38 h. ago The Guardian view on Donald Trump and India: the tariff war that boosted China | Editorial

The White House wanted India to bow. Instead, Narendra Modi flew to China, shook Xi Jinping’s hand and left Washington sidelined Donald Trump’s imperial tendencies see the US president wield tariffs and sanctions in the expectation that America will receive tributes. Yet his latest move – punishing India with 50% tariffs for Russian oil purchases once encouraged by the US – has produced not submission but spectacle. It has sent India’s Narendra Modi to China for the first time in seven years as Xi Jinping hosted more than 20 leaders for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin. And it is in Tianjin, not Washington, where it looks as if the hinge of history is moving.The SCO is easy to dismiss: the bloc is a bundle of contradictions. India and Pakistan remain adversaries. China and India still stare across a garrisoned Himalayan frontier, though relations have thawed since last October’s border breakthrough. Russia and China vie for influence in Central Asia. Unl...

Politics

1 week ago Trump again mulls Russia sanctions as Ukraine peace remains elusive one week after Alaska summit

Russia’s foreign minister says no meeting planned between Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr ZelenskyyDonald Trump renewed a threat to impose sanctions on Russia if there was no progress toward a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, as Moscow said there remained “no meeting planned” between Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.“I’m going to make a decision as to what we do and it’s going to be a very important decision, and that’s whether or not it’s massive sanctions or massive tariffs or both, or we do nothing and say it’s your fight,” Trump said, showing apparent frustration at Moscow a week after his meeting with Putin in Alaska. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago US imposes sanctions on international court officials in ‘flagrant attack’

Secretary of state Marco Rubio announces US assets frozen over efforts to prosecute Americans and IsraelisThe Trump administration has ramped up its efforts to hobble the international criminal court in what the ICC has denounced as a “flagrant attack against the independence of an impartial judicial institution”.The US state department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, saying they had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets that the targets hold in US jurisdictions are frozen. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Trump is ready to ‘crush’ the Russian economy if Putin doesn’t meet with Zelensky, says Lindsey Graham

Republican insists sanctions could become necessary to punish Kremlin leader for snubbing diplomatic discussions on ending Ukraine war

Politics

2 w. ago There is no ‘Trump Doctrine’ in foreign policy. Just chaos | Sidney Blumenthal

The recent summit meeting in Alaska between Trump and Putin was nothing short of a theater of the absurdAll the elaborate efforts of the European allies to prevent Donald Trump from prostrating himself before Vladimir Putin came to naught at their summit meeting in Alaska. Flattering, coddling and petting the big baby appeared to have been in vain. Before the 15 August summit, the Europeans persuaded Trump to impose new sanctions if Putin would not agree to a ceasefire, which would serve as a prerequisite for any negotiations. But Trump willfully tossed policy like a stuffed animal out of the window of “the Beast,” the presidential car as he eagerly invited Putin to join him for a triumphant chariot ride.The Europeans scrambled once again, trying to get the addled Trump back on the page he was on before the summit. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, sped to Washington to confer with Trump to try to pick up the pieces. At their last encounter, Trump jibed: “You don’t have any ...

Events

2 w. ago The Guardian view on the Alaska summit: there must be no more gifts to Vladimir Putin | Editorial

As Volodymyr Zelenskyy heads to Washington amid talk of land swaps, European leaders must have his backHours after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin departed from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska on Friday, Moscow officials reported that two more villages in Ukraine’s east had been seized by Russian forces. It was a grimly apt postscript to a “peace summit” that allowed a pariah leader to posture on the world stage, but signally failed to achieve the outcome that its host claimed to desire.Mr Trump had suggested that he would be “unhappy” if a ceasefire were not agreed during discussions with Mr Putin. There would, he warned, be “severe consequences” if his guest proved unwilling to end the war. Predictably, no ceasefire announcement was forthcoming, and the sanctions Mr Trump has repeatedly threatened, but never imposed, have been kicked into the long grass. Instead, the US president offered a crucial concession to Mr Putin, concurring that a cessation of hostilities sh...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump confirms plans for ‘economically severe’ sanctions for Russia over Ukraine as he goes to meet Putin – Europe live

US president says Russia needs to show willingness to seriously talk about the end of the war in Ukraine, as he travels to meeting in Anchorage, AlaskaAsked if his conversation with Trump will cover territorial issues, Trump says:“They’ll be discussed, but I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision, and I think they’ll make a proper decision, but I’m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I’m here to get them at a table. “I noticed he’s bringing a lot of business people from Russia, and that’s good.I like that because they want to do business, but they’re not doing business until we get the war stopped.” Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Putin is floating a new nuclear deal with the US ahead of Trump talks. Here’s why

The move might dissuade Trump from imposing new sanctions on Russia

Politics

3 w. ago Europe urges Trump to use sanctions pressure ahead of Putin summit

Washington advised to use economic penalties to shape talks and enforce any ceasefire

Politics

3 w. ago Putin calls Trump's bluff: Missiles rain down on Ukraine as Donald's deadline for ceasefire arrives, with no sign Russia has any intention of ending bombardments, despite sanction threats

The Kremlin has shown no sign of halting its bombardments despite the U.S. President threatening to impose economic sanctions.

Events

3 w. ago Trump ‘very disappointed’ in Putin on his deadline day for Russia to move towards Ukraine ceasefire – Europe live

The US president said further action in the form of sanctions and tariffs now dependent on the outcome of talks with his Russian counterpartThe US president Donald Trump’s original deadline for Russia to move on ending its invasion of Ukraine ends today.Asked if he was ready to follow through on his threats of sanctions and secondary tariffs, Trump told reporters last night:It’s going to be up to him. We’re going to see what he has to say. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago ‘I’m willing to take the heat’: Immigration lawyer is facing sanctions from Trump’s DOJ over deportation case

Pro bono attorney tells The Independent he won’t stop defending immigrants after government lawyers push for ‘substantial’ sanctions

Politics

3 w. ago Trump threatens to take ‘federal control’ of DC after Doge staffer attack – US politics live updates

President claims on social media that DC is ‘totally out of control’ and if the city doesn’t ‘get it’s act together’ he will have ‘no choice but to take Federal control’After taking six months to conclude that Vladimir Putin may not be a kindred transactional authoritarian leader but an ideological nationalist seeking the return of what “belongs to Russia”, the deadline Donald Trump set for the Russian president to agree a Ukraine ceasefire or face US sanctions on oil exports arrives on Friday.What Trump – who some had claimed was a Russian asset – does next to punish Putin could define his presidency. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago World awaits Trump’s next move as Russia ceasefire deadline approaches

US president has been unusually reticent about plans to punish Russia if it does not agree to end Ukraine warEurope live – latest updatesAfter needing six months to conclude that Vladimir Putin may not be a kindred transactional authoritarian leader, but an ideological nationalist seeking the return of what “belongs to Russia”, the deadline Donald Trump set for the Russian president to agree a Ukraine ceasefire or face US sanctions on oil exports arrives on Friday.What Trump – who some had claimed was a Russian asset – does next to punish Putin could define his presidency. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Donald Trump will 'go ballistic' if Vladimir Putin leaves him empty handed

Vladimir Putin has just a few more days before Donald Trump's threatened new sanctions take hold - with one insider warning he could be driven 'ballistic' without progress

Politics

4 w. ago Vladimir Putin could end Russian aerial bombardment of Ukraine to avoid Trump's economic sanctions

US President Donald Trump 's peace envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to Moscow imminently ahead of Friday's deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire with Ukraine.

Politics

4 w. ago Trump readies fresh US sanctions against Russia’s shadow fleet

US president has threatened Vladimir Putin with punitive measures to force him to end war in Ukraine

Events

4 w. ago Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks to Trump on sanctions against Russia and drones in ‘productive’ call – Europe live

Ukrainian president says ‘President Trump’s determination can change a lot’ as leaders speak about Russia increasing severity of strikesOn Ukraine, the EU spokespeople were asked about the bloc’s expectations as to Donald Trump’s deadline for Russia to end its invasion on Ukraine by Friday.The commission’s foreign policy spokesperson, Anitta Hipper, said:“Russia is not interested in peace. Ukraine is, the EU is. Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine and the EU. We welcome any pressure, and in particular US pressure on Russia to accept a ceasefire through any means necessary.”“I believe that for what we have been able to verify there has been some improvement compared to the situation before this agreement was reached. Is this sufficient? Absolutely not. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Ukraine calls for greater pressure on Russia ahead of Witkoff visit – Europe live

Zelenskyy urges US and EU to fast-track sanctions and secondary tariffs a day before Trump’s envoy is expected in MoscowMeanwhile, the Netherlands is the first country to commit €500m to spend on US weapons for Ukraine under a new framework deal agreed by US president Donald Trump and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte last month.On Monday night, Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof said the new weapons for Ukraine were “badly needed” as “Ukraine is still fighting every day to defend itself against Russian aggression, such as large-scale drone attacks.”In doing so, Ukraine is also fighting for freedom and security in Europe. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Trump envoy Witkoff in Russia this week for stab at Ukraine ceasefire after Kremlin warns US to be ‘careful’ over nuclear subs move

Trump has threatened new sanctions if Moscow does not agree to end the war by Friday

Events