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Putin, Undeterred by Trump’s Words, Escalates His War Against Ukraine

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The Russian leader is convinced that Moscow’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to people close to the Kremlin.  Ukrainian officials collect pieces of an exploded Russian drone after multiple strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Monday. Credit... David Guttenfelder/The New York Times By  Anton Troianovski  and  Paul Sonne July 9, 2025, The New York Times ,  Updated  10:41 a.m. ET President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is brushing aside President Trump’s  professed disappointment  in him and is pushing ahead in Ukraine with renewed intensity, having already priced in the possibility of new U.S. pressure, analysts and people close to the Kremlin said. The Russian leader is convinced that Russia’s battlefield superiority is growing, and that Ukraine’s defenses may collapse in the coming months, according to two people close to the Kremlin, who insisted on anonymity to speak candidly...

Hegseth did not inform the White House before he authorized pause on weapon shipments to Ukraine, sources say

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By  Natasha Bertrand  and  Zachary Cohen , CNN ;  Updated 10:53 PM EDT, Tue July 8, 2025; article contains a video   Hegseth image (not from article) from   Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth did not inform the White House before he authorized a  pause on weapons shipments  to Ukraine last week, according to five sources familiar with the matter, setting off a scramble inside the administration to understand why the halt was implemented and explain it to Congress and the Ukrainian government. President Donald Trump suggested on Tuesday that he was not responsible for the move. Asked on Tuesday during a Cabinet meeting whether he approved of the pause in shipments, Trump demurred, saying only that the US would continue to send defensive weapons to Ukraine. Pressed again on who authorized the pause, Trump replied, “I don’t know, why don’t you tell me?” The episode underscores the often-haphazard policy-making process inside the Trump administra...