Daily Digest Online

ROME — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a firm rejection of mounting pressure from the United States to cede territory to Russia as a pathway to peace, declaring that Ukraine has "no moral right" to surrender any of its land as he intensifies diplomatic efforts to secure unwavering support from European allies. The Ukrainian leader's defiant stance comes amid sustained lobbying from Washington. In an interview with Politico published Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump again pressed Zelenskyy to accept a proposal requiring Ukraine to relinquish control of the Donbas region. Trump argued that Russia holds the "upper hand" and that Ukraine must "play ball," claiming other unnamed Ukrainian officials "loved the proposal." In response, Zelenskyy, speaking via WhatsApp to journalists, was unequivocal: "Undoubtedly, Russia insists for us to give up territories. We, clearly, don’t want to give up anyt...

LONDON, UK — European leaders have declared that "now is a critical moment" to dramatically increase support for Ukraine and intensify economic pressure on Russia to end the war. The statement followed a high-stakes meeting in London on Monday, where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought unified backing ahead of delicate peace negotiations with the United States. Zelensky met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at 10 Downing Street to discuss the latest version of a U.S.-backed peace proposal. The meeting highlighted European efforts to balance firm support for Ukraine with the necessity of keeping the United States, under President Donald Trump, engaged in the diplomatic process. A spokesperson for Prime Minister Starmer's office said, "The leaders all agreed that now is a critical moment and that we must continue to ramp up support to Ukraine and economic pressu...

A horrific domestic murder case in Russia has revealed the grim and cynical mechanics of Vladimir Putin's military recruitment, showing how men accused of the most brutal crimes are being offered a path to avoid trial and prison by becoming cannon fodder in Ukraine. In October 2025, Rafis Khuzin, a 56-year-old man from the city of Berezovsky near Yekaterinburg, was detained after confessing to the murder of his wife, Olga Blinova. The crime was exceptionally violent, with investigators alleging that Khuzin stabbed Blinova to death with a large kitchen knife and then partially skinned her upper body before hiding the remains. The crime, allegedly sparked by a dispute over preparing chicken soup, was so brutal that it shocked even seasoned detectives. Instead of facing a potential 15-year prison sentence for murder, Khuzin signed a military contract and was dispatched to the front line in Ukraine. His case is not isolated but part of a wider system the Kremlin...

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a phone conversation on Saturday, focusing on critical Middle Eastern security issues, with Iran's nuclear program at the forefront of their discussions. According to an official Kremlin statement, the two leaders exchanged views on the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the ongoing process of exchanging captives between Palestinian and Israeli sides. The statement confirmed that "both sides also reviewed issues related to Syria, as well as the status of Iran’s nuclear program," noting a shared "interest in exploring negotiated solutions concerning the Iranian nuclear file." Russian state media indicated this dialogue is part of an ongoing diplomatic channel between the two leaders. A previous conversation occurred on October 6, where they discussed broader regional developments, the situation in Gaza, and former U.S. President Donald Trump's pr...

The European Commission has proposed an unprecedented plan to raise €90 billion for Ukraine over the next two years by either using frozen Russian state assets as collateral for a "reparations loan" or by borrowing on international markets, according to a Reuters report. The European Union's executive arm has put forward a landmark proposal to fund Ukraine's military and essential services by leveraging assets frozen from Russia. The plan, detailed by Reuters on Wednesday, outlines two options: securing a "reparations loan" using immobilized Russian state assets as collateral, or borrowing against the EU budget. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated the €90 billion fund would cover roughly two-thirds of Ukraine's financing needs for 2026 and 2027. "Since pressure is the only language the Kremlin responds to, we can also dial it up," she told reporters. The proposal faces significant hurdle...

The commander of Germany’s army has disclosed that direct communication channels with the Pentagon were severed by the Trump administration, raising alarm in Berlin over the future of U.S. commitment to European security. Germany’s top military officer has issued a stark warning about deteriorating trust between Europe and the United States under the Trump administration, citing a severance of high-level communication as a critical concern. General Christian Freuding, the Inspector of the German Army and former head of the Ukraine desk at Germany’s Defence Ministry, revealed that his direct line to the Pentagon has been “completely cut off.” He described the move as a “warning sign” of shifting U.S. priorities under President Trump. In an interview with The Atlantic , Freuding explained that the previously open and daily contact with U.S. counterparts had abruptly ended. He pointed to Washington’s recent suspension of certain arms shipments to Ukrain...