Ukraine's Zelenskyy talks to Trump on sanctions, drone deal – DW – 08/05/2025
President Zelenskyy said he discussed sanctions, Russian strikes, and a major drone production deal with the US president.
Trump has reportedly given Putin until August 8 to make peace or face harsher sanctions, with Zelenskyy saying Moscow is already feeling the pressure.
Ukraine has been ready to finalize what Zelenskyy called one of the strongest drone deals yet, as Kyiv leans more on foreign defense investment.
Meanwhile, President Trump has said that declining global energy prices could pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he held a "productive" call with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday, focusing on ending the war, sanctions against Russia, and a planned US-Ukraine drone production deal.
Zelenskyy posted on X that Trump was "fully informed" about ongoing Russian strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. The conversation came amid growing frustration from Trump toward Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump has given Putin until August 8 to make peace or face tougher sanctions.
"Of course, we spoke about sanctions against Russia," said Zelenskyy. "Their economy continues to decline, and that's exactly why Moscow is so sensitive to this prospect and President Trump's resolve. This can change a lot."
Zelenskyy also said Ukraine was prepared to finalize a drone production deal with the US, calling it "one of the strongest agreements" of its kind.
"The draft agreement on drones has already been prepared by the Ukrainian side, we are ready to discuss it in detail and conclude it," Zelenskyy said.
Kyiv is increasingly turning to foreign investment to build up its domestic defense industry.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
US President Donald Trump has said that declining global energy prices could pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine.
"If energy goes down enough, Putin is going to stop killing people," Trump told CNBC on Tuesday. "If you get energy down another $10 a barrel, he's going to have no choice because his economy stinks."
Trump set an August 8 deadline for Putin to move toward ending the war or face tougher US sanctions. His administration has also ramped up pressure on India and China to stop buying Russian oil.
The US president said falling oil prices were driven by increased production worldwide, including by OPEC and allied countries. "If you notice OPEC and OPEC+, they're drilling more because I think they want me happy," Trump said.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
US President Donald Trump has repeated his threat to sharply raise tariffs on Indian goods within the next 24 hours, citing the country's continued oil trade with Russia.
"We settled on 25% but I think I'm going to raise that very substantially over the next 24 hours, because they're buying Russian oil," Trump told broadcaster CNBC on Tuesday.
"They're fueling the war machine," he added. "And if they're going to do that, then I'm not going to be happy."
Trump's remarks come ahead of the deadline he set for Russia to reach a ceasefire agreement with Ukraine. That 10-day window, which began last Tuesday, is set to expire soon.
If no agreement is reached, Trump said he plans to impose sanctions on Russia's trading partners, including India.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Russian strikes across eastern Ukraine have killed six people and wounded at least a dozen more, Ukrainian authorities said on Tuesday, as Moscow ramps up attacks ahead of a looming US deadline for peace progress.
"Russian terrorists inflicted a massive strike on the railway infrastructure of Lozova," Ukrainian Railways said in a Telegram post.
Among the dead was a railway mechanic. A passenger train was left mangled and scorched, and the station building was partly destroyed.
Kharkiv Governor Oleg Synegubov confirmed two deaths in Lozova and said several trains had been rerouted. President Volodymyr Zelensky said 25 Shahed drones hit the city, damaging civilian infrastructure including a depot and station, with 10 people injured.
Ukraine's air force reported that Russia fired 46 attack drones and one ballistic missile in the barrage.
Lozova Mayor Sergiy Zelenskyy called it "the most massive attack" on the city since the war began.
Elsewhere, two people were killed in Sumy region at an agricultural facility, and two more died in Zaporizhzhia when a Russian drone hit a house, officials said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Moldova: Pro-Russian politician sentenced to jail – DW – 08/06/2025
Evghenia Gutul was found guilty of illegal party financing, with Russia denouncing the verdict as politically motivated. Moldova will head to the polls in the end of September. A court in Moldovasentenced a regional politician known for her pro-Russian views to seven years in jail on charges related to channeling money in order to finance a party authorities say is a facade for Russian election meddling. Evghenia Gutul, the governor of the autonomous region of Gagazuia, was found guilty of illegal party financing for the "Shor" party, named after exiled pro-Moscow oligarch Ilan Shor, who was previously found guilty of fraud in Moldova. Moldova, which borders Ukraine, regularly warns of Russian interference with its domestic politics. The ruling against 38-year-old Gutul comes ahead of parliamentary elections set to be held on September 28. The Kremlin labeled the verdict as politically motivated, while also accusing Moldova's pro-European government of trying to stir up views against pro-Russian views. "We see how the opposition is being clamped down in every possible way," a Kremlin spokesperson said. Gutul was last received in Russia by President Vladimir Putin in 2024. In a post on Telegram, Gutul denounced the verdict as "political reprisal" and "an attempt to intimidate the residents of Gagauzia who have the courage to vote against the ruling party's wishes." Moldova has been torn between moving closer to the West or leaning towards Russia, with the pro-EU side currently being in power. Gutul is also known as a critic of Moldova's pro-EU government. Her supporters shouted "shame" and "down with (Moldovan President) Maia Sandu" when Gutul was taken into a police view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
DW
2 hours ago
- DW
Trump tariffs: India faces 25% hike as deadline looms – DW – 08/06/2025
US President Donald Trump has increased the tariffs to be imposed on Indian imports to a total of 50%. This comes a day before many of Trump's vaunted tariffs targeting various countries are due to come into effect. Many of Trump's tariffs are due to come into effect on Thursday, with varying rates being imposed on different countries. The US president has announced that India will face an extra 25% tariff on their imports to the US, bringing the total rate to 50%. Trump said the steep rate was over India's continued purchase of Russian oil. New Delhi has called the move "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable."Donald Trump is tightening sanctions loopholes that fund Moscow's war machine. What does a crackdown on Russia's oil trade mean for global markets — and economic heavyweights like China and India? DW has some of the answers here. US President Donald Trump's pressure on India to halt its oil imports from Russia and comply with sanctions on Iran has strained ties between Washington and New Delhi, who have enjoyed a healthy strategic partnership for decades. India has already said it saw the tariffs are "unjustified and unreasonable" and that it would take "all necessary measures" to safeguard its "national interests and economic security." Trump has claimed Indian authorities "don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine" and are helping fund Russia's war effort in Ukraine through their purchases of Russian oil. The tougher rhetoric is a marked shift in relations between India and the US. Ties have deteriorated in recent months, despite the display of personal warmth and symbolic friendship when Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with President Trump earlier this year in Washington. Experts believes that despite Trump's "intimidatory" approach, India "does not seek a confrontation." Read the full story on the tense relations between the US and India over Trump's tariffs. Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter said she had a "very good meeting" with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, discussing the incoming US tariffs on Switzerland. In the meeting, the pair "discussed bilateral cooperation between Switzerland and the US, and the tariff situation, and international issues," Karin-Sutter said. "We had a very friendly and open exchange," Keller-Sutter told reporters after the meeting in Washington, yet stopped short of mentioning whether it would help the country avert the 39% tariff set to come into effect on Thursday. A US State Department spokeswoman said the talks included "the importance of a fair and balanced trade relationship that benefits the American people." On July 31 last week, Trump announced a new set of "reciprocal tariffs," affecting some 67 countries. The levies, due to kick in on August 7, include a 10% so-called baseline tariff on countries where the US sells more products than it imports. The US president argued in a White House statement that "conditions reflected in large and persistent annual US goods trade deficits constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and economy of the US that has its source in whole or substantial part outside the US." Leading trading partners including the European Union, Japan and South Korea will be subject to a 15% tariff. All are engaged in trade negotiations with Washington. Countries which meanwhile reached tentative trade agreements with the US, such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia, will be subject to tariffs ranging from 19% to 20%. Much higher rates will fall on smaller economies such as Syria (41%, the highest on the list), which is just getting out of a civil war which spanned over a decade. Myanmar (40%), is still grappling with a civil war. Similar rates will also be applied to Laos (40%) and Iraq (35%). Despite being a significant trading partner, Switzerland is set to face a whopping 39% tariff. The latest tariff announcement means India is facing the highest US levy along with Brazil. This could put New Delhi at a significant disadvantage, particularly against regional competitors such as Vietnam and Bangladesh. The move could also shatter India's image as an alternative for US companies to Chinese manufacturing. Trump had already criticized tech giant Apple for its efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid the tariffs that had been planned for China. "I don't want you building in India," Trump said he told Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year. However, smartphones are on a list of exempted products for now, shielding Apple from a major hit, even as it moves production from China to India. On Wednesday, Trump is expected to celebrate a commitment by Apple to increase its US investments by an additional $100 billion over the next four years. Other exemptions include goods targeted under sector-specific tariffs such as steel and aluminum, and sectors that could be hit later, such as pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. India's government spokesperson has defended New Delhi's purchase of Russian oil, saying that "imports are based on market factors and done with the overall objective of ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion people of India." "It is therefore extremely unfortunate that the US should choose to impose additional tariffs on India for actions that several other countries are also taking in their own national interest," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We reiterate that these actions are unfair, unjustified and unreasonable. India will take all actions necessary to protect its national interests." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US President Donald Trump promised in his inaugural address this year to "tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens." By setting new tariff rates, Trump aimed at reducing the country's trade deficit, which is when the US imports more from a country than it exports to that country, and first announced plans for a "reciprocal" tariff on February 13. But experts have warned that tariffs could cause chaos for global markets and disrupt the US economy at home. April 2: Trump's so-called "Liberation Day" when he announces long-promised "reciprocal" tariffs, declaring a 10% baseline tax on imports across the board starting April 5, as well as higher rates for dozens of countries that have a high trade deficit with the US. The calculations for the tariff rates cause widespread confusion. April 5: Trump's 10% minimum tariff on nearly all countries and territories takes effect. April 9: Trump's higher "reciprocal" rate goes into effect, but his administration says just hours later it is pausing higher rates while maintaining the 10% levy on most global imports. April 10: EU suspends its steel and aluminium tariff retaliation measures for 90 days — those measures were a response to Trump's 25% tariffs on imported steel and aluminium that took effect in March. May 23: Trump threatens a 50% tax on all imports from the EU as well as a 25% tariff on smartphones unless those products are made in America. Trump says frustrated by lack of progress in talks with EU, writing on Truth Social: "Our discussions with them are going nowhere!" May 26: Trump says the US will delay implementation of a 50% tariff on goods from the EU from June 1 until July 9 to buy time for negotiations with the bloc. July 7: Trump signs an executive order to push the deadline for higher tariffs to August 1 and sends his first letters telling 14 countries' leaders that their exports to the US would face a new tariff rate. July 8: Trump says he's not going back on his word and insists that the August 1 deadline is the final one. July 9: Trump sends more letters, hitting Brazil with a 50% tariff rate. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva promises to reciprocate. July 12: Trump announces a 35% tariff on Canadian goods, claiming Canada had "financially retaliated" to earlier duties. He says the EU will receive a similar letter soon. July 13: Trump announces a 30% tariff rate on the EU and Mexico, telling both that "whatever the number you choose to raise them by, will be added on to the 30% that we charge." July 31: Trump signs an executive order delaying the tariff deadline for the EU and other partners from August 1 to August 7. August 6: Trump announces a further 25% tariff rate on India's imports due to their purchase of Russian oil, bringing the total to 50%. US President Donald Trump said Wednesday he signed an executive order to impose an additional 25% tariff on India. He cited India's continued purchase of Russian oil. The order comes just a day before a separate 25% tariff on Indian goods was due to take effect. The latest decision is set to come into force in three weeks. Trump had threatend allies of Russia to stop importing oil from Moscow or face high tariffs. Ties between the US and India have taken a downturn as they failed to reach a trade agreement to avert Trump's tariffs. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video US President Donald Trump's tariffs on the EU and other trading partners are set to finally come into effect on Friday, following numerous delays since his first "Liberation Day" announcement back in April. The tariff threats have triggered widespread uncertainty and concerns about the impact on the global economy. Countries facing heavy tariff rates have sought to make deals with the Trump administration, but have also threatened to impose their own counter tariffs. Stick with our Trump tariffs blog for the latest updates, analysis and explainers.
Int'l Business Times
3 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Brazil Seeks WTO Relief Against Trump Tariffs
Brazil on Wednesday approached the World Trade Organization (WTO) for relief against a hefty trade tariff imposed by President Donald Trump on more than a third of US-bound exports from the Latin American powerhouse. The 50-percent tariff on several Brazilian goods went into force Wednesday over what Trump has termed a "witch hunt" against his far-right ally Jair Bolsonaro, the former president on trial for plotting a coup. Sources in the government of incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told AFP Brasilia had filed a request for consultations with the US mission to the WTO -- the first formal step in the trade body's dispute settlement process. Trump's latest tariff salvo raised duties on Brazil from 10 percent to 50 percent for key exports including coffee, beef and sugar. Exempt were nearly 700 other exports including civilian planes, orange juice and pulp, Brazil nuts, and some iron, steel and aluminum products. Brazil's Vice President Geraldo Alckmin previously told journalists the new tariff would apply to about 36 percent of the country's exports to the United States, equal to trade of about $14.5 billion last year. Trump's Brazil tariff is among the highest imposed on US trading partners and was framed in openly political terms, sweeping aside centuries-old trade ties and a surplus Brasilia put at $284 million last year. In an executive order last week, the Trump administration lashed out at Brazilian officials for "unjustified criminal charges" against Bolsonaro, on trial for allegedly plotting to wrest back power after losing the 2022 presidential election to Lula. Trump's order also charged that the Lula government's recent policies and actions threatened the US economy, national security, and foreign policy. US tensions with Brazil are not likely to dissipate soon, with a Brazilian judge on Monday placing Bolsonaro under house arrest pending the outcome of his trial for contravening a social media ban. The judge, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, presides over Bolsonaro's trial and was himself hit with financial sanctions this week as Washington claimed he had "taken it upon himself to be judge and jury in an unlawful witch hunt." Moraes has clashed repeatedly with the far-right in Brazil, and with tech titan Elon Musk over the spread of online misinformation. Bolsonaro risks decades in prison if found guilty on the coup charges that had allegedly also included discussions to assassinate Lula and other senior officials. The tariff hike on Brazilian goods came a day before a separate wave of higher duties on dozens of economies ranging from the European Union to Taiwan. Analysts at Pantheon Macroeconomics estimate the pending increases would boost the average effective tariff rate for US imports to nearly 20 percent. This marks the highest level since at least the 1930s, according to the Budget Lab at Yale University.
