Russia Gains Ground In Ukraine Ahead Of Trump-Putin Meeting

PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Ukraine surged some of its most combat-hardened forces to the eastern Donetsk region to blunt a Russian advance some fear could lead to a large-scale collapse on that part of the front.

This, days ahead of a planned meeting between President Trump and Vladimir Putin. The two leaders are expected to discuss a plan to end the war that could include freezing the front lines where they are.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Putin wants Ukraine to withdraw from the remaining 30% of the Donetsk region that it controls as part of a ceasefire deal, a proposal the leader categorically rejected.

FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense stories ending the week from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.

Not the President’s Daily Brief, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEFING – the PDB:    

NATIONAL SECURITY

Trump should impose punitive tariffs each time a foreign power threatens nuclear war.

Full speed ahead: Optimizing U.S. Cyber Command for the future fight. Think of Cyber Command as a Ferrari straining in second gear, unable to shift higher as rivals close the gap on the straightaway.

Are helicopters obsolete in modern warfare? They were a fixture of Russian attacks early on in the war, but drones and advances in air defense now force them to stay away from the frontline. Ukrainians are also developing interceptor drones that might start hunting for choppers.

Michigan bids to become America’s arsenal of rapid defense innovation. Instead of welding tank treads by the thousands, the Detroit Arsenal in Warren, Michigan, is now 3D printing Patriot missile parts in weeks, advancing robotics and strapping virtual reality headsets on Army leadership to simulate how future weapons are being developed.

HOMELAND SECURITY

DOD plan would create military ‘reaction force’ for civil unrest. The prospective National Guard mission, if adopted, would require hundreds of troops to be ready round-the-clock.

Mexico is expelling 26 high-ranking cartel figures to the U.S. in the latest major deal with the Trump administration as U.S. authorities ratchet up pressure on criminal networks sending drugs across the border.

DEFENSE POLITICS

Lawmakers from both parties are urging Trump to maintain a three-way U.S.-U.K. security partnership designed to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines — a plea that comes as DOD reviews the agreement and considers the questions it has raised about U.S. shipbuilding capabilities.

Boon or bubble? A proposed $39.9 billion for Space Force in fiscal year 2026 is a jaw-dropping $11.3 billion jump from last year.

US POWER OVERSEAS

Autonomous vehicle delivers mortar rounds in live-fire ‘test drive’ by Army paratroopers during exercise in the Caucasus.

IRAN THREAT – MIDDLE EAST

Israel is in discussions with South Sudan about the possibility of resettling Palestinians from the Gaza Strip to the war-torn East African country, part of a wider effort by Israel to facilitate mass emigration from the territory left in ruins by its 22-month offensive against Hamas.

Israel bombards Gaza City as UK and allies demand action against ‘unfolding famine.’

With Assad gone and Iran hobbled, the time is ripe for a stable Middle East. There is now a new pathway to regional integration: an incremental progression that starts with security cooperation, moving to economic, technological and civil infrastructure partnerships, and eventually culminating in full normalization.

CHINA THREAT

Karma! A China Coast Guard vessel and People’s Liberation Army Navy ship crashed into each other in the South China Sea on Monday while chasing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

Report unlocks mystery of why Chinese bombers flew near Alaska in 2024. Deploying military forces is the strongest of political signals, and the most potent of these deployments is to move nuclear weapons or launch platforms near a potential adversary.

To face China. New defense pact between Philippines and Japan will go into effect next month, furthering a new phase of security cooperation aimed at enhancing military-to-military training on Philippine soil.

RUSSIA THREAT – UKRAINE WAR

The lessons of Helsinki are clear: putting Trump alone in a room with Putin is an unpredictable – and often dangerous – affair.

To deter Russia. Air Force B-1B Lancer aircraft deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and arrived at Ørland Air Base, Norway, to begin Ally-led training operations as part of the latest Bomber Task Force Europe.

SPACE THREAT

Space Force and United Launch Alliance launched an experimental satellite today, kick-starting a year of demonstrations that could bring new technology to the GPS mission.

INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

British carrier leads ‘most powerful’ fleet in Pacific, in the Northern Philippine Sea. At its heart is the Royal Navy’s HMS Prince of Wales, operating alongside Japan’s helicopter carrier JS Kaga and the U.S. Navy supercarrier USS George Washington.

Plan to base Singaporean F-15 fighters on Guam for training has been scrapped, although some of the proposed infrastructure upgrades to the island’s sprawling Andersen Air Force Base to support the jets will still go ahead.

Germany to bet big on Skyranger gun system as part of a broader air defense initiative to address growing drone threat.

UN probe finds evidence of ‘systematic torture’ in Myanmar’s detention facilities, identifying senior figures among those responsible.

US MILITARY

Army divisions and brigades will not be left without replacements for Gray Eagle and RQ-7B Shadow drones, as new plans to replace both are in the works.

Army’s eighth unmanned aerial systems summit is providing a path to more quickly equip units with drones.

A small Army quadcopter carrying a Claymore mine recently knocked down another small uncrewed aerial system in a test. This comes as drone-on-drone combat is now a daily occurrence in Ukraine.

Additional versions of the stealthy Kratos XQ-58A Valkyrie drone could be on the horizon as the Marine Corps is moving to transition its experimental work with the XQ-58 into a full program and Kratos joins Airbus to craft a version of the Valkyrie for the German Luftwaffe.

Marines reenlist in disgusting pool of muck because Marines. When you see a small group of Marines standing at attention while shoulder deep in murky water, don’t worry, this is normal — or at least as normal as Marines get.

END of PDB

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.

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