
Ukraine: Kyiv death toll rises, Russia ignores Trump warning – DW – 08/01/2025
Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine, even as US President Donald Trump threatens tougher sanctions unless President Vladimir Putin agrees to a ceasefire in the coming days.
A day of mourning was being held in Ukraine's capital on Friday a day after Russia launched waves of missiles and drones on Kyiv, killing 31 people, and wounding over 150 others.
Trump slammed Russia's military actions in Ukraine as "disgusting." He has given Putin until August 8 to reach a ceasefire or face sanctions.Kyiv is observing a day of mourning following Thursday's deadly bombardment, one of the worst attacks since Russia launched its full-scale offensive in February 2022.
In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the geopolitical fallout. US President Donald Trump's patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be wearing thin.
Over the past few days, Trump has repeatedly shortened the deadline to impose sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine.
His envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Russia after his current stop in Israel. The outcome of the trip could be telling.

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DW
4 hours ago
- DW
India brushes off Trump tariff threat over Russian oil – DW – 08/04/2025
India has pushed back against US President Donald Trump's threat to impose higher tariffs on Indian goods. New Delhi condemned Western criticism of its buying oil from Moscow, vowing to protect its national interests. India on Monday denounced as unfair the mounting pressure from the United States and European Union over its continued purchases of Russian oil. Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the country would safeguard its economic interests amid threats of steep tariffs from President Donald Trump. "The targeting of India is unjustified and unreasonable," said Jaiswal, asserting the country's sovereign right to secure energy supplies in line with its needs. "Like any major economy, India will take all necessary measures to safeguard its national interests and economic security," he added. Jaiswal also argued that India's imports began only after Western countries diverted traditional supplies to Europe following the outbreak of the Ukraine war. He also accused both the EU and the US of hypocrisy. "It is revealing that the very nations criticizing India are themselves indulging in trade with Russia," Jaiswal said. "Unlike our case, such trade is not even a vital national compulsion." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Jaiswal pointed to ongoing Europe-Russia trade involving fertilizers, chemicals, iron and steel, machinery, and transport equipment. He also noted that the US continues to import Russian uranium hexafluoride for its nuclear industry, palladium for electric vehicles, and other industrial goods. US President Donald Trump has threatened to sharply increase tariffs on Indian goods, accusing New Delhi of profiting from discounted Russian oil while failing to support efforts to end the war in Ukraine. While Trump did not specify the exact rate, an existing 10% tariff on Indian products is expected to rise to 25% starting Thursday. The move, he said, was in response to India "buying massive amounts of Russian oil" and reselling it for profit, which he claimed fuels Moscow's war on Ukraine. "They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine," Trump wrote on Truth Social. The move adds strain to a key trade relationship. The US is India's largest trading partner, with Indian exports to the US totaling $87.4 billion in 2024. India recorded a nearly $46 billion trade surplus with the US the same year. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video


DW
10 hours ago
- DW
Russia warns against 'nuclear rhetoric' amid Trump row – DW – 08/04/2025
The Kremlin has played down the significance of Trump repositioning US submarines in response to an inflammatory post by Dmitry Medvedev. The Kremlin on Monday urged a tamping down of nuclear rhetoric after US President Donald Trump reacted to threats leveled by former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on social media. Medvedev took to social media last week, warning Trump of Russia's nuclear capabilities after the US president shortened a self-imposed deadline for Moscow to enter ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine or face serious consequences. Trump responded on Friday by announcing that two US "nuclear submarines" had been repositioned "in the appropriate regions" in response to his "highly inflammatory statements." On Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, "Russia is very attentive to the topic of nuclear non-proliferation. And we believe that everyone should be very, very cautious with nuclear rhetoric." Peskov added that Moscow has no interest in escalating the situation, noting it is clear that US nuclear submarines "are always on alert in any case," suggesting Trump's statement would not influence Kremlin behavior. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Medvedev, who served as Russian President from 2008-2012 and is now deputy chair of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, is widely seen as a provocateur for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has become known for releasing hardline statements since Moscow launched the war in Ukraine. Trump has previously told Medvedev to "watch his words." Russian President Vladimir Putin has leveled nuclear threats at Ukraine — which gave up its Soviet era nuclear arsenal in return for US, UK and Russian security assurances in 1994 — in an attempt to disrupt alliances between Kyiv, the West and NATO. Trump, who said he would end Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine on his first day in office, is currently threatening unspecified sanctions on Russia if Moscow does not take steps to end the war by Friday — something Russian President Putin has been unwilling to do. Trump has recently vented displeasure with Putinand has began threatening India and China with "secondary tariffs" for their energy and economic ties with Russia. On Sunday, Trump announced that he would be dispatching special envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow on "Wednesday or Thursday" as the US administration continues in its efforts to secure a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Numerous previous meetings between Witkoff and Putin have so far not contributed towards Russia ending its ongoing invasion. Asked about what he wanted Witkoff to achieve in Moscow, Trump said, "get a deal where people stop getting killed." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video


Int'l Business Times
21 hours ago
- Int'l Business Times
Asian Markets Fluctuate As Traders Weigh Tariffs, US Jobs
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