The Daily Populous Wednesday June 18th, 2025 night edition
Authored by kyivindependent.com and submitted by Aggravating_Money992

This audio is created with AI assistance

A U.S. government working group that formulated strategies for pressuring Russia into peace talks and ending the war in Ukraine has been disbanded by the White House, Reuters reported on June 17.

Officials cited by the news outlet said it was established this spring but became increasingly irrelevant as it became clear U.S. President Donald Trump wasn't willing to apply any concrete pressure on Moscow during peace talks.

"It lost steam toward the end because the president wasn't there. Instead of doing more, maybe he wanted to do less," an anonymous official said.

As Ukraine and the U.S. continue to push for an unconditional ceasefire, Russia has maintained maximalist demands and rejected all such proposals.

At the same time it has escalated attacks on Ukrainian civilians, killing at least 15 people and injuring scores of others in the latest attack on Kyiv overnight on June 17.

Trump has expressed frustration with Moscow's intransigence and growing violence but has yet to impose any new sanctions on Russia.

On June 16 while speaking in Canada ahead of a G7 summit, Trump said barring Russia from the G8 for its invasion of Ukraine in 2017 had been a "mistake."

According to Reuters, the working group, staffed by officials from the National Security Council, State Department, Treasury Department, the Pentagon and intelligence community, was decimated in a purge of personnel around three weeks ago.

Trump pledged to "stop the wars" when he was elected U.S. president for the second time but after just five months in office, the world is a far more violent place.

As well as Russia escalating attacks on Ukraine, Israel and Iran are now locked in a conflict that further threatens stability in the Middle East.

AnoAnoSaPwet on June 17th, 2025 at 12:50 UTC »

Just wait for Trump to drop Russian sanctions, that's the next level of mental gymnastics for everyone to cope with.

bigeyez on June 17th, 2025 at 12:37 UTC »

Day One folks. He said he'd end the war Day One.

Everyone who voted for him is a fool.

Eveleyn on June 17th, 2025 at 12:17 UTC »

They say Russia has pee-tape of Trump, but let's be honest, it's Empstein island childeren.