Politics

Exclusive: Trump's push for a Ukraine energy truce runs into a Putin problem

by Tim ZadorozhnyySeptember 29, 2026

U.S. President Donald Trump privately doubts that Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to an energy ceasefire with Ukraine before winter, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The doubts come as Washington presses both Kyiv and Moscow to halt attacks on each other's energy infrastructure, one of the key issues in recent peace talks. Trump has publicly pushed Ukraine to stop striking Russian energy facilities, while Moscow has yet to signal that it is ready to accept

Belarusian President Lukashenko in St. Petersburg, Russia, on Dec. 21, 2025.

Belarus tests a new path back to the West

by Maria YeryomaOctober 2, 2026

Half of Ukrainians say government isn't doing enough to secure EU membership, poll shows

by Kateryna DenisovaOctober 1, 2026

Russia threatens European arms factories supplying Ukraine, says they are 'not safe'

by Tim ZadorozhnyySeptember 30, 2026

People take shelter during a Russian missile and drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July 4, 2025.

Kyiv's bomb shelters are in a dire state. Mayor Klitschko is passing on the blame

by Polina MoroziukOctober 1, 2026

Ukraine's finances: everything we don't know

by Chris PowersSeptember 30, 2026

Kremlin denies Russia has political prisoners as Trump weighs sanctions relief for releases

by Tim ZadorozhnyySeptember 30, 2026

Trump faces bipartisan pushback over possible Russia sanctions relief

by Tim ZadorozhnyySeptember 30, 2026

NewsLetters

News Feed

Friday, October 2

09:50 AM

Belarus tests a new path back to the West

Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has worked his way out of Western isolation before. Now, he seems to be launching yet another attempt. U.S. President Donald Trump on Sept. 21 announced a "massive" potash deal with Belarus, and only days later, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski held talks with his Belarusian counterpart in the first ministerial meeting in seven years. Belarus has faced international isolation since the heavily disputed 2020 presidential elections, which Lukashe

08:04 AM

Russian strike kills 1, injures 2 in Kyiv as Southern Bridge hit again overnight

Kyiv has faced repeated Russian attacks in recent days. A large-scale Russian missile and drone attack beginning on Sept. 30 killed four people and injured at least eight, while also damaging residential and energy infrastructure in the capital.

09:37 AM

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,537,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

The number includes 1,520 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

07:33 AM

Ukrainian forces reportedly strike oil facilities in Russia's Volgograd, Samara regions

Ukrainian drones previously struck the Samara station in April, causing a large fire and damaging five crude oil tanks, each with a capacity of 20,000 cubic meters, a source in the Security Service of Ukraine told the Kyiv Independent at the time.

Operators of the Ronin Unmanned Systems Battalion, prepare and launch Hornet strike drones during a night operation.

06:59 AM

Russia to conscript 120,000 men, again promises they won't be sent to fight in Ukraine

Putin repeatedly said in interviews in early March 2022 that conscripts were not being asked to participate in the invasion and would not be sent to fight. Only days later, Russia’s Defense Ministry to acknowledged that some conscripts had been deployed to Ukraine and captured.

Men walk past a military contract enlistment point in a metro station underpass in Moscow.

04:37 AM

Ukraine prepares sanctions on 20-plus Russian oligarchs in response to EU delistings

"We fought until the last moment, both publicly and privately, to prevent this from happening," Sybiha said. "You removed two oligarchs, and we will add twenty."

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha speaks during a press conference.

Politics

Exclusive: Trump's push for a Ukraine energy truce runs into a Putin problem

Belarus tests a new path back to the West

Half of Ukrainians say government isn't doing enough to secure EU membership, poll shows

Russia threatens European arms factories supplying Ukraine, says they are 'not safe'

Kyiv's bomb shelters are in a dire state. Mayor Klitschko is passing on the blame

Ukraine's finances: everything we don't know

Kremlin denies Russia has political prisoners as Trump weighs sanctions relief for releases

Trump faces bipartisan pushback over possible Russia sanctions relief

More from Politics

Ukraine, over 50 allies sign pledge on return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia

Lukashenko urges US to join Russia-Belarus fertilizer plant project

Exclusive: Trump's push for a Ukraine energy truce runs into a Putin problem

Top Zelensky staffer's associates get properties worth $1 million in controversial projects, media report says

Norway to allocate $2.6 million for humanitarian programs in Ukraine

How Ukraine angered South Korea — and why it matters

Over 70% of Ukrainians hold Zelensky responsible for corruption among his allies, poll shows

Update: EU's decision to pay for alleged 'anti-reform' draws criticism from Ukrainian experts

NewsLetters

News Feed

Belarus tests a new path back to the West

Russian strike kills 1, injures 2 in Kyiv as Southern Bridge hit again overnight

General Staff: Russia has lost 1,537,390 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Ukrainian forces reportedly strike oil facilities in Russia's Volgograd, Samara regions

Russia to conscript 120,000 men, again promises they won't be sent to fight in Ukraine

Ukraine prepares sanctions on 20-plus Russian oligarchs in response to EU delistings

Most Popular

Putin signs latest decree increasing Russian military staff in wake of monster military budget, looming mobilization

'We're not telling' — Ukraine won't say what first FP-7 ballistic missile strike hit

Russia sends NATO new nuclear threat over Kaliningrad as tensions rise

Russia strikes Ukrainian pylon with steel-cutting drone for 1st time, as power outages hit 3 regions

Russia threatens European arms factories supplying Ukraine, says they are 'not safe'

Editors' Picks

Exclusive: Trump's push for a Ukraine energy truce runs into a Putin problem

How Ukraine angered South Korea — and why it matters

Under FPVs and glide bombs, life clings on in Zaporizhzhia

As Russia adapts to Ukraine's middle strikes, elite drone units stay ahead of the curve