What Is Putin's Plan after Four Years of War in Ukraine? | Global News Podcast

Feb 23, 2026 | We take a look at Russia, its leader, and its people, after four years of war in Ukraine. What is Vladimir Putin's end game? Have his talks with US President Donald Trump emboldened him? And what does the Russian public make of the conflict, as casualties rise and the economy struggles?

We speak to the BBC's Russia editor Steve Rosenberg, one of the few Western journalists covering the Kremlin from inside the country.

Steve Rosenberg: How Four Years of War on Ukraine Have Changed Russia

Feb 23, 2026 | “For Russia, the consequences of its war on Ukraine are now harder to ignore.” We drive 350km from Moscow to see how the war is changing Russia.

Russia Launches ‘Brutal’ Attack on Ukraine as Peace Talks Continue

THE GUARDIAN: Kyiv says Moscow used 396 drones and missiles in ‘another night of Russian terror’ on second day of talks in UAE

Russia launched a massive drone and missile attack targeting Ukraine’s two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, early on Saturday, as US, Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met in the United Arab Emirates for the second day of tripartite peace talks.

“Peace efforts? Trilateral meeting in the UAE? Diplomacy? For Ukrainians, this was another night of Russian terror,” Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andriy Sybiha, said after the latest Russian assault on critical infrastructure.

“Cynically, Putin ordered a brutal massive missile strike against Ukraine right while delegations are meeting in Abu Dhabi to advance the America-led peace process. His missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.”

With Kyiv and other cities in the midst of widespread outages of heat, water and power after Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, officials in Kyiv said one person had been killed and at least 15 injured in strikes that continued until morning. » | Peter Beaumont in Kyiv | Saturday, January 24, 2026

Donald Trump Delivers Putin's Talking Points in Sick Press Conference with Zelenskyy

Dec 29, 2025 | Jesse talks about the sick and twisted remarks from Donald Trump during last night's press conference at Mar-a-Lago with the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump dutifully regurgitated Russian propaganda and talking points seemingly on command.

Trump Takes Orders from Putin over War in Ukraine, as Russia Pushes Propaganda Plan upon President

Dec 30, 2025 | Donald Trump claims he can end the war in Ukraine—but the optics and timing of recent events tell a far more troubling story. As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Florida for critical peace talks, Trump publicly highlighted a phone call with Vladimir Putin, positioning himself as the central power broker while Russia escalated threats and spread disinformation. In this video, we break down how Russia’s sudden claim of a foiled drone attack on Putin’s residence fits a familiar pattern of information warfare, why Zelenskyy has warned of imminent strikes on Kyiv’s government buildings, and how Trump’s personalized, optics-driven diplomacy risks pressuring Ukraine rather than confronting Russian aggression.

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Steve Schmidt: Trump’s Appeasement of Putin Threatens the World

Dec 29, 2025 | Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin before meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss an elusive peace deal at Mar-a-Lago. Steve Schmidt breaks down Representative Mike Turner’s comments and explains why appeasing Putin threatens the entire world.

You get an ignorant leader of the West when you let ignorant people elect such a powerful man. This is the weakness of democracy — when the right to vote is given to know-nothings. And, while we are at it, how many innocent Ukrainians (and Russians) have had to die because of this ignorance? — © Mark Alexander

IHIP News: Trump Can’t Stop Glazing Putin! Embarrassing Press Conference Has Allies in Disbelief

Dec 19, 2025 | Trump goes on and on about his love for Putin in front of Zelensky.

Very strong language alert!

Trump is such a WEAK man. He understands FA about geopolitics and/or diplomacy. He is a very IGNORANT person. He has read NOTHING, and it shows! Add all this to his insatiable need to become ever richer, his propensity to lie through his teeth, and his corrupt nature, and we have a disaster in the making. — © Mark Alexander

Trump Has Proven He 'Stands with Russia' after Ukraine Peace Talks

December 29, 2025

Putin Faces ‘War on His Doorstep’ after Russian General Killed in Moscow

Dec 23, 2025 | “They’re trying to send out the message that you’re not safe from us anywhere in the world.”

Ukraine are “striking” right at the heart, as they are suspected of being behind the Russian general car bombing attack in central Moscow, says the Atlantic Council’s Michael Bociurkiw.

'Putin Was P*ssed' as EU Funding and Assassinations Threaten Russia's Invasion | Scott Lucas

Dec 23, 2025 | Putin's angry tirade at Europe nations in his national television address last week reflects his fears about Ukrainian attacks and ongoing European support for Kyiv, says Prof. Scott Lucas on Frontline.

Trump’s Talks with Putin Won’t Deliver Peace While Moscow Seeks Ukraine’s ‘Subjugation’

Dec 21, 2025 | “There might be a ceasefire, but I don’t see a lasting peace.”

Trump’s talks are unlikely to produce a lasting breakthrough as Russia and Ukraine’s positions remain “diametrically opposed,” and Moscow is still pursuing the “subjugation of Ukraine,” says former NSA official and military analyst Cedric Leighton.

How 2025 Pushed Russia into Economic 'Collapse' | Bill Browder

Dec 20, 2025 | Putin's invasion of Ukraine has already pushed Russia's economy into the beginning of a collapse says Bill Browder founder of the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, discussing the global impact of the war in Ukraine in 2025 with Philip Ingram.

Trump Is 'Away with the Fairies' So Europe Must Step Up

Dec 18, 2025 | "We in Europe have got to step up up but that’s going to be very expensive."

Europe has got to be ready to deal with "hooligan Russia" as Trump grows increasingly "flaky", says The Times's Matthew Parris.

Ukraine’s Fate Enters Crunch Time Today amid a ‘Monumental’ Decision | Sir Bill Browder

Dec 18, 2025 | Sir Bill Browder joins Times Radio’s Maddie Hale to discuss Vladimir Putin’s TV address where he accused European countries of “stoking the level of hysteria”, President Zelenskyy sends a stern message to the United States and EU leaders meet in Brussels to press Belgium to release tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets in order to provide Ukraine with the economic and military needs for the next two years.

Thom Hartmann: Are We Already At War with Russia and Pretending We’re Not w/ Lev Parnas

Dec 17, 2025 | Is Russia already at war with us? Tanks aren’t rolling through cities, but cyberattacks, proxy wars, sanctions, and covert operations are everywhere. Has the world already crossed the line into global war between the United States and Russia? — and why governments may be afraid to say it out loud.

Zelenskyy Plays ‘Clever’ Security Card after Calling Trump’s Bluff | Michael Weiss

Dec 15, 2025 | Michael Weiss - editor of The Insider - joins Times Radio’s Maddie Hale to discuss Ukraine’s meeting with US delegates in Berlin,Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges Donald Trump to commit to security guarantees and have it voted on in Congress and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warns Europe to take Putin seriously while comparing his ambitions to those of Hitler in the 1930s.

Trump Is Forcing Ukraine into a ‘Transactional’ Peace Deal as Europe Quietly Pushes Back

Dec 14, 2025 | “The trick is never to say no, but instead opt for ‘yes, Mr President, but…’”

Europe is trying to quietly steer Trump away from forcing Ukraine into “very serious and dangerous concessions” by keeping him onside while shifting pressure back onto Putin, says international affairs commentator and Zelensky biographer Gallagher Fenwick.

Trump's Gangster Peace Demands Are a Mockery of Just, Durable Peace

Dec 13, 2025 | Sir Richard Shirreff is Co-founder and Managing Partner at Strategia Worldwide. After graduating from Oxford, he served in the British Army for 37 years commanding soldiers on operations or in combat at every level from platoon to division and rising to the highest rank before retiring from the Army as NATO’s Deputy Supreme Commander Europe. In 2016 his novel ‘2017: War with Russia’ was published in the UK, USA, and Poland. He is an honorary Fellow of Exeter College, Oxford.

Ukraine’s Fate Will Be Determined Next Week | Sir Bill Browder

Dec 12, 2025 | Sir Bill Browder joins Times Radio’s Maddie Hale to discuss the United States suggesting Donbas become a free economic zone, Belgium threatens legal action against the EU if it moves ahead with plans to use or effectively seize frozen Russian central bank assets and Ukraine’s strikes halt production on a Lukoil-operated oil rig in the Caspian sea.

Sir Bill Browder is the man who has got the most impressive understanding of this problem. It is so refreshing to listen to him bringing clarity into this most difficult and intractable of problems. Bill Browder cuts to the chase. — © Mark Alexander

US Wants Ukraine to Withdraw from Donbas and Create ‘Free Economic Zone’, Says Zelenskyy

THE GUARDIAN: Ukrainian president says plan would not be fair without guarantees that Russia would not simply take over zone

The US wants Ukraine to withdraw its troops from the Donbas region, and Washington would then create a “free economic zone” in the parts Kyiv currently controls, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.

Previously, the US had suggested Kyiv should hand over the parts of Donbas it still controlled to Russia, but the Ukrainian president said on Thursday that Washington had now suggested a compromise version in which Ukrainian troops would withdraw, but Russian troops would not advance into the territory.

“Who will govern this territory, which they are calling a ‘free economic zone’ or a ‘demilitarised zone’ – they don’t know,” said the Ukrainian president, speaking with journalists in Kyiv on Thursday.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine did not believe the plan was fair without guarantees that Russian troops would not simply take over the zone after a Ukrainian withdrawal. Zelenskyy said: “If one side’s troops have to retreat and the other side stays where they are, then what will hold back these other troops, the Russians? Or what will stop them disguising themselves as civilians and taking over this free economic zone? This is all very serious. It’s not a fact that Ukraine would agree to it, but if you are talking about a compromise then it has to be a fair compromise.” » | Shaun Walker in Kyiv | Thursday, December 11, 2025