they can be something like lingering, unmanned missiles or jet fighters, then, and they can be completely unarmed, or they can be rigged with grenades to drop, bombs to use in a suicide attack, missiles to fire, shotguns to blast enemy fighters in the face, or nets to ensnare enemy drones.Drones of all shapes and sizes have been fundamental to the way modern militaries operate since the 1990s, when early, remotely piloted aircraft, like the Predator drone, were used for aerial reconnaissance purposes in mostly Middle Eastern war zones.Later versions were then equipped with bombs and missiles, and in some cases have even been used for the assassination of individuals, as was the case with a drone that fired a modified Hellfire missile that was reportedly use to kill an al Quaeda leader in Afghanistan in 2022, the missile deploying six large blades before hitting its intended target, shredding him instead of blowing him up, and thus avoiding civilian casualties.Mexican cartels have also been enthusiastically adopting drones in their attacks and assassinations, their so-called dronero drone-operators often rigging off-the-shelf drones with deployable bombs, allowing them to fly the drone into an enemy's home or other supposedly safe space, killing them with minimum risk to the attacker, and with sufficient fog-of-war so that if the attacker doesn't want to be known, they can maintain anonymity.Ukraine's military has been using drones from the beginning of the conflict in a similarly asymmetric manner, but they've also been improving upon the state-of-the-art by coming up with sophisticated new uses for existing drone models, while also developing their own drones and software systems, allowing them to maintain the meat-grinder Russian forces face with fewer Ukrainian casualties, while also giving them new opportunities to strike Russia within its own borders.That latter point is important, as for pretty much this entire conflict, Ukraine's allies have provided them with weapons, but with the stipulation that they cannot fire those weapons into Russia territory—the fear being that Russia might use that as justification to expand the scope of the conflict. Those stipulations have been lightening, with some allies now saying it's fine that Ukraine uses these weapons however they like, but the Ukrainians have been pushed into making more of their own weapon systems in part because they can use those systems however they choose, without limits, including being able to target infrastructure within Russian territory.One such innovation is a speedboat-based anti-aircraft missile system called the Magura V7, which reportedly shot down two Russian Su-30 warplanes, which are roughly equivalent to the US F-16, in May of 2025, which was the first-ever successful downing of fighter jets by drone boats.These boats can hang out in open water for days at a time, watching and waiting for Russian jets, and then ambushing them, seemingly out of nowhere. It's also been speculated that a recent attack on a vital supply channel for Russian forces in occupied Crimea, the Crimean Bridge, was conducted using an underwater drone, which if true could signal a new frontier of sorts in this conflict, as Ukraine has already managed to menace Russia's Black Sea fleet into near-inoperability using conventional weaponry, and the widespread deployment of more difficult to detect underwater drones could make any Russian naval presence even more difficult, if not impossible, to maintain.Ukraine has been coming up with all sorts of interesting countermeasures for Russia's anti-drone tech, including connecting their spy drones to the drone's operator using thin strands of fiber optic cable, which renders electronic warfare countermeasures all but useless, alongside efforts to make attack drones more capable if cut off from their operators, allowing the drones to continue tracking targets over time, and to follow through with an attack if their communication signals are jammed.A new approach to offensively leveraging drones, which was the biggest drone attack by Ukraine, so far, and the most impactful, was called Operation Spider's Web, and was deployed on June 1 of this year. It involved 117 drones launching coordinated attacks across Russia, successfully striking about 20 high-end Russian military aircraft, ten of which were destroyed.This is notable in part because some of the aircraft in question were strategic bombers and A-50 military spy planes, both of which are incredibly expensive and valuable; and Russia only has two of that type of spy plane. But it's also notable because some of these targets were struck far from Ukraine, one of the targeted air bases located about 2,700 miles away, which for context is nearly the width of the continental United States.The Ukrainian military was able to accomplish this synchronized attack, which took about a year and a half to plan, by concealing drone parts in wooden shipping containers that were designed to look like a type of mobile wooden cabin that are commonly carried on flatbed trucks throughout the area. Those parts were assembled into finished drones inside Russia's borders, and then on June 1, all at the same time, the roofs of these mobile containers slid open, the drones flew out, and they made for their targets simultaneously.This attack is said to have caused billions of dollars in damage, and to have hit about a third of Russia's cruise missile carriers.Earlier this week, Russia launched what's being called the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the war, so far, launching 479 drones at Ukrainian targets, alongside 20 missiles of different types. The Ukrainian military says it destroyed 277 drones and 19 missiles mid-flight, and that only 10 drones and missiles hit their targets. One person was reportedly injured by the barrage; though like all numbers in this conflict, it's impossible to know whether these figures are real or not.This is of-a-kind with other recent attacks by Russia against Ukrainian targets, in that it was aimed at several military, but also many major civilian targets—apparently with the intention of demoralizing civilians and soldiers, alike. And most of these attacks are overnight attacks, because it's more difficult to see the drones and take them out before they hit their target when it's dark outside.That said, there are some murmurs in the analyst community that Russia might not be able to escalate things too much, right now, despite the big success of Operation Spider's Web, as it's already throwing a lot at Ukraine. Both countries are seemingly going all-out in their offensives on the theory that if peace talks do ever go anywhere, as some foreign governments, including Trump's US government, would prefer, the side that seems to be doing the best and have the best prospects at that moment will have an advantage in those talks.Ukraine's attacks within Russia have mostly targeted fuel and ammo depots, drone manufacturing facilities, and similar combat-related infrastructure. There's a chance they might also aim at demoralizing the Russian public through attacks on civilian targets at some point, but they seem to be sticking with military targets for now, and that would seem to be a better strategy, considering that speaking out against the war is illegal and severely punished in Russia—so hitting Russia's capacity for maintaining the invasion would be more likely to lead to positive outcomes for Ukraine, as that could hobble Russia's capacity to invade, which in turn could reduce the populations' sense of the governments power.However those talks, if they do eventually happen in earnest, play out, there's apparently now a change in tone and tact, as Ukraine has shown that it's capable of striking Russian targets deep within Russia, and it's likely making things tricky for Russia's economy, as they'll now have to spend more time and resources checking all sorts of shipping containers and other possible points of ingress, lest they contain drone parts or other weapons.Not a huge deal, all things considered, perhaps, a little extra work and expense across the economy but one more of many papercuts Ukraine seems to be inflicting on its more powerful foe that, in aggregate, might eventually force that foe to find a way to back off.Show Noteshttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz708lpzgxrohttps://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/03/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-drones-deaths.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/08/world/europe/ukraine-russia-drones-weapons.htmlhttps://www.twz.com/news-features/inside-ukraines-fiber-optic-drone-warhttps://www.19fortyfive.com/2025/04/russias-black-sea-has-been-functionally-inactive-for-over-1-year/https://www.twz.com/news-features/inside-ukraines-fiber-optic-drone-warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drone_warfarehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Spider%27s_Webhttps://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/predator-drone-transformed-military-combathttps://www.wsj.com/world/ukraine-russia-drone-attack-bombers-cc77e534https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-believes-russia-response-ukraine-drone-attack-not-over-yet-expects-multi-2025-06-07/https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/ukraine-hit-fewer-russian-planes-than-it-estimated-us-officials-say-2025-06-04/https://defensescoop.com/2025/04/03/ukraine-russian-tanks-destroyed-attack-drones-cavoli/https://www.csis.org/analysis/russias-battlefield-woes-ukrainehttps://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-5-2025https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit letsknowthings.substack.com/subscribe

Budget reconciliation negotiations get tense, and may not finish by a July deadline. Russian President Putin says Ukraine will pay for its latest attack and former White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre leaves the Democratic Party.

In this segment, Mark is joined by Keith Kellogg. Kellogg is a retired general and a Special Presidential Envoy to Ukraine. They discuss his thoughts on Ukraine's drone attack on Russia that occurred over the weekend, Trump's latest comments on Russian President Putin and the peace efforts.

In hour 2, Mark is joined by Keith Kellogg. Kellogg is a retired general and a Special Presidential Envoy to Ukraine. They discuss his thoughts on Ukraine's drone attack on Russia that occurred over the weekend, Trump's latest comments on Russian President Putin and the peace efforts. Sue then hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. He is later joined by Brian Ping, a News Anchor for KNX Radio in Los Angeles and a St Louis Native. Brian discusses the rapid minimum raise increase in Los Angeles and the potential impact that it could have on the 2028 Summer Olympics. They wrap up the hour by discussing the latest story of St Louis' Sherriff's unnecessary spending.

In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark breaks down the intense "head butting" occurring on social media between President Trump and Elon Musk. What's the cause of it? Where does each side go from here? He is then joined by Josh Hammer, a Newsweek Senior Editor at Large and the Host of the Josh Hammer Show. He shares his take on the social media war between Donald Trump and Elon Musk regarding the Big, Beautiful Bill and more. Mark spends the remainder of the hour continuing to discuss the discourse between Musk and Trump online as well as former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre's tell all book announcement. In hour 2, Mark is joined by Keith Kellogg. Kellogg is a retired general and a Special Presidential Envoy to Ukraine. They discuss his thoughts on Ukraine's drone attack on Russia that occurred over the weekend, Trump's latest comments on Russian President Putin and the peace efforts. Sue then hosts, "Sue's News" where she discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. He is later joined by Brian Ping, a News Anchor for KNX Radio in Los Angeles and a St Louis Native. Brian discusses the rapid minimum raise increase in Los Angeles and the potential impact that it could have on the 2028 Summer Olympics. They wrap up the hour by discussing the latest story of St Louis' Sherriff's unnecessary spending. In hour 3, Mark is joined by David Strom, the Associate Editor with HotAir.com. They discuss everything involving President Trump and Elon Musk's fallout as well as Karine Jean Pierre's book release announcement. He is then joined by Neil Gellman from The Gellman Team. Neil discusses the local real estate market and more. They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.

For review:1. US Vetoes UNSC Gaza Ceasefire Resolution.  “The United States has been clear we would not support any measure that fails to condemn Hamas and does not call for Hamas to disarm and leave Gaza,” Acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea told the council before the vote. 2.  Iran Rejects US Nuclear Deal Proposal.  The supreme leader insisted Iran would not abandon its uranium enrichment program. 3. IDF responds with artillery barrage to rocket fire targeting the Israeli Golan Heights.  A group calling itself the Mohammed Deif Brigades claimed the attack in a post on Telegram.  After the rocket fire, Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that Israel considered “the Syrian president directly responsible for every threat and [rocket] fire toward the State of Israel.” 4. Israeli defense firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems will showcase its family of high energy laser weapon systems at the upcoming Paris Air Show. The IDF said that a lower-powered laser interceptor system shot down some 35 Hezbollah drones over northern Israel last year.5. President Trump phone call with Russian President. President Trump said Wednesday that Russian President Putin told him that Moscow would retaliate against Ukraine's drone attack over the weekend, casting doubt that a peace deal to end the war could come soon. 6.  NATO Secretary General: US is Committed to NATO; No Plans to Withdraw Troops.7. Senate Armed Service Committee Defense Reconciliation Bill.

Today we're talking about President Trump saying Russian President Putin has gone “crazy”; a car driving into a crowd in Liverpool, England; the Trump Admin's latest move against Harvard University; and other top news for Wednesday, May 28th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Please support our TPO sponsors! Upside: https://links.thepourover.org/Upside Cru: give.cru.org/pour LMNT: https://links.thepourover.org/LMNT_Podcast Student Life Application Study Bible: https://links.thepourover.org/SLASB_Pod Stress Less: https://links.thepourover.org/StressLess Platforms to Pillars: https://links.thepourover.org/PlatformstoPillars Subsplash: subsplash.com/tpo CSB: https://links.thepourover.org/CSB_podcast Field of Greens: FieldofGreens.com The Table Podcast: https://links.thepourover.org/TheTablePodcast

Glenn speaks of the importance of Memorial Day and remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice so we could experience freedom. Glenn speaks on the national disgrace of America's treatment of our veterans. Glenn acknowledges the loss of "Duck Dynasty" star and BlazeTV host Phil Robertson. Glenn plays a montage of Phil doing what he did best: sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ and handing out wisdom. Glenn discusses the "big, beautiful bill" and the hurdles it has as it moves to the Senate. Glenn and Stu discuss President Trump's latest statement on Russian President Putin as Putin's aggression toward Ukraine worsens. Israel's former Special Envoy for Combatting Anti-Semitism Noa Tishby joins to discuss where progressives get it wrong when it comes to Israel and the Middle East. Glenn speaks on the worsening AI advancements, as it's begun to self-preserve itself from shutdowns. Is Google Veo 3 the most realistic AI so far? Glenn and Stu discuss the FBI announcing it will further investigate some open-ended scandals from the Biden administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump unloading on Russian President Putin calling him 'absolutely crazy' in a social media post after attempts to end the war have failed. The comments come in what looks like an apparent change in approach to the Kremlin for the administration. Over the weekend Russia battered Ukraine with one of the largest attacks in months, with thousands of missiles and drones being launched at thirty different cities killing at least a dozen people. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute and national security analyst, who says Putin is gambling the United States, and other allies, will stop giving Ukraine aid but he is wrong. Click Here⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump unloading on Russian President Putin calling him 'absolutely crazy' in a social media post after attempts to end the war have failed. The comments come in what looks like an apparent change in approach to the Kremlin for the administration. Over the weekend Russia battered Ukraine with one of the largest attacks in months, with thousands of missiles and drones being launched at thirty different cities killing at least a dozen people. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute and national security analyst, who says Putin is gambling the United States, and other allies, will stop giving Ukraine aid but he is wrong. Click Here⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump unloading on Russian President Putin calling him 'absolutely crazy' in a social media post after attempts to end the war have failed. The comments come in what looks like an apparent change in approach to the Kremlin for the administration. Over the weekend Russia battered Ukraine with one of the largest attacks in months, with thousands of missiles and drones being launched at thirty different cities killing at least a dozen people. FOX's John Saucier speaks with Dr. Rebecca Grant, Vice President of the Lexington Institute and national security analyst, who says Putin is gambling the United States, and other allies, will stop giving Ukraine aid but he is wrong. Click Here⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the past week, 30 Ukrainians have died and more than 163 others injured as Russia escalated its bombing campaign amid U.S. efforts to end the war. It prompted President Trump to lash out at not only Russian President Putin, but also Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with retired Army Col. Robert Hamilton of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In the 8 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: EMILY DOMENECH (President, Travis Manion Foundation) on how Gold Star families are honoring fallen heroes at Arlington Cemetery Scott Pelley raged at Trump in angry, unhinged commencement address at Wake Forest JD Vance delivers a powerful commencement address at the US Naval Academy President Trump says Russian President Putin has changed and doesn’t know 'what the hell happened' to him Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Monday, May 26, 2025 / 8 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the past week, 30 Ukrainians have died and more than 163 others injured as Russia escalated its bombing campaign amid U.S. efforts to end the war. It prompted President Trump to lash out at not only Russian President Putin, but also Ukrainian President Zelenskyy. Laura Barrón-López discussed more with retired Army Col. Robert Hamilton of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

US President Trump announced a delay to the 50% tariff deadline on EU goods to July 9th.APAC stocks traded mixed as the initial uplift following Trump's announcement gradually waned.European equity futures indicate a higher cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures up 1.6% after the cash market closed with losses of 1.8% on Friday.DXY has started the week on the backfoot and has slipped below the 99 mark, EUR/USD is on a 1.14 handle, antipodeans outperform.Trump called Russian President Putin "crazy" after Russia launched the largest air attack on Ukraine in the war so far despite the sides conducting a three-day prisoner swap.Looking ahead, the only notable highlight on the calendar is ECB's Lagarde. UK & US markets are closed.The desk will run to 18:00BST/13:00EDT on Monday 26th May, at which point the service will close due to holiday closures. The service will then re-open later that evening at 22:00BST for the beginning of the Asia-Pacific session.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

The news to know for Tuesday, May 20, 2025! We're talking about the Supreme Court's latest order that could pave the way for hundreds of thousands more deportations. Also, conversations with some of the most influential people in the world - what came out of President Trump's call with Russian President Putin, and Vice President Vance's meeting with the new pope. Plus, why the U.S. government may start investigating celebrities, what new changes are coming to Sesame Street, and which iconic movie lines were actually improvised. Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Sign-up for our Friday EMAIL here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/email Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/NEWSWORTHY and get on your way to being your best self. Shop the SKIMS T-Shirt Shop at https://www.skims.com/newsworthy #skimspartner To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com

President Trump spoke with Russian President Putin yesterday about ending the Ukraine war, more on the Diddy trial, former FBI Director James Comey goes on MSNBC, DeSantis makes changes to Florida boating laws, a new trend to save your marriage, more on Biden's cancer diagnosis, nearly half of Gen Z'ers admit to lying on job applications, and a famous Harry Potter star is in a new X rated film...

S&P Futures are weakening this morning in a reaction to Moody's lowering its credit rating on the U.S after markets closed on Friday. The downgrade was not unexpected as Fitch and S&P have already lowered their ratings. President Trump's sweeping tax-cut bill advanced through the House Budget Committee on Sunday night, overcoming a major hurdle after days of internal Republican disputes. Also, President Trump is scheduled to hold a call today with Russian President Putin today at 10:00 am to discuss a path forward to end hostilities with Ukraine. The key economic event in the week ahead will be the release of S&P Global manufacturing and services PMIs, along with data on existing and new home sales. Upcoming earnings reports from Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's will be closely watched for how these major retailers are adapting to the evolving tariff landscape and broader economic headwinds.

APAC stocks were mostly subdued following the US sovereign rating downgrade by Moody's which spurred a mild 'sell America' impulse (ES -1.1%).US Treasury Secretary Bessent said countries will get a letter with a US tariff rate if they are not negotiating in good faith and he thinks that rate would be the April 2nd level.The House Budget Committee approved President Trump's tax cut bill to set up a possible vote as soon as this week.Chinese Industrial Production topped forecasts, Retail Sales disappointed, House Prices continued to contract Y/Y.USD is slightly softer vs. peers, EUR/USD stalled just shy of 1.12, Cable sits around the 1.33 mark, JPY marginally outperforms peers.UK and the EU are expected to agree on Monday to a major post-Brexit reconciliation, according to the FT.US President Trump said he will speak with Russian President Putin on Monday at 10:00EDT/15:00BST.Looking ahead, highlights include US Leading Index Change, EU-UK Talks, Speakers including Fed's Bostic, Williams, Logan & Kashkari, Supply from the EU.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

In this weekend's episode, three segments from this past week's Washington Journal. First, Wall Street Journal Supreme Court correspondent Jess Bravin breaks down the Supreme Court case heard this week on Trump administration's effort to end birthright citizenship. Then, a conversation with Maria Snegovaya of the Center for Strategic & International Studies about where Ukraine-Russia peace talks stand – after Russian President Putin was a no-show this week in Turkey. Plus, President Trump signs an executive order on prescription drug pricing. Daniel Payne of STAT news explains what the order does - and it means for consumers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Labor Department reported U. S. weekly Jobless Claims; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) for April; Kevin discusses the data and the. implications going forward on Interest rates. The U.S. Retail Sales report was released; Kevin has the details. JPMorgan offers their latest predictions as to the possibility a recession this year; Kevin digs in to the report and offers his insights. US House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Oil reacts to a possible Iran nuclear deal, Russian President Putin's refusal to meet with Ukraine's Zelinsky, U.S. Crude inventory increases and the International Energy Agency upgrade of 2025 oil demand growth forecast.

The Labor Department reported U. S. weekly Jobless Claims; Kevin has the details and offers his insights. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI) for April; Kevin discusses the data and the. implications going forward on Interest rates. The U.S. Retail Sales report was released; Kevin has the details. JPMorgan offers their latest predictions as to the possibility a recession this year; Kevin digs in to the report and offers his insights. US House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed replenishing the Strategic Petroleum Reserves. Oil reacts to a possible Iran nuclear deal, Russian President Putin's refusal to meet with Ukraine's Zelinsky, U.S. Crude inventory increases and the International Energy Agency upgrade of 2025 oil demand growth forecast.

APAC stocks were predominantly lower following the mixed handover from Wall St, where the major indices were somewhat choppy and small caps underperformed as yields edged higher.US equity futures were lacklustre with participants awaiting comments from Fed Chair Powell and a slew of US data releases.European equity futures indicate a slightly lower cash market open with Euro Stoxx 50 futures down 0.3% after the cash market finished with losses of 0.2% on Wednesday.Iran is ready to sign an agreement with certain conditions in exchange for the lifting of sanctions and would commit to never making nuclear weapons, as well as getting rid of its stockpiles of highly enriched uranium, according to a top advisor to the Supreme Leader cited by NBC News.Russian President Putin was not on a list of negotiators the Kremlin published for talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on Thursday.Looking ahead, highlights include German Wholesale Price Index, UK GDP, EZ Employment & GDP, US NY Fed Manufacturing, Jobless Claims, Philly Fed Index, PPI, Retail Sales & Industrial Production, IEA OMR, Speakers include ECB's Cipollone, Elderson & de Guindos, Fed Chair Powell & Barr, BoE's Dhingra, Supply from US.Earnings from Applied Materials, Take-Two, Alibaba, Walmart, Deere, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, Allianz, Merck, Thyssenkrupp, RWE, Siemens, National Grid, United Utilities & Richemont.Read the full report covering Equities, Forex, Fixed Income, Commodites and more on Newsquawk

Tonight's rundown: Hey BillOReilly.com Premium and Concierge Members, welcome to the No Spin News for Monday, May 12, 2025. Stand Up for Your Country.  Talking Points Memo: The Trump administration is having its best day since the inauguration. Bill recaps President Trump's press conference from this morning. Why is Qatar offering to donate a jumbo jet to the U.S. Department of Defense? Bill breaks down Stephen Miller's claim that the Trump administration is considering suspending habeas corpus. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has agreed to meet Russian President Putin in Turkey, marking their second meeting since 2019. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested at an ICE facility while joining Democrats to conduct an 'oversight' visit. Final Thought: Bill thanks everyone for the continued Holly condolences. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The President's Daily Brief:   Alarming new satellite images and opposition intel reveal what may be a secret Iranian nuclear weapons site, tied to long-range missile development.   Possible peace talks between Ukrainian President Zelensky and Russian President Putin are being arranged in Turkey, with President Trump hinting he may attend during his Middle East visit.   The Kurdish PKK announces it will disband and disarm, bringing an end to one of the world's longest-running insurgencies.   And in today's Back of the Brief: High-stakes U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations conclude with no breakthrough—but both sides agree to keep talking.   To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Birch Gold: Text PDB to 989898 and get your free info kit on gold DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you text PDB to 64000. Message and data rates apply TriTails Premium Beef: Visit https://TryBeef.com/PDBfor 2 free Flat Iron steaks with your first box over $250 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A daily non-partisan, conversational breakdown of today's top news and breaking news stories Headlines: – Welcome To Mo News (02:00) – White House Says A Trade Deal With China Has Been Reached (06:40) – President Trump Heads To The Middle East With An ‘America First' Agenda (12:40) – Hamas To Return American Hostage Edan Alexander (18:20) – Russian President Putin and Ukraine's Zelensky May Meet (23:20) – Shaky U.S.-Brokered Truce Between India And Pakistan (26:00) – Members of Congress May Be Arrested After Newark ICE Incident (29:50) – Qatar To Gift President Trump $400 Million Boeing Jet (34:20) – Pope Leo XIV Spotted At 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series Game (40:20) – On This Day In History (47:00) Thanks To Our Sponsors: – LMNT - Free Sample Pack with any LMNT drink mix purchase – Shopify – $1 per-month trial Code: monews – Sonic Power - 20% off | Promo Code: MONEWS – Surfshark - 4 additional months of Surfshark VPN | Code: MONEWS – Industrious - Coworking office. 30% off day pass – Athletic Greens – AG1 Powder + 1 year of free Vitamin D & 5 free travel packs

Here are the three big things to know this hour—   Number One— The United States and China have struck a deal on trade—thats the indication from the White House—BUT others say great progress was made—short of a deal—It would be a major win for Team Trump if true—   Number Two— Ukraine's President Zelenskyy says he will roll the dice and meet directly with Russian President Putin on Thursday—at the urging of President Trump—another major win if true—   Number Three— Democrats have played their hand – they care more about illegal aliens than you – than me –than the rule of law – than the interests of the country they were elected to serve—

This week, Chinese leader Xi Jinping visits Moscow for a Victory Day parade and meetings meant to showcase and strengthen a strategic alliance. Both Xi and Russian President Putin have taken aim at US economic and military policies and are presenting themselves as a counterbalance to Western influence. Meanwhile, India launches airstrikes against Pakistani targets after a deadly Kashmir attack, prompting Pakistan to down multiple Indian aircraft and raising fears of wider conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals. And in the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveils plans for a sweeping military operation in Gaza, involving a large-scale ground offensive, forced relocations of Palestinian civilians, and indefinite control of contested territories. Anton La Guardia, Elise Labott, and Lee Hockstader join Ivo Daalder this week on World Review to offer insights and analysis on major global developments.

A new report from Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services tries to discredit gender-affirming care, contradicting leading medical experts who say it can save lives. Yale grad student Tetiana Kotelnykova grew up in war-torn Eastern Ukraine. She says appeasing Russian President Putin with territory captured during the war will make him want more. Critics review the latest film releases: “Another Simple Favor,” “The Surfer,” “Rust,” and “Thunderbolts.*” LA cheese shops offer sandwich menus, monthly clubs, events, and specialty grocery items. All make enticing cheese boards with charcuterie.

Russia continues its deadly assault on Ukraine, launching a sweeping drone attack a day after President Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the Vatican before Pope Francis’ funeral. Trump criticized Russian President Putin on social media after that meeting, raising doubts about Putin’s desire for peace. John Yang speaks with William Taylor, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Russia continues its deadly assault on Ukraine, launching a sweeping drone attack a day after President Trump met with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the Vatican before Pope Francis’ funeral. Trump criticized Russian President Putin on social media after that meeting, raising doubts about Putin’s desire for peace. John Yang speaks with William Taylor, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, for more. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

President Trump criticizes Russian President Putin for launching a deadly air attack on Ukraine, writing on Truth Social, "Vladimir, STOP!” and  “I am not happy with the Russian strikes on Kyiv", but the President while meeting the visiting Norwegian Prime Minister at the White House,  expresses confidence that a long-sought peace agreement can be reached; China says President Trump's claim that the U.S. and China are actively negotiating on trade to resolve the current standoff over tariffs is false; IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva responds to accusations from Treasury Sec Scott Bessent that the United Nations agency has engaged in mission creep, concerned more about climate change and social justice issues; Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin says he will seek to change DNC rules to require DNC officers stay neutral when it comes to Democratic primaries, a move to prevent DNC Vice Chair David Hogg from following through on his plan to support challengers to some long-serving Democratic incumbents; President Trump has signed an Executive Order to change how colleges and universities are accredited, with billions of dollars in student aid on the line. We will talk about it  The Hill's Education reporter Lexi Lonas. (41) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our news wrap Monday, Russian President Putin says fighting has resumed in its war against Ukraine after a 30-hour Easter truce ended, U.S. airstrikes in Yemen's capital city killed at least 12 people and wounded 30 more and four House Democrats are in El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whom the Trump administration acknowledges it deported there by mistake. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

In our news wrap Monday, Russian President Putin says fighting has resumed in its war against Ukraine after a 30-hour Easter truce ended, U.S. airstrikes in Yemen's capital city killed at least 12 people and wounded 30 more and four House Democrats are in El Salvador to advocate for Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man whom the Trump administration acknowledges it deported there by mistake. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Finnish President Alexander Stubb made a surprise trip on this weekend to Mar-a-Lago to meet with President Trump. The two leaders played golf, ate lunch and spoke about the current situation regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The Finnish leader said President Trump has grown impatient with Russian President Putin and he has done a lot to promote European security and defense. FOX's Alex Hogan speaks to Finnish President Alexander Stubb who says he and President Trump discussed strengthening the relationship between their countries and his efforts toward a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire deal. Click Here To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tuesday on the News Hour, President Trump and Russian President Putin agree to a limited ceasefire in Ukraine. After delays in negotiations, Israel renews attacks on Gaza, killing hundreds and shattering the ceasefire with Hamas. Plus, how the Trump administration's pushback on judges challenges the system of checks and balances. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

Howie Kurtz on the Trump Administration releasing JFK heavily redacted assassination files, Trump speaking with Russian President Putin on Ukraine and a federal judge ruling DOGE's shutdown of USAID most likely violates the Constitution. Follow Howie on Twitter: @HowardKurtz For more #MediaBuzz click here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump and Russian President Putin agreed to a limited ceasefire in Ukraine. It came after they spoke for more than two hours on a call and agreed that Russia and Ukraine should stop attacks on each other's energy infrastructure for 30 days. Nick Schifrin reports. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It's been a pivotal 24 hours in foreign policy, as a call between President Trump and Russian President Putin led to a crucial step toward peace, while a temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is called off. Additionally, here at home, the Trump Administration is continuing to defend its decision to deport Venezuelan migrants tied to the Tren De Aragua gang — claiming the action made under the Alien Enemies Act of 1789 did not actively defy court orders issued by U.S. District Judge James Boasberg. To discuss these major developments, FOX News Contributor Katie Pavlich, FOX News Senior Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram, and host of 'The Richard Fowler Show' and FOX News Contributor Richard Fowler join Bret on today's All-Star Panel. Follow Bret on X: @BretBaier Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our news wrap Friday, the Senate advanced a bill by the GOP-led House that would fund the government through the end of September, the FAA announced permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter flights around Washington's National Airport and the Trump administration is expressing 'cautious optimism' after a U.S. envoy met with Russian President Putin about a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

G7 foreign ministers are meeting against the ever-changing landscape of President Trump's policies, and there's no better example of his administration's impact than in the host country: Canada. Which is still reeling from the shock of its neighbor starting a full-blown trade war. Meantime, Europe faces a triple whammy: Trump tariffs, plus the shockwaves of suddenly being forced to fend for themselves, plus Ukraine's fight for survival. On Ukraine, Russian President Putin says he supports 'the proposal to cease hostilities' but has 'reservations'. Kaja Kallas is the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and was Estonia's Prime Minister until last year. She joined the program from Quebec where the G7 is taking place. Also on today's show: Russian journalist Mikhail Zygar; author Jonathan D. Cohen, “Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To decode what Russian President Putin had to say about a ceasefire proposal and for an assessment of the state of diplomacy, Amna Nawaz spoke with two long-time Russia watchers: Thomas Graham and Andrew Weiss. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

This week we talk about Euromaidan, minerals deals, and propaganda.We also discuss European security, NATO, and the western-led world order.Recommended Book: Storm Front by Jim ButcherTranscriptIn February of 2014, pro-Russian protests racked parts of southeastern Ukraine and Russian soldiers, their uniforms and weapons stripped of flags and other identifying markers, occupied another part of Ukraine called Crimea.This was seemingly in response to Ukraine's overthrow of its pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, who was toppled as part of the Euromaidan protests, which were themselves a response to Yanukovych deciding to aim for closer ties with Russia, rather than signing an association agreement with the EU, which would have committed Ukraine to several EU-oriented reforms, related to corruption, among other things, while also giving Ukrainians many new rights, including visa-free movement and access to the European Investment Bank, beginning a few years later, in 2017.This sudden pivot away from the EU and toward Russia didn't go down well with the Ukrainian public, which had repeatedly shown it wanted to lean toward the west, and the Euromaidan protests were focused on weeding out government corruption; the existing government was accused of being all sorts of corrupt, and had also been accused of human rights abuses and allowing Russian oligarchs undo influence at the highest rungs of power; Yanukovych was in Russia's pocket, basically, and his overthrow made Russia worry that they would lose control of their neighbor.So Russia moved in to take part of Ukraine, basically uncontested, both internally and externally—a lot of other governments made upset noises about this, but Russia gave itself cover by removing their flags from their personnel, and that gave them the ability to paint everything that happened as a natural uprising from within Ukraine, the people wanting freedom from their Ukrainian oppressors, and Russia was just supporting this cry to overthrow oppressive tyrants, because they're very nice and love freedom.For the next eight years, the Ukrainian government fought separatist forces, funded and reinforced by the Russian government, in the southeastern portion of their country, while Russia expanded their infrastructure in Crimea, which again, they stole from Ukraine early on, and where they previously leased vital naval facilities from Ukraine; and those facilities are assumed to be a big part of why all this went down the way it did, as without said naval facilities, they wouldn't have a naval presence in the Black Sea.Then, in February of 2022, after a multi-month buildup of troops and military hardware along their shared border, which they provided all sorts of excuses for, and which many commentators and governments around the world excused as just a bunch of saber-rattling, nothing to worry about, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, initially aiming for a blitzkrieg-like assault that was meant to take Ukraine's capital city, Kyiv, and decapitate the country's government within just days, at which point they could replace the government with someone who's working for them, another puppet they controlled.As of the day I'm recording this, in early March of 2025, the war is still ongoing, though. And in the years since it began, it's estimated that more than a million people have been killed or injured, while entire cities across Ukraine have been leveled and tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees have fled Russia's forces as they've raped and pillaged and murdered their way across the Ukrainian countryside, those refugees leaving for destinations around the world, but creating a refugee crisis in nearby European nations like Poland and Germany, in particular.There's been a lot of back and forth in this conflict, Russia initially thought to have a massive upper hand, probably winning within days, as intended, but then Ukraine held fast, Russia redeployed its troops and armor, Ukraine got some remarkable counter-attacks in, and then Russia started to reset its economy to allow for a more drawn-out conflict.As of early 2025, Russia is once against considered to have the upper-hand, and though Ukraine has been holding the line even in the most under-assault regions in the eastern portion of its territory, and has in recent weeks managed to take some Russian-held territory back, Russia's comparably larger number of troops, its recent resupply of soldiers from North Korea, its larger economy and number of supply chains, and its relationships with entities like China and Iran, in addition to North Korea, all of which have been supplying it with things it needs to keep the war effort going, at length, have all conspired to put Ukraine on the back foot.Additionally, Ukraine is struggling, after this many years of total war, to refill empty boots and make do with whatever their allies can and will offer them, in terms of money, weapons, but also the basics, like food and fuel. They've been able to shore-up some limited aspects of their economy, and have innovated like crazy when it comes to things like drones and other fundamentals of asymmetric, defensive warfare, but right now at least, the larger forces swirling around in the geopolitical realm are making life difficult for Ukraine, and for those who are still supporting them.And that's what I'd like to talk about today; the continuing conflict in Ukraine, but especially what's happening on the sidelines, beyond the battle itself—and how those sideline happenings might lead to some fundamental changes in how Europe is organized, and the makeup of the modern world order.—At this point I've done probably half a dozen or more episodes on this conflict; it's long-lasting, it's big, it's important locally, but also globally, and it's been informing both geopolitical and economic outcomes since day one.Today I'd like to talk about some recent happenings, most of them from the past few months, that could prove impactful on the eventual outcome of this conflict, and might even determine when that end of fighting arrives.And at the center of these happenings is recently reelected US President Trump, who has always had a, let's call it unusual, public appreciation for Russian President Putin, and the strongman image he and other global authoritarians wield, while at the same time not being a big fan of Ukrainian President Zelensky—perhaps in part because Trump called Zelensky back in 2019 to try to get him to come up with evidence supporting a debunked conspiracy theory about his opponent, Joe Biden's administration, related to alleged impropriety in US-Ukrainian relations.Zelensky could find no such evidence, and when he told Trump there was nothing to be found, Trump blocked payments on $400 million worth of military aid for Ukraine, holding it hostage until Zelensky came up with what he wanted. This became a big scandal only after the fact, and before it could be made public or became known by congress via a whistleblower complaint, Trump released the money. This led to a formal impeachment inquiry into Trump later that year, which led to his impeachment for abusing his power and obstructing Congress—but he was then acquitted by the Republican-led Senate.This, it's thought, may have colored Trump's behavior toward Zelensky when the two men sat down, alongside several other US officials, including US Vice President JD Vance, to discuss a potential mineral deal between the US and Ukraine, which was based on an earlier deal that the Ukrainian government dismissed.The original deal basically required that Ukraine exploit its mineral wealth and put half of the money it makes from those minerals into a fund that would be used to pay the US back for the military assistance it's provided so far, to the tune of $500 billion; which is quite a lot more than the $175 billion or so the US has spent on this conflict since Russia invaded, only $128 billion of which has directly aided the Ukrainian government, as opposed to funding US activities associated with the war, or supporting other affected countries thereabouts.So originally the US asked for more than double what's been provided so far, in return, paid for by Ukraine's mineral wealth, which includes a lot of the types of rare earth minerals that are vital for common modern technologies, like computers, batteries, and solar panels.That didn't fly, mostly because it didn't contain a security guarantee for Ukraine—the US saying it would protect them if necessary, basically, in exchange for this huge sum of money—so the new deal asked for $500 billion be placed in a fund, and that fund would be jointly controlled by the US and Ukraine, the funds used to rebuild the country after the war.50% of all revenues from Ukrainian natural resources newly exploited after the war, so not from existing mines and ports and such, would be put into this fund. Like the first time around, this deal didn't include a security agreement from the US, but the general idea was that this fund would incentivize new investment in the area, and because Ukraine has a lot of unexploited mineral wealth, this could give the US a new source for these sorts of valuable raw materials that are currently mostly controlled by China, but which the US government is attempting to claim more of, now that it's realized it's way behind on locking down sources of these really important things.At the meeting where this second deal was meant to be signed, though, Zelensky flying to the US to sit down with Trump to make it happen, the President and Vice President more or less verbally attacked Zelensky, criticizing him for not being more overtly grateful, and telling him he was wrong when he said that Russia started the war by invading Ukraine.It was all pretty bizarre, and even folks in Trump's own party seemed pretty puzzled by the whole thing, some of them calling it embarrassing, as Trump and Vance were basically parroting Putin's propaganda that no one actually believes because they ignore easily verifiable facts.In any event, this led to a lot of fallout between the US and Ukrainian governments, with Trump suggesting he would lean more heavily on Ukraine to get them to accept peace on Russia's terms, because the Ukrainians couldn't see reason and accept his version of reality, essentially.Trump has also suggested that he's been talking a lot with Putin, and that he believes Putin wants peace, and it's time to end the war. Putin, for his part, has not seemed inclined to give up anything in order to achieve peace, and Russian attacks on Ukraine have increased in scale since Trump came into office, and even more so after talks about a supposed peace agreement began.All of which has had implications on the ground.In Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers have had to operate with fewer resources, as Trump cut off additional funding and supply shipments, post-meeting. He recently ordered that the US not share intelligence with them, too, and they cut off the sharing of satellite imagery, which Ukraine has used to great effect to strike Russian targets from a distance.This has also had implications across Europe, though, as while Ukraine is being invaded now, there are concerns that if Putin gets away with taking part or all of Ukraine, he'll go for other previous Soviet assets, next, maybe starting with the Baltic nations—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—and then tearing off chunks of Poland, Finland, or other neighbors that were previously part of the Soviet Union, like eastern Germany.The European Union, despite a fair bit of warning about Trump's stance on the issue, and the possibility that he would return to office, has been seemingly dumbstruck by Trump's sudden pivot away from supporting Ukraine, and away from NATO more broadly, toward a stance that favors Russia, instead. European governments have been scrambling to come up with an aid package that will replace some of what the US would have given, and have started sharing more intelligence, as well, including satellite imagery.It won't be easy, though, as the US versions of these things, from monetary resources to eyes in the sky vastly outshine what even the combination of British, French, and German assets can offer—at least at this stage. And the US has traditionally handled the lion's share of spending and building in these areas, shouldering the majority of NATO spending, because, well, it could, and that was a major premise of the post-WWII, western-led world order. The US said it would protect global capitalist democracies with its military might and nukes, if necessary, and European nations have been generally happy with this setup as it has generally allowed European governments to spend less money on their militaries and more on other stuff.That state of affairs seems to have ended, or at the very least become too unreliable to bet on, though, so EU nations are attempting to fill in the gaps left by the suddenly less-reliable-seeming US government, not just for Ukraine, but for themselves, as well.Poland's president recently announced that he wants to develop nuclear weapons and wants every adult male to undergo military training, so the country can field an army 500,000-strong.The French president has said he wants to extend his country's nuclear umbrella—guaranteed deterrence, basically, using nuclear weapons—to the whole of the EU. France has far fewer nukes than the US and Russia, but this captures a sense of the moment in the Union, where a bunch of currently underfunded militaries are realizing they might not be able to rely on the US in a pinch. And while they collectively have a lot more people and resources than Russia, Russia is fully mobilized and has shown itself to be willing to attack sovereign nations, whenever it pleases, caring a lot less for the human lives it spends, in the process, than is typical in western-style democracies.Even short of full-scale, out of nowhere invasions, Russia could pose a threat to European governments via asymmetrical routes. It's been seemingly approving all sorts of espionage operations meant to increase immigration arrivals in European nations where immigration is already a hot-button issue, nudging politics to the far-right, and it's allegedly been attacking infrastructure, in terms of hacking and just blowing stuff up, in order to sow discord and fear.As I mentioned earlier, too, part of Germany was previously held by the Soviet Union, and that same part of the country has recently voted heavily in favor of the country's furthest-right party, which wants stronger ties with Russia. So while conventional military issues are at the forefront of discussion, right now, Russia's long history of asymmetric warfare is also getting a fair bit of attention, as it could conceivably use these groups as a casus belli to attack, carving off pieces of its European neighbors and slowly incorporating them into its sphere of influence, similar to what it did in Ukraine, beginning in 2014; if eastern Germany supports Russia, it could fund and in other ways support uprising efforts in these regions, creating chaos and potentially even breaking off separatist states that would pull those regions into Russia's orbit.It's a tumultuous moment in this part of the world, then, in part because of the conflict that's still ongoing—a much larger and more powerful nation having invaded its smaller, less-powerful neighbor. But it's also tumultuous because of the implications of that conflict, especially if Russia comes out on top. If they win, there would seem to be a far greater chance of their deciding to keep the ball rolling, replicating a model that worked (without significant long-term consequences) across more neighboring nations.And if they can do that before Europe reinforces itself—assuming that's what the EU does, as it can be difficult to get a bunch of people with a bunch of at times competing interests to agree on anything, and even more so when said agreement involves both money and potentially sending civilians into harm's way—if Russia can get there before a new, restructured and reinforced Europe emerges, we could see another, similar conflict soon, and this one could be even more successful than the last, if Russia tweaks its formula to make it more effective, and European governments succumb to war weariness, exhausted by the war in Ukraine, in the meantime.Show Noteshttps://www.cfr.org/article/how-much-us-aid-going-ukrainehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump%E2%80%93Ukraine_scandalhttps://www.csis.org/analysis/breaking-down-us-ukraine-minerals-dealhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/08/world/europe/ukraine-russia-north-korea-kursk.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/03/08/zelensky-trump-fallout-ukraine/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/world/europe/ukraine-us-trump-military-support.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/us/politics/ukraine-zelensky-trump-russia.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-dobropillya-us-intelligence-3d0bad105a93933e9cdaca5cf31fcf74https://mwi.westpoint.edu/no-substitute-for-victory-how-to-negotiate-from-a-position-of-strength-to-end-the-russo-ukraine-war/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-leaders-cautiously-welcome-macrons-nuclear-umbrella-offer-2025-03-06/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/europe/bulgarians-guilty-spying-russia-uk.htmlhttps://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/08/europe-scrambles-to-aid-ukraine-after-us-intelligence-cutoff-00219678https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wpy9x890wohttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/keith-kellogg-ukraine-intelligence-sharing-pause/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce8yz5dk82wohttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/world/us-ukraine-satellite-imagery.htmlhttps://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c05m907r39qohttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/trump-russia-sanctions-tariffs.htmlhttps://www.csis.org/analysis/ukraines-future-vision-and-current-capabilities-waging-ai-enabled-autonomous-warfarehttps://www.politico.eu/article/donald-tusk-plan-train-poland-men-military-service-russiahttps://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2025/03/08/poland-says-it-plans-to-give-every-adult-male-military-traininghttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/world/europe/ukraine-trump-minerals.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/ten-days-that-upended-us-support-for-ukraine-8930c01a15910a7ad8a7f7c7fac9ba3ahttps://www.wsj.com/world/white-house-and-ukraine-close-in-on-deal-for-mineral-rights-e924c672https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ukraine-us-still-ironing-parts-191805611.htmlhttps://www.reuters.com/business/us-could-cut-ukraines-access-starlink-internet-services-over-minerals-say-2025-02-22/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/world/europe/ukraine-minerals-deal.htmlhttps://www.cnn.com/2025/02/26/europe/ukraine-us-mineral-resources-deal-explained-intl-latam/index.htmlhttps://www.spglobal.com/commodity-insights/en/news-research/latest-news/electric-power/122624-eu-moving-to-develop-infrastructure-for-nuclear-energy-expansion-officialshttps://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-07/european-stocks-see-most-inflows-in-decade-amid-defense-splurgehttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/10/business/ai-summit-paris.htmlhttps://apnews.com/article/germany-ukraine-debt-brake-economy-military-spending-74be8e96d8515ddddd53a99a69957651https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/03/world/europe/ukraine-russia-war-drones-deaths.html?unlocked_article_code=1.2U4.b15Z.1EA4tDb_37Bqhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/10/world/europe/ukraine-russia-eastern-front-line.htmlhttps://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2025/02/combat-losses-and-manpower-challenges-underscore-the-importance-of-mass-in-ukraine/https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-7-2025https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euromaidanhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Union%E2%80%93Ukraine_Association_Agreementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Ukrainian_Warhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine_(1_January_2025_%E2%80%93_present) This is a public episode. 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While President Trump succeeded in getting Russia to the negotiating table, Russian President Putin understands that his country has the advantage.  Former deputy director of national intelligence Cliff Sims explains Russia's geopolitical psychology and President Trump's opportunity to influence change abroad. He notes that many foreign powers rely on U.S. security guarantees and dissects President Trump's plans for Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump drew criticism this past week after he made comments that President Zelenskyy of Ukraine was hindering peace talks with Russia. President Trump's administration has said that peace talks are in the works between President Trump and Russian President Putin, but Ukraine says it will not accept a deal that was negotiated without their own representatives at the bargaining table. In Israel, a fragile ceasefire holds with Hamas as more hostages continue to be exchanged, with the Trump administration planning for a new phase of the truce. House Majority Lader Steve Scalise (R-LA) joins the Rundown to discuss what a peace deal in Ukraine could look like, President Trump's long-term plans for the future of Gaza, and how the House of Representatives is working to pass a budget that aligns with President Trump's agenda.  The United States gave up control of the Panama Canal in 1999; now, 26 years later, President Donald Trump wants it back. He claims that Panama is overcharging American ships to pass through, and that China is really in control. With the president mentioning the canal a lot recently, FOX News Correspondent Griff Jenkins joins the Rundown to discuss his FOX Nation special Showdown At the Panama Canal and walk Americans through its history. Plus, commentary from FOX News Digital Columnist David Marcus.  (Image Via AP) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices