Geopolitics

US President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to further discussions aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. In a statement made aboard Air Force One while returning from Florida, Trump revealed that negotiators from both sides had already begun talks about “dividing up certain assets” as part of an effort to broker an immediate ceasefire. Among these assets, Trump hinted that discussions would cover “land” and “power plants,” most likely referring to strategic infrastructure such as the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant—the largest in Europe.

At least 14 people were killed and 37 others wounded, including five children, following a wave of Russian missile and drone strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Dobropillia. The attack, which targeted residential buildings and infrastructure, underscores the continuing escalation of hostilities as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy prepares for a new round of talks with US officials.

Ukraine and the United States have reached an agreement on a critical minerals deal, marking a significant development in their economic and strategic partnership. The deal, which is expected to be signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump during Zelenskyy’s upcoming visit to Washington, D.C., aims to allow joint development of Ukraine’s mineral wealth. Revenues from these resources will be directed into a newly created fund that will be shared by both nations.

Three Chinese warships, fresh from live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea, have re-entered Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and are now being tracked east of Hobart. The Australian Defence Department has confirmed that the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) flotilla is moving closer to Tasmania, prompting coordinated monitoring efforts with New Zealand’s military.