What to know about the Putin-Trump summit in Alaska
Whether it can lead to a deal to produce peace in Ukraine more than 3 1/2 years after Moscow's invasion remains to be seen.
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The Sun
7 minutes ago
- The Sun
Russia's twisted digs at Ukraine ahead of Alaska talks from Lavrov wearing USSR jumper to media served ‘Chicken Kiev'
RUSSIA has rolled into Alaska with a swagger - and a sneer - before Vladimir Putin even sets foot on US soil. From a USSR sweatshirt to Chicken Kyiv cutlets, Moscow has dialled up its twisted digs at Ukraine – mixing Cold War nostalgia with brazen mockery as it struts into talks that could decide the country's future. 8 8 8 8 Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived for the summit wearing a sweatshirt screaming "CCCP" - the Russian initials for the Soviet Union - in a pointed reminder of Moscow's imperial past and its denial of Ukraine's right to exist. Once hailed in the West as a wily diplomat, the 75-year-old now channels the Kremlin's hardline swagger, doubling down on Soviet nostalgia even as Russian forces slaughter Ukrainians on the front line. Lithuanian ex-foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis mocked the choice: ''Just give us half of Ukraine and we promise we will stop,' says negotiator wearing USSR sweatshirt.' The stunt plays neatly into Putin's warped narrative that Russians and Ukrainians are 'one people' – a lie that has underpinned the Kremlin's land grabs, war crimes, and the tearing down of memorials to Ukraine's suffering under Soviet rule. But Lavrov's jumper wasn't the only jab. On the flight to Alaska, Russian state journalists were served chicken Kyiv – the Ukrainian dish whose name alone is enough to provoke Moscow's fury. RT boss Margarita Simonyan gleefully posted about the menu, while pro-Putin mouthpiece Sergei Markov went further, snarling that 'Putin and Trump should make a chicken Kyiv out of Zelensky.' The trolling mood soured when Russia's press corps landed in Anchorage to find their 'modest sleeping quarters' were inside a converted ice hockey stadium. Once a Covid hospital, the venue is now lined with fold-out army beds donated by the Red Cross. 'We are living in Spartan conditions,' one reporter grumbled in a clip shared on social media, The Guardian reported. Trump says tyrant Putin's need to kill 'might be in his genes' but onslaught 'hurts his negotiations' as leaders head to Alaska for Ukraine peace summit This is Russia's brand of diplomacy – trolling, humiliation, and a smug grin. Behind the theatrics is a clear aim: to rattle Kyiv and its allies before a summit that could shape Ukraine's fate. Zelensky has already warned that any deal without Ukraine risks disaster. He said earlier on Friday: 'The key thing is that this meeting should open up a real path toward a just peace… We are counting on America.' Donald Trump, meanwhile, is publicly playing the hard man. 'Maybe it's in his genes,' he said of Putin's appetite for killing, warning of 'very severe' consequences if the Russian leader isn't serious about peace. 'If I weren't president, he would take over all of Ukraine… but I am president and he's not going to mess around with me.' The two leaders will lock eyes at the Elmendorf-Richardson base near Anchorage at 11.30am local time (8.30pm UK), with over 32,000 troops, air defences, and electronic jamming systems locking the place down. 8 8 8 Putin's feared 'Musketeers' bodyguards will be in tow, along with the nuclear briefcase – and even his notorious 'poo suitcase' to guard his medical secrets. Anchorage locals are already protesting, furious that a man wanted for war crimes is being welcomed to US soil. Many are demanding an immediate end to the 'barbaric killing of innocent civilians' in Ukraine. Meanwhile, a former spy who trained at the same KGB school as Vladimir Putin has warned of the Kremlin strongman's powers of manipulation - and claimed the despot has already 'won' today's summit with Trump. Behind closed doors, Trump and Putin will 'thrash out sensitive matters' before facing the press. Sources suggest Trump may dangle economic sweeteners – from access to Alaska's resources to a 'West Bank-style' model letting Russia keep its occupied Ukrainian land without redrawing borders. Putin has praised Trump's 'sincere efforts,' but Zelensky isn't buying it – calling the Russian leader's peace talk a bluff. Trump, for now, insists the stakes couldn't be higher, posting a blunt warning before boarding Air Force One: 'HIGH STAKES!!!' 8
North Wales Chronicle
15 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Valour of Belfast VC recipient marked at VJ Day 80th anniversary in city
Leading Seaman James Magennis was awarded the prestigious military honour for valour for his actions on July 31, 1945, when he exited his midget submarine in Singapore harbour to attach mines to the hull of a Japanese cruiser vessel, the Takao. A memorial to him stands in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. It was the scene of a poignant wreath-laying ceremony on Friday to mark 80 years since Victory over Japan Day. Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly placed the wreath at the foot of the memorial, before the Last Post was played by bugler Louise Bell from the First Old Boys' Silver Band. Those in attendance bowed their heads for a two-minute silence. The wreath-laying came after a reflective event inside City Hall that included historical discussions about the conflict in the Far East and music from the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra. One of those gathered at the memorial on Friday was Norman Leslie, 84, from Bangor, Co Down. Mr Leslie, who served as a submariner in the Royal Navy during the Cold War, said he felt it was important to honour the memory of James Magennis. He said the event acted as a 'timely reminder' to younger generations. 'To me it was just to let all the young ones know that there was stuff happening that probably their father or grandfather did during the war, and to let them know what was happening, because some maybe just don't know anything whatsoever about what happened,' he said. Ms Kelly said it was a special occasion. 'It is important to keep on doing these things because it's something we should never forget, and especially the younger generation today, hopefully they will never go through what people in those days went through,' she said. 'But it's important to have a service of reflection, a service of remembrance. 'And to me, it's something that if you have people who are going to fight in a war, who are going to sacrifice and lose their life, and we don't know where some of those bodies went, there's no graves for quite a few people, to remember that and reflect on that, especially for the younger generation today, is very, very important.'
South Wales Guardian
20 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Valour of Belfast VC recipient marked at VJ Day 80th anniversary in city
Leading Seaman James Magennis was awarded the prestigious military honour for valour for his actions on July 31, 1945, when he exited his midget submarine in Singapore harbour to attach mines to the hull of a Japanese cruiser vessel, the Takao. A memorial to him stands in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. It was the scene of a poignant wreath-laying ceremony on Friday to mark 80 years since Victory over Japan Day. Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly placed the wreath at the foot of the memorial, before the Last Post was played by bugler Louise Bell from the First Old Boys' Silver Band. Those in attendance bowed their heads for a two-minute silence. The wreath-laying came after a reflective event inside City Hall that included historical discussions about the conflict in the Far East and music from the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra. One of those gathered at the memorial on Friday was Norman Leslie, 84, from Bangor, Co Down. Mr Leslie, who served as a submariner in the Royal Navy during the Cold War, said he felt it was important to honour the memory of James Magennis. He said the event acted as a 'timely reminder' to younger generations. 'To me it was just to let all the young ones know that there was stuff happening that probably their father or grandfather did during the war, and to let them know what was happening, because some maybe just don't know anything whatsoever about what happened,' he said. Ms Kelly said it was a special occasion. 'It is important to keep on doing these things because it's something we should never forget, and especially the younger generation today, hopefully they will never go through what people in those days went through,' she said. 'But it's important to have a service of reflection, a service of remembrance. 'And to me, it's something that if you have people who are going to fight in a war, who are going to sacrifice and lose their life, and we don't know where some of those bodies went, there's no graves for quite a few people, to remember that and reflect on that, especially for the younger generation today, is very, very important.'
