CNA938 Rewind - Old rivals, new conversations: Trump -Xi reconnect
US president Donald Trump had what he says is a "very good' call on trade with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. With more talks expected and potential reciprocal visits on the cards, Hairianto Diman and Susan Ng find out if this signals an improving relationship with Jared Mondschein, Director of Research, The United States Studies Centre
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Straits Times
15 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Ukraine presses Russian troops back on part of Sumy front
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: Residents walk at a street near a building damaged by Russian missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Sumy, Ukraine June 13, 2025. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo KYIV - The Ukrainian military said on Saturday that it had pushed Russian forces back by about 2 kilometres (1.2 miles) on part of the Sumy front in northern Ukraine. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which controls a little over 200 square kilometres in the region, according to Ukraine's battlefield mapping project DeepState. "Ukrainian soldiers continue active combat actions to destroy the enemy and liberate our settlements," the Ukrainian general staff wrote on Facebook. It added that fighting was raging near the villages of Oleksiivka and Yunakivka, which lie 5 km and 7 km from the Russian border respectively. The ebb and flow of the battlefield lines have taken on greater political significance in recent days as Ukraine finds itself at another critical diplomatic juncture with U.S. President Donald Trump stepping up his efforts to broker an end to the war. The U.S. leader said he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had "determined" there should be no ceasefire and he would now focus on a quick deal to end the war that has raged since 2022. Russian troops earlier this week advanced up to 10 km near Dobropillia in Ukraine's east, raising fears of a wider breakthrough that would further threaten key cities. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 280 vapes seized, more than 640 people checked by police, HSA in anti-vape raids at nightspots Singapore SPLRT disruption: 28km of cables to be tested during off-service hours; works to end by Aug 23 Singapore First-half GDP boost likely temporary; Republic must stay relevant amid challenges: Chan Chun Sing Life Six-figure sales each durian season: Why S'pore durian sellers are now live selling on TikTok Singapore Airport-bound public bus to be fitted with luggage rack in 3-month trial: LTA Asia Australian universities slash staff, courses as rising wages and foreign student curbs bite Life Meet the tutors who take O-level exams every year to create a 'war mate' bond with their students Life Pivot or perish: How Singapore restaurants are giving diners what they want The Ukrainian military later said it had managed to halt the assault and push Russians back. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy described the Russian thrust as a failed attempt by Moscow to display battlefield strength ahead of Friday's summit between Putin and Trump in Alaska. He predicted more such efforts in a statement on Saturday. "...we anticipate that in the coming days the Russian army may try to increase pressure and strikes against Ukrainian positions to create more favourable political circumstances for talks," he said. REUTERS
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Nordic-Baltic leaders say they remain steadfast in support of Ukraine
U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin walk to a joint news conference following their meeting at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, U.S., August 15, 2025. Sputnik/Gavriil Grigorov/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo The leaders of eight Nordic-Baltic nations said on Saturday that they remain steadfast in their support for Ukraine and to the efforts by US President Donald Trump to end the Russian aggression against Ukraine. The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden said in a statement that achieving peace between Ukraine and Russia requires a ceasefire and security guarantees for Ukraine. "We welcome President Trump's statement that the US is prepared to participate in security guarantees. No limitations should be placed on Ukraine's armed forces or on its cooperation with other countries," the statement said. Trump has said that he had agreed with Putin that a peace deal should be sought without the prior ceasefire that Ukraine and its European allies, until now with US support, have demanded. REUTERS
International Business Times
3 hours ago
- International Business Times
Trump Delivers Personal Letter from Melania to Putin on Plight of Children in Ukraine, Russia
August 16, 2025 21:43 +08 Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Donald Trump met at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, in a bid to end Ukraine war X US President Donald Trump has reportedly hand-delivered a personal letter from First Lady Melania Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday (August 15). The private letter was about the plight of children in Ukraine and Russia, a news report stated, citing White House officials. The officials did not divulge into the details on the content of the letter, other than mentioning that it raised concerns about the abduction of children in the war zone over the last three years, the White House officials told Reuters. Though Melania was born in Slovenia, she did not accompany Trump to Alaska. The letter was delivered to the Russian President at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during their summit talks in Anchorage, Alaska. During the meeting, which lasted for almost three hours, the two leaders discussed the war in Ukraine. It was their first meeting in six years, and the US President emphasized for peace in the region. But the discussion ended without a ceasefire deal. Plight of Children in Ukraine and Russia The abduction of children has been a sensitive issue between the US, Ukraine, and Russia. Ukraine claimed tens of thousands have been taken from its territory to Russia or Russian-occupied areas without parental consent, according to Ukrainian officials. Although exact figures are unclear, Ukraine reported in March that around 19,500 children have been abducted by Russia, though the actual number could be much higher. Russia said the reason for taking the children away was to protect them from the war zone conditions. However, the United Nations Human Rights Office said the abduction of vulnerable children from Ukraine to Russia was an unlawful act by the country. The organization said the country violated the rights of these children since 2022, when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Two years ago, the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Putin, accusing him of war crimes for unlawfully transferring children and deporting them from occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia.
