Gaza civil defence says Israeli strikes kill over 30 as truce talks deadlocked
Delegations from Israel and the Palestinian militant group have now spent a week trying to agree on a temporary truce to halt 21 months of bitter fighting in the Gaza Strip.
But on Saturday, each side accused the other of blocking attempts to secure an agreement at the indirect talks in the Qatari capital, Doha.
There has meanwhile been no let-up in Israeli strikes on Gaza, where most of the population of more than two million have been displaced at least once during the war.
Seven UN agencies on Saturday warned that a fuel shortage had reached "critical levels", threatening aid operations, hospital care and already chronic food insecurity.
The civil defence agency said at least 31 people were killed in Israeli strikes overnight and into the morning.
Eight people were killed in strikes on houses in Gaza City, in the north, agency spokesman Mahmud Bassal said.
In the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, 10 people were killed in a strike on a house, while 10 others including eight children were killed at a water distribution point, Bassal said.
"We woke up to the sound of two large explosions," Khaled Rayyan told AFP after a house was flattened in Nuseirat. "Our neighbour and his children were under the rubble."
Another resident, Mahmud al-Shami, called on the negotiators to secure an end to the war.
"What happened to us has never happened in the entire history of humanity," he said. "Enough."
In southern Gaza, three people were killed when Israeli jets hit a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in the coastal Al-Mawasi area, according to the civil defence spokesman.
- Forced displacement fears -
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military, which has recently intensified its operations across Gaza.
On Saturday, the military said fighter jets had hit more than 35 "Hamas terror targets" around Beit Hanun in northern Gaza.
Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify tolls and details provided by the civil defence agency and other parties.
The war was sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that led to 1,219 deaths, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Out of 251 people taken hostage that day, 49 are still held in Gaza, including 27 that the Israeli military says are dead.
Hamas-run Gaza's health ministry says that at least 57,882 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel's military reprisals. The UN considers the figures reliable.
Talks to agree a 60-day ceasefire in the fighting and hostage release were in the balance on Saturday after Israel and Hamas accused each other of trying to block a deal.
Hamas wants the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, but a Palestinian source with knowledge of the talks said Israel had presented plans to maintain troops in more than 40 percent of the territory.
The source said Israel wanted to force hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into the south of Gaza "in preparation for forcibly displacing them to Egypt or other countries".
A senior Israeli official said Israel had demonstrated "a willingness to flexibility in the negotiations, while Hamas remains intransigent, clinging to positions that prevent the mediators from advancing an agreement".
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is prepared to enter talks for a more lasting end to hostilities once a temporary truce is agreed, but only if Hamas disarms.
Thousands of people gathered in Israel's coastal hub of Tel Aviv on Saturday calling for the release of the hostages.
"The window of opportunity... is open now and it won't be for long," said former captive Eli Sharabi.
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ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Could Trump actually win the Nobel Peace Prize?
Sydney Pead: Donald Trump has long held aspirations to win a Nobel Peace Prize and now he's collected several nominations for the prestigious award from global leaders, the latest from the Israeli Prime Minister. Today, Emma Shortis, Director of International and Security Affairs at the progressive think tank the Australia Institute, on the President's track record of peace and if he's in with a chance. I'm Sydney Pead, on Gadigal land in Sydney. This is ABC News Daily. Emma, last week in a meeting at the White House, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu handed Donald Trump a letter nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize. Just walk me through what happened at that meeting. Dr Emma Shortis: Benjamin Netanyahu visited the White House. He had dinner with President Trump and presented him with a letter. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister: I want to present to you, Mr. President, the letter I sent to the Nobel Prize Committee. It's nominating you for the Peace Prize, which is well deserved and you should get it. Dr Emma Shortis: He did it in a very, I suppose, flattering way, you know, talking about all the efforts Trump had made towards peace in Gaza and Trump responded as he does to flattery. Donald Trump, US President: Thank you very much. This I didn't know. Well, thank you very much. Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful. Thank you very much, Bibi. Thank you. Thank you Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister: Thank you for everything you're doing. Thank you. Dr Emma Shortis: Netanyahu did what he has been very good at doing in the past in flattering Trump in, I think it's not too far to say he manipulates him well. I think Netanyahu understands Trump perhaps better than many other world leaders and knew that Trump would love the fact that he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Sydney Pead: But this actually isn't the first time Trump's been nominated for this prize. Both the head of Pakistan's army and the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo also recently submitted nominations too. So what's going on there? Dr Emma Shortis: That's right. Trump has been nominated a couple of times, as you said, by the Pakistani government in response to the Trump administration's role in that conflict between Pakistan and India a few months ago, though the Indian government contests the idea that Donald Trump played a role. And as you mentioned, the president of the Congo has also nominated Trump for a peace prize in his role in what they argue is resolving that conflict. So I think broadly speaking, these are examples of other world leaders like Netanyahu attempting to flatter Donald Trump, you know, to keep him on side when he is so volatile and liable to turn on allies, you know, at any moment. Sydney Pead: And we know that Trump has this obsession with receiving a Nobel Peace Prize and he's had that for some time now, including back in his election campaign last October. Donald Trump, US President: I'm just saying if it was anybody else, a liberal Democrat, they would have had it before the damn thing was even signed, you know. And I don't care, but I'm not looking for it. I'm not politicking for it. I'm just saying that there's a lot of unfairness in this world. Sydney Pead: So when did this obsession really kick off? Because he sees himself as a peacemaker or a dealmaker, doesn't he? Dr Emma Shortis: He does. You know, he certainly framed himself that way during the last election campaign in particular. He framed himself as the peacemaker and as the anti-war candidate. Donald Trump, US President: I'm the only candidate who can make this promise. I will prevent World War III. This will be obliteration, perhaps obliteration of the entire world. I will prevent it. Nobody else can say that. Dr Emma Shortis: But like many things, if not all things, that Trump becomes obsessed with politically and ideologically, his obsession with the Nobel Peace Prize is a direct response to it being awarded to President Barack Obama in 2009 during Barack Obama's first term. Donald Trump, US President: If I were named Obama, I would have had the Nobel Prize given to him in 10 seconds. He got the Nobel Prize for doing nothing, for getting elected. But I got elected too. Dr Emma Shortis: So that's really, I think, where Trump's obsession started. You know, he came to office or he built his political campaign on wanting to undo anything that Obama had done and to better anything that he had done. Sydney Pead: OK, before we get into how deserving Trump may or may not be, just remind me, what exactly is the process for winning a Nobel Peace Prize? Dr Emma Shortis: The Nobel Peace Prize is managed by the Norwegian government. It's existed since 1901 and is awarded yearly to an individual or a group. And the award is decided by a committee appointed by the Norwegian parliament to a person or a group who has done the most or the best work for, as they describe it, fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses. So it's a really important award. I think it has a huge influence on how people think about peace and security and, of course, gets a lot of attention. You know, that's part of the reason, again, why Donald Trump is obsessed with it. It's quite a rigorous process. The committee is advised by experts and I think prides itself on awarding the prize based on evidence and based on genuine contributions to peace. Sydney Pead: I want to turn now to the merits of Trump's nomination because Benjamin Netanyahu cites the Abraham Accords, which Trump helped broker in his first term. So just tell me about those Accords and how important was that negotiation? Dr Emma Shortis: Sure. So those Accords were widely regarded as very important and what they did or what they purported to do was normalise relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the UAE, so the, I suppose, the more moderate Arab states. Donald Trump, US President: The Abraham Accords were very important and you had really peace. You had the Arabs and the Jews getting along. Dr Emma Shortis: The problem, of course, with the Accords was that they sought to circumvent or, I suppose, sidestep the Israel-Palestine conflict. And it became very clear on October 7 during the Hamas attacks on Israel that sidestepping that conflict was not possible and normalising relations between Israel and the broader Middle East while Israel was retaliating and occupying and attacking Gaza would be known as impossible. So while the Accords, the Abraham Accords, were regarded as important at the time, it has become clear that they were inadequate and didn't do the work of addressing that central question of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Sydney Pead: Okay. And Trump is also seeking credit for ending the so-called 12-day war in Iran, as well as brokering a truce between India and Pakistan and Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. So is there a case to be made for him on those fronts? Dr Emma Shortis: I think on the merits, looking at those agreements, we can only conclude that they are temporary or they were born out of situations that Trump himself created. So you mentioned Iran, for example, at the beginning. That conflict involved the United States unilaterally bombing Iran with no legitimate basis in international law. So not only did the Trump administration further undermine the institutions and the principles of international law, it's also taken a policy position that you can effectively bomb your way to peace. And I, and I think many others, would argue that that directly contradicts the spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize. I think when it comes to other conflicts like India and Pakistan or the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, you could certainly argue that the Trump administration played a role in a temporary stay for those conflicts, but that lasting peace, enduring peace, is not guaranteed and that the Trump administration is not willing to do the work to ensure lasting peace. In fact, it's undermining the institutions that contribute to that peace, including the United States diplomatic efforts and its provision of foreign aid, all of which creates further instability. Sydney Pead: And of course, Trump has failed to bring about any ceasefire to the war in Ukraine, despite at one stage saying he could do it within 24 hours. Donald Trump, US President: I'll take 24 hours. It would be easy. That deal would be easy. A lot of it has to do with the money. A lot of it has to do with the military, you know, that we're giving. But I would get that deal done within 24 hours. Sydney Pead: But it's proven to be much more difficult than he originally suspected, right? Dr Emma Shortis: Apparently so. You know, we're almost, I think, six months now into the Trump administration and there's no sign that that conflict is anywhere near resolution, despite, as you said, Trump's promise to end it on day one. What it has done is do things like unilaterally stop support, military support for Ukraine, which Trump appears to have been unaware of until it, after it happened, until after the defence secretary made that move. News report: Well, it looks like the US President Donald Trump has reversed a unilateral decision by his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, to halt a shipment of military aid to Ukraine. Donald Trump, US President: We want to put defensive weapons because Putin is not, he's not treating human beings right. He's killing too many people. So we're sending some defensive weapons to Ukraine and I've approved that. So Reporter: Who ordered the pause last week? Donald Trump, US President: I don't know. What don't you tell me? Dr Emma Shortis: You know, I think Trump has periodically paid attention to the conflict, but has not made the investment required in diplomacy, in the kind of diplomacy that might begin to resolve that conflict. Sydney Pead: And we did see Trump recently swing back towards criticising President Vladimir Putin. Just last week he blasted him for delaying moves towards a ceasefire, threatening more sanctions on Russia. Donald Trump, US President: A lot of bullsh** thrown at us by Putin, for you want to know the truth. He's very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless. We're not happy with Putin. I'm not happy with Putin. I can tell you that much right now, because he's killing a lot of people. Sydney Pead: And similarly, the war in Gaza has continued. A two-month ceasefire started just after Trump was inaugurated earlier this year. And Trump claims a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be close, but this comes after so much death and destruction, it doesn't seem like peace is really on the horizon. Dr Emma Shortis: Absolutely not. There is no peace in Gaza, and I think we can't emphasise that enough. The death and the destruction is almost incomprehensible, and Trump has shown no real interest, I think, in addressing that or in addressing the extraordinary overreach of the Israeli government. He's shown no interest in investigating accusations of war crimes in Gaza, for example. So even if he did announce a ceasefire tomorrow, that ceasefire would not be interested in building genuine peace and security. When Trump is talking about policies of forced removal of Palestinians from Gaza, that if nothing else, goes against, again, the spirit of the Nobel Peace Prize, which is focused on human security and genuine peacebuilding. Sydney Pead: Emma, Trump winning a Nobel Peace Prize, is it entirely out of the realm of possibility? Because the prize has been awarded to some fairly controversial figures in the past. Can you tell me about that? Dr Emma Shortis: It has, and we mentioned that the Peace Prize was awarded to President Obama, and that was controversial at the time because the Obama administration saw, during the continuation of the war on terror, for example, the targeting of people with drone strikes. The Obama administration oversaw the bombing, continued bombing campaigns in Afghanistan, in Pakistan, in Libya, in Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and Syria. So the awarding of the Peace Prize to Obama is controversial, to say the least. And if we go back even further in history, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was awarded the Peace Prize in 1973 for his role in negotiating an end to the war in Vietnam, which of course was a war that the United States started, and a war in which Henry Kissinger played a really important role in overseeing bombing campaigns, in overseeing horrifying death and destruction. So the joint awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize then to an American leader was also controversial. Sydney Pead: Okay, so there is form for US presidents to win the prize for brokering ceasefires in foreign conflicts, even ending wars that they may have started. So if Trump was to negotiate a lasting ceasefire in Gaza or Ukraine, do you think he would be in with a chance? Dr Emma Shortis: I do think it's unlikely, and one of the reasons I think that is because the Nobel Peace Prize Instagram account actually put up a post explaining that nomination for the prize actually doesn't mean anything. Anyone can be nominated for the prize, and it doesn't actually mean that they are in with a chance. The Peace Prize Committee prides itself on the rigorous nature of that award and how the recipient is chosen, and I think would be very aware that even if awarding the Peace Prize to Trump might appease him for a little while and encourage some of his better instincts in terms of peace building, it would also implicitly endorse, well, it would directly endorse really, what Trump is doing in catastrophically undermining the principles of international law and also domestic law at home. We have to remember that this is a president who has deployed the military against American citizens in California. This is a kind of president who's threatening allies, close allies like Canada, with annexation. So awarding him the Peace Prize would effectively render the Nobel Peace Prize meaningless. Sydney Pead: Emma Shortis is the Director of International and Security Affairs at the progressive think tank, the Australia Institute. This episode was produced by Kara Jensen Mackinnon and Cinnamon Nippard. Audio production by Sam Dunn. Our supervising producer is David Coady. I'm Sydney Pead. ABC News Daily will be back again tomorrow. Thanks for listening.
The Advertiser
5 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Envoy meets Zelenskiy as US pledges missiles to Ukraine
US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia has met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the three-year war. Zelenskiy said he and retired general Keith Kellogg had "a productive conversation" about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries, as well as the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin. "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Trump last week said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin, and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskiy of prolonging the war and called him a "dictator without elections". But Russia's relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump's patience. "I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late on Sunday. "He'll talk so beautifully and then he'll bomb people at night. We don't like that." Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. At the same time, Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. Trump confirmed the US was sending Ukraine more badly needed Patriot air defence missiles and the European Union would pay the US for the "various pieces of very sophisticated" weaponry. While the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons, EU member countries can and are, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. He added: "And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for international investment, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington, adding attempts at pressure were "doomed to fail". NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visits came as Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia has met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the three-year war. Zelenskiy said he and retired general Keith Kellogg had "a productive conversation" about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries, as well as the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin. "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Trump last week said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin, and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskiy of prolonging the war and called him a "dictator without elections". But Russia's relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump's patience. "I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late on Sunday. "He'll talk so beautifully and then he'll bomb people at night. We don't like that." Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. At the same time, Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. Trump confirmed the US was sending Ukraine more badly needed Patriot air defence missiles and the European Union would pay the US for the "various pieces of very sophisticated" weaponry. While the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons, EU member countries can and are, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. He added: "And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for international investment, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington, adding attempts at pressure were "doomed to fail". NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visits came as Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia has met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the three-year war. Zelenskiy said he and retired general Keith Kellogg had "a productive conversation" about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries, as well as the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin. "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Trump last week said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin, and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskiy of prolonging the war and called him a "dictator without elections". But Russia's relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump's patience. "I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late on Sunday. "He'll talk so beautifully and then he'll bomb people at night. We don't like that." Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. At the same time, Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. Trump confirmed the US was sending Ukraine more badly needed Patriot air defence missiles and the European Union would pay the US for the "various pieces of very sophisticated" weaponry. While the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons, EU member countries can and are, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. He added: "And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for international investment, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington, adding attempts at pressure were "doomed to fail". NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visits came as Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia has met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the three-year war. Zelenskiy said he and retired general Keith Kellogg had "a productive conversation" about strengthening Ukrainian air defences, joint arms production and purchasing US weapons in conjunction with European countries, as well as the possibility of tighter international sanctions on the Kremlin. "We hope for the leadership of the United States, because it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its ... ambitions are stopped by force," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. Trump last week said he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Trump has long boasted of his friendly relationship with Putin, and after taking office in January repeatedly said that Russia was more willing than Ukraine to reach a peace deal. At the same time, Trump accused Zelenskiy of prolonging the war and called him a "dictator without elections". But Russia's relentless onslaught against civilian areas of Ukraine wore down Trump's patience. "I am very disappointed with President Putin, I thought he was somebody that meant what he said," Trump said late on Sunday. "He'll talk so beautifully and then he'll bomb people at night. We don't like that." Russia has pounded Ukrainian cities with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. At the same time, Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. Trump confirmed the US was sending Ukraine more badly needed Patriot air defence missiles and the European Union would pay the US for the "various pieces of very sophisticated" weaponry. While the EU is not allowed under its treaties to buy weapons, EU member countries can and are, just as NATO member countries are buying and sending weapons. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump shows growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. He added: "And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's envoy for international investment, dismissed what he said were efforts to drive a wedge between Moscow and Washington, adding attempts at pressure were "doomed to fail". NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The visits came as Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea.
The Advertiser
8 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trump envoy in Kyiv as US pledges missiles to Ukraine
US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired general Keith Kellogg, has arrived in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the more than three-year war. Trump last week teased that he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Putin "talks nice and then he bombs everybody", Trump said late on Sunday as he confirmed the US was sending Ukraine badly needed US-made Patriot air defence missiles to help it fend off Russia's intensifying aerial attacks. Russia has spread terror in Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said on Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said on Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump showed growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. "One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Also, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress. Talks during Kellogg's visit to Kyiv will cover "defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States", said the head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andrii Yermak. "Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump's principle, and we support this approach," Yermak said. Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. Four others were injured, including a seven-year-old, it said. Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired general Keith Kellogg, has arrived in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the more than three-year war. Trump last week teased that he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Putin "talks nice and then he bombs everybody", Trump said late on Sunday as he confirmed the US was sending Ukraine badly needed US-made Patriot air defence missiles to help it fend off Russia's intensifying aerial attacks. Russia has spread terror in Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said on Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said on Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump showed growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. "One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Also, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress. Talks during Kellogg's visit to Kyiv will cover "defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States", said the head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andrii Yermak. "Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump's principle, and we support this approach," Yermak said. Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. Four others were injured, including a seven-year-old, it said. Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired general Keith Kellogg, has arrived in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the more than three-year war. Trump last week teased that he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Putin "talks nice and then he bombs everybody", Trump said late on Sunday as he confirmed the US was sending Ukraine badly needed US-made Patriot air defence missiles to help it fend off Russia's intensifying aerial attacks. Russia has spread terror in Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said on Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said on Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump showed growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. "One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Also, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress. Talks during Kellogg's visit to Kyiv will cover "defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States", said the head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andrii Yermak. "Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump's principle, and we support this approach," Yermak said. Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. Four others were injured, including a seven-year-old, it said. Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea. US President Donald Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired general Keith Kellogg, has arrived in Kyiv as anticipation grows over a possible shift in the Trump administration's policy on the more than three-year war. Trump last week teased that he would make a "major statement" on Russia on Monday. Trump made quickly stopping the war one of his diplomatic priorities, and he has increasingly expressed frustration about Russian President Vladimir Putin's unbudging stance on US-led peace efforts. Putin "talks nice and then he bombs everybody", Trump said late on Sunday as he confirmed the US was sending Ukraine badly needed US-made Patriot air defence missiles to help it fend off Russia's intensifying aerial attacks. Russia has spread terror in Ukrainian cities, including the capital, Kyiv, with hundreds of drones and cruise and ballistic missiles that Ukraine's air defences are struggling to counter. June brought the highest monthly civilian casualties of the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1343 wounded, the UN human rights mission in Ukraine said on Thursday. Russia launched 10 times more drones and missiles in June than in the same month in 2024, it said. That has happened at the same time as Russia's bigger army is making a new effort to drive back Ukrainian defenders on parts of the 1000km front line. A top ally of Trump, Republican senator Lindsey Graham, said on Sunday that the conflict was nearing an inflection point as Trump showed growing interest in helping Ukraine fight back against Russia's full-scale invasion. It's a cause that Trump had previously dismissed as being a waste of US taxpayer money. "In the coming days, you'll see weapons flowing at a record level to help Ukraine defend themselves," Graham said on CBS's Face the Nation. "One of the biggest miscalculations (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has made is to play Trump. And you just watch, in the coming days and weeks, there's going to be a massive effort to get Putin to the table." Also, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was due in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, as well as members of Congress. Talks during Kellogg's visit to Kyiv will cover "defence, strengthening security, weapons, sanctions, protection of our people and enhancing cooperation between Ukraine and the United States", said the head of Ukraine's presidential office, Andrii Yermak. "Russia does not want a ceasefire. Peace through strength is President Donald Trump's principle, and we support this approach," Yermak said. Russian troops conducted a combined aerial strike at Shostka, in the northern Sumy region of Ukraine, using glide bombs and drones early Monday morning, killing two people, the regional prosecutor's office said. Four others were injured, including a seven-year-old, it said. Overnight from Sunday to Monday, Russia fired four S-300/400 missiles and 136 Shahed and decoy drones at Ukraine, the air force said. It said that 61 drones were intercepted and 47 more were either jammed or lost from radars mid-flight. The Russian defence ministry, meanwhile, said its air defences downed 11 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions on the border with Ukraine, as well as over the annexed Crimea and the Black Sea.
