WATCH: Volodymyr Zelensky has epic comeback for journalist complimenting his suit for White House meeting
Host of Real America's Voice, Brian Glenn (who is dating congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene) had queried Zelensky's attire back in February, and apologised for the 'jibe' on Monday.
Glenn remarked: 'First of all, President Zelensky, you look fabulous in that suit,' with Trump quickly adding to the Ukrainian President: 'I said the same thing. Remember? That's the one that attacked you last time. See? Now he's a nice guy.'
Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump had a light-hearted moment when a journalist complimented the Ukrainian president for wearing a suit. @Stone_SkyNews spoke to him few moments before the Oval Office meeting pic.twitter.com/VS66h0cNxb — Sky News (@SkyNews) August 19, 2025
'I remember,' Zelensky replied, to which Glenn added: 'I apologise to you. You look wonderful.'
However, Zelensky was ready for him and had the Oval Office in hysterics when he noticed that Glenn was wearing the same outfit as in February, remarking: 'But you are in the same suit. You see, I changed, you are not'
This meeting seems to have been a much more pleasant one, with Glenn previously asking President Zelensky why he wasn't wearing a suit to the February meeting. WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 18: U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House on August 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump is hosting President Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House for a bilateral meeting and later an expanded meeting with European leaders to discuss a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. (Photo by)
He even suggested that ' a lot of Americans have problems with you not respecting this office.'
Zelensky had been wearing combat-style clothing, which the Ukrainian leader has worn almost exclusively since Russia's 2022 invasion.
The February summit had been an explosive one, with Trump slamming Volodymyr Zelensky on social media afterwards, accusing the Ukrainian President of not being interested in achieving peace.
The attack came after Zelensky said that peace with Russia 'is still very, very far away,' but this time, he said that he is ready to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
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The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Any talks on Ukraine's security without Russia would be 'a road to nowhere', Kremlin says
RUSSIA HAS SAID it has to be part of any discussion on security guarantees for Ukraine and played down the likelihood of an imminent summit with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, tempering hopes for a quick deal to end the war. It comes after a meeting between Zelenskyy, US President Donald Trump and a host of European leaders at the White House on Monday, three days after the Republican's landmark encounter with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump called Putin during the talks in Washington, later claiming that the Russian leader had agreed to meet Zelenskyy and accepted that there will be Western security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any agreement to end the war. But Russia has not confirmed this. Speaking today, Moscow's long-serving foreign minister Sergei Lavrov downplayed the meeting in Washington, describing it as a 'clumsy' attempt to change the US president's position on Ukraine. Lavrov cast doubt on an imminent meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy, saying that any summit between them 'must be prepared in the most meticulous way' so it does not lead to a 'deterioration' of the situation surrounding the conflict. He also warned that 'seriously discussing security guarantees without the Russian Federation is a utopia, a road to nowhere'. Trump, who has fiercely criticised the billions in support that this predecessor Joe Biden sent to Ukraine, earlier said European nations were 'willing to put people on the ground' to secure any settlement. Advertisement He ruled out sending US troops but suggested the country might provide air support. Russia has long said it will never tolerate the presence of any Western troops in Ukraine. Meanwhile, NATO military chiefs meanwhile held a virtual summit on security guarantees for Ukraine, the latest in a flurry of global diplomacy aimed at brokering an end to the nearly three-and-a-half year conflict. 'On Ukraine, we confirmed our support. Priority continues to be a just, credible and durable peace,' the chair of the alliance's military committee, Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, wrote on X after the meeting. Moscow signed the Budapest Memorandum in 1994, which was aimed at ensuring security for Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan in exchange for them giving up numerous nuclear weapons left from the Soviet era. But Russia violated that first by taking Crimea in 2014, and then by starting a full-scale offensive in 2022, which has killed tens of thousands of people and forced millions to flee their homes. On Tuesday, top US officer Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, held talks with European military chiefs on the 'best options for a potential Ukraine peace deal'. Fresh Russian strikes In eastern Ukraine, far from the diplomatic deliberations, Russian forces claimed fresh advances on the ground and Ukrainian officials reported more deaths from Russian attacks. Russia's defence ministry said on Telegram that its troops had captured the villages of Sukhetske and Pankivka in the embattled Donetsk region. They are near a section of the front where the Russian army broke through Ukrainian defences last week, between the logistics hub of Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka. Related Reads Putin and Zelenskyy agree to meet directly in a 'neutral country' in the coming weeks What parts of Ukraine could Vladimir Putin ask for in exchange for an end to the war? Trump tells Zelenskyy and European leaders that Putin 'accepts' security guarantees for Ukraine 'Our units are engaged in heavy defensive battles against superior Russian forces,' said Ukraine's commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky. Last night, a drone strike on Okhtyrka in the Sumy region injured 14 people. A family with wounded children – 5 months, 4 years, and 6 years old – sought assistance after the attack. In Kostiantynivka, Donetsk region, a glide bomb strike damaged five apartment buildings, and at… — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 20, 2025 Six civilians were killed by Russian attacks across eastern and southern Ukraine today, local authorities said. One person died in Russia's western Bryansk region as a result of a Ukrainian drone strike, the local governor said. Russia's aerial attacks on the northeastern town of Okhtyrka in the Sumy region wounded at least 14 people, including three children, according to regional governor Oleg Grygorov. Zelenskyy said these latest strikes showed 'the need to put pressure on Moscow', including through sanctions, 'until diplomacy is fully effective'. 'Together with the United States, Europe, and all those who seek peace, we are working every day to guarantee security. We need strong security guarantees to ensure a truly reliable and lasting,' he said. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
‘Fake name Vladimir Putin gave to hidden sons with gymnast revealed' as tyrant's boys seen in footage for first time
VLADIMIR Putin is said to have given fake names to his alleged secret children with his hidden Olympic gymnast lover, according to an investigation. New footage appears to show Putin's alleged youngest sons for the first time. 6 Vladimir Spiridonov, now six, Vladimir Putin's son with partner Alina Kabaeva Credit: East2West 6 Vladimir Spiridonov, now six, Vladimir Putin's son with partner Alina Kabaeva Credit: East2West 6 Ivan Spiridonov, now ten, second from the right, Vladimir Putin's son with partner Alina Kabaeva Credit: East2West 6 Since 2008, Putin and his presumed young mistress have been romantically linked Credit: East2West Putin hides his two youngest children under a fake surname, according to a new book by two Russian investigative journalists. The dictator, 72, is said to have a secret family with Olympic gymnast Alina Kabaeva, 42, with sons aged ten and six. However, their alleged 15-year relationship has never been publicly acknowledged - and the Russian state media has banned any mention of links between the two. The book, called The Tsar in Person: How Vladimir Putin Fooled Us All, reveals that the family name given to the boys by ex-spy Putin is Spiridonov. Putin's alleged secret sons sons Ivan, ten, and Vladimir junior, six - both keen young gymnasts - are known by this surname rather than their real name. A clip believed to be the first footage of Putin's younger son appears to show him at his elite gymnastics academy, proudly showing off new somersault moves. The video also reportedly shows 10-year-old Evan being interviewed and speaking about 'just cool' new gymnastics moves he learned with Olympic coach Alexei Nemov. Russian investigative journalists Roman Badanin and Mikhail Rubin claim in their book that both the boys live with Kabaeva on the estate of Putin's secret palace at Valdai, between Moscow and St Petersburg. The place is known to be a forested fortress guarded by a dozen or more Pantsir air defence systems. Neither the children nor the palace has ever been officially declared by Putin to ordinary Russians. Intelligence chief says Putin 'getting more sickly by the day' as tyrant wains in power A passage from the book reads: "Information about the gymnast and her children is erased from state databases, the boys were given a cover surname — Spiridonov, and all the territory around the Valdai dwelling of the tsar's family is strictly guarded. 'However sometimes Ivan and Vladimir all the same have appeared in public, thanks to which their photographs are at our disposal.' Spiridonov appears to be a family name linked to the first name of Putin's colourful paternal grandfather, Spiridon Putin, who lived from 1879 to 1965. He was the personal chef for Vladimir Lenin, founder of the Soviet Union, before preparing meals for tyrant Josef Stalin in the Kremlin. Co-author Badanin defended the decision to disclose the names and photographs of the Putin children 'because he is the president of the country'. Inside mysterious & glam life of Putin's gymnast lover By Iona Cleave and Will Stewart RUSASIA'S so-called "First Mistress", Alina Kabaeva, 40, lives a continuous life of glamour and mystery but has allegedly spent recent months holed up inside Putin's secret forest palace. Since 2008, the brunette bombshell has been the target of sustained speculation that she is Putin's secret lover and the mother of his youngest kids. The gymnast-turned-politician is now rumoured to be missing in the wake of last month's bizarre reports Putin had croaked. Public appearances by the despot's young mistress halted in the last week of October - the same day the rumours broke that Putin had suffered a heart attack. The woman that has never shied from the spotlight appears to have gone to ground. Alina, who is 31 years younger than Putin, shot to fame as "Russia's most flexible woman" after picking up hoards of international medals for gymnastics in her teens. She went on to win Gold at the 2004 Athens Games and Bronze at the 2000 in Sydney. The now 40-year-old is one of most decorated gymnasts in history, with 2 Olympic medals, 14 World Championship medals, and 21 European Championship medals. She would later lose six of her World Championship medals for doping. Her celebrity status was fully secured after she posed naked for a men's magazine in 2004. In heavy makeup and partially draped in fur, the nude sporting star smiled provocatively at the camera. Photographer Mikhail Korolov commented: 'I didn't even need to persuade her. She behaved very naturally. She's full of sex.' After retiring from gymnastics, Alina threw herself into a quickly-developed career in politics. She became a member of the Russian Parliament between 2007 and 2014, representing the United Russia party and voting for various controversial anti-LGBT laws. It was quite the career move for a woman who had dabbled in modelling and singing. The Olympic legend was later appointed chair of Moscow's most important pro-Kremlin TV and newspaper empire, National Media Group — despite having no experience. Throughout the years, it appears that Putin's presumed lover has somewhat relished her role as "the uncrowned queen of Russia" - or at least enjoyed the gossip behind it. Speaking on a YouTube show Popular Politics, he said: 'In any other situation, if he were a private individual, if he were a lower-level official, we probably wouldn't have done it. 'But it's simple - his life should be in plain sight. He signed up for it in 1999 once he accepted power.' Co-author Mikhail said: 'It's part of a politician's job to be public and show his family. 'Why are children a secret then? What is shameful about children…?' Putin's three daughters, who are no more a secret, also use family names which mask their identities. Maria, 40, is known by the name Vorontsova, and Katerina, 38, uses Tikhonova. Putin's love child, Luiza, 22, uses the surname Rosova, but is also known as Elizaveta Krivonogikh, her mother Svetlana's family name. Luiza also has a passport under the name Rudnova, the family name of a now-dead close Putin friend. 6 A young woman named Elizaveta Krivonogikh has reportedly been identified as Vladimir Putin's third daughter Credit: East2West
Irish Examiner
7 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Cormac O'Keeffe: Tension mounts in Ireland's real-life spy drama
It has all the ingredients of Netflix spy drama, but the 'Agent Cobalt' story concerns real investigations, real threats, and real people. Trying to figure out what actually happened, weighing up differing accounts and perspectives, and trying to present a clear and accurate picture is quite a challenge. Interested observers would be advised to bear that in mind. It is also worth stressing there are few areas where gathering and analysing information is more difficult than in the shadowy and secretive world of national security and intelligence. This is particularly so in Ireland, with its long, and embedded, culture of secrecy. Cobalt Revealed Back in October, The Sunday Times ran a dramatic front-page headline: 'Revealed: Putin has an agent in the Oireachtas'. The story, by their experienced security correspondent John Mooney, sent shockwaves through the Oireachtas and dominated the airwaves for some time. The report said: 'The Irish military and security services have identified a politician in the Oireachtas who has been recruited by Russian intelligence as an agent of influence and whose clandestine connections to Moscow remain intact.' The story, and related articles, described the politician as a person who could influence policy and political narratives, using his own networks and outlets. The most serious of allegations against the politician related to him allegedly offering services, such as making introductions, including, it was reported, to loyalist paramilitaries. The Sunday Times detailed how Garda security and intelligence and military intelligence both came across the politician during counter-intelligence surveillance they were conducting on suspected Russian intelligence officers in Ireland, including the military attache to the Russian Embassy — Sergey Prokopiev. It is also thought British intelligence were aware. The Sunday Times had details on travels the politician took and of alleged meetings with Russian agents, in Ireland and abroad. Most of the meetings and contacts appear to relate to the period 2019 and 2020, but the Garda and Military monitoring continued. After the stories, there was intense speculation as to who was 'Agent Cobalt' and there was widespread commentary on social media. Government leaders, including the Taoiseach and the Justice Minister were briefed about the politician, who has never commented. No Agent Cobalt Last Tuesday The Journal ran a story, headlined: 'There is no Agent Cobalt'. It added: 'Garda investigation clears Irish politician of being a Russian Agent.' The story, by Niall O'Connor, an experienced security journalist and former garda, said the investigation had 'exonerated' the politician. It said: 'The politician has been sent confirmation from the detectives investigating the case that nothing has been found to suggest that he ever spied for Russia or worked with Russian agents.' The report said sources spoken to said that, while Russian agents tried to approach the politician, 'nothing came of it'. The story said the first approach was in Eastern Europe when the politician was on a work trip and that his drink was spiked by a female agent. It said the politician contacted gardaí on his return about the incident. The second approach was by a purported 'trade attaché' at the Russian Embassy, apparently a reference to Prokopiev. The Journal referred to a meeting between detectives from the Special Detective Unit and the politician, accompanied by his legal representatives — held after the October Sunday Times articles. It said detectives told the politician that 'nothing untoward had been found' to suggest he had given information to Russia. The article said it was understood that the politician was 'sent confirmation of this in writing'. Garda HQ Intervenes On publication of the story, media sought a comment from the Garda Press Office. In the meantime, inquiries by the Irish Examiner among security sources found that they were adamant that no such letter was issued and that no statements would be given to a suspect that they were in the clear or that the case was closed. Later, Garda HQ issued a statement, stating the investigation was not finished. It said: 'An Garda Síochána is continuing an ongoing active criminal investigation into this matter. An Garda Síochána has no further comment.' The Irish Examiner understands that the message sent out was coming from the very top layers of the organisation. Next episode The Garda statement, and inquiries conducted by the Irish Examiner, indicate that all sides in this case are absolutely certain of their positions and the integrity of their work. It is expected that The Sunday Times will publish more details this weekend and that The Journal may too, either before or after, with additional information to support their respective accounts. It seems clear that this matter could gather momentum. The issue of the existence of a 'document' or 'letter' may come more to the fore, sparking pressures for publication. Then there is the meeting in question and the position of the multiple witnesses at that. Is it possible that it is all down to a misinterpretation or misrepresentation of what was said? If the politician and/or his legal representatives decide to speak, it may well become a political issue, even with the Oireachtas on holidays. That might put pressure on Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan and Taoiseach Micheál Martin to comment. That is unlikely to be something the outgoing commissioner — departing at the end of next week — or the new commissioner — staring on 1 September — would want. Expect more twists and turns.
