A 2020 Kremlin propaganda broadcast showed a state television reporter walking through a doorway and appearing to emerge in a press conference, but the two spaces existed in completely separate cities. Investigators exposed the deception after detecting that door handle height varied between filming segments, confirming the material had been captured at distinct sites. While the existence of identical rooms had been speculated about previously, analysts had not successfully differentiated among them until researchers verified their conclusions through travel records from state television journalists and security personnel.

What a fantastic article.

"Almost every meeting said to have been filmed at Novo-Ogaryovo this year actually took place at Valdai as Putin has become increasingly concerned about security"

How tiny details expose Putin's location https://t.co/3pymMNjWhi pic.twitter.com/fe4o0ijrZi

— Ken Moriyasu (@kenmoriyasu) November 16, 2025

"It's obviously about security," Konstantin Gaaze, a Russian academic and autocracy expert, told RFL. "It would look unbecoming to put Pantsir [air defences] on the Kremlin towers… So, naturally, the main location now is Valdai." Systema's analysis determined that Putin has shown a growing preference for his extensively protected Valdai compound following the commencement of comprehensive warfare in Ukraine, with nearly every gathering described as filmed at Novo-Ogaryovo this year actually occurring at Valdai as Putin's security anxieties have intensified.

The isolated Valdai retreat, allegedly housing Putin's partner Alina Kabaeva and their two sons, occupies a peninsula considered substantially more difficult to strike with missiles or unmanned aircraft. Satellite photography demonstrates that 12 Pantsir-S1 air defense installations were positioned around Lake Valdai during summer 2024, as Kyiv escalated its unmanned aircraft strikes on Russian territory. In comparison, only 60 such installations protect the entire Moscow metropolitan region, which has over 20 million residents, according to The Moscow Times.

Ukrainian unmanned aircraft have appeared near Putin's Kremlin workspace and allegedly triggered a blaze close to his Black Sea palace complex – the facility once renowned for its aquatic entertainment space, exotic dancing chamber, water pipe lounge, and small-scale train system. Strike concerns have compelled Putin to modify his residential and working configurations, despite all his residences being equipped with underground shelters. Previous reports by opposition publication Proekt claimed Putin had demolished his Stalin-era Bocharov Ruchey summer residence, previously utilized for hosting foreign officials, amid worries it was susceptible to Ukrainian strikes.

The post Putin's replica offices exposed by subtle details appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Multiple European leaders joined Zelenskyy's Washington journey for diplomatic discussions with Trump concerning potential pathways to conclude the prolonged conflict. Through a Truth Social message late Sunday evening, Trump appeared to establish conditions for Monday's negotiations, generating a potentially adversarial environment for discussions with his Ukrainian counterpart.

Trump declared, "President Zelenskyy of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight. Remember how it started. No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!), and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!"

Shortly afterward, Zelenskyy issued his own response, restating that "we all share a strong desire to end this war quickly and reliably" while referencing his own conditions regarding territorial compromises and security assurances, emphasizing durable peace requirements.

Zelenskyy wrote in a post to X: "Peace must be lasting. Not like it was years ago, when Ukraine was forced to give up Crimea and part of our East – part of Donbas – and Putin simply used it as a springboard for a new attack. Or when Ukraine was given so called 'security guarantees' in 1994, but they didn't work."

Reports indicated Trump expressed confidence that Putin would accept an arrangement if Ukraine relinquished its easternmost Donbas region, including territories Russia doesn't currently control. Zelenskyy previously cautioned that such surrender would cost Ukraine key defensive positions and increase vulnerability to future Russian assaults.

The Ukrainian president made certain to express appreciation for Trump's efforts, which the Trump administration previously accused him of neglecting during their explosive confrontation in the Oval Office in February, declaring that "our people will always be grateful to President Trump."

Monday's emergency meeting in the US capital was arranged by Trump following his Alaska summit with Putin on Friday. The US president, who warmly welcomed Putin to American territory, promoted those discussions as an opportunity for potential trilateral peace negotiations with Zelenskyy – yet they ended without agreement and no ceasefire was visible.

Following a conversation with his European colleagues after that encounter, Trump stated: "it was determined by all that the best way to end the horrific war between Russia and Ukraine is to go directly to a Peace Agreement, which would end the war, and not a mere Ceasefire Agreement, which often times do not hold up."

European leaders welcomed Trump's trilateral peace talk proposal following Friday's meeting, yet maintained caution that Monday's summit might repeat Zelenskyy's winter Oval Office experience, when Trump and Vice President JD Vance publicly confronted the Ukrainian leader.

To demonstrate Kyiv support – and guarantee any agreement prevents Putin concessions – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb will participate in Monday's conference. Despite his sharp message to Zelenskyy on Sunday, Trump appeared enthusiastic about hosting the European leadership group.

Trump wrote in a separate post: "Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honor to host them!!!"

The post Trump shifts war responsibility to Ukraine ahead of Washington talks appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The time is about 11:30 p.m., and I have another half hour left to reach the hotel before the nighttime curfew, which will last until 5:00 a.m., goes into effect. Police deploy at street corners in preparation, and bars close one after another. I'm running late to return, and the entrance security guard clarifies this to me with a string of "blessings" whose meaning is clear even for a broken Russian speaker like myself.

Is the war that started three and a half years ago felt in Kyiv? For the foreign eye, certainly. Just on the last day of July, 31 people were killed in the capital from a Russian attack on it, 28 of them when a missile struck a residential building. In a central square facing the golden-domed monastery of Saint Michael the Archangel, burned Russian armored vehicles are positioned – this is a changing exhibition, according to supplies arriving from the front. Exhausted reservists wait at bus stations.

On the monastery's long wall appear photographs of those fallen in the campaign. Some of the men in their official uniforms, others documented in less official episodes – those photographed by soldiers after a night of activity, when signing for receipt of new weapons and hurrying to document in the armory courtyard. Children of the 1970s, alongside youth born in the 2000s. Memory muscles from Tel Aviv help understand Kyiv.

War is one of the fundamental phenomena of human life. Contrary to what is proper, perhaps. It is so "natural" that it sometimes appears like a natural disaster – an earthquake, flood, or fire. Every long war is different, yet human in its manner. Heavy heat descended on Kyiv during my visit; here, too, memory muscles from Tel Aviv were helpful.

A long war resembles a scorching sun, and the people marching beneath it cast their shadows in the streets of Kyiv and Tel Aviv. And it is different, like the responses to challenges it presents. "Oleg," Olena, Roma, and "Cyclops" have been marching under its shadow for years. They are part of the story of this city, the nation, and the great war in Europe since World War II.

Buzzing creatures in the skies

"I didn't know anything about drones. My first drone was a Russian drone," Cyclops recounts when I meet him at a cafe a short distance from the city center. "A Russian column was destroyed from the air, and then we were in a period of partisan fighting. We needed weapons, and we reached the place. That's how I found the first drone, a simple 'Mavic' [a popular commercial drone manufactured in China]."

Cyclops wasn't near Kyiv when the war erupted. He originally hails from Odesa, the major port city on the Black Sea shore. "The day before the invasion, we already understood something was happening. My girlfriend and I decided to move to Mykolaiv; we thought it would be safe there," Cyclops reconstructs the fateful days of February 2022. "There was chaos. The army wasn't in the region. A truck arrived and distributed rifles, without registration, without anything." He describes two months of "Wild West" and complete chaos, as he and his friends attempt to "knock down" Russian reconnaissance forces.

After more than two years on the front, he now instructs in advanced drone operation courses. The nickname? "My commander called me that because of the drone camera that resembles a Cyclops eye." A name – like here – there's nothing stronger than a nickname your commander gave you.

In the front of warfare, battle has become drone warfare. At least 70% of casualties in combat are attributed to their operation. Fighting trenches, storm attacks, and armored vehicles adorned with iron plates remind one of World War I battles, while buzzing "creatures" make reputations in the fighting armies.

In the latest development, drones operated through dedicated goggles providing a first-person flight experience (FPV) have been joined to optical fibers. This simple development, reminiscent of older technology, enables a drone that unfolds the wire behind it according to its flight to overcome radio interference and range limitations. Kilometers upon kilometers of thin and glinting wires cover the killing fields of eastern, southern, and northeastern Ukraine. This development is making reputations in front positions, but it is particularly lethal for supply routes. The war is becoming more difficult.

The way war is photographed has also changed. Suicide drones, those that explode upon impact, now provide documentation of the final moments of soldiers – Russians and Ukrainians alike. They are seen there fleeing in terror, accepting their fate in submission, pleading for their lives before the camera.

Within the war, Cyclops has already transformed into part of an official drone unit. "A drone company is constructed from about 30 people," he explains. "It contains several teams of each capability type – 'regular' drones, FPV, and large supply drones. Usually, we position ourselves in a house, at a distance of several kilometers from the front."

Cyclops describes a typical shift: "At night, you conduct about 15-20 attacks. It's different compared to when you kill a person with a rifle. It's much closer and you can see these people. In drones, it's like video; in a thermal camera, you don't see faces."

Drone operators have become one of the most important targets for attack, and both sides do everything to find their positions. "I know one guy who sat three months alone, and food and water reached him only by drones," he demonstrates how much forces in the field seek to avoid exposure and how much they're willing to pay to achieve it.

Ukraine's situation on the front is not simple, to put it mildly. Kyiv conducts an exhausting war of attrition against the Russian war machine, powered by Russia's energy economy, fed by hundreds of thousands of men from prisons, from Russia's social and geographic periphery, and from North Korea – sent as cannon fodder to storm Ukrainian trenches.

The British Ministry of Defense estimated the number of Russian casualties (killed, wounded, and captured) at more than one million, and assessments by research institutes and intelligence bodies specify a figure of up to about 250,000 dead. Russia's sure and frighteningly slow advance, while bleeding heavily, creates pessimism in Ukraine and among its allies.

Cyclops believes victory is possible, and argues it depends on establishing a "wall of drones," as he defines it. "We must try to stop at a certain line. Just stand in place, prevent Ukrainian casualties, and conduct drone warfare." The logic is based on the assumption that attrition will finally defeat Putin's regime and his army. What will he do after the war? He's already thinking less about a military career; fatigue is showing its signs. "Like after a mission at the front – shower, good sleep for a few weeks or months – and life," he says.

Protests against corruption

During my visit to the city, the first major political protest during the war broke out. This happened following lightning legislation – approved within a few hours – that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led against independent anti-corruption bodies established at the West's demand. Zelenskyy claimed he was fighting Russian influence and espionage that had spread in these bodies, but the move was seen as a blatant and undemocratic takeover attempt.

The Ukrainian people, who had already toppled a series of leaders through the streets, again took to the streets. They didn't need a grace period to remove the "civic" rust that might have appeared as a result of the war. While the law was passed, hundreds of young people appeared in a small square in the city holding simple cardboard signs. Among the protesters was also a young man with an amputated leg.

The protest atmosphere is felt the moment I enter the metro. While waiting on the platform, I ask a young man how to get to a certain station, and he immediately wonders if I'm on my way to the demonstration. "I want to see it," he says and admits he hasn't yet decided whether he's for or against the protest – "The situation is complicated." Oleg, a young man in his 20s dressed in modern clothing, and his girlfriend Maria accompany me to the protest center.

As we approach, the demonstration atmosphere floods the streets. Roars of "veto na zakon" (veto the law) mix with calls of "hanba-hanba-hanba" (which might be more familiar to the Israeli ear as "shame-shame-shame"). The enormous resources the war demands, in no small part also from Western countries, are fertile ground for corruption of every kind. The protesters make an explicit connection when they shout, "corruption kills."

"I think we were wrong to think a year ago that we could win this completely. We thought we had cards," Oleg tells me up the street, a reference to that meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump when the American president threw at Zelenskyy that he "has no cards" to continue the war. Another protester hints that Zelenskyy's move was intended to "derail the talks with Russia" that were taking place that same day.

At a certain point, singing of the Ukrainian anthem begins and intensifies. The strongest that evening. Some protesters will stay here throughout the night to thumb their noses at the curfew. Two days later, Zelenskyy will approve legislation that will restore independence to the anti-corruption bodies. There's no place that better marks Ukraine's independence, first of all from Russia and its customs, than its squares. And these young people and their predecessors.

"I remember life before"

Kyiv lives. I try to pinpoint exactly how the war is both absent and present in its life. Parties are held here even at night, in its basements, and celebrants emerge from them in the morning, heralding the end of the curfew. Businesses and cafes – all open. You're asked in them if you want to donate to some unit at the front. Here, I sit, and across from me passes the funeral of a senior commander. His unit's men march in dress uniforms behind the hearse carrying his coffin. I stand with passersby, some kneeling. The convoy passes, and the city continues on.

The marchers turn down the street toward Maidan Square – the central square where the banner of rebellion against the Russians was raised in 2014, which led to the uprising of Moscow-backed separatists in the east and the swift conquest of the Crimean Peninsula. The "Revolution of Dignity" then demanded to continue on the path of integration with the European Union. The blue flag with stars, which in parts of European populism is seen as abhorrent, is still a sign of freedom.

Since the war began, Maidan has become a kind of cemetery. It's dedicated to a forest of Ukrainian flags, its military units, and flags of the countries of volunteers who fell here. Under the flags – photographs of the fallen. Perhaps that's why the protesters didn't return to this square, which now serves a different role. Perhaps they signaled that they don't deny the legitimacy of the government conducting a war for the nation's life.

I met Olena Maksimenko at one of the city's cafes. The war – and forgetting it – interweave in the capital's streets. She herself experienced two such waves, of war and forgetting. Once, when she was kidnapped and tortured by the Russians during the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the Donbas war that followed, and a second time now, after the full Russian invasion in 2022.

"I remember life before – those were quite different lives," she sighs. After her release from Russian captivity in 2014, Olena volunteered in a small volunteer unit dealing with treating the wounded. "The government didn't give money, we lived on private donations," she explains the necessity that turned her into a war correspondent. "And to get donations, you need to tell stories."

Until 2022, routine made the Ukrainian public forget about the war being conducted in the east before the war. All the more so from the world's attention, which was then still far from full adoption of Kyiv's struggle. "There was indifference," she describes, "it's hard to write for no one." She sought her way and interviewed for a magazine ("something between advertising and media"), but then the Russian invasion began. "I understood I must stay until victory."

Olena is part of what can be described as the "Ukrainian war community" – even within a nation fighting for its life, there are those who bear the burden more than others. Those captivated by it, by its purpose, and perhaps – and it's hard to say this – by the charm of meaning, of evil, of gazing into the consuming fire.

"In my circle, everyone is very active and involved," Olena says, "but these are mainly volunteers, war correspondents, or family members waiting for news from someone on the front line." The stories from the front she collected in her book "Priama Mova" – a concept that can refer both to bringing things in first person, and to open and sometimes blunt speech.

But the long war creates problems that this small community cannot solve. It's hard to estimate the number of Ukrainian casualties, when the UAlosses project counts about 80,000 verified dead. The need for fighters places a heavy burden on Ukrainian society, and this is perhaps the most burning issue here.

Ukrainian conscription policy refuses to forcibly draft those under age 25, out of concern for losing the generation destined to be the one that will rebuild the country, and out of deep demographic worry. Up to age 60, everyone is obligated to serve, and they're also banned from leaving the country. Exemptions are given to fathers of more than three children, to students, and to those with needed professions.

Three and a half years later, the stream of voluntary enlistees is dwindling. "Blue" and "green" police are deployed in Kyiv's and other cities' streets, trying to extract from the street those who didn't report voluntarily. From time to time, videos of violent arrests are circulated. The pressure all this exerts on society is enormous.

Only a black swan will help

Eduard Dux, an Israeli-Ukrainian journalist who previously worked in tour guidance – an occupation now rare on Ukrainian streets – reports on emerging wartime dynamics. He describes Telegram groups that track locations of military recruitment officers, enabling draft avoidance. Additionally, he documents cases such as a factory owner who reduced merchandise packaging sizes specifically to hire more women, compensating for acute male labor shortages.

"Those same men remain on the front line," Olena describes the unbearable situation, "and everyone understands this problem. But they say, 'I can't leave my guys, I can't leave my position. I'll fight on one leg, but I'll stay.'" At the same time, she says, "there the people are always eager. They don't have time for reflections on the situation, for crying. They have missions and a short time for rest."

This situation creates growing social tension. "We have a gap in society between military people and civilians," she explains. "They get angry when they see men in city centers, while they're at the front, and these guys are drinking beer in bars."

Zelenskyy's false promises for a law that would enable the partial release of soldiers led to additional frustration. "Our government promised this law was almost ready," Olena recalls angrily. "A week ago, someone asked Zelenskyy about the law, so he answered – 'Oh, no-no, there will be no release before victory.' How can we now take new people into the army when they don't know when and if they'll return?"

The criticism of Zelenskyy is sharper. "In my circle, 99% hated him before the elections, and they hate him now," she says honestly. "He makes a lot of stupid decisions." Olena describes two moments in the war when she felt respect for the president – when he stayed in Kyiv when the Russians invaded ("I need ammunition, not a ride" was his memorable quote), and when he confronted President Trump and his arrogant deputy JD Vance in the Oval Office, who attacked him on the conscription issue and received an answer that the US would also feel these problems if it were caught in war.

I ask her about the future and Ukraine's chances. "The only thing I believe will help us is a black swan." She means the situation in the campaign is so grim that it's hard to imagine the event that could pull the cart out of the mud. The difficult moment in the war? "Maybe it's now, right now. No one sees any reason for optimism."

And still, Olena doesn't believe in the need to reach an agreement with Putin. She simply thinks it has no value. "Zelenskyy is naive; maybe he really believes in the possibility of dialogue with the Russians. There can't be an agreement, not because of us, but because of Putin. No agreements are possible except victory."

Joking in the face of another shell

Despite these words, Zelenskyy still enjoys the support of most Ukrainian citizens. The latest survey by the International Institute of Sociology in Kyiv testifies to 58% trust in the president – a certain decline, but still a clear majority. But even so, and despite demands by presidents in Washington and Moscow to hold elections in the country to "get rid of" the stubborn Jew, no one I spoke with denied that elections cannot be held during wartime, given the constitutional ban on this.

I met with "Roma" in a Kyiv suburb, about a 40-minute drive from its center. He writes professionally, mainly comedy, and appears to have long ago crossed age 40. Before the war that devoured everything, he worked at Zelenskyy's production company, from which his political party also grew. Zelenskyy, who was a comedian before becoming president, played the character of a history teacher who was elected to the presidency in a popular comedy series. "I saw him a few times, but didn't speak with him personally," Roma said.

When the war broke out, Roma was in Kyiv. His future wife was then with her son in another district, and he prepared for a regular workday. "I was supposed to meet a friend, drive to the office to write," he recalls plans that evaporated at 4 a.m., when "we understood no one works anymore." The decision came immediately – "I called her and said, 'Don't come here, I'm going to the army.'"

She decided to come anyway, expecting this would prevent him from fulfilling his decision. They spent one day together before he declared "That's it, I'm going to the army." He admits he "didn't think it would last years." In those days reality was chaotic. Enlistees were forced to purchase most of their equipment themselves and improvise protective gear. Before reaching the front, his training included firing one magazine of bullets.

He was assigned to one of the war's hardest fronts. "Our mission was to stay in positions, hold them. If we retreat, they'll approach," he tells of the difficult battle days. "They shelled us 24 hours, we didn't even shoot. We didn't see anyone, just took beatings. Our mission was to live."

Two years he lived like this. He tells of the difficult first winter, of friends who died and of long watches. But also of humor – "Without jokes it was impossible to survive. When a shell flew over us, we joked."

In the last year he moved to a morale position, providing psychological support and comedy shows for soldiers. "I'm a soldier who went through battles, and I speak with them in the same language." Last May an old hand injury – worsened because of shell impact – led to his discharge from the army. "Almost three and a half years," he summarizes.

Now he's returned to writing. He tells me, as we sit in a hookah bar restaurant(!) in the closed and beautiful neighborhood, that he's writing a series, a kind of Ukrainian version of "Fauda," and hopes to sell it to Netflix. About the Israeli series, he says – "What I loved is that there's no bad person there. Everyone does their job, everyone defends – the Israelis theirs, the Palestinians theirs. Everyone is right about something."

But Roma, who experienced war up close, reaches hard conclusions about the future. "It seems to me this can continue a long time. If the international community doesn't pressure Russia, it will continue forever. Russia has resources for 30 years. We won't hold out."

He recognizes the need for a diplomatic solution, and believes Zelenskyy can provide it. "Political decisions are needed. Zelenskyy made a decision not to talk with Putin. Now he's already ready to talk with Putin. Everything changes, the situation changes, we need to be flexible." He doesn't fear criticism of his position – "They'll tell me things, but I don't care. I was there, I saw. We won't defeat Russia by force. We don't have enough weapons – you can fantasize someone will save us like in a scene in 'The Hobbit,' but it won't happen."

Sweet grandmother on the bus

In Kyiv, there's no coming or going except through land transportation. Civil aviation in the country has been paralyzed since the full Russian invasion in February 2022. Those arriving in the city or leaving it are forced to do so via the route Moscow's armor columns sought to pass, before being stopped in its suburbs due to the boldness of its defenders and the disorder of the invaders. Three years later, silent testimonies to that drama remain in place – iron crosses against tanks along the road ("Czech hedgehogs"), guard positions and camouflage nets, sandbags in government building windows.

The post Inside bombarded Kyiv: The move that will surprise Putin appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The audio shows Trump recounting his approach to deterring potential military aggression through direct threats of retaliation. According to CNN, Trump described separate conversations where he warned both leaders about devastating consequences for territorial expansion.

"I told Putin: I'll bomb the hell out of Moscow" — leaked audio from Trump's closed-door meeting

CNN has released an audio recording from a private 2024 dinner between Donald Trump and his campaign donors. In it, Trump recalls conversations with Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping —… pic.twitter.com/bO43BJSW8r

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 9, 2025

During the fundraiser, Trump detailed his exchange with Putin regarding Ukraine, stating he told the Russian leader, "If you go into Ukraine, I'm gonna bomb the s*** out of Moscow." The president described Putin's skeptical reaction, with Trump recounting the Russian leader's response as disbelief.

"'I'm telling you, I have no choice.' So, he goes like, I don't believe you. He said, 'No way.' And I said 'way'. And then he goes like 'I don't believe you'. But the truth is he believed me 10 percent. And I told you this, he believed me 10 percent," Trump stated in the recording.

The audio then reveals Trump describing a similar conversation with Xi Jinping about Taiwan. Trump recounted telling the Chinese leader, "You know, if you go into Taiwan, I'm gonna bomb the s*** out of Beijing." According to Trump's account, Xi expressed shock at the threat.

"He said, 'Beijing? You're gonna bomb Beij–' I said, 'I have no choice. I got to bomb you... And he didn't believe me either, he said 10 percent," Trump explained during the fundraiser.

The president concluded his remarks by suggesting that even minimal credibility was sufficient for deterrence, stating, "And 10 percent is all you need. In fact, five percent would have been OK too."

Trump has consistently maintained that Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he had remained in office. The release of this audio provides insight into Trump's claimed deterrence strategy through explicit military threats.

Following months of perceived efforts to strengthen US-Russia relations, Trump has grown increasingly critical of Putin's resistance to American ceasefire proposals for Ukraine, which continues to face ongoing drone attacks.

The post Leaked recording exposes Trump's threats to Putin, Xi appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The claim, part of a flurry of Middle East policy announcements, comes alongside revelations of lifted sanctions on Syria, potential new sanctions on Russia, and strengthened US ties with Gulf nations, signaling a assertive shift in US foreign policy.

Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier, was freed on May 12, after 19 months in Hamas captivity following the October 7 attack on Israel. The US-led deal, brokered through Egypt and Qatar by special envoy Steve Witkoff, largely excluded Israel until its final stages.

In a separate announcement, Trump confirmed the US will lift sanctions on Syria despite Israel's objections, stating, "We told Israel that we are lifting the sanctions over Syria." The decision, made during Trump's Gulf tour in Riyadh, at the urging of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to support Syria's reconstruction after Bashar Assad's ouster in December 2024.

Video: Trump arrives in Qatar on May 14, 2025 / Credit: Reuters

Turning to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Trump hinted at imposing secondary sanctions on Russia, saying, "We are always looking at the possibility of imposing secondary sanctions on Russia. I don't know if Putin will show up for the talks in Istanbul."

The post 'Without us, none of the hostages would be alive' appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is insisting that all weapons deliveries to Ukraine must be halted during a ceasefire proposed by US President Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the situation.

The two leaders began a phone conversation at 10 a.m. in Washington on Tuesday, according to White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, who posted on the X social media platform. "The call is going well," he stated. The Kremlin has not yet commented on the discussions that Washington hopes will secure Moscow's agreement to the 30-day truce, which Ukraine has already indicated it's ready to accept.

Putin, who met with a Trump representative last week, has established the suspension of arms supplies as a prerequisite for agreeing to the ceasefire according to Bloomberg, citing a senior European official and three people in Moscow familiar with Russia's position. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. The White House National Security Council also did not respond when asked to comment.

While Russia seeks to block all weapons shipments to Ukraine, the minimum goal is to halt US aid, according to two sources in Moscow with knowledge of the Kremlin's thinking. The senior European official added that Europe was extremely reluctant to accept Russia's demand to block weapons deliveries to Ukraine during any truce. Such an outcome would create a situation where Russia could rearm during the pause in fighting, while Ukraine would be prevented from doing so.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with Trump before the US leader's conversation with Putin. Starmer told Trump that Ukraine must be placed in the "strongest possible position" to secure a "just and lasting peace," according to his official spokesman. The UK and European Union are both working to deliver fresh military aid packages to Kyiv as quickly as possible.

Putin has expressed support for the US proposal in principle but insists several conditions must be met before Russia can agree to stop its invasion. The Russian leader will likely agree to a truce, though he wants to ensure his terms are included first.

Ukrainian authorities are concerned about Russian attempts to attach conditions to the US proposal for a ceasefire, which Ukraine accepted without reservations, according to an official in Kyiv with knowledge of the situation. A truce could be implemented within a week if Russia simply agreed to end hostilities, the official told Bloomberg, requesting anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the discussions.

The US and Ukraine announced the ceasefire plan last week following talks in Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration also said it was lifting a roughly week-long suspension of arms supplies and intelligence-sharing that it had imposed to pressure Ukraine into accepting diplomatic efforts.

Trump has offered to meet Putin as part of his initiative to end the three-year-long Russian invasion of Ukraine – a conflict that triggered the largest military confrontation in Europe since World War II and an escalating confrontation with the West. The truce would represent the first step toward a comprehensive peace agreement.

The Trump administration has effectively already conceded to Russian demands to maintain control of occupied Ukrainian territory and for Kyiv to abandon its aspiration to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. This has fueled European concerns that any deal the US president reaches with Putin will leave Ukraine weakened and vulnerable to future Russian aggression.

The post Putin demands suspension of aid to Ukraine during Trump talk appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Nearly three years into Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the shadow of war continues to hover over Europe. The Swedish government took unprecedented action Tuesday by distributing a pocket-sized survival manual titled "In Case of Crisis or War" to every household, providing detailed instructions for surviving a potential Russian nuclear strike that could impact not only Ukraine but neighboring nations.

While not specifically created for the current conflict – the Swedish government developed these guidelines six years ago primarily to address climate crisis-related natural disasters – the manual remained unchanged until now. Following a comprehensive revision focusing on nuclear threat response, the newly updated guide has been distributed to every resident via mail.

The information booklet 'In case of crisis or war' will be sent to all households in Sweden today. It will help households be prepared and build resilience. Downloadable in English and other languages here https://t.co/l6xHC3gOuy pic.twitter.com/6MPcLBHsaN

— Ambassador of Sweden to The Netherlands (@ambsenl) November 18, 2024

From Stockholm's perspective, war survival centers on household preparedness. The manual's core focus lies in food storage recommendations during crisis situations. Expert recommendations include energy bars, canned beans, long-lasting vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, and carrots, as well as eggs, pasta, and pre-made Bolognese sauce.

Beyond food supplies, the Swedish government's guidelines extend to medical preparations, specifically highlighting iodine tablets for radiation exposure from nuclear incidents. The manual stipulates a minimum three-day water supply requirement. Additional recommendations cover pet care provisions and preparations for harsh Scandinavian winters, including thermal blankets and cold-weather clothing.

The Swedish survival guide became an overnight sensation across Europe. Social media reactions ranged from mockery ("I prefer to die in a nuclear attack than to eat pre-made Bolognese sauce," numerous Italian users commented) to earnest interest in implementing the life-saving protocols.

The manual's impact reverberated through Scandinavian governmental corridors. Norway, Denmark, and Finland announced plans to release similar guidelines in the upcoming weeks, with some following Sweden's printed format while others opt for digital distribution to optimize costs.

Finland's response notably escalated beyond mere preparation guidelines, issuing an unprecedented declaration for northern Europe: "We are ready to defend ourselves." The stance echoes historical precedent – 85 years ago during the Winter War (1939-1940), despite losing 15% of its territory to Russia, Finland's military successfully resisted its powerful adversary to maintain sovereignty. The nation now pledges to repeat this resistance if regional conflict erupts.

The post Pasta and iodine: Europe braces for potential nuclear escalation in Ukraine war appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

Russian media sources reported Tuesday the start of serial production of mobile shelters engineered to protect against multiple threats, including blast waves and radiation from nuclear detonations. The Russian Emergency Ministry's research institute revealed that the shelter, resembling a reinforced protective unit, designated as "KUB-M," is designed to sustain occupants for up to 48 hours.

The developers explain that the "KUB" comprises two distinct modules: a main shelter accommodating 54 civilians and a technical facility. The unit can be enhanced with water desalination systems, diesel-powered generators, and additional equipment.

"The mobile shelter serves as a multipurpose protective structure against various threats, from natural disasters to man-made catastrophes," developers stated, characterizing it as "a crucial advancement in civilian protection measures."

The announcement follows the Biden administration's decision to permit Ukraine to deploy long-range US missiles within Russian territory - a move the Kremlin condemned as reckless, warning it would trigger a Moscow response.

The post Report: Russia launches production of mobile nuclear shelters appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

In a peculiar turn of events in Oslo, Norway, police broke into a parked vehicle to rescue what they believed was a person in distress, only to discover a strikingly lifelike wax figure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The sculpture, the work of controversial Norwegian artist Morten Viskum, was scheduled for display at an upcoming art fair. Viskum had placed his work in the car ahead of the event. The police action was prompted by a concerned local resident who reported seeing what appeared to be a lifeless body inside the vehicle.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Morten Viskum (@mortenviskum)

NRK, a Norwegian news outlet, reports that Viskum has built a reputation for his provocative artistic endeavors, including previous wax sculptures of contentious world figures. His past works have featured likenesses of Russian President Vladimir Putin and former US President Donald Trump. Viskum's notoriety extends beyond sculpture; he once distributed jars of olives containing rats to 20 supermarkets across Norway's five largest urban centers. In another controversial project, he used a hand severed from a cadaver as a paintbrush, creating a series entitled "The Hand That Never Stopped Painting."

Bergen #Norway the country of #NobelPeacePrize

The pro-Hamas Nazis show no respect for the Holocaust, as they share the same views towards Jews and Israel as their Nazi ancestors.

Source: TV2 https://t.co/ZoWwRCqPLV pic.twitter.com/ZO1YMFHwik

— On Elpeleg (@onelpeleg) July 24, 2024

Norway has long been known for its critical stance on Israeli policies, and in the wake of the October 7 attack, criticism of Israel within Norwegian artistic circles has intensified, with some exhibits veering into territory that has been labeled antisemitic. Commenting on the incident, On Alpeleg, a former Israeli resident of Norway, posted on X (formerly Twitter): "Yet another instance of a Norwegian 'artist' pushing boundaries. Following other 'artists' who superimposed a keffiyeh on Anne Frank's portrait and depicted Netanyahu as Hitler, this Norwegian 'artist' has now produced a wax effigy of Benjamin Netanyahu."

The post Oslo police 'save' Netanyahu sculpture from vehicle appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

The upcoming inauguration of Mexico's president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum has become a focal point of international attention, as Ukraine calls for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin should he attend the event. The Ukrainian embassy in Mexico made the request on Aug. 7, citing an international arrest warrant issued against Putin for alleged war crimes.

According to The Kyiv Independent, the Ukrainian embassy expressed gratitude to Mexico for inviting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Oct. 1 ceremony, while also urging compliance with the arrest warrant. "We trust that the Mexican government will comply with the international arrest warrant and hand over the aforementioned [Putin] to the United Nations judicial body in The Hague," the embassy stated.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued the arrest warrant for Putin in March 2023, accusing him of war crimes related to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia following Moscow's invasion in early 2022.

Juan Ramon de la Fuente, designated as Sheinbaum's foreign minister, explained that inviting leaders of all countries with which Mexico has diplomatic relations, including both Russia and Ukraine, is "standard protocol" for such events.

The situation is complicated by Mexico's ICC membership and its strengthening ties with Russia. Putin congratulated Sheinbaum on her June victory, referring to Mexico as Russia's "historically friendly partner" in Latin America.

Sheinbaum, set to become Mexico's first female president, secured a historic win in the general election on June 2 and will begin her six-year term in October. Both Putin and Zelenskyy were among the world leaders who extended their congratulations.

The Kyiv Independent also reported that according to Russia's Izvestia newspaper, Mexico has formally invited Putin to attend the inauguration. The newspaper cited the Mexican embassy in Russia as its source for this information.

The post Mexico's Putin invitation prompts arrest call from Ukraine appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.