Russia-Ukraine

We are continuing to watch this week as Kyiv continues to endure repeated drone attacks and near-constant air raid alerts as the Russia-Ukraine war continues. This comes as residents of the Ukrainian capital continue to face nighttime barrages. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia launched nearly 1,500 drones over four days. LiveNOW’s J Russell is speaking with Dominic Culverwell from The Kyiv Independent as Ukrainians across the country share their stories as the conflict continues. 

LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with national security analyst Hal Kempfer as we hear new reporting that Ukraine has sent Russia an offer suggesting they both halt attacks ‌on civilian targets in the Black Sea. According to one source who spoke to Reuters, this comes after mounting strikes on vessels and ports continue to raise fears surrounding global food supplies. 

We are learning more this weekend after reports that Israel is rejecting a 15-point Gaza proposal put forward by the Board of Peace. "Israel rejects the 15-point Gaza document proposed by the Board of Peace," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. "The IDF will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed." LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is learning more about the latest headlines from the Middle East and out of Ukraine with Konstantin Toropin from The Associated Press. 

We are now hearing reports that President Donald Trump’s top envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, will soon travel to Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This comes after Trump and Zelenskyy met behind closed doors for almost one hour at the White House this week. President Zelenskyy also met with lawmakers while in Washington, D.C. and had the chance to speak to the media as he made his way around the Capitol. 

We are learning more this week as President Donald Trump says the United States will give Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot air defense systems. Experts say the move could mark a significant shift from supplying Kyiv with American-made weapons to helping Ukraine produce them itself. LiveNOW’s Andy Mac is speaking with global shipping expert Sal Mercogliano as Ukrainian ​drones reportedly struck three Russian oil refineries this week as the war between the two nations continues. 

LiveNOW’s Anna Marsick is speaking with James “Jim” S. Gilmore III, a former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as President Donald Trump prepares to travel to Turkey for a NATO summit this week. President Trump has continued to push NATO allies to spend more on defense. However, heading into this week’s summit, the president’s top concern appears to have shifted. "We don’t need their money — we don’t need anything. I just want loyalty," Trump said during a visit last month by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. 

We are now hearing new reporting that indicates Russian President Vladimir Putin has now publicly acknowledged that Ukrainian long-range strikes are creating fuel supply problems. Video from inside Russia reportedly shows long lines and fights erupting at filling stations across several regions. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is learning more about how these shortages could impact ongoing conflict in the region with retired Marine Corps intelligence officer and strategic risk assessment professional, Hal Kempfer. 

We are getting the latest updates as Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived this week in China for meetings with Xi Jinping. Putin’s meetings with the Chinese leader come less than a week after President Donald Trump made his own high-stakes visit to Beijing. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with retired Marine Corps intelligence officer and strategic risk assessment professional, Hal Kempfer, after Xi reportedly described the bilateral relationship between the United States and China as the world’s most important.

We are learning the latest as reports say a Russian gunman was killed on Saturday in Ukraine after opening fire at a supermarket in Kyiv. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and local officials, six people were killed and at least 14 others were wounded. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said that the 58-year-old shooter had resided in the Donetsk region and was born in Moscow. "My condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims," Zelenskyy wrote. Early reports indicate that Ukraine’s security service labeled the attack an act of terrorism. 

This past week, Russia hammered some civilian areas in Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. This comes as Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have yet to find an end to the ongoing, protracted conflict. LiveNOW’s Austin Westfall is speaking with retired Marine Corps intelligence officer Hal Kempfer, as President Zelenskyy announced Monday that Ukraine had captured a Russian position using an entirely robot ground force. 

We are learning more about the death of Alexei Navalny, who according to the governments of the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Germany and the Netherlands, was murdered by Russia with a type of frog poison. The news comes from a joint statement released by the nations on Saturday. The NATO countries said they were "confident" the Russian dissident had been poisoned by the Russian government. The statement continued by stating that they believed the murder was done with a "lethal toxin" known as epibatidine, which is found in South American poison dart frogs, which are not native to Russia. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was carrying the war "into the New Year" with more than 200 alleged drone strikes. Russia also accused Ukraine on Thursday of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe.

We are learning more this weekend as President Donald Trump hosted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday. This comes as part of Trump’s latest effort to close out four years of war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump met Zelenskyy outside his Florida estate, where the pair took questions from the media before heading inside for their official conference. "I think we're in final stages of talking, and we're going to see," Trump said.