&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before midnight August 9, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop for an alleged traffic infraction on a Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 75, near 142nd&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The driver, Clifton Wabaunsee, 44, of Topeka was arrested at the scene and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754918054048.png" alt="Wabaunsee-photo Jackson County" />
                        <figcaption>Wabaunsee-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations after a traffic stop.</p><p>Just before midnight August 9, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop for an alleged traffic infraction on a Hyundai Elantra traveling northbound on U.S. Highway 75, near 142nd&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.</p><p>The driver, Clifton Wabaunsee, 44, of Topeka was arrested at the scene and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for aggravated battery and drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</p>

Kansas felon is back in jail on new drug allegations

SEDGWICK COUNTY– Wichita police took Gauge Brasher, 19, into custody shortly after 4 p.m. Friday in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.

 Earlier Friday, police investigators presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and Brasher was charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 13, crash that killed Jackson Nzabonimpa, 14.&nbsp;

Brasher will be booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal crash at Harry and Rock Road in Wichita that killed 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and still searching for the driver.

Around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the accident and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.

The preliminary investigation indicates the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;

Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. The passenger is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;

Wichita police are following up on leads to locate and arrest Brasher.

Wichita Police does not typically identify suspects who have not been formally charged. In this case, police believe the alleged recklessness of Brasher’s actions make him a danger to the&nbsp; community. Wichita Police Accident Follow-Up Unit (AFU) is continuing to investigate what led to this incident. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for charging.

“This was not an accident. It was a series of reckless choices,” Chief Joe Sullivan said. “When you mix extreme speed with suspected impairment, you turn a vehicle into a weapon. We will pursue full accountability for the death of this young man and his family, and the danger brought to our community.”&nbsp;

Anyone who has information on the location of Gauge Brasher is asked to call 911 immediately. To provide information related to this incident please call AFU investigators at 316-350-3685. To remain anonymous, you can submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at (316)-267-2111.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755212957933.png" alt="View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>View of the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY– Wichita police took Gauge Brasher, 19, into custody shortly after 4 p.m. Friday in the 3100 block of E. Range Road, according to a statement from Wichita Police.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755346851465.png" alt="Brasher photo Sedgwick Co." />
                        <figcaption>Brasher photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p> Earlier Friday, police investigators presented the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, and Brasher was charged with second-degree murder in the Aug. 13, crash that killed Jackson Nzabonimpa, 14.&nbsp;</p><p>Brasher will be booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.</p><p>----------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are investigating a fatal crash at Harry and Rock Road in Wichita that killed 14-year-old Jackson Nzabonimpa and still searching for the driver.</p><p>Around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a nearby Kansas Highway Patrol trooper in the area saw the aftermath of the accident and saw two men running from a black BMW that had crashed. After a short foot pursuit, both men were apprehended.</p><p>The preliminary investigation indicates the BMW was traveling at a high rate of speed when it hit a power pole and then a utility box. The impact forced the power pole and utility box into Nzabonimpa, who died on scene from his injuries.&nbsp;</p><p>Witnesses at the intersection identified the 19-year-old suspect Gauge Brasher, who fled as the driver. He is suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. The investigation indicated that impairment and speed were likely contributing factors in the collision. Brasher was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and later left the hospital. The passenger is a 24-year-old man who was detained and later released with no charges.&nbsp;</p><p>Wichita police are following up on leads to locate and arrest Brasher.</p><p>Wichita Police does not typically identify suspects who have not been formally charged. In this case, police believe the alleged recklessness of Brasher’s actions make him a danger to the&nbsp; community. Wichita Police Accident Follow-Up Unit (AFU) is continuing to investigate what led to this incident. The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for charging.</p><p>“This was not an accident. It was a series of reckless choices,” Chief Joe Sullivan said. “When you mix extreme speed with suspected impairment, you turn a vehicle into a weapon. We will pursue full accountability for the death of this young man and his family, and the danger brought to our community.”&nbsp;</p><p>Anyone who has information on the location of Gauge Brasher is asked to call 911 immediately. To provide information related to this incident please call AFU investigators at 316-350-3685. To remain anonymous, you can submit a tip through Crime Stoppers at (316)-267-2111.</p>

Police capture suspect wanted for fatal Kansas hit-and-run 

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.

In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 ½ hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”

But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.

“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”

He continued: “We didn’t get there.”

The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.

It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.

While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”

“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”

Trump had both raised and lowered expectations for the summit, at turns characterizing it as a “feel-out meeting” but also warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin didn’t agree to end the war.

He boasted before taking office that he could end the war in 24 hours, a comment he later said was in jest. The opportunity to talk to Putin face-to-face gave him his best chance to date to get the fighting to stop, but he came up short.

Putin suggests in English that next meeting could be held in Moscow

Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.

As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.”

Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”

Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.

Trump and Putin did not take questions after giving joint statements

After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.

Trump says he will fill Zelenskyy in on Putin meeting

The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.

Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.

Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.

Putin says there would no be war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022

Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.

Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.

“I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.

Putin speaks first at joint news conference with Trump

Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.

Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”

As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.

Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755307816617.png" alt="White House photo" />
                        <figcaption>White House photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President Donald Trump said he and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;didn’t reach a deal to end Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting on Friday — despite Putin saying they had come to “an understanding” — as the two leaders offered scant details on what was discussed while heaping praise on each other.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Donald Trump: &quot;There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO in a little while. I will call up the various people that I think are appropriate and I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting. It&#39;s ultimately up to them.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ur3kxRIgM4">pic.twitter.com/ur3kxRIgM4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956496911503937682?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>In brief remarks as they shared a stage after meeting for about 2 ½ hours in Alaska, Putin said he and Trump had reached an “understanding” on Ukraine and warned Europe not to “torpedo the nascent progress.”</p><p>But Trump then said, “There’s no deal until there’s a deal” and said he planned to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders soon, to brief them on the discussions.</p><p>“We had an extremely productive meeting, and many points were agreed to,” Trump said. “And there are just a very few that are left. Some are not that significant. One is probably the most significant, but we have a very good chance of getting there.”</p><p>He continued: “We didn’t get there.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇷🇺🇺🇸 The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anchorage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anchorage</a> talks between Presidents <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> have concluded. <a href="https://t.co/AcctLQQDGI">pic.twitter.com/AcctLQQDGI</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956502931257053275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The high-profile summit ended without a deal to end, or even pause, the brutal conflict — the largest land war in Europe since 1945 — which has raged for more than three years.</p><p>It was an abrupt ending to an otherwise friendly meeting in which a red carpet was rolled out for Putin as he landed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake and a smile, and Putin even got a ride in the presidential limousine — an unusually warm reception for a U.S. adversary.</p><p>While the two leaders were still on the tarmac, reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” Russia’s leader put his hand up to his ear as though to indicate he couldn’t hear them. Trump and Putin then shared the U.S. presidential limo known as “The Beast” for a short ride to their meeting site, with Putin offering a broad smile as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.</p><p>Zelenskyy and European leaders were excluded from Trump and Putin’s discussions, and Ukraine’s president was left posting a video address in which he expressed his hope for a “strong position from the U.S.”</p><p>“Everyone wants an honest end to the war. Ukraine is ready to work as productively as possible to end the war,” he said, later adding, “The war continues and it continues precisely because there is no order, nor any signals from Moscow, that it is preparing to end this war.”</p><p>Trump had both raised and lowered expectations for the summit, at turns characterizing it as a “feel-out meeting” but also warning of “very severe consequences” for Russia if Putin didn’t agree to end the war.</p><p>He boasted before taking office that he could end the war in 24 hours, a comment he later said was in jest. The opportunity to talk to Putin face-to-face gave him his best chance to date to get the fighting to stop, but he came up short.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: I believe we had a very productive meeting. There were many, many points that we agreed on... There&#39;s no deal until there&#39;s a deal. I will call up NATO... I&#39;ll of course call up President Zelensky and tell him about today&#39;s meeting... We really made some great progress. <a href="https://t.co/qEnZHW5D9i">pic.twitter.com/qEnZHW5D9i</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493139868369139?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I&#39;m going to start making a few phone calls and tell them what happened, but we had an extremely productive meeting and many points were agreed to. There are just a very few that are left.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p9MAivEbB6">pic.twitter.com/p9MAivEbB6</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956493746414997647?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“We had an extremely productive meeting.” President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://t.co/aIEWqkYYgN">pic.twitter.com/aIEWqkYYgN</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956493879953563767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump and President Putin in Anchorage, Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/d9DKQ0OtPa">pic.twitter.com/d9DKQ0OtPa</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956441780544516497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">B-2 Stealth Bomber flies over President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President Putin <a href="https://t.co/HaAqyHLftx">pic.twitter.com/HaAqyHLftx</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956443298400510377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Putin having to deal with a free press for the first time in years and he doesn’t seem amused. <a href="https://t.co/CI8iwqAQJM">pic.twitter.com/CI8iwqAQJM</a></p>&mdash; OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) <a href="https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1956447061043527837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🇷🇺🇺🇸 The meeting between President <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> has begun in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Anchorage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Anchorage</a>.<br><br>Also taking part in the talks are Russian FM Sergey <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lavrov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lavrov</a>, Presidential Aide Yuri <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ushakov?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ushakov</a>, US Secretary of State <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marcorubio</a> &amp; US Presidential Special Envoy <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveWitkoff?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SteveWitkoff</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUSA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/6jW6MmSrkr">pic.twitter.com/6jW6MmSrkr</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956444614271103120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> sits down with President Putin 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/PJfqsvXdkI">pic.twitter.com/PJfqsvXdkI</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956439512806207706?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pursuing Peace. 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/d9VqKzpF6g">pic.twitter.com/d9VqKzpF6g</a></p>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1956446335261175865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> begins his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin <a href="https://t.co/hpR641t8pJ">pic.twitter.com/hpR641t8pJ</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956441246513467393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HAPPENING NOW! <a href="https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv">https://t.co/5OBEWIttVv</a> <a href="https://t.co/s9KIftc3ZW">pic.twitter.com/s9KIftc3ZW</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956435635818070211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="qme" dir="ltr">🤝 <a href="https://t.co/Tru212XRcu">pic.twitter.com/Tru212XRcu</a></p>&mdash; MFA Russia 🇷🇺 (@mfa_russia) <a href="https://twitter.com/mfa_russia/status/1956450765121396775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> and Russian President Vladimir Putin end the day&#39;s historic summit in Alaska <a href="https://t.co/80SsqP2Di8">pic.twitter.com/80SsqP2Di8</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956494156487856548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Putin suggests in English that next meeting could be held in Moscow</h2><p>Trump has spoken repeatedly in recent days about wanting to have a second meeting after the Alaska summit.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">“Next time in Moscow” President Putin on the next meeting with President Trump <a href="https://t.co/Eomwp1zs7S">pic.twitter.com/Eomwp1zs7S</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956496289056653652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>As they wrapped their statements after the summit, Putin said to Trump in English, “Next time in Moscow.”</p><p>Trump responded, “I could see it possibly happening.”</p><p>Neither leader announced that a second meeting would be held before they left the room without answering questions from reporters.</p><h2>Trump and Putin did not take questions after giving joint statements</h2><p>After their nearly three-hour-long meeting, neither Trump nor Putin took questions from reporters after giving brief remarks. Putin said the two leaders had reached an “understanding,” but neither offered further details.</p><h2>Trump says he will fill Zelenskyy in on Putin meeting</h2><p>The U.S. president also said he would call European and NATO leaders to give them updates from his meeting with Putin.</p><p>Trump said “some great progress” was made in his bilateral meeting with the Russian president, saying “many points were agreed to,” with just a “very few” remaining.</p><p>Zelenskyy was not invited to the Alaska summit.</p><h2>Putin says there would no be war in Ukraine if Trump had been president in 2022</h2><p>Trump has long claimed that Putin would never have invaded Ukraine if he had still be in the White House — and the Russian leader confirmed that argument at a news conference after their meeting.</p><p>Putin criticized former President Joe Biden without naming him and referenced Trump’s argument about his presence being sufficient to stop the war.</p><p>“I can confirm that,” Putin said through a translator.</p><h2>Putin speaks first at joint news conference with Trump</h2><p>Speaking in Russian, the president said he had greeted Trump as “dear neighbor,” thankful to see him in good health.</p><p>Putin also said he and Trump “have very good, direct contact.”</p><p>As Putin spoke, Trump stood about 6 or 7 feet (1.8 or 2.1 meters) away from him, at his own podium.</p><p>Putin said the U.S. and Russia are close neighbors, separated by mere miles, so it made sense for the summit to be held in Alaska.</p>

🎥Trump: No deal on ending war in Ukraine; Putin says there was an 'understanding'

HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7aeaf800-fb59-44d2-8983-9179d6701101">After months of being out-of-network</a>, Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have reached a new agreement that will bring the clinic back into the BCBSKS network starting Sept. 1.

In a joint statement, the two organizations said:

<i>“We are pleased to announce Hutchinson Clinic will return to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas network on September 1st, 2025. We understand how important it is for our patients to have access to local providers and services they know and trust."</i>

Hutchinson Clinic, a physician-owned practice serving Reno County and surrounding areas, had previously been an in-network provider for BCBS members for many years. That changed on Jan. 1, 2025, when contract negotiations broke down over reimbursement rates, and the clinic left the BCBS Marketplace network. The move prompted concern from patients, many of whom faced higher out-of-pocket costs to continue seeing their longtime providers.

Clinic leaders at the time cited unsustainable payment rates as the reason for the departure, while reaffirming their commitment to keeping care local. The clinic’s Patient Advocacy Center worked with BCBSKS members to help them understand their costs and options.

Starting September 1, BCBSKS members will again be able to receive in-network benefits at Hutchinson Clinic locations. The change applies to both existing patients and new BCBSKS members seeking care from the clinic’s physicians and specialists.

<p>MARC JACOBS<br>Hutch Post</p><p>HUTCHINSON —&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/7aeaf800-fb59-44d2-8983-9179d6701101">After months of being out-of-network</a>, Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas have reached a new agreement that will bring the clinic back into the BCBSKS network starting Sept. 1.</p><p>In a joint statement, the two organizations said:</p><p><i>“We are pleased to announce Hutchinson Clinic will return to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas network on September 1st, 2025. We understand how important it is for our patients to have access to local providers and services they know and trust."</i></p><p>Hutchinson Clinic, a physician-owned practice serving Reno County and surrounding areas, had previously been an in-network provider for BCBS members for many years. That changed on Jan. 1, 2025, when contract negotiations broke down over reimbursement rates, and the clinic left the BCBS Marketplace network. The move prompted concern from patients, many of whom faced higher out-of-pocket costs to continue seeing their longtime providers.</p><p>Clinic leaders at the time cited unsustainable payment rates as the reason for the departure, while reaffirming their commitment to keeping care local. The clinic’s Patient Advocacy Center worked with BCBSKS members to help them understand their costs and options.</p><p>Starting September 1, BCBSKS members will again be able to receive in-network benefits at Hutchinson Clinic locations. The change applies to both existing patients and new BCBSKS members seeking care from the clinic’s physicians and specialists.</p>

Hutchinson Clinic, BCBSKS announce return to network

TOPEKA&nbsp; – Juan Doroteo Morales, 38, will serve life in prison for the 2021 murder of Camilo Ramirez, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Friday.

&nbsp;Saline County District Court Judge Jacob Peterson sentenced Morales on Friday.&nbsp; In May, a Saline County jury convicted Morales for first-degree, premediated murder, aggravated assault, and criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. 

On Aug. 23, 2021, Salina police officers responded to a 911 call of a man shot at the intersection of Iron and Front streets in Salina. First responders found Ramirez, 25, unconscious with a bullet wound to the head. They initiated live-saving measures and transported Ramirez to the hospital, where Ramirez succumbed to his injuries the following day. Investigators learned that Morales and three other individuals, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart, lured Ramirez to a laundromat in Salina. &nbsp;

When Ramirez and his dog walked to the meeting place near the intersection of Iron and Front Street, the four defendants – Morales, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart – arrived via car. Morales and Jacob exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots at Ramirez. After the shooting, the pair got back in the car and were driven away by Jamie. Ramirez’s dog was also killed in the shooting.

Stewart entered guilty pleas to second-degree intentional murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery on Oct. 18, 2022. Stewart testified during Morales’s trial. &nbsp;On May 16, 2025, she was sentenced to serve 187 months in prison. &nbsp;Jaime Leos entered guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree on July 29. &nbsp;

On May 16, 2025, he was sentenced to prison for 287 months. &nbsp;Jacob Leos entered guilty pleas to intentional murder in the second degree, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, and aggravated assault on May 2. &nbsp;On May 20, 2025, Jacob was sentenced to serve 284 months in prison. &nbsp;The Salina Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746639820085.png" alt="Morales photo Saline County" />
                        <figcaption>Morales photo Saline County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>TOPEKA&nbsp; – Juan Doroteo Morales, 38, will serve life in prison for the 2021 murder of Camilo Ramirez, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced on Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;Saline County District Court Judge Jacob Peterson sentenced Morales on Friday.&nbsp; In May, a Saline County jury convicted Morales for first-degree, premediated murder, aggravated assault, and criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. </p><p>On Aug. 23, 2021, Salina police officers responded to a 911 call of a man shot at the intersection of Iron and Front streets in Salina. First responders found Ramirez, 25, unconscious with a bullet wound to the head. They initiated live-saving measures and transported Ramirez to the hospital, where Ramirez succumbed to his injuries the following day. Investigators learned that Morales and three other individuals, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart, lured Ramirez to a laundromat in Salina. &nbsp;</p><p>When Ramirez and his dog walked to the meeting place near the intersection of Iron and Front Street, the four defendants – Morales, Jamie Leos, Jacob Leos and Kiera Stewart – arrived via car. Morales and Jacob exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots at Ramirez. After the shooting, the pair got back in the car and were driven away by Jamie. Ramirez’s dog was also killed in the shooting.</p><p>Stewart entered guilty pleas to second-degree intentional murder, attempted aggravated robbery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery on Oct. 18, 2022. Stewart testified during Morales’s trial. &nbsp;On May 16, 2025, she was sentenced to serve 187 months in prison. &nbsp;Jaime Leos entered guilty pleas to voluntary manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder in the second degree on July 29. &nbsp;</p><p>On May 16, 2025, he was sentenced to prison for 287 months. &nbsp;Jacob Leos entered guilty pleas to intentional murder in the second degree, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, and aggravated assault on May 2. &nbsp;On May 20, 2025, Jacob was sentenced to serve 284 months in prison. &nbsp;The Salina Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.</p>

Life in prison for Kansas man who lured victim to his death

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.

The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.

The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.

A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.

One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.

Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.

“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”

On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.

Berkshire Hathaway’s own stock slipped 0.4%.

Applied Materials helped lead Wall Street lower with a decline of 14.1% even though it reported better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The focus was on the company’s forecast for a drop in revenue during the current quarter.

Its products help manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays, and CEO Gary Dickerson pointed to a “dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the near term, including for our China business.”

Sandisk fell 4.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. Investors focused instead on the data storage company’s forecast for profit in the current quarter, which came up short of Wall Street’s.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 18.74 points to 6,449.80. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34.86 to 44,946.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 87.69 to 21,622.98.

In stock markets abroad, indexes rose 0.8% in Shanghai but fell 1% in Hong Kong after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-trump-tariffs-65f886fe432f007e02871bf484b28656">China’s economy may have slowed in July</a>&nbsp;under pressure from uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.

“Chinese economic activity slowed across the board in July, with retail sales, fixed asset investment, and value added of industry growth all reaching the lowest levels of the year. After a strong start, several months of cooling momentum suggest that the economy may need further policy support,” ING Economics said in a market commentary.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.7% after the government said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-tariffs-trump-economy-gdp-4ed873e4162c84dafc3befc81b49c6e6">its economy grew at a better-than-expected pace</a>&nbsp;in the latest quarter.

European stock indexes finished mixed before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Trump began his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, which could dictate where the war in Ukraine is heading.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
                        <figcaption>File(AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks edged back from their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asia-shares-japan-bessent-wall-street-02e8aa1fa772ad3570249dc81f917325">record levels</a>&nbsp;on Friday in a quiet finish to another winning week.</p><p>The S&amp;P 500 slipped 0.3% from the all-time high it set the day before, as it closed its fourth winning week in the last five. The Dow Jones Industrial Average flirted with its own record, which was set in December, before ending just below the mark with a rise of 34 points, or 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite dipped 0.4%, though it’s still near its record set on Wednesday.</p><p>The U.S. stock market reached all-time highs this past week as expectations built that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-federal-reserve-10b69ac47322e412d667f3d44ccd62b7">Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;will deliver a cut to interest rates at its next meeting in September. Lower rates can boost investment prices and the economy by making it cheaper for U.S. households and businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-3bba3f6f23c277b000493bdc6bb86f20">borrow to buy houses</a>, cars or equipment, but they also risk worsening inflation.</p><p>A disappointing report about inflation at the U.S. wholesale level made traders pare back bets for coming cuts to interest rates on Thursday, but they’re still overwhelmingly expecting them. Such anticipation has sent Treasury yields lower in the bond market, though they inched higher Friday following some mixed updates on the economy.</p><p>One said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retail-sales-inflation-economy-4c3fd1a7a82ed2ec52a9dfa3ec569076">shoppers boosted their spending</a>&nbsp;at U.S. retailers last month, as economists expected, while another said that manufacturing in New York state unexpectedly grew. A third said industrial production across the country shrank last month, when economists were looking for modest growth.</p><p>Another report suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers is worsening because of worries about inflation, when economists expected to see a slight improvement.</p><p>“Overall, consumers are no longer bracing for the worst-case scenario for the economy feared in April,” when President Donald Trump announced his stunning set of worldwide tariffs, according to Joanne Hsu, director of the University of Michigan’s surveys of consumers. “However, consumers continue to expect both inflation and unemployment to deteriorate in the future.”</p><p>On Wall Street, UnitedHealth Group jumped 12% after famed investor Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/warren-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-lennar-nucor-drhorton-8ded0e379e9e29dab9af66a88dc1e9a2">bought nearly 5 million shares of the insurer</a>&nbsp;during the spring, valued at $1.57 billion. Buffett is known for trying to buy good stocks at affordable prices, and UnitedHealth’s halved for the year by the end of July because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealth-buffett-berkshire-hathaway-0e3cad5d2a9efa01ba9605674a513092">a run of struggles</a>.</p><p>Berkshire Hathaway’s own stock slipped 0.4%.</p><p>Applied Materials helped lead Wall Street lower with a decline of 14.1% even though it reported better results for the latest quarter than analysts expected. The focus was on the company’s forecast for a drop in revenue during the current quarter.</p><p>Its products help manufacture semiconductors and advanced displays, and CEO Gary Dickerson pointed to a “dynamic macroeconomic and policy environment, which is creating increased uncertainty and lower visibility in the near term, including for our China business.”</p><p>Sandisk fell 4.6% despite reporting a profit for the latest quarter that blew past analysts’ expectations. Investors focused instead on the data storage company’s forecast for profit in the current quarter, which came up short of Wall Street’s.</p><p>All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 18.74 points to 6,449.80. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 34.86 to 44,946.12, and the Nasdaq composite sank 87.69 to 21,622.98.</p><p>In stock markets abroad, indexes rose 0.8% in Shanghai but fell 1% in Hong Kong after data showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-property-trump-tariffs-65f886fe432f007e02871bf484b28656">China’s economy may have slowed in July</a>&nbsp;under pressure from uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs.</p><p>“Chinese economic activity slowed across the board in July, with retail sales, fixed asset investment, and value added of industry growth all reaching the lowest levels of the year. After a strong start, several months of cooling momentum suggest that the economy may need further policy support,” ING Economics said in a market commentary.</p><p>Japan’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.7% after the government said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-tariffs-trump-economy-gdp-4ed873e4162c84dafc3befc81b49c6e6">its economy grew at a better-than-expected pace</a>&nbsp;in the latest quarter.</p><p>European stock indexes finished mixed before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-summit-alaska-russia-ukraine-a7b167f17a3e06fbce2f583c93f8bae1">Trump began his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>, which could dictate where the war in Ukraine is heading.</p>

US stocks fade as Wall Street closes out another winning week

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Friday, greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.

After descending from Air Force One, Trump applauded the Russian leader as Putin approached, walking along red carpets that had been placed for each leader. They gripped hands for an extended period of time, with both men smiling, and Putin eventually grinned and pointed skyward while their hands were still clasped.

Uniformed military members stood at attention nearby at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew over to mark the moment.

Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Putin put his hand up to his ear but didn’t answer. Trump and Putin both climbed in the U.S. presidential limo, with Putin grinning widely as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin will be joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The change indicates that the White House is taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, when Trump and Putin first met privately just with their interpreters for two hours.

Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of the summit.

The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.

For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.

There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.

Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.

"HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.

On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.

Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.

Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived in Alaska on Friday for a pivotal summit with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.

Trump was scheduled to meet Russia’s president at his plane shortly. A large “Alaska 2025” sign, flanked by four parked fighter jets and red carpets, was placed on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for the leaders’ arrival. Trump and Putin have shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-0237e6b133b14b74acf4a2021272ecec">closely watched handshakes before</a>&nbsp;— but the one they are expected to have Friday will be as scrutinized as any, as will any body language or hints about how each is feeling.

The Kremlin said Trump and Putin will have a one-on-one discussion, followed by the two delegations meeting and talks continuing over “a working breakfast.” The pair are expected to hold a joint press conference.

Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals

Trump previously characterized the sit-down as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-575aa4ce590256d50a9d73911f681269">really a feel-out meeting</a>.” But he's also warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.

Trump said Friday that his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal. He said Ukraine has to decide, but he also suggested Zelenskyy should accept concessions.

“I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump told reporters traveling with him to Alaska.

Trump said there’s “a possibility” of the United States offering Ukraine security guarantees alongside European powers, “but not in the form of NATO.” Putin has fiercely resisted Ukraine joining the trans-Atlantic security alliance, a long-term goal for Ukrainians seeking to forge stronger ties with the West.

Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, is in Alaska to provide “military advice” to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a senior NATO military official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His presence is likely to be welcomed by European leaders who have tried to convince Trump to be firm with Putin and not deal over Kyiv’s head.

On his way to Alaska, Trump sat for an interview on Air Force One with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. In a clip posted online, he said he thought the meeting would “work out very well — and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast.”

“I would walk, yeah,” he added, after a follow up question.

Zelenskyy has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who’ve held increasingly urgent meetings with U.S. leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks.

Political commentators in Moscow, meanwhile, have relished that the summit leaves Ukraine and its European allies on the sidelines.

Dmitry Suslov, a pro-Kremlin voice, expressed hope that the summit will “deepen a trans-Atlantic rift and weaken Europe’s position as the toughest enemy of Russia.”

The summit could have far-reaching implications

Foreign governments will be watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the U.S. president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships.

The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources.

Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia’s much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line.

Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said U.S. antagonists like China, Iran and North Korea will be paying attention to Trump's posture to see “whether or not the threats that he continues to make against Putin are indeed credible.”

“Or, if has been the past track record, he continues to back down and look for ways to wiggle out of the kind of threats and pressure he has promised to apply,” said Kendall-Taylor, who is a former senior intelligence officer.

While some have objected to the location of the summit, Trump has said he thought it was “very respectful” of Putin to come to the U.S. instead of a meeting in Russia.

Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst, observed that the choice of Alaska as the summit’s venue “underlined the distancing from Europe and Ukraine.”

Being on a military base allows the leaders to avoid protests and meet more securely, but the location carries its own significance because of its history and location.

Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles (less than 5 kilometers) and the international date line.

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into U.S. airspace.

Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jonathan J. Cooper in Washington, Elise Morton in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.

<p>JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;kicked off their Alaska summit with a warm handshake on Friday, greeting each other like old friends before heading into hours of discussions that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="zxx" dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/tpRtgKjweY">pic.twitter.com/tpRtgKjweY</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956430058043977743?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Air Force One is officially wheels down at Joint Base Elmendorf in Anchorage, Alaska <a href="https://t.co/neVcTFdjJj">pic.twitter.com/neVcTFdjJj</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956422322761425059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Air Force One has arrived in Anchorage, Alaska. <br><br>Watch LIVE coverage on C-SPAN --&gt; <a href="https://t.co/ZZOekqHPFM">https://t.co/ZZOekqHPFM</a> <a href="https://t.co/udDBMfnuV4">pic.twitter.com/udDBMfnuV4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956422403266908553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and President Putin riding in The Beast together 🇺🇸🇷🇺 <a href="https://t.co/wBpVN30Mmm">pic.twitter.com/wBpVN30Mmm</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956436029222850783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>After descending from Air Force One, Trump applauded the Russian leader as Putin approached, walking along red carpets that had been placed for each leader. They gripped hands for an extended period of time, with both men smiling, and Putin eventually grinned and pointed skyward while their hands were still clasped.</p><p>Uniformed military members stood at attention nearby at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, and B-2s and F-22s — military aircraft designed to oppose Russia during the Cold War — flew over to mark the moment.</p><p>Reporters nearby yelled, “President Putin, will you stop killing civilians?” and Putin put his hand up to his ear but didn’t answer. Trump and Putin both climbed in the U.S. presidential limo, with Putin grinning widely as the vehicle rolled past the cameras.</p><p>White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the previously planned one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin is now a three-on-three meeting that will include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff. Putin will be joined by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov. The change indicates that the White House is taking a more guarded approach than it did during a 2018 meeting in Helsinki, when Trump and Putin first met privately just with their interpreters for two hours.</p><p>Putin and Trump are expected to hold a joint press conference at the end of the summit.</p><p>The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.</p><p>For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.</p><p>There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.</p><p>Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.</p><p>"HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.</p><p>On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.</p><p>Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.</p><p>Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.</p><p>----------------</p><p>JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;arrived in Alaska on Friday for a pivotal summit with Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;that could reshape the war in Ukraine and relations between Moscow and Washington.</p><p>Trump was scheduled to meet Russia’s president at his plane shortly. A large “Alaska 2025” sign, flanked by four parked fighter jets and red carpets, was placed on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage for the leaders’ arrival. Trump and Putin have shared&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-government-0237e6b133b14b74acf4a2021272ecec">closely watched handshakes before</a>&nbsp;— but the one they are expected to have Friday will be as scrutinized as any, as will any body language or hints about how each is feeling.</p><p>The sit-down gives Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>&nbsp;— something he used to boast he could do quickly.</p><p>For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit. Despite having so much at stake, Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and European leaders aren't invited.</p><p>There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil — America bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for roughly 2 cents per acre — the president is giving him the validation he desires after his ostracization following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">his invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;3 1/2 years ago. Zelenskyy's exclusion from Trump and Putin's first meeting is a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.</p><p>Any success is far from assured because Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which are conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755264031202.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>"HIGH STAKES!!!" Trump posted shortly before he boarded Air Force One.</p><p>On his way to the meeting, Putin stopped in Magadan, in Russia’s Far East, where he visited a factory producing omega-3 fish oil capsules, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. Putin used the flight to review materials on Ukraine, tensions with the U.S., economic cooperation and global affairs, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state TV.</p><p>Trump said earlier in the week there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.</p><p>Trump has also expressed doubts about getting an immediate ceasefire, but he has wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.</p><p>The Kremlin said Trump and Putin will have a one-on-one discussion, followed by the two delegations meeting and talks continuing over “a working breakfast.” The pair are expected to hold a joint press conference.</p><h2>Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals</h2><p>Trump previously characterized the sit-down as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-575aa4ce590256d50a9d73911f681269">really a feel-out meeting</a>.” But he's also warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>.</p><p>Trump said Friday that his talks with Putin will include Russian demands that Ukraine cede territory as part of a peace deal. He said Ukraine has to decide, but he also suggested Zelenskyy should accept concessions.</p><p>“I’ve got to let Ukraine make that decision. And I think they’ll make a proper decision,” Trump told reporters traveling with him to Alaska.</p><p>Trump said there’s “a possibility” of the United States offering Ukraine security guarantees alongside European powers, “but not in the form of NATO.” Putin has fiercely resisted Ukraine joining the trans-Atlantic security alliance, a long-term goal for Ukrainians seeking to forge stronger ties with the West.</p><p>Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s supreme allied commander Europe, is in Alaska to provide “military advice” to Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, according to a senior NATO military official who wasn't authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. His presence is likely to be welcomed by European leaders who have tried to convince Trump to be firm with Putin and not deal over Kyiv’s head.</p><p>On his way to Alaska, Trump sat for an interview on Air Force One with Fox News Channel’s Bret Baier. In a clip posted online, he said he thought the meeting would “work out very well — and if it doesn’t, I’m going to head back home real fast.”</p><p>“I would walk, yeah,” he added, after a follow up question.</p><p>Zelenskyy has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who’ve held increasingly urgent meetings with U.S. leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks.</p><p>Political commentators in Moscow, meanwhile, have relished that the summit leaves Ukraine and its European allies on the sidelines.</p><p>Dmitry Suslov, a pro-Kremlin voice, expressed hope that the summit will “deepen a trans-Atlantic rift and weaken Europe’s position as the toughest enemy of Russia.”</p><h2>The summit could have far-reaching implications</h2><p>Foreign governments will be watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the U.S. president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships.</p><p>The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources.</p><p>Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia’s much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line.</p><p>Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said U.S. antagonists like China, Iran and North Korea will be paying attention to Trump's posture to see “whether or not the threats that he continues to make against Putin are indeed credible.”</p><p>“Or, if has been the past track record, he continues to back down and look for ways to wiggle out of the kind of threats and pressure he has promised to apply,” said Kendall-Taylor, who is a former senior intelligence officer.</p><p>While some have objected to the location of the summit, Trump has said he thought it was “very respectful” of Putin to come to the U.S. instead of a meeting in Russia.</p><p>Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst, observed that the choice of Alaska as the summit’s venue “underlined the distancing from Europe and Ukraine.”</p><p>Being on a military base allows the leaders to avoid protests and meet more securely, but the location carries its own significance because of its history and location.</p><p>Alaska is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles (less than 5 kilometers) and the international date line.</p><p>Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into U.S. airspace.</p><p>___</p><p>Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Jonathan J. Cooper in Washington, Elise Morton in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.</p>

Trump and Putin shake hands warmly in Alaska to kick off their summit 

Just after 2p.m. Friday,&nbsp; &nbsp;Wichita police reported 78-year-old Lucy Daniels had been found and was safe. Police released no additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp;– The Wichita Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita woman.

The whereabouts of 78-year-old Lucy Daniels are unknown, and public assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.

Daniels is likely driving a navy blue 2021 Chevrolet Silverado with no license plate, or possibly a temporary tag. She was last seen on Aug. 14, at approximately 10 p.m.

Daniels is a black female who is around 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighs approximately 250 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last known wearing a multi-colored nightgown and a brown head wrap. Daniels has Alzheimer’s and walks with a limp.

If you see Daniels or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at (316) 268-4111.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755269331583.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Just after 2p.m. Friday,&nbsp; &nbsp;Wichita police reported 78-year-old Lucy Daniels had been found and was safe. Police released no additional details.</p><p>--------------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp;– The Wichita Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita woman.</p><p>The whereabouts of 78-year-old Lucy Daniels are unknown, and public assistance is requested to help locate her, according to a media release from the KBI.</p><p>Daniels is likely driving a navy blue 2021 Chevrolet Silverado with no license plate, or possibly a temporary tag. She was last seen on Aug. 14, at approximately 10 p.m.</p><p>Daniels is a black female who is around 5 foot 3 inches tall and weighs approximately 250 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes. She was last known wearing a multi-colored nightgown and a brown head wrap. Daniels has Alzheimer’s and walks with a limp.</p><p>If you see Daniels or her vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about her whereabouts, please call the Wichita Police Department at (316) 268-4111.</p>

Police: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kansas woman found

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039"><i>Kansas Reflecto</i></a>r

TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Thursday asked a federal court to remove Gov. Laura Kelly from a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s refusal to release grant money to states.

<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-governor-joins-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-for-federal-funding-losses/">Kelly joined 22 states and the District of Columbia</a>&nbsp;in the lawsuit last month. Kobach, a Republican, said the Democratic governor doesn’t have the authority under Kansas law to represent the state in federal litigation.

“The governor is purporting to represent the state of Kansas and claiming that Kansas demands and wants the federal government to continue spending this money that these federal agencies have deemed to be unnecessary and wasteful,” Kobach told legislative leaders at a meeting Thursday at the Statehouse.

The states sued the Office of Management and Budget over decisions by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, to terminate billions of dollars in federal funding that had been allocated by Congress. The lawsuit argues those cuts have had a devastating impact on state efforts to combat violent crime, educate students, safeguard public health, protect clean drinking water, conduct medical and scientific research, provide meals for students in school, and ensure access to unemployment benefits.

Olivia Taylor-Puckett, a spokeswoman for Kelly, said the governor joined the lawsuit in her official capacity as governor of the state. The Kansas Constitution vests “supreme executive power” in the governor and makes Kansas governors responsible for “enforcement of the laws,” she said.

“As such, the governor oversees all executive agencies in Kansas and has the power to bring a suit and be sued in her official capacity in fulfilling her constitutional duty,” Taylor-Puckett said. “The attorney general was repeatedly asked to exercise his responsibility to protect the people of Kansas and he refused.”

She said the governor acted to prevent infringement of “states’ rights and the best interests of Kansas.”

When the governor joined the lawsuit, her office said the Trump administration had terminated “millions of dollars used to purchase goods from Kansas farmers, to mitigate natural disasters and to enhance childhood education.”

Kobach appeared before the Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of five Republicans and two Democrats, to ask for a statement of support in dropping Kansas from the litigation. He said he filed an amicus brief Thursday to inform the Massachusetts federal court of his assertion that state law allows only the attorney general to represent the state in federal litigation.

“Otherwise the court might assume that a governor walking into a federal court might have the authority to represent the state in court, but under Kansas law, that is not the case,” Kobach said.

The council on a party-line vote approved a motion made by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who is running for state insurance commissioner, that declares the governor is violating Kansas law and should be dropped from the case.

“Even if the attorney general were representing Kansas, doing so would not be in the state’s interest,” Hawkins said.

Kobach said Kelly did ask him to join the lawsuit and that he declined because he believes it is destined to fail. He pointed to the Trump administration’s insistence that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.340" target="_blank">a federal regulation</a>&nbsp;allows agencies to terminate a grant if it no longer effectuates agency priorities.

“We don’t believe that any state has the ability to compel the federal agency to spend the money, and so, purely on legal grounds, we rejected the governor’s request,” Kobach said.

He said the states could get a favorable ruling at the district court level in Massachusetts, where the case was filed, but that their legal claims “are not winners.”

“We’ve all heard in the news there are district judges on every position on the political spectrum, and judicial, ideological, jurisprudential spectrum,” Kobach said. “When this case goes up on appeal, the states seeking the grants are going to lose.”

In the lawsuit, the states argue that the Trump administration is attempting to redefine a regulation that has never before been used to justify an agency withholding grant money “when the agency simply changes its mind.”

The regulation “provides no support for a broad power to terminate grants on a whim based on newly identified agency priorities,” the lawsuit said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723829601184.png" alt="&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, seen during a June 17, 2024, news conference at the Statehouse in Topeka, says only he can represent the state in federal litigation. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, seen during a June 17, 2024, news conference at the Statehouse in Topeka, says only he can represent the state in federal litigation. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a><br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039"><i>Kansas Reflecto</i></a>r</p><p>TOPEKA — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach on Thursday asked a federal court to remove Gov. Laura Kelly from a multi-state lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s refusal to release grant money to states.</p><p><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/kansas-governor-joins-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-for-federal-funding-losses/">Kelly joined 22 states and the District of Columbia</a>&nbsp;in the lawsuit last month. Kobach, a Republican, said the Democratic governor doesn’t have the authority under Kansas law to represent the state in federal litigation.</p><p>“The governor is purporting to represent the state of Kansas and claiming that Kansas demands and wants the federal government to continue spending this money that these federal agencies have deemed to be unnecessary and wasteful,” Kobach told legislative leaders at a meeting Thursday at the Statehouse.</p><p>The states sued the Office of Management and Budget over decisions by President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, to terminate billions of dollars in federal funding that had been allocated by Congress. The lawsuit argues those cuts have had a devastating impact on state efforts to combat violent crime, educate students, safeguard public health, protect clean drinking water, conduct medical and scientific research, provide meals for students in school, and ensure access to unemployment benefits.</p><p>Olivia Taylor-Puckett, a spokeswoman for Kelly, said the governor joined the lawsuit in her official capacity as governor of the state. The Kansas Constitution vests “supreme executive power” in the governor and makes Kansas governors responsible for “enforcement of the laws,” she said.</p><p>“As such, the governor oversees all executive agencies in Kansas and has the power to bring a suit and be sued in her official capacity in fulfilling her constitutional duty,” Taylor-Puckett said. “The attorney general was repeatedly asked to exercise his responsibility to protect the people of Kansas and he refused.”</p><p>She said the governor acted to prevent infringement of “states’ rights and the best interests of Kansas.”</p><p>When the governor joined the lawsuit, her office said the Trump administration had terminated “millions of dollars used to purchase goods from Kansas farmers, to mitigate natural disasters and to enhance childhood education.”</p><p>Kobach appeared before the Legislative Coordinating Council, which consists of five Republicans and two Democrats, to ask for a statement of support in dropping Kansas from the litigation. He said he filed an amicus brief Thursday to inform the Massachusetts federal court of his assertion that state law allows only the attorney general to represent the state in federal litigation.</p><p>“Otherwise the court might assume that a governor walking into a federal court might have the authority to represent the state in court, but under Kansas law, that is not the case,” Kobach said.</p><p>The council on a party-line vote approved a motion made by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican who is running for state insurance commissioner, that declares the governor is violating Kansas law and should be dropped from the case.</p><p>“Even if the attorney general were representing Kansas, doing so would not be in the state’s interest,” Hawkins said.</p><p>Kobach said Kelly did ask him to join the lawsuit and that he declined because he believes it is destined to fail. He pointed to the Trump administration’s insistence that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.340" target="_blank">a federal regulation</a>&nbsp;allows agencies to terminate a grant if it no longer effectuates agency priorities.</p><p>“We don’t believe that any state has the ability to compel the federal agency to spend the money, and so, purely on legal grounds, we rejected the governor’s request,” Kobach said.</p><p>He said the states could get a favorable ruling at the district court level in Massachusetts, where the case was filed, but that their legal claims “are not winners.”</p><p>“We’ve all heard in the news there are district judges on every position on the political spectrum, and judicial, ideological, jurisprudential spectrum,” Kobach said. “When this case goes up on appeal, the states seeking the grants are going to lose.”</p><p>In the lawsuit, the states argue that the Trump administration is attempting to redefine a regulation that has never before been used to justify an agency withholding grant money “when the agency simply changes its mind.”</p><p>The regulation “provides no support for a broad power to terminate grants on a whim based on newly identified agency priorities,” the lawsuit said.</p>

Kobach asks federal court to boot Kansas governor from lawsuit over federal funding cuts

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child is going to prison.

On Friday Judge Quinten Pittman sentenced 29-year-old Ija Hall, the owner of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, to 61 months in prison followed by 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child will learn her fate Friday.

Judge Quinten Pittman will sentence 29-year-old Ija Hall, the ower of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In July Hall pleaded guilty to&nbsp;child abuse.&nbsp; In June she told the court she would face a jury but changed her mind.

In September of 2024, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment suspended Hall's day care&nbsp; license after an incident involving a child she was fostering. A protective order was issued during her first court appearance, according to the district attorney's office. She was not to have contact with the victim in the case or any child under the age of 12.

One of her foster children was burned in a bathtub, according to the KDHE. A second foster child had bruises and missing teeth.

Hall is not in custody after meeting the requirement of a $25,000 bond. 

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726247213560.png" alt="Hall photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Hall photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child is going to prison.</p><p>On Friday Judge Quinten Pittman sentenced 29-year-old Ija Hall, the owner of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, to 61 months in prison followed by 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office</p><p>----------------</p><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas home daycare provider who admitted to abuse of a child will learn her fate Friday.</p><p>Judge Quinten Pittman will sentence 29-year-old Ija Hall, the ower of His Loving Hands Home Childcare, 357 N. Erie in Wichita, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.</p><p>In July Hall pleaded guilty to&nbsp;child abuse.&nbsp; In June she told the court she would face a jury but changed her mind.</p><p>In September of 2024, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment suspended Hall's day care&nbsp; license after an incident involving a child she was fostering. A protective order was issued during her first court appearance, according to the district attorney's office. She was not to have contact with the victim in the case or any child under the age of 12.</p><p>One of her foster children was burned in a bathtub, according to the KDHE. A second foster child had bruises and missing teeth.</p><p>Hall is not in custody after meeting the requirement of a $25,000 bond. </p>

Sentencing Day for Kan. daycare provider who abused children in her care

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident that occurred just after 5p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.

Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Eric Slay reported, a Dodge Dart driven by&nbsp;42-year-old Tiffany M. Jones (McKinney) of Wichita was&nbsp;eastbound on 29th Street North and failed to stop at the stop sign at 135th Street W.&nbsp; A southbound&nbsp; Mitsubishi Outlander driven by a 26-year-old woman from Maize struck the Dodge.&nbsp;&nbsp;The impact caused both vehicles to leave the roadway into the field southeast of the intersection.

Jones was pronounced deceased at the scene despite lifesaving efforts by EMS personnel, according to Lt. Slay.&nbsp;

EMS transported the other driver along with three child passengers (ages nine, six and four) to Wesley Hospital for&nbsp;for treatment of&nbsp; serious injuries.

Deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office crash reconstruction team responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp; It was determined that Jones was not wearing a seatbelt, according to Lt. Slay. Impairment is not suspected.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755254266173.png" alt="View from near the crash scene-photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>View from near the crash scene-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident that occurred just after 5p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.</p><p>Sedgwick County Sheriff's Lt. Eric Slay reported, a Dodge Dart driven by&nbsp;42-year-old Tiffany M. Jones (McKinney) of Wichita was&nbsp;eastbound on 29th Street North and failed to stop at the stop sign at 135th Street W.&nbsp; A southbound&nbsp; Mitsubishi Outlander driven by a 26-year-old woman from Maize struck the Dodge.&nbsp;&nbsp;The impact caused both vehicles to leave the roadway into the field southeast of the intersection.</p><p>Jones was pronounced deceased at the scene despite lifesaving efforts by EMS personnel, according to Lt. Slay.&nbsp;</p><p>EMS transported the other driver along with three child passengers (ages nine, six and four) to Wesley Hospital for&nbsp;for treatment of&nbsp; serious injuries.</p><p>Deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office crash reconstruction team responded to assist with the investigation.&nbsp; It was determined that Jones was not wearing a seatbelt, according to Lt. Slay. Impairment is not suspected.</p>

Kan. woman killed, adult and 3 children injured in crash

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> en route to Alaska: &quot;I&#39;m not doing this for my health. I don&#39;t need it. I&#39;d like to focus on our country — but I&#39;m doing this to save a lot of lives.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nHd5jKSXLI">pic.twitter.com/nHd5jKSXLI</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956341194826424432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on &quot;security guarantees&quot;: &quot;Not in the form of NATO because there are certain things that aren&#39;t going to happen — but along with Europe, there&#39;s a possibility of that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p1VslFOrQH">pic.twitter.com/p1VslFOrQH</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956340908728721532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755264031202.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the possibility of territorial swaps: &quot;They&#39;ll be discussed, but I&#39;ve got to let Ukraine make that decision ... I&#39;m not here to negotiate for Ukraine. I&#39;m here to get them at a table.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/IQJGr1Wyi1">pic.twitter.com/IQJGr1Wyi1</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956340201728426291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> gaggles with the press while en route to Anchorage, Alaska 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/JnjEKlMj3K">pic.twitter.com/JnjEKlMj3K</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956331165696045421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> en route to ALASKA! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/KOK2uHXSLZ">pic.twitter.com/KOK2uHXSLZ</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956326375394005252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Air Force One en route to Anchorage, Alaska. <a href="https://t.co/iyhVaDl4yx">pic.twitter.com/iyhVaDl4yx</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1956328369693327830?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="und" dir="ltr">POTUS🛫ALASKA… <a href="https://t.co/13UM9NAZsb">https://t.co/13UM9NAZsb</a> <a href="https://t.co/Uw0CnzZ0HX">pic.twitter.com/Uw0CnzZ0HX</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956329245841531231?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Trump aboard Air Force One, en route to Alaska… <a href="https://t.co/Oxwvul96SL">pic.twitter.com/Oxwvul96SL</a></p>&mdash; Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1956393300149105060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Trump discusses meeting with Putin while en route to Alaska

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman accused in connection with an accidental shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl is due back in court Friday.

&nbsp;Ana Sorto Mejia, 50, of Wichita will face a preliminary hearing in&nbsp;Judge Shawn Elliott's courtroom to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to go to a trial

In April, Judge Elliott charged her with one count of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 2p.m. April 11, police responded to the 2500 block of E. Harry in Wichita following reports of a shooting, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders found a 4-year-old girl who had sustained a single gunshot wound to her lower torso. She was immediately transported to a local hospital with critical injuries, according to Gupilan.

After preliminary investigation, it was found that the child's guardian, identified as Sorto, left a firearm unsecured, allowing the child to access it, resulting in the child unintentionally shooting themselves.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1744469792810.png" alt="Sorto photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Sorto photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman accused in connection with an accidental shooting that injured a 4-year-old girl is due back in court Friday.</p><p>&nbsp;Ana Sorto Mejia, 50, of Wichita will face a preliminary hearing in&nbsp;Judge Shawn Elliott's courtroom to determine if there is enough evidence for the case to go to a trial</p><p>In April, Judge Elliott charged her with one count of aggravated endangering a child.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>Just before 2p.m. April 11, police responded to the 2500 block of E. Harry in Wichita following reports of a shooting, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.</p><p>First responders found a 4-year-old girl who had sustained a single gunshot wound to her lower torso. She was immediately transported to a local hospital with critical injuries, according to Gupilan.</p><p>After preliminary investigation, it was found that the child's guardian, identified as Sorto, left a firearm unsecured, allowing the child to access it, resulting in the child unintentionally shooting themselves.&nbsp;</p>

Kan. woman in accidental shooting of child is due back in court

MEADE COUNTY —A southwest Kansas community is alerting residents after a family pet died from a rattlesnake bite.

The City of Fowler was notified of a confirmed rattlesnake bite incident involving a dog in a homeowner’s fenced backyard. According to a social media report from the city, a veterinarian confirmed a rattlesnake bite killed the dog. 

The animal was primarily kept indoors and only accessed the fenced backyard when needed. "We urge all residents to remain vigilant and take extra precautions to ensure the safety of themselves, their children, and their pets."

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627520809634.jpg" alt="Image pixaby" />
                        <figcaption>Image pixaby</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>MEADE COUNTY —A southwest Kansas community is alerting residents after a family pet died from a rattlesnake bite.</p><p>The City of Fowler was notified of a confirmed rattlesnake bite incident involving a dog in a homeowner’s fenced backyard. According to a social media report from the city, a veterinarian confirmed a rattlesnake bite killed the dog. </p><p>The animal was primarily kept indoors and only accessed the fenced backyard when needed. "We urge all residents to remain vigilant and take extra precautions to ensure the safety of themselves, their children, and their pets."</p>

Veterinarian confirms rattlesnake bite killed pet at Kansas home

JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a restaurant fire in Overland Park.

Just after 2a.m. Thursday, crews&nbsp;battled a fire at Torreador Restaurant, 79th and Floyd, according to a social media report from Overland Park Fire Department.

&nbsp;The fire was quickly extinguished. There was smoke and fire damage to the restaurant and adjoining bookstore. There were no injuries.&nbsp;

Overland Park Consolidated Fire District #2 and Lenexa Fire responded to the scene.

<p>JOHNSON COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the cause of a restaurant fire in Overland Park.</p><p>Just after 2a.m. Thursday, crews&nbsp;battled a fire at Torreador Restaurant, 79th and Floyd, according to a social media report from Overland Park Fire Department.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">An OPFD firefighter emerges from an overnight building fire as an electrical panel arcs behind him. With a primary search completed and the fire knocked down, it was time to get to safety until power to the building could be disconnected. <a href="https://t.co/YGEgbJ2vVm">pic.twitter.com/YGEgbJ2vVm</a></p>&mdash; Overland Park Fire Department (@OverlandParkFD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandParkFD/status/1955930175088062658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>&nbsp;The fire was quickly extinguished. There was smoke and fire damage to the restaurant and adjoining bookstore. There were no injuries.&nbsp;</p><p>Overland Park Consolidated Fire District #2 and Lenexa Fire responded to the scene.</p>

Crews battle fire at Kansas restaurant

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is meeting face-to-face with Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;in Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit that could determine not only the trajectory of the war in Ukraine but also the fate of European security.

The sit-down offers Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>, something he used to boast he could do quickly.

For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit.

There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil, the president is giving Russia's leader the validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. The exclusion of Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;from the summit also deals a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.

Any success is far from assured, especially as Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which were conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755138823360.png" alt="Traditional Russian wooden dolls called Matryoshka depicting Soviet Leader Josef Stalin, left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and U.S. President Donald Trump are displayed for sale at a souvenir shop in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)" />
                        <figcaption>Traditional Russian wooden dolls called Matryoshka depicting Soviet Leader Josef Stalin, left, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and U.S. President Donald Trump are displayed for sale at a souvenir shop in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-washington-sandwich-assault-f579ab8649ae0f40d03cd4fdb58ed5e9">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is meeting face-to-face with Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orthodox-christians-prayers-trump-putin-alaska-dbced54d9faa7d230d3df03405491542">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;in Alaska on Friday for a high-stakes summit that could determine not only the trajectory of the war in Ukraine but also the fate of European security.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> gaggles with the press while en route to Anchorage, Alaska 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/JnjEKlMj3K">pic.twitter.com/JnjEKlMj3K</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956331165696045421?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> en route to ALASKA! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/KOK2uHXSLZ">pic.twitter.com/KOK2uHXSLZ</a></p>&mdash; Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) <a href="https://twitter.com/MargoMartin47/status/1956326375394005252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We have a meeting with President Putin tomorrow. I think it&#39;s going to be a good meeting but the more important meeting will be the second meeting... We&#39;re going to have a meeting with President Putin, President Zelensky, myself... we&#39;ll see if they can get along.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/tLWJntOL67">pic.twitter.com/tLWJntOL67</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1956053714961039865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The sit-down offers Trump a chance to prove to the world that he is both a master dealmaker and a global peacemaker. He and his allies have cast him as a heavyweight negotiator who can find a way to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">bring the slaughter to a close</a>, something he used to boast he could do quickly.</p><p>For Putin, a summit with Trump offers a long-sought opportunity to try to negotiate a deal that would cement Russia’s gains, block Kyiv’s bid to join the NATO military alliance and eventually pull Ukraine back into Moscow’s orbit.</p><p>There are significant risks for Trump. By bringing Putin onto U.S. soil, the president is giving Russia's leader the validation he desires after his ostracization following his invasion of Ukraine 3 1/2 years ago. The exclusion of Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://volodymyr%20zelenskyy/">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;from the summit also deals a heavy blow to the West’s policy of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine” and invites the possibility that Trump could agree to a deal that Ukraine does not want.</p><p>Any success is far from assured, especially as Russia and Ukraine remain far apart in their demands for peace. Putin has long resisted any temporary ceasefire, linking it to a halt in Western arms supplies and a freeze on Ukraine’s mobilization efforts, which were conditions rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies.</p><p>Trump on Thursday said there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but also floated the idea that if the meeting succeeds he could bring Zelenskyy to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting, a possibility that Russia hasn't agreed to.</p><p>When asked in Anchorage about Trump's estimate of a 25% chance of failure, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters that Russia “never plans ahead.”</p><p>"We know that we have arguments, a clear, understandable position. We will state it,” he said in footage posted to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s Telegram channel.</p><p>Trump said in a Fox News radio interview Thursday that he didn't know if they would get “an immediate ceasefire” but he wanted a broad peace deal done quickly. That seemingly echoes Putin’s longtime argument that Russia favors a comprehensive deal to end the fighting, reflecting its demands, not a temporary halt to hostilities.</p><p>The Kremlin said Trump and Putin will first sit down for a one-on-one discussion, followed by the two delegations meeting and talks continuing over “a working breakfast.” They are then expected to hold a joint press conference.</p><h2>Trump has offered shifting explanations for his meeting goals</h2><p>In the days leading up to the summit, set for a military base near Anchorage, Trump described it as “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-575aa4ce590256d50a9d73911f681269">really a feel-out meeting</a>.” But he's also warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/donald-trump-news-updates-8-13-2025">“very severe consequences”</a>&nbsp;for Russia if Putin doesn't agree to end the war and said that though Putin might bully other leaders, “He’s not going to mess around with me.”</p><p>Trump’s repeated suggestions that a deal would likely involve “some swapping of territories” — which disappointed Ukraine and European allies — along with his controversial history with Putin have some skeptical about what kind of agreement can be reached.</p><p>Ian Kelly, a retired career foreign service officer who served as the U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and first Trump administrations, said he sees “no upside for the U.S., only an upside for Putin.”</p><p>“The best that can happen is nothing, and the worst that can happen is that Putin entices Trump into putting more pressure on Zelenskyy,” Kelly said.</p><p>George Beebe, the former director of the CIA’s Russia analysis team who is now affiliated with the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, said there’s a serious risk of blown expectations or misunderstandings for a high-level summit pulled together so quickly.</p><p>“That said, I doubt President Trump would be going into a meeting like this unless there had been enough work done behind the scenes for him to feel that there is a decent chance that something concrete will come out of it,” Beebe said.</p><p>Zelenskyy has time and again cast doubts on Putin's willingness to negotiate in good faith. His European allies, who’ve held increasingly urgent meetings with U.S. leaders over the past week, have stressed the need for Ukraine to be involved in any peace talks.</p><p>Political commentators in Moscow, meanwhile, have relished that the summit leaves Ukraine and its European allies on the sidelines.</p><p>Dmitry Suslov, a pro-Kremlin voice, expressed hope that the summit will “deepen a trans-Atlantic rift and weaken Europe’s position as the toughest enemy of Russia.”</p><h2>The summit could have far-reaching implications</h2><p>On his way to Anchorage Thursday, Putin arrived in Magadan in Russia’s Far East, according to Russian state news agency Interfax.</p><p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the visit would include meetings with the regional governor and stops at several key sites, including a stop to lay flowers at a WWII-era memorial honoring Soviet-American aviation cooperation.</p><p>Foreign governments will be watching closely to see how Trump reacts to Putin, likely gauging what the interaction might mean for their own dealings with the U.S. president, who has eschewed traditional diplomacy for his own transactional approach to relationships.</p><p>The meeting comes as the war has caused heavy losses on both sides and drained resources.</p><p>Ukraine has held on far longer than some initially expected since the February 2022 invasion, but it is straining to hold off Russia’s much larger army, grappling with bombardments of its cities and fighting for every inch on the over 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line.</p><p>Andrea Kendall-Taylor, a senior fellow and director of the Transatlantic Security Program at the Center for a New American Security, said U.S. antagonists like China, Iran and North Korea will be paying attention to Trump's posture to see “whether or not the threats that he continues to make against Putin are indeed credible.”</p><p>“Or, if has been the past track record, he continues to back down and look for ways to wiggle out of the kind of threats and pressure he has promised to apply,” said Kendall-Taylor, who is also a former senior intelligence officer.</p><p>While some have objected to the location of the summit, Trump has said he thought it was “very respectful” of Putin to come to the U.S. instead of a meeting in Russia.</p><p>Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst, observed that the choice of Alaska as the summit’s venue “underlined the distancing from Europe and Ukraine.”</p><p>Being on a military base allows the leaders to avoid protests and meet more securely, but the location carries its own significance because of its history and location.</p><p>Alaska, which the U.S. purchased from Russia in 1867, is separated from Russia at its closest point by just 3 miles (less than 5 kilometers) and the international date line.</p><p>Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson was crucial to countering the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It continues to play a role today, as planes from the base still intercept Russian aircraft that regularly fly into U.S. airspace.</p><p>___</p><p>Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington, Elise Morton in London and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.</p><p>---------------------------</p><p>LONDON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">Russian President Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;on Thursday praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine, more than three years after Moscow launched its invasion, as the two leaders prepared for a pivotal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-russia-ukraine-war-elmendorf-alaska-9683f1a0c35ab8a264ca83eac33566dc">U.S.–Russia summit</a>&nbsp;Friday in Alaska.-----</p><p>Following a meeting Thursday with top government officials on the summit, Putin said in a short video released by the Kremlin that the Trump administration was making “quite energetic and sincere efforts to stop the hostilities” and to “reach agreements that are of interest to all parties involved.”</p><p>Putin also suggested that “long-term conditions of peace between our countries, and in Europe, and in the world as a whole,” could be reached under an agreement with the U.S. on nuclear arms control.</p><p>In Washington, Trump said there was a 25% chance that the summit would fail, but he also floated the idea that, if the meeting succeeds, he could bring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to Alaska for a subsequent, three-way meeting.</p><p>In a radio interview with Fox News, Trump also said he might be willing to stay in Alaska longer, depending on what happens with Putin.</p><p>Meanwhile, Zelenskyy and other European leaders worked to ensure their interests are taken into account when Trump and Putin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-russia-ukraine-war-elmendorf-alaska-9683f1a0c35ab8a264ca83eac33566dc">meet in Anchorage</a>.</p><h2>Uncertainty for Europe</h2><p>U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcomed Zelenskyy to London on Thursday in a show of British support for Ukraine a day before the critical Trump-Putin meeting. The two embraced warmly outside Starmer’s offices at 10 Downing Street without making any comments, and Zelenskyy departed about an hour later.</p><p>Zelenskyy’s trip to the British capital came a day after he took part in virtual meetings from Berlin with Trump and the leaders of several European countries. Those leaders said that Trump had assured them that he would make a priority of trying to achieve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-ceasefire-89aa0cf9123ca8a55eec9dd8713a4e7b">a ceasefire in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;when he meets with Putin.</p><p>Speaking after the meetings to reporters, Trump warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-berlin-talks-trump-zelenskyy-merz-9f613b905f81af71920f754da503657a">“very severe consequences” for Russia</a>&nbsp;if Putin doesn’t agree to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war against Ukraine</a>&nbsp;after Friday’s meeting.</p><p>While some European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron, praised Wednesday’s video conference with Trump as constructive, uncertainty remained over how the U.S. leader — whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-zelenskyy-putin-war-de1ed95131f653e08d420dde6f0954f9">rhetoric toward both Zelenskyy and Putin</a>&nbsp;has evolved dramatically since retaking office this year — would conduct negotiations in the absence of any other interested parties.</p><p>Both Zelenskyy and the Europeans have worried that the bilateral U.S.-Russia summit would leave them and their interests sidelined, and that any conclusions could favor Moscow and leave Ukraine and Europe’s future security in jeopardy.</p><p>Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov tamped down expectations for any breakthroughs from the Friday summit, saying there were no plans to sign documents and that it would be a “big mistake” to predict the results of the negotiations, according to Russian news outlet Interfax.</p><p>The Kremlin on Thursday said the meeting between Trump and Putin would begin at 11:30 a.m. local time. Putin’s foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters that Trump and Putin will first sit down for a one-on-one meeting followed by a meeting between the two delegations. Then talks will continue over “a working breakfast.” A joint news conference will follow.</p><p>Trump contradicted the Kremlin, saying that no decisions have been made about holding a news conference with Putin. The uncertainty reflects just how much about the summit, including its schedule, remains unsettled.</p><h2>Ukraine's territorial integrity</h2><p>Starmer said Wednesday that the Alaska summit could be a path to a ceasefire in Ukraine, but he also alluded to European concerns that Trump may strike a deal that forces Ukraine to cede territory to Russia. He warned that Western allies must be prepared to step up pressure on Russia if necessary.</p><p>During a call Wednesday among leaders of countries involved in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-force-coalition-britain-france-nato-4c87525361eb3cf1c860075d4519f6d8">“coalition of the willing”</a>&nbsp;— those who are prepared to help police any future peace agreement between Moscow and Kyiv — Starmer stressed that any ceasefire deal must protect the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine.</p><p>“International borders cannot be, and must not be changed by force,’’ he said.</p><p>Kyiv has long insisted that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vance-rubio-munich-security-conference-ukraine-ab2d7379aaf6ca224cc51e1f9ade9edf">safeguards against future Russian attacks</a>&nbsp;provided by its Western allies would be a precondition for achieving a durable end to the fighting. Yet many Western governments have been hesitant to commit military personnel.</p><p>Countries in the coalition, which includes France and the U.K., have been trying for months to secure U.S. security backing, should it be required. Following Wednesday's virtual meetings, Macron said Trump told the assembled leaders that while NATO must not be part of future security guarantees, “the United States and all the parties involved should take part.”</p><p>“It’s a very important clarification that we have received,” Macron said.</p><p>Trump did not reference any U.S. security commitments during his comments to reporters on Wednesday.</p><h2>Some Ukrainians are skeptical</h2><p>With another high-level meeting on their country's future on the horizon, some Ukrainians expressed skepticism about the summit's prospects.</p><p>Oleksandra Kozlova, 39, who works at a digital agency in Kyiv, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she believes Ukrainians “have already lost hope” that meaningful progress can be made toward ending the war.</p><p>“I don’t think this round will be decisive,” she said. "There have already been enough meetings and negotiations promising us, ordinary people, that something will be resolved, that things will get better, that the war will end. Unfortunately, this has not happened, so personally I don’t see any changes coming.”</p><p>Anton Vyshniak, a car salesman in Kyiv, said Ukraine's priority now should be saving the lives of its military service members, even at the expense of territorial concessions.</p><p>“At the moment, the most important thing is to preserve the lives of male and female military personnel. After all, there are not many human resources left," he said. "Borders are borders, but human lives are priceless.”</p><h2>Russia and Ukraine trade strikes</h2><p>Zelenskyy said Thursday that Ukraine had secured the release of 84 people from Russian captivity, including both soldiers and civilians. Those freed included people held by Russia since 2014, 2016 and 2017, as well as soldiers who had defended the now Russian-occupied Ukrainian city of Mariupol, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.</p><p>The Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday that it too had received 84 soldiers as part of a prisoner exchange.</p><p>In other developments, Russian strikes in Ukraine’s Sumy region overnight Wednesday resulted in numerous injuries, Ukrainian regional officials said. A missile strike on a village in the Seredyna-Budska community wounded a 7-year-old girl and a 27-year-old man, according to regional governor Oleh Hryhorov. The girl was hospitalized in stable condition.</p><p>In Russia, a Ukrainian drone attack damaged several apartment buildings in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine, where 13 civilians were wounded, according to acting governor of the region, Yuri Slyusar. Two of the wounded were hospitalized in serious condition, Slyusar said.</p><p>___</p>