Morning Brief: Trump May Meet Putin Soon in Push to End Russia-Ukraine War, France Battles Worst Wildfire in Nearly 80 Years

· Guy D. McCardle

Aerial view of France’s largest wildfire in nearly 80 years. (Image grab via X)

Good morning, folks! It’s Thursday, August 7, 2025, and the world isn’t slowing down. Trump eyes a high-stakes meeting with Putin, Fort Stewart reels from a shocking shooting, and India pushes back hard on new US tariffs. In Sudan, foreign mercenaries raise tensions, France battles a historic wildfire, and new polling out of Ukraine signals a shift in the public’s appetite for peace. We’ve got the key updates you need to start your day informed.

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Trump May Meet Putin Soon in Push to End Russia-Ukraine War

US President Donald Trump may meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week to negotiate a potential end to the Russia-Ukraine war, according to a White House official.

No date or location has been finalized.

Trump is also open to a joint meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

The summit, if held, would mark the first Trump-Putin meeting since Trump’s return to office and comes amid intensified US diplomatic and economic pressure on Moscow.

The White House’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Putin in Moscow on Wednesday in a three-hour session.

Trump said, “great progress was made,” though key differences between Moscow and Kyiv persist.

Zelenskyy, who has previously expressed willingness to meet with Putin, confirmed a call with Trump following Witkoff’s visit. He indicated Russia may now be more open to a ceasefire, but stressed the need for coordinated positions with US and European allies.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio lowered expectations for an immediate summit, saying conditions must improve before high-level talks are productive.

Talks with European allies and Ukraine are ongoing.

Trump imposed a 10-day deadline on Moscow to agree to peace or face expanded US sanctions, including secondary sanctions and tariffs targeting Russian oil buyers such as China and India.

The White House is expected to announce sanctions Friday.

Meanwhile, Russia continues its offensive. A strike on a civilian site in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region killed two and injured 12.

Ukrainian officials accuse Putin of dragging out talks while escalating attacks. Western analysts report slow but steady Russian gains, with no major breakthroughs.

The Kremlin has yet to confirm any meeting plans. However, it praised Witkoff’s visit as “constructive.”

Putin’s advisers signaled interest in improving US-Russia strategic ties, while warning of the potential for nuclear escalation if the conflict continues. Trump responded by repositioning two US nuclear submarines.

Putin has also declared the deployment of hypersonic missiles and ended a self-imposed moratorium on intermediate-range nuclear weapons, signaling a hardened stance amid peace efforts.

 

Fort Stewart Sergeant Shoots Five Soldiers in Workplace Attack

A US Army sergeant opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Stewart, Georgia, on Wednesday, injuring five before being tackled by troops and taken into custody.

The shooter, identified as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, 28, used a personal handgun.

Officials said the shooting took place in his workplace within the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team complex. Three of the wounded soldiers required surgery, but all are stable and expected to recover.

Brig. Gen. John Lubas credited fellow soldiers for subduing Radford and preventing more casualties. The base briefly went into lockdown, which was lifted within an hour.

Radford enlisted in 2018 as a supply sergeant and had no deployment history. He faced a pending court date for a May DUI charge. His motive remains unknown.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is assisting in the investigation.

The incident adds to a troubling pattern of violence on US military installations, including deadly shootings at Fort Hood, the Washington Navy Yard, and NAS Pensacola in recent years.

Fort Stewart is the Army’s largest base east of the Mississippi and home to the 3rd Infantry Division. The 2nd Armored Brigade, known as the “Spartan Brigade,” is considered one of the Army’s most advanced fighting forces.

 

Trump Slaps 50% Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday imposing an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian imports tied to its continued purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total tariff rate to 50 percent.

The new tariffs take effect in 21 days, leaving time for India and Russia to negotiate with the US before enforcement.

The move could severely impact India’s export economy and complicate its strategic positioning as an alternative to China in global supply chains. Despite China’s larger intake of Russian oil, Beijing was not included in the latest order. Trump instead maintained a separate 30 percent tariff on Chinese goods as part of ongoing trade negotiations.

India’s Foreign Ministry condemned the tariff increase as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable,” vowing to protect the country’s economic interests. Officials argue that India’s energy purchases are market-driven and essential for national energy security.

Former Indian trade official Ajay Srivastava warned the tariffs could slash Indian exports to the US by up to 50 percent, making India one of America’s most heavily taxed trade partners—more so than China, Vietnam, or Bangladesh.

The White House has not clarified whether the tariffs will be lifted if Russia agrees to a peace deal with Ukraine.

During an Oval Office event with Apple CEO Tim Cook, Trump said, “Right now they’re paying a 50% tariff,” without ruling out future adjustments.

The tariff hike comes amid growing diplomatic efforts by Trump to broker a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war, with a possible meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly under consideration.

The tariffs also contradict the earlier G7 policy, which encouraged India to purchase Russian oil under a $60-per-barrel price cap in an effort to cut off Moscow’s war funding. Russia has largely circumvented the cap through a “shadow fleet” of vessels and non-sanctioned insurance networks.

The US ran a $45.8 billion trade deficit with India in 2024, with key imports including pharmaceuticals, textiles, and precious stones.

India’s neutral stance on Ukraine-related sanctions and its continued dealings with Russia have drawn increased scrutiny from Washington.

 

Gallup Poll Shows Shift in Ukrainian Public Opinion Toward Peace Negotiations

A new Gallup poll released Thursday shows a major shift in Ukrainian sentiment, with 7 in 10 Ukrainians now supporting a negotiated settlement to end the war with Russia. This marks a stark reversal from 2022, when nearly three-quarters of Ukrainians favored fighting until victory.

Support for continued combat has declined across all regions and demographics. Still, only 26 percent of respondents believe active fighting will stop within the next 12 months.

Ukrainians-Lose-Appetite-for-War-Support-Negotiated-Peace
(Gallup)

The survey, conducted in early July, excluded areas under entrenched Russian occupation but sampled over 1,000 Ukrainians aged 15 and older.

The poll was released just before US President Donald Trump’s August 8 deadline for Russia to cease hostilities or face new economic sanctions.

Ukrainians-Skeptical-of-Seeing-an-End-to-Active-Fighting-Soon
(Gallup)

Ukrainian approval of US leadership has dropped significantly, from 66 percent three years ago to just 16 percent now. Gallup attributes the drop to growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv, particularly since Trump took office.

Approval fell from 40 percent in 2024 to 16 percent this year. Meanwhile, Germany’s leadership rating rose to 63 percent, reflecting increasing Ukrainian trust in Berlin.

Ukrainian-Approval-of-Berlin-Rises-Washington-Sinks
(Gallup)

Confidence in Ukraine’s integration into Western alliances has also declined.

Only 33 percent of Ukrainians now believe NATO membership will happen within a decade, down from 66 percent in 2022. About one-third think it will never happen.

Optimism about joining the European Union has also faded, with just 52 percent expecting membership within ten years—down from 73 percent in 2022.

Ukrainians-Now-Less-Hopeful-of-Quick-Acceptance-Into-NATO-nbsp-
(Gallup)

The war has killed over 12,000 Ukrainian civilians and tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides, according to UN estimates.

Russia’s larger army continues making slow territorial gains, especially near key cities like Pokrovsk.

Despite the growing desire for peace, the battlefield remains active, and diplomatic prospects remain uncertain.

 

France Battles Worst Wildfire in Nearly 80 Years

French firefighters are in their third day battling the country’s largest wildfire since 1949, which has scorched over 16,000 hectares in the Aude region of southern France.

The blaze, which began Tuesday near the Mediterranean coast and roughly 100 km from the Spanish border, has killed one person, left three missing, and critically injured two others, including a firefighter.

Drone and TV footage showed vast areas of scorched forest and plumes of smoke.

Officials say the fire, which has already burned an area larger than Paris, remains uncontrolled but is advancing more slowly. Firefighters hope to contain it later Thursday.

Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher confirmed the ongoing threat and linked the fire to broader regional patterns.

Southern Europe has faced multiple major wildfires this summer, including one near Marseille that injured around 300 last month.

Experts warn that climate change is intensifying heatwaves and droughts, increasing wildfire risk. Europe is currently warming at twice the global average.

France’s weather service has issued a new heatwave warning set to affect other parts of southern France starting Friday.

 

Sudan Destroys UAE Aircraft Carrying Colombian Mercenaries in Darfur

Sudan’s Air Force destroyed a UAE-linked aircraft carrying Colombian mercenaries as it landed at Nyala airport in Darfur, killing at least 40 people, according to its Army-aligned state media.

The plane, reportedly delivering foreign fighters and military equipment to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), was struck during a targeted airstrike.

The airport has been a frequent military target since the Sudanese army’s conflict with the RSF began in April 2023.

The United Arab Emirates has denied previous allegations of arming the RSF, despite multiple reports from the UN and US officials. Satellite imagery shows Chinese-made drones operating from Nyala, adding weight to accusations of external involvement.

Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro confirmed efforts to identify nationals killed in the strike and reiterated a stance against mercenary recruitment.

Sudan’s government recently accused the UAE of hiring Colombians to support RSF operations, a claim supported by UN reports and video footage released by the Sudanese army. The Joint Forces, a pro-army militia, also reported at least 80 Colombian fighters in Darfur’s El-Fasher region.

This latest incident marks a dangerous escalation in a war that has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 13 million, fueling what humanitarian agencies call the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis.

The attack further strains Sudan-UAE relations and highlights the expanding role of foreign mercenaries in the conflict.

 

Ghana Military Helicopter Crash Kills Eight, Including Two Ministers

A military helicopter crashed Wednesday in Ghana, killing all eight on board, including the country’s defense and environment ministers.

Authorities confirmed that the aircraft went down in the Ashanti region en route from the capital, Accra, to the Obuasi gold-mining area.

The crash is one of Ghana’s deadliest air disasters in over a decade.

The victims included Defense Minister Edward Omane Boamah, Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, ruling party vice-chair Samuel Sarpong, national security adviser Muniru Mohammed, and four crew members.

The government called the incident a “national tragedy.”

The helicopter, identified as a Z-9 transport aircraft, lost contact shortly after takeoff. The wreckage was later found burning in a forested area near Adansi.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause.

This marks another in a series of fatal aviation incidents in Ghana, following a 2014 military helicopter crash off the coast and a 2012 cargo plane runway overrun that killed 10 civilians.

 

US, South Korea to Launch Major Military Drill Amid North Korea Threat

South Korea and the United States will begin their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise on August 18, aimed at strengthening readiness against North Korean threats.

The 10-day joint drill includes command post simulations and field exercises involving 18,000 South Korean troops and an undisclosed number of US personnel.

The drill comes as Pyongyang continues rejecting diplomatic overtures and aligns more closely with Russia, while advancing its nuclear weapons program.

North Korea, which often condemns such exercises as invasion rehearsals, is expected to respond with military provocations.

This year’s exercise will integrate lessons from recent global conflicts, including Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Iran-Israel clash, and address modern threats like drone warfare, GPS jamming, and cyberattacks.

The announcement follows increasing concern in Seoul over the future of the US-South Korea alliance, as President Donald Trump signals potential troop reductions and demands higher cost-sharing from South Korea. While South Korean officials downplay the likelihood of major US force changes, Washington’s shifting strategic focus toward China has fueled speculation about realignment.

A possible summit between Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung later this month could address the alliance’s future.

 

Sources: News Agencies