In the midst of the sharper than ever ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Former President Donald Trump drops a BRAVE ultimatum. Specifically, he proposed putting 100% tariffs on all purchasers of Russian oil. He has further threatened to levy new sanctions should Moscow fail to reach a “meaningful peace deal” with Ukraine. To make it more dramatic, Trump imposed a 50-day countdown clock for these negotiations, which runs out in early September. This announcement comes as he awaits sentencing this fall due to unrelated criminal charges.
As the path of international governance changes, so too does the ongoing and intensifying war in Ukraine. This follows a drone and missile attack just yesterday by Russian forces that unfortunately claimed the life of a 10-year-old boy in Kramatorsk. This brutal attack injured over a dozen others across the country. This attack highlights the continuing humanitarian disaster caused by this war.
As reported by the exiled Russian independent news outlet, The Insider, this is a dangerous and worrisome trend. Russian authorities are reportedly recruiting children from schools and orphanages to help design and test military drones. These campaigns begin with innocent looking video games. They soon evolve into talent competitions that lure the most talented students, who are then poached by defense contractors. While this organized practice is incredibly efficient, it brings up serious moral issues about the distribution of children for military strategy.
At the same time, protests spread across Ukraine, with some 1,500 protesters storming and surrounding President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office-building complex in Kyiv. The demonstrators chanted “Shame” and “Veto the bill,” as well as hoisting signs that reflected their anger, including nevertheless. This unrest coincides with Zelenskyy’s approval of a controversial bill that weakens Ukraine’s anti-corruption bodies, allowing for increased political interference. Opponents claim that this bill is a major blow to Ukraine’s fight against corruption.
65-year-old Howard Phillips has been convicted. He helped another country’s intelligence service. He was charged under the National Security Act for providing personal information about Grant Shapps to two undercover officers posing as Russian agents. This case underscores long-standing fears about espionage and foreign lobbying in Ukraine.
On the diplomatic side, Ukraine’s negotiation team with Russia will be headed by Rustem Umerov. As tensions persist, international observers remain focused on how these talks will unfold and whether Trump’s proposed tariffs will influence Russia’s position.