Trump holds call with Putin, says Ukraine peace negotiations to start 'immediately'
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said both agreed that "we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the War with Russia/Ukraine."
Chris York
Articles
Ukraine’s army is reforming its structure. Will it help the fight against Russia?
As Ukraine nears the fourth year of full-scale war with Russia, it is launching a major army reform aimed at improving its efficiency and organization on the battlefield. "We need the corps system," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 3, adding: "Today we discussed approaches to the appointment of corps
US foreign aid transformed Ukraine. Its suspension threatens decades of work
Editor’s Note: The Kyiv Independent isn’t a recipient of U.S. foreign aid, and its funding wasn’t affected by the aid freeze. With the stroke of a pen, U.S. President Donald Trump last week put a freeze on projects that have helped Ukraine become freer and
Ukraine 'still fighting' in Chasiv Yar, despite reports of Russian capture
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from a serviceman from Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade communications unit. Reports that the embattled Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar has fallen to Russian forces have been dismissed by experts and officials speaking to the Kyiv Independent, and the latest OSINT data
'4 out of 4' — Russian Lukoil oil refinery struck by multiple Ukrainian drones, military intelligence source claims
According to a military intelligence source, the Lukoil oil depot in the city of Kstovo was targeted by four drones, all of which struck their target and caused "significant damage."
Trump's stance on Ukraine, Russia — what we know from his first week in office
For those with a vested interest in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump's first week in office was a bit of a rollercoaster. His inauguration speech on Jan. 21 made no explicit mention of Ukraine or Russia's full-scale invasion, prompting some to question if either was anywhere near a priority
Trump suspends aid to Ukraine, vital NGOs 'don't know if they'll survive'
U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to freeze foreign development assistance for 90 days has thrown Ukrainian organizations into turmoil, in some cases threatening their very existence and leaving the people they support in limbo. These non-profit organizations provide a huge range of humanitarian services, including counseling, organizing cultural events,
Trump needs to 'understand where the threat is,' UK lawmaker says
U.S. President Donald Trump needs to "understand where the threat is" and not "force Ukraine into a bad deal," U.K. lawmaker Iain Duncan Smith told the Kyiv Independent. In an interview in Kyiv alongside another U.K. lawmaker Layla Moran on Jan. 22, Duncan Smith urged Trump not
Trump’s Ukraine war ultimatum sparks angry reaction from Russian milbloggers
Russian military bloggers, known as milbloggers, have responded in defiant terms to Donald Trump’s ultimatum to his Russian counterpart, describing it as "blackmail" from a U.S. president acting more like a "king of the playground." On Jan. 22, Trump called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to "make a
‘A team of attention-seekers’ — Ukrainians react to Trump's Inauguration speech
Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on Jan. 20, giving a speech containing a bombastic series of announcements and executive orders, not to mention the declaration of two national emergencies. Setting out the goals of his second term, with billionaires Elon Musk, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, and Meta's
‘We want to bring stability’ — State Secretary Rubio’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine
As state secretary, Marco Rubio will oversee the implementation of the president's foreign policy, including that relating to Russia's full-scale war — which wasn't directly referred to during Donald Trump's inauguration speech.
'It's not enough' — Ukrainians react to Biden's farewell speech
In his farewell speech from the White House on Jan.15, outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden took the opportunity to highlight his achievements in office in an attempt to help cement his legacy. Yet, despite being one of the world's biggest international crises that spanned much of Biden's term
Ukrainians divided over what peace with Russia should look like, new poll reveals
There is no clear consensus among Ukrainians about what a potential peace agreement with Russia should look like, a new global poll published on Jan. 15 has found. The poll, conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), presented respondents with four options relating to NATO/EU membership, security
Ukraine says it targeted Russia's Engels airbase infrastructure in 'multi-day, comprehensive operation'
Located in Saratov Oblast, over 750 kilometers from the Ukrainian border, Engels airbase is home to Russian heavy bombers.
Everything we know about the North Korean POWs captured by Ukraine
Ukrainian forces fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast captured two North Korean soldiers, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Jan. 11, "irrefutable evidence" of Pyongyang's involvement in Moscow's full-scale invasion. "This task was not easy," Zelensky said, claiming that North Korean military personnel usually "finish off their wounded" in order to hide
Ukraine conducts 'precision strike' on Russian army command post in Donetsk Oblast, General Staff claims
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian army command post in Svitlodarsk in Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 10.
As Russian losses in Ukraine mount, Putin faces ‘devastating’ demographic timebomb
Russian losses in Ukraine are helping fuel a demographic timebomb that could see the country’s population reduced by half by the end of the century, experts have told the Kyiv Independent. “The impact on Russian society is devastating,” said Harley Balzer, emeritus professor of government and international affairs at
3 senior Russian officers killed in HIMARS, drone attack, Ukraine’s military intelligence says
Video released by HUR shows a large explosion followed by what appears to be the detonation of a cluster munition.
General Igor Kirillov, the Russian chemical weapons chief and propagandist assassinated by Ukraine
LATEST: Russia detains two suspects over assassination of General Igor Kirillov, Kremlin media reports Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov met his demise in Moscow on Dec. 17, reportedly killed by a bomb attached to a scooter planted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). "Kirillov was a war criminal and a
Assad releases first statement since fleeing to Russia, claims he never considered 'seeking refuge'
In a post on the official Facebook page of the Syrian presidency, Assad said he was releasing the statement to address "misinformation and narratives far removed from the truth" in the wake of his overthrow.
Russian drone strikes against Ukraine are surging to record levels — how bad can it get?
For the third month in a row, the number of Shahed-type kamikaze drones launched by Russia at Ukraine surged to record levels. According to figures from Ukraine's Air Force, Moscow deployed a total of 2,576 drones during November, up from 2,023 the month before. And the Kremlin clearly
Fall of Aleppo deals blow to Russia's Middle East clout, may indirectly strengthen Ukraine's hand
The shock capture of Aleppo by Syrian forces opposed to Bashar al-Assad in recent days has dealt a humiliating blow to the regime and its backers, Russia and Iran, analysts have told the Kyiv Independent. The surprise offensive has also indirectly helped Ukraine, analysts say. "This is really quite the
Russia reportedly loses a record 2,030 troops in one day in Ukraine
This surpasses the previous record of 1,950 set on Nov. 12. The total figure stands at 738,660.
Ukrainian MP from Zelensky's party nominates Trump for Nobel Peace Prize
"It is my belief that Trump has made considerable contributions to world peace, and that he can make more in the future," Merezhko, an MP from Zelensky's Servant of the People party and chairman of the Ukrainian parliament's foreign affairs committee, wrote in his letter.
‘Don’t overreact’ — Oreshnik missile isn’t as new as Russia claims, experts say
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Nov. 21 announced his country had launched a new type of missile in an attack on Ukraine, a demonstration of military might meant to deter Kyiv's allies from further support against his full-scale invasion. "There are currently no ways of countering this weapon. The missiles
Ukrainian parliament meeting canceled due to credible threat of Russian strike in Kyiv, source confirms
Lawmakers were planning to hold an hour-long Q&A session at the Verkhovna Rada, the official added.
Russia reportedly uses new 'Oreshnik' ballistic missile against Ukraine — what we know so far
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in a televised address that the attack was a test of Russia's "newest missile," an IRBM called "Oreshnik."
Panic grips Kyiv as embassy closures and Telegram rumors fuel fears of imminent attack
Ukrainians woke up on Nov. 20 to a message that a number of foreign embassies were closing their Kyiv offices — a stark reminder of the departure of foreign diplomats from Kyiv days before the start of the all-out war. The U.S. Embassy in the capital said it had received
'Russia only wins if the West quits' — Gen. Ben Hodges
The first reports of Ukraine striking deep inside Russia with U.S.-supplied ATACMS emerged on Nov. 19, marking a long-awaited shift in White House policy that could bolster Ukraine's defense against a 50,000-strong joint Russian-North Korean force assembled against them. President Joe Biden's decision to finally grant Kyiv
ATACMS, Trump, and the increasing importance of Kursk Oblast for Ukraine
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed on Nov. 19 that Ukraine had launched the U.S.-made ATACMS missiles against Russia's Bryansk Oblast. Hours prior, Ukraine struck a Russian military facility in Karachev, Bryansk Oblast, a two-hour drive from the Ukrainian-controlled part of Russia. President Joe Biden's decision to finally allow
Gen. Hodges on Ukraine's use of ATACMS in Russia's Kursk Oblast
The Kyiv Independent sat down with retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges to discuss the reports that U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized Ukraine to use long-range ATACMS missiles for strikes inside Russia.
What Putin hopes to achieve in Ukraine before Trump enters the White House
Donald Trump's entrance into the White House on Jan. 20 promises to offer a seismic shift in the U.S.'s approach to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and a potential "freezing" of the war. Trump has repeatedly pledged to end the war within "24 hours," sparking fears he might
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