Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join NATO, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country, three sources familiar with top-level Kremlin thinking told Reuters.

Putin is laying “a trap” for the West to walk into if Ukraine ends up giving up land to Russia as part of a potential peace deal to end the war, Kaja Kallas warns.

Kim Jong Un held a tearful ceremony for North Korean soldiers killed fighting for Russia in Ukraine’s Kursk region and suggested it could mark the end of overseas military operations.

Despite Russia being banned from FIFA competitions, Trump said he thinks Putin will attend the 2026 World Cup.

Last month was the deadliest since Putin launched his full-scale war on Ukraine three and a half years ago. In July alone, 286 civilians were killed and another 1,388, according to official data.

In the most detailed Russian-based reporting to date on Putin's offer at the Alaska summit, Reuters was able to outline the contours of what the Kremlin would like to see in a possible peace deal.

It comes as Ukraine is celebrating its independence day on Sunday, which marks the country's declaration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has repeatedly called on both Russia and Ukraine to show maximum restraint around nuclear facilities in the war.

AMW PR Senior Vice President Ajay Bruno claims Russia is going to “play hardball as long as they can” as the war in Ukraine continues to rage on.