World

At the White House, Zelenskyy, Trump, and Western allies vowed to pursue peace and security for Ukraine. In Moscow, propagandists scrambled to twist the summit into another “victory” for Putin—trying to stir up a fight in an empty room.

In Russia, death is big business. Funerals are surging, and the dead end up worth more than the living. Behind the coffins lies a criminal empire of morgue gangs, crooked officials, and security-service insiders—a shadow network growing darker amid Russia’s war in Ukraine.

The Putin and Trump talks are set to happen at the summit in Alaska on August 15, where talks could impact Russia’s war in Ukraine. Here are the essentials to understand how we got here and what’s on the table.

As Putin prepares to meet Trump in Alaska, Russia’s propaganda machine is weaponizing the territory’s history, reigniting claims that the US state still belongs to Moscow.

As the Kremlin’s grip is weakening in the South Caucasus, Armenia and Azerbaijan are distancing themselves, threatening Moscow’s sanctions lifelines and shattering its regional influence.

A pro-Kremlin regional leader has been jailed in Moldova, marking a major blow to Kremlin influence in the country’s autonomous south. As Chișinău deepens ties with the EU and Ukraine, Russia’s decades-long grip continues to unravel.