TRUMP: ‘IT’S GOING TO BE UP TO HIM’: Today’s the deadline that President Donald Trump set for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to negotiate a ceasefire in the Ukraine war or face secondary sanctions intended to make it harder for Russia to sell oil, the mainstay of its struggling economy.
However, with active discussion underway to arrange a summit between the two presidents as soon as next week, Trump is noncommittal about whether he’ll follow through with the threat. Asked by a reporter at the White House yesterday, “Is your deadline still standing?” for Putin to agree to a ceasefire, Trump replied. “It’s going to be up to him. We’re going to see what he has to say, but it’s going to be up to him. Very disappointed.”
Earlier in the day, a White House official told the Associated Press that Trump’s agreement to meet face-to-face with Putin had been conditional on Putin agreeing to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump quickly rendered that statement inoperative. “Does Putin have to meet with Zelensky in order and before you and Putin have to meet?” Trump was asked.
“He doesn’t have to agree to meet with Zelensky? Is that what you’re saying?” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins pressed Trump.
“No, he doesn’t. No, no,” Trump replied. “They would like to meet with me, and I’ll do whatever I can to stop the killing. So last month, they lost 14,000 people, killed last month,” he said. “Mostly it’s soldiers, and you’re talking about, on average, 20,000 a month. 20,000 people are dying a month, young —generally young people, soldiers.
MEANWHILE IN MOSCOW: In a brief interaction with reporters at the Kremlin, Putin — who has repeatedly asserted that Zelensky is not the legitimate leader of Ukraine — appeared dismissive of the idea of sitting down with Zelensky.
“I have said repeatedly that I have no objection to meeting with him in principle. It is possible, but certain conditions must be in place first. Unfortunately, we are still far from that point,” Putin said, according to the official Kremlin transcript.
The Kremlin has previously said that Putin and Zelensky should only meet after subordinates have negotiated the terms of a peace agreement.
Putin, who had just finished meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE, also suggested that the venue for his meeting with Trump will likely be in the Gulf region.
“We have many friends willing to help organize such events. One of them is the president of the United Arab Emirates,” Putin said. “The exact venue is still being decided, but the UAE would be one of the suitable options.”
ZELENSKY, EUROPE FEAR BEING SIDELINED: Zelensky said in his discussions with President Trump, he made clear that Ukraine and its European allies must be front and center in any peace process.
“Everyone also agrees that Russia’s war against Ukraine is a war in Europe and against Europe. Every decision that will be made to end this war and guarantee security truly concerns all of Europe, not just one country. That’s why Europe’s voice must carry weight in the processes,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address.
“It is just that Ukraine be a participant in the negotiations. Russia’s war is against Ukraine, against our independence as the embodiment of the independence of every European nation,” Zelensky said, “So the format of meetings, of leaders’ meetings, is, in particular, a trilateral format. And we discussed this in detail yesterday — several bilateral formats, the trilateral format, all the options.”
In a post on X, The Ukrainian Review quoted former British Defense Minister Ben Wallace as saying, “Britain must be invited to peace talks to stop Zelensky from being bullied by Trump and Putin.”
MCGURK: ‘THE GOAL IS A CEASEFIRE’: Brett McGurk, former Middle East and North Africa coordinator for the National Security Council, argued that Trump has a strong hand going into the talks with Putin, assuming that, like any good negotiator, he’s willing to walk away from a bad deal.
“Trump’s coming in with a lot of leverage. I think Putin is reacting to the new policy the President announced a few weeks ago, sanctions, weapons through NATO to Ukraine. I think that surprised him a little bit. The strikes in Iran, Putin understands power. That was an assertion of American power,” McGurk said on CNN last night.
“The President has to go in with the only outcome that’s successful is a ceasefire. Anything short of that, you got to walk away from the table and try to get the ceasefire later,” McGurk argued. “The goal is a ceasefire. Anything short of that and Putin will come in with all sorts of promises and maps and details and make it look like he’s actually being reasonable. It’s a ceasefire or not. If there’s not a ceasefire, you have to walk away from the table.”
“I would not have this summit unless you’re very confident that you’re going to come out with a ceasefire,” he said. “I’m not seeing that right now.”
TRUMP SAYS PUTIN DOESN’T HAVE TO MEET WITH ZELENSKY AHEAD OF BILATERAL MEETING
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HAPPENING TODAY: ISRAEL PLANS TO RETAKE GAZA CITY: In an overnight vote, Israel’s security Cabinet has approved a plan for the military to take control of Gaza City, essentially backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and overriding the advice of Israel’s top generals.
In an interview with Fox News before the vote, Netanyahu outlined his vision of a military operation to deliver a final defeat to Hamas, which he says continues to terrorize the Palestinian people and threaten Israel.
“Will Israel take control of all of Gaza?” Fox anchor Bill Hemmer asked Netanyahu point-blank. We intend to, in order to assure our security, remove Hamas there, enable the population to be free of [Hamas], and to pass it to civilian governance that is not Hamas and not anyone advocating the destruction of Israel,” Netanyahu replied. “That’s what we want to do. We want to liberate ourselves and liberate the people of Gaza from the awful terror of Hamas.”
“Are you saying today that you will take control of the entire 26-mile Gaza Strip, as it was 20 years ago to this month in 2005?” Hemmer followed up.
“We don’t want to keep it. We want to have a security perimeter. We don’t want to govern it. We don’t want to be there as a governing body. We want to hand it over to Arab forces that will govern it properly, without threatening us, and giving the Gazans a good life,” Netanyahu said. “That’s not possible with Hamas.”
The timing of what would no doubt be another major ground operation remains unclear, given that it will require a significant mobilization of additional Israeli troops, as well as giving time for civilians to evacuate the city.
In a statement posted on X, Netanyahu’s office said, “The IDF will prepare for taking control of Gaza City while distributing humanitarian assistance to the civilian population outside the combat zones.”
NETANYAHU: ISRAEL INTENDS TO CONTROL ALL OF GAZA BEFORE HANDING IT TO ‘ARAB FORCES’
U.K.’S STARMER: ‘WHAT WE NEED IS A CEASEFIRE’: While earlier this week President Trump said what Israel does in Gaza is “pretty much up to Israel,” and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told CBS News, “It’s not our job to tell them what they should or should not do,” Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer took a harder line.
“The Israeli Government’s decision to further escalate its offensive in Gaza is wrong, and we urge it to reconsider immediately. This action will do nothing to bring an end to this conflict or to help secure the release of the hostages. It will only bring more bloodshed,” Starmer said in a statement from 10 Downing Street. “What we need is a ceasefire, a surge in humanitarian aid, the release of all hostages by Hamas, and a negotiated solution. Hamas can play no part in the future of Gaza and must leave as well as disarm.”
SENIOR EU OFFICIAL SUGGESTS ISRAEL’S WAR IN GAZA ‘LOOKS VERY MUCH’ LIKE ‘GENOCIDE’
PENTAGON BUILDING IMMIGRANT DETENTION CENTER AT TEXAS BASE: The Pentagon revealed details yesterday about the construction, already underway, of a massive migrant detention center at the U.S. Army Base in Fort Bliss, Texas.
“Work has begun for initial detainment capacity of 1,000 illegal aliens with initial operating capacity likely to be achieved by mid-late August,” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters in an off-camera briefing yesterday. “Once DOD achieves initial stand up, we will finish construction for up to 5,000 beds in the weeks and months ahead.”
“Upon completion, this will be the largest federal detention center in history for this critical mission, the deportation of illegal aliens,” Wilson said.
HEGSETH: ‘DRILL SERGEANTS WITH KNIFE HANDS’: “Bay tossing” and “shark attacks” are back for news recruits, as part of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent directive to make basic training “Great Again.”
“A shark attack is when drill sergeants surround one particular enlistee, right, creating a stressful situation that they have to figure out how to manage, to bed-tossing inside barracks after you have had a long day doing — on the range or walking patrol,” Hegseth explained in an appearance on Fox News’ Will Cain show.
The tactics were banned, but Hegseth says he’s bringing them back to toughen up recruits and instill a warrior ethic. “Anyone who went through any form of basic training for decades understood, as a recruit, you were going into a crucible. You were going to be forged. You were going to be challenged. You were going to be scared, nervous, and anxious, and, by coming through that, you were going to be forged an American warrior.”
“This is basic stuff. This is not beyond what’s been done. This is a restoration,” Hegseth said. “We are going back to basics. Drill sergeants will be drill sergeants with knife hands who ensure — who maintain good order and discipline and train up great recruits who will make great formations, just like we need military officers with that same rigorous discipline and background.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
THE RUNDOWN:
Washington Examiner: Trump says Putin doesn’t have to meet with Zelensky ahead of bilateral meeting
Washington Examiner: Israeli Cabinet greenlights Netanyahu plan to occupy Gaza City
Washington Examiner: Netanyahu: Israel intends to control all of Gaza before handing it to ‘Arab forces’
Washington Examiner: Senior EU official suggests Israel’s war in Gaza ‘looks very much’ like ‘genocide’
Washington Examiner: Tom Cotton calls on DOD to bar foreigners from access to Pentagon online systems
Washington Examiner: Army Secretary Dan Driscoll credits soldiers who tackled Fort Stewart shooter for ending attack
Washington Examiner: Powering deterrence: John Phelan’s vision for an unstoppable Navy
Washington Examiner: China’s stranglehold on rare earth elements threatens America’s national security
Washington Examiner: Opinion: Defense Department lies about fixing grave Afghan allies error
Washington Post: Putin suggests meeting Trump in UAE as Kremlin senses advantage
Wall Street Journal: How Trump and Putin Reached a New Make-or-Break Moment on Ukraine
AP: Israel announces plan to retake Gaza City in another escalation of the war
NBC: Satellite images show Israel building up forces for a possible ground invasion of Gaza, sources say
AP: Trust in Zelenskyy is diminished even after reversal of law that fueled anti-corruption protests
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Reverses Offer of Early Retirement for Transgender Troops
Stars and Stripes: Air Force Recruit Disqualified From Service Over Weight-Loss Surgery Sues DOD for Discrimination
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb Has Implications for Golden Dome
Breaking Defense: DoD Considering ‘Czar’ Roles For Key Navy, Air Force Programs: Sources
The Hill: Democrats Press Air Force on Qatar Jet Funding Details
Air & Space Forces Magazine: Bombers Should Be Ready for Continuous Ops, 2-Star Says
Defense News: Space Force Wargame Could Inform Framework for Allied Info Sharing
Defense One: ULA’s Heavy-Lift Rocket Prepares to Launch First Space Force Mission
THE CALENDAR:
FRIDAY | AUGUST 8
7 p.m. 610 Water St. SW — Politics and Prose Bookstore book discussion: The Devil Reached Toward the Sky: An Oral History of the Making and Unleashing of the Atomic Bomb, with author Garrett Graff, host of the Doomsday Scenario newsletter https://politics-prose.com/garrett-graff
