Russian President Vladimir Putin and US emissary Steve Witkoff addressed today in the Kremlin possible direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine to achieve a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
“It was about, among other things, the possible resumption of direct negotiations between representatives of Russia and Ukraine,” said Yuri Ushakov, international adviser to the Kremlin, during a telephone press conference.
Ushakov stressed that the meeting, which lasted for three hours, served to “bring positions closer” between the Kremlin and the White House.
In addition, he stressed that, by virtue of what was agreed by both presidents, the Russian-American consultations will soon continue actively.
US President Donald Trump today defended Moscow’s position on the membership of the annexed Crimean peninsula to the Russian Federation, something that Ukraine considers inadmissible.
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In addition, he assured that Russia’s commitment to cease hostilities and give up taking more territories than it already controls in the neighboring country are sufficient concessions.
Putin was willing for the first time to resume direct contacts with Kiev this week by alluding to a possible 30-day truce in the attacks on civilian infrastructure, at the proposal of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“This must all be studied thoroughly, even at a bilateral level,” he said at the time.
In this regard, Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov said that the main obstacle is the decree signed by Zelenski that prevents him from negotiating face to face with Putin.
Representatives of Russia and Ukraine held direct negotiations in Minsk just after the start of the Russian military intervention on February 24, 2022 and met again in March in Istanbul.
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Russia maintains that both parties had reached a principle of agreement, but the interference of the United Kingdom threw down the consensus, although experts claim that the Russian demands represented, in fact, the capitulation of Kiev.
Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive against Ukraine and last night launched 103 drones on Ukrainian territory, of which 41 were attack and were shot down by Ukrainian air defenses and another 40 without explosive charge fell without causing damage, according to the report issued on Friday by the Ukrainian Air Force.
The attack caused damage in the regions of Kharkov and Sumi, in northeastern Ukraine, in Donetsk in the east of the country and in the Cherkasi and Dnipropetrovsk regions, in the center.
In the town of Pavlograd in the latter region, three people, including a child, died, according to regional authorities.
Study finds COVID-19 vaccines prevented 2.5 million deaths worldwide
COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 2,533,000 deaths worldwide between 2020 and 2024, according to an international study led by Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Italy and Stanford University in the United States, published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. Researchers calculated that one death was prevented for every 5,400 doses administered.
The analysis also found that the vaccines saved 14.8 million years of life, equivalent to one year of life gained for every 900 doses given.
The study, coordinated by Professor Stefania Boccia, revealed that 82% of the lives saved were people vaccinated before becoming infected with the virus, and 57% of deaths avoided occurred during the Omicron wave. In addition, 90% of the beneficiaries were adults over 60 years old.
“This is the most comprehensive analysis to date, based on global data and fewer assumptions about the evolution of the pandemic,” explained Boccia and researcher Angelo Maria Pezzullo.
Trump administration blasts judge’s ruling reinstating TPS for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump criticized a federal judge’s ruling on Friday that reinstated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, stressing that the immigration program was never intended to serve as a “de facto asylum system.”
On Thursday, Judge Trina Thompson extended protections for about 7,000 Nepalese immigrants, whose TPS was set to expire on August 5. The ruling also impacts roughly 51,000 Hondurans and nearly 3,000 Nicaraguans, whose TPS protections were scheduled to end on September 8.
Immigrants covered by TPS had sued the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleging that the program’s termination was driven by “racial animus” and stripped them of protection from deportation.
DHS Deputy Undersecretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement saying the decision to end TPS was part of a mandate to “restore the integrity” of the immigration system and return the program to its original purpose.
“TPS was never conceived as a de facto asylum system; however, that is how previous administrations have used it for decades,” McLaughlin emphasized.
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She also criticized Judge Thompson, calling the ruling “another example” of judges “stirring up claims of racism to distract from the facts.”
McLaughlin added that DHS would appeal the decision and take the legal battle to higher courts.
The Trump administration has also terminated TPS protections for approximately 160,000 Ukrainians, 350,000 Venezuelans, and at least half a million Haitians, among other immigrant groups.
Trump to build $200M ballroom at the White House by 2028
The U.S. government under President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that it will begin construction in September on a new 8,000-square-meter ballroom at the White House.
The announcement was made by Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s press secretary, during a briefing in which she explained that the expansion responds to the need for a larger venue to host “major events.”
“Other presidents have long wished for a space capable of accommodating large gatherings within the White House complex… President Trump has committed to solving this issue,” Leavitt told reporters.
The project is estimated to cost $200 million, fully funded through donations from Trump himself and other “patriots,” according to a government statement. Construction is scheduled to begin in September and is expected to be completed before Trump’s term ends in 2028.
The Clark Construction Group, a Virginia-based company known for projects such as the Capital One Arena and L’Enfant Plaza in Washington, D.C., has been selected to lead the project.
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The new ballroom will be built on the East Wing of the White House, expanding the iconic residence with a space designed for state dinners, official ceremonies, and large-scale events.
