Latvian president becomes first world leader to stay overnight in Kyiv

U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to offer Russian President Vladimir Putin access to rare earth minerals in Ukraine and natural resources in Alaska in an effort to secure a ceasefire, The Telegraph reported on Aug. 13.

The support will come through NATO's Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, which coordinates funding for Kyiv's most urgent battlefield needs.

The Kremlin planned to enlist 343,000 people in 2025 and has already fulfilled over 60% of that goal, Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR), said.

"We talked about a ceasefire today. President Trump said this is one of his priorities in conversation with President Putin," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Shahed-type drones, originally designed in Iran, have become a key element of Moscow's long-range strike arsenal against Ukraine, frequently used to target cities, infrastructure, and energy facilities.

The Kyiv Independent’s Kollen Post sits down with Michael McFaul, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and political scientist, to discuss the upcoming high-level talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, scheduled for Aug. 15 in Alaska, as well as both sides’ strategies for the meeting.

Russia's communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, claimed the apps have become "the main services used to defraud and extort money, and to involve Russian citizens in sabotage and terrorist activities."

"It is regrettable to watch the Georgian authorities grovel before Moscow and disregard the principles of dignity and independence that have historically characterized the Georgian nation," Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Switzerland extended its sanctions lists to align with the EU's 18th package against Russia, specifically targeting Moscow's largest budget revenue source – oil exports, the Swiss government said.

"The head of state demands that we must be ready for all possible scenarios," Belarusian Defense Minister Viktor Khrenin said.

"Russia is unlikely to abandon the use of strategic aviation or large-scale drone deployments," Mykhailo Podolyak told Corriere della Sera. "However, Ukraine is ready to discuss and consider this scenario," he added.