Russia Cannot Win in Ukraine: Yale Historian Odd Arne Westad Explains Why | DW News

July 18, 2026 | Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine lasts longer than the First World War. Can these wars really be compared? How long could the war in Ukraine last, and how might it end? What risks does Vladimir Putin face if he expands the war to other regions of Europe?

Odd Arne Westad, a Norwegian historian, professor at Yale University and an expert on the history of the Cold War, as well as on the history of China and East Asia speaks to DW about history lessons for Russia, Europe and the world. His book, published in the spring of 2026, is called ‘The Coming Storm. Power, Conflicts and the Warnings of History”.

Has a New Phase of the Ukraine War Opened? | DW News

July 19, 2026 | Russia has responded to Ukrainian forces striking warehouses, shipping and logistics targets that Kyiv says are supporting Russia's war effort. Moscow fired more than 40 missiles and 125 drones overnight, damaging homes, offices and industrial sites in Ukraine. Kyiv has been taking the war deeper into Russia than ever before and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the campaign will continue to expand. But the latest attacks by Russia have exposed gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses.

Russia Pounds Kyiv for Five Hours in One of Its Biggest Ballistic Missile Attacks

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | A firefighter at work after about 40 missiles hit the Ukraine capital of Kyiv in night-time strikes. Photograph: Reuters
THE GUARDIAN: At least one person killed after dozens of missiles arrive in less than an hour and three-storey building catches fire

Russia has carried out one of its biggest-ever ballistic missile attacks on Kyiv, launching a five-hour raid that left at least one person dead and seven injured, with fires and damage across the city.

Ukrainian officials said the capital was hit with about 40 Iskander-M and hypersonic Zircon missiles. Residents heard an air raid siren sound at 1.30am. There was the sound of air defences, followed minutes later by a series of booms and explosions.

Houses in Kyiv’s historic centre shook, and car alarms blared, as dozens of missiles arrived in less than an hour. There was a second air raid siren at 6.30am, with more impacts reported.

A three-storey building caught fire in the central Shevchenkivsky district. Rescuers dug out several people trapped inside and recovered a body. Four other areas were hit, with fires reported at office and residential buildings and a dormitory.

Residents sheltering inside Lukyanivska metro station posted footage after the ceiling in the ground-floor vestibule collapsed because of a massive blast wave. The station is temporarily closed. » | Luke Harding in Kyiv | Sunday, July 19, 2026

Putin’s War Finally Reaches Moscow: What Changes Now?

July 7, 2026 | In this extended interview, CBC’s Terence McKenna asks American journalist and Pulitzer-prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum about the shifting dynamics of the war in Ukraine and the implications for Russian President Vladimir Putin and European allies.

Moscow Oil Refinery Struck in Ukraine’s Biggest Air Raid on City since Start of War

THE GUARDIAN: Kyiv says attack, which also forced evacuation at Russia’s biggest airport, was in response to strike on historic monastery

Ukrainian drones have hit several locations across Moscow in Kyiv’s biggest air raid on the city since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, setting a major ⁠oil refinery on fire and forcing evacuations at the country’s largest airport.

The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the attack as a response to Russia’s striking of a historic Kyiv monastery complex earlier this week.

“We do not want this war and never did,” Zelenskyy said in a voice message to journalists. “But if Ukraine is going to burn, your Moscow will burn too … It is time to end the aggression, time to end this war.” » | Peter Beaumont in Kyiv and Pjotr Sauer | Thursday, June 18, 2026

Trump Hits the Stalemate Phase of His International Interventions, and It Stings

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In Ukraine, Gaza and now Iran, President Trump’s early declarations of easy wins have given way to harsh reality.

President Trump likes his military and diplomatic victories quick, clean and decisive.

On his desk in the Oval Office, he keeps models of the B-2 bombers that took out three Iranian nuclear sites in one night, not quite a year ago. In the opening weeks of the Iran conflict this year, he talked often about replicating his success in Venezuela — “the perfect scenario,’’ he said — shorthand for overthrowing a troublesome leader with one quick commando raid, and replacing him with a pliant, American-friendly successor.

But now, Mr. Trump has hit the stalemate phase of his presidency.

The war with Iran is clearly at that stage. When he declared a cease-fire on April 7, Mr. Trump said on social media that the end of combat operations would be conditional on “the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.” It wasn’t. Even if commerce now resumes across the strait under a memorandum of understanding still under negotiation, it will still leave the future of Iran’s nuclear and missile programs exactly where they were in February: stuck in a further negotiation that the administration insists will be “time limited,” probably to 60 days.

But the Iranians sense Mr. Trump’s deep reluctance to restart combat operations that are deeply unpopular in the United States, and most Iran experts say they expect Tehran to try to stretch the negotiations for months or years — as they have with past administrations. » | David E. Sanger | David E. Sanger has covered five American presidents over four decades at the Times, and writes often on the revival of superpower conflict, the subject of his latest book. | Sunday, May 31, 2026

Russia Hits Kyiv with a Missile Nobody Can Stop – and Ukraine Knew It Was Coming | DW News

May 25, 2026 | Ukraine knew the attack was coming. President Zelenskyy warned publicly that intelligence had detected launch preparations. The US Embassy issued a security alert. Russia fired anyway – and nothing stopped it. We're asking former US ambassador William Courtney what the Oreshnik missile actually means for this war.

Ukrainian Territory Is Not ‘On the Table’ as Putin’s Offensive Falters | Robert Fox

May 11, 2026 | “Zelenskyy is pretty sure they’re not going to do a trade over ground.”

Russia’s failure to make any land territory in the past year and its rapid loss of manpower means Putin is in no position to negotiate for territory, says defence editor for The Standard, Robert Fox.

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.

ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.

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.