Trump disputes Israel's claim on starvation in Gaza, sets new deadline for Putin
Trump aired his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin by revoking his earlier deadline of 50 days to ensure a ceasefire in Ukraine, declaring in Scotland on Monday (Tuesday AEST) that the new deadline would be just 10 or 12 days.
With the war in Gaza causing widespread hunger, Trump disputed Israel's claim there was no starvation and said he wanted to make sure food was sent urgently to civilians in the war zone.
The comments, made in a wide-ranging press conference with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, conveyed a more assertive message on the two conflicts when Britain and the European Union are hoping for an urgent White House intervention to stop the wars.
Speaking to the media alongside Starmer for almost an hour at his Turnberry golf course, Trump also attacked wind power, claimed he won last year's presidential election on migration concerns and denied drawing a birthday greeting for child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
On Ukraine, his move brings forward the prospect of secondary tariffs on Russia and its allies that would tax their exports at 100 per cent, a severe penalty on China and India if the US president acts on the threat.
Trump set a 50-day deadline for Putin earlier this month, giving the Russian leader until September 5 to stop firing missiles and drones at Ukrainian civilians and agree to a peace deal.
'I'm going to make a new deadline of about 10 or 12 days from today,' Trump said in Scotland.
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Zelenskiy said that in July, Russia launched more than 5100 glide bombs, more than 3800 Shahed drones and almost 260 missiles of various types, 128 of them ballistic, against Ukraine. He repeated his appeal for countries to impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia to deter the Kremlin, as US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. "No matter how much the Kremlin denies (sanctions') effectiveness, they are working and must be stronger," Zelenskiy said. His comments appeared to be a response to Trump's remarks the previous day, when the Republican president said the US plans to impose sanctions on Russia but added, "I don't know that sanctions bother him," in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine also called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to be convened on Friday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, in an effort to push Putin into accepting "a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire". Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are under heavy pressure in the strategic hilltop city of Chasiv Yar, in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is making a concerted push to break through defences after some 18 months of fighting. Zelenskiy said Russian claims of capturing Chasiv Yar on Thursday were "disinformation". "Ukrainian units are holding our positions," Zelenskiy said in his daily video address on Thursday evening. "It is not easy, but it is the defence of Ukrainians' very right to life." Even so, the Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine's hold on the key city was weakening. "Russian forces will likely complete the seizure of Chasiv Yar in the coming days, which will open several possible avenues for Russian forces to attack Ukraine's fortress belt - a series of fortified cities that form the backbone of Ukraine's defensive positions" in the Donetsk region, the Washington-based think tank said. 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The Russian barrage demolished a large part of a nine-storey residential building in the city, while more than 100 other buildings were damaged, including homes, schools, kindergartens, medical facilities and universities, officials said. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukrainian cities in recent months, ignoring calls from Western leaders including US President Donald Trump to stop striking civilian areas after more than three years of war. Russian forces are also pressing on with their grinding war of attrition along the 1000km front line, where incremental gains in the past year have cost the lives of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Zelenskiy said that in July, Russia launched more than 5100 glide bombs, more than 3800 Shahed drones and almost 260 missiles of various types, 128 of them ballistic, against Ukraine. He repeated his appeal for countries to impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia to deter the Kremlin, as US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. 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Russian forces are also pressing on with their grinding war of attrition along the 1000km front line, where incremental gains in the past year have cost the lives of thousands of soldiers on both sides. Zelenskiy said that in July, Russia launched more than 5100 glide bombs, more than 3800 Shahed drones and almost 260 missiles of various types, 128 of them ballistic, against Ukraine. He repeated his appeal for countries to impose heavier economic sanctions on Russia to deter the Kremlin, as US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. "No matter how much the Kremlin denies (sanctions') effectiveness, they are working and must be stronger," Zelenskiy said. His comments appeared to be a response to Trump's remarks the previous day, when the Republican president said the US plans to impose sanctions on Russia but added, "I don't know that sanctions bother him," in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukraine also called for an urgent UN Security Council meeting to be convened on Friday, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said, in an effort to push Putin into accepting "a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire". Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces are under heavy pressure in the strategic hilltop city of Chasiv Yar, in the eastern Donetsk region where Russia is making a concerted push to break through defences after some 18 months of fighting. Zelenskiy said Russian claims of capturing Chasiv Yar on Thursday were "disinformation". "Ukrainian units are holding our positions," Zelenskiy said in his daily video address on Thursday evening. "It is not easy, but it is the defence of Ukrainians' very right to life." Even so, the Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine's hold on the key city was weakening. "Russian forces will likely complete the seizure of Chasiv Yar in the coming days, which will open several possible avenues for Russian forces to attack Ukraine's fortress belt - a series of fortified cities that form the backbone of Ukraine's defensive positions" in the Donetsk region, the Washington-based think tank said. Ukraine has tried to pressure the Russian army by striking rear areas with long-range drones that target rail networks, oil depots and arsenals. Russia's defence ministry said air defences shot down 60 Ukrainian drones overnight. More than half were destroyed over Russia's Belgorod region on the country's border with Ukraine, it said.
