Nationals use a 10-run first inning to beat the reeling Diamondbacks, 11-7

Nationals use a 10-run first inning to beat the reeling Diamondbacks, 11-7

PHOENIX (AP) — Luis García Jr. had a double and three RBIs during a10-run first inningfor the Washington Nationals, who held on late to beat the reeling Arizona Diamondbacks 11-7 on Saturday night. Washington has won 11 of 15 games and scored at least nine runs in four straight games. Arizona has dropped nine of 10. The Nationals' first 11 batters reached base and they scored nine runs before the D-backs recorded an out, which was the second-most in the big leagues since 1961. The Boston Red Sox scored 10 runs before the Florida Marlins got an out in a game on June 27, 2003,according to Elias Sports. Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt (7-4) lasted just eight batters, giving up eight earned runs on six hits. He also hit two batters. The Nationals sent 16 batters to the plate in the first and it took 30 minutes for the D-backs to get three outs. Arizona rallied with two runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth. Randal Grichuk's two-run homer cut it to 11-7. He finished with three hits. Washington starter Michael Soroka (2-3) retired the first 11 batters he faced before Geraldo Perdomo hitting a looping single into right field in the fourth. Josh Naylor followed with a two-run homer. Soroka gave up four runs on six hits and a walk through 5 1/3 innings. He struck out three. Washington's C.J. Abrams was hit by a pitch three times. James Wood, Robert Hassell III, Keibert Ruiz and Daylen Lile all had two hits. Key moment Pfaadt recorded two strikes on Abrams — the game's leadoff hitter — before hitting him on the foot with a pitch, starting the 10-run avalanche. Key stat Pfaadt's ERA ballooned from 3.90 to 5.05. D-backs pitchers hit five batters. Up next The D-backs send RHP Corbin Burnes (3-2, 2.72 ERA) to the mound Sunday while the Nationals counter with LHP Mitchell Parker (4-4, 4.65). ___ AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

byAlex Perish

in

May 31, 2025

Nationals use a 10-run first inning to beat the reeling Diamondbacks, 11-7

Nationals use a 10-run first inning to beat the reeling Diamondbacks, 11-7 PHOENIX (AP) — Luis García Jr. had a double and three RBIs during...

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LAFC claims final spot in Club World Cup with 2-1 victory over Club América in play-in match

LAFC claims final spot in Club World Cup with 2-1 victory over Club América in play-in match

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored late in extra time and Los Angeles FC dramatically secured the final spot in the FIFA Club World Cup with a 2-1 victory over Club América in a play-in match on Saturday night. Igor Jesus tied it for LAFC in the 89th minute, slipping through traffic and converting a header for his first goal with his new club. After 24 tense minutes of extra time, Bouanga jumped into the play and fired home a deflected shot from the top of the penalty area in the 115th minute, setting off a wild celebration at BMO Stadium and sending LAFC to its first Club World Cup. LAFC will join English club Chelsea, Brazil's Flamengo and Tunisia's ES Tunis when group play begins in two weeks across the U.S. South. LAFC's victory is extraordinarily lucrative for the Major League Soccer power, guaranteeing at least $9.55 million in prize money for making the tournament field. The club also has a chance at nearly $100 million more in prize money from FIFA's nearly $1 billion pool. Brian Rodríguez put América ahead midway through the second half by converting a penalty kick against his former team, but Las Águilas fell short in front of thousands of supporters. One spot in the 32-team Club World Cup was open because FIFA disqualified León under its rules against participation by multiple clubs owned by the same entity. León and Pachuca are owned by the same group, and León lost its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport four weeks ago after attempting to change its ownership structure. With a stadium full of raucous fans supporting both teams, LAFC and América were cautious in the first half, putting just one shot on target apiece. Rodríguez beat Hugo Lloris from the spot in the 64th minute, capitalizing on a penalty awarded following a video review of Mark Delgado's risky, spikes-up challenge on Erick Sánchez. Rodríguez, who came on as a halftime substitute after recently recovering from injury, spent parts of four seasons with LAFC from 2019-22 before the Uruguayan winger moved to América for a hefty transfer fee. LAFC got moving offensively when Olivier Giroud came on as a second-half substitute. The French star nearly tipped home a pass in the box in the 81st minute, but Luis Malagón thwarted him. LAFC cranked up its late pressure behind Bouanga and Giroud. Jesus, the 22-year-old Brazilian midfielder, finally beat Malagón with a header in the box. Lloris stopped a point-blank chance for Javairô Dilrosun in the second half of extra time shortly before Bouanga's winner. Tickets for the match were distributed equally between the clubs' supporters — and América has a large fan base in Los Angeles, where Mexican teams and players are greeted with massive support whenever they visit. América fans mobbed the south stands at BMO Stadium 90 minutes before kickoff, while LAFC's famed North End crowd was packed. Both sections set off fireworks and smoke bombs after kickoff, underlining the remarkable atmosphere and giving a taste of what's to come in June and July. The largest Club World Cup to date will be held across the U.S. as a precursor to the FIFA World Cup's return to North America in 2026. Inter Miami and the Seattle Sounders already qualified from Major League Soccer, while Pachuca and Monterrey already qualified from Liga MX. ___ AP soccer:https://apnews.com/soccer

byAlex Perish

in

May 31, 2025

LAFC claims final spot in Club World Cup with 2-1 victory over Club América in play-in match

LAFC claims final spot in Club World Cup with 2-1 victory over Club América in play-in match LOS ANGELES (AP) — Denis Bouanga scored late in...

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LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America

LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America

USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. LAFChas secured the last ticket to the big dance, rallying to defeat Club América, 2-1, ina FIFA Club World Cup playoffthat required extra time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. Former LAFC attacker Brian Rodríguez had given América a 64th-minute lead froma VAR-assisted penalty kick, and the Liga MX powers seemed to have done just enough to claim a win that will be worth nearly $10 million at a minimum. However,Igor Jesus' 89th-minute headerleveled the scored, saving LAFC, and in extra time Denis Bouanga — the club's most important player in recent years — added to his legend byfiring home the winnerin the 115th minute. The win sends LAFC into the Club World Cup, where they will join English giant Chelsea, Tunisian club Esperance Sportive de Tunis, and Flamengo, arguably the most well-supported club in Brazil. LAFC and Club América were in a playoff due to a convoluted series of events that could only happen when you get Concacaf and FIFA together to sort out a new tournament format. Initially, the last four winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup — Monterrey, the Seattle Sounders, Club León, and Pachuca — were set to take places in the Club World Cup. However, Club León and Pachuca share owners, something FIFA said cannot be permitted at the Club World Cup. FIFA eventually decided that León was disqualified, and announced a playoff between LAFC (the team León defeated in the 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup) and Club América (the top-ranked Concacaf team in FIFA's rankings for Club World Cup purposes). León, Pachuca, and Costa Rican club Alajuelense all appealed, with Alajuelense arguing that as Central America's top-ranked team, they should be admitted, but all were rejected. That leaves the final spot in Group D up for grabs, with Saturday's winner claiming the place. Group Stage: June 14-June 26 Round of 16: June 28-July 1 Quarterfinals: July 4-5 Semifinals: July 8-9 Finals: July 13 There are 32 teams in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup that have been separated into eight groups of four for the round-robin group stage in June. Here's how the field breaks down Al Ahly FC (Egypt) FC Porto (Portugal) SE Palmeiras (Brazil) Inter Miami (United States) Paris Saint-Germain (France) Atlético de Madrid (Spain) Botafogo (Brazil) Seattle Sounders FC (United States) FC Bayern München (Germany) Auckland City FC (New Zealand) CA Boca Juniors (Argentina) SL Benfica (Portugal) Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) CR Flamengo (Brazil) Chelsea FC (England) LAFC (United States) CA River Plate (Argentina) Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan) CF Monterrey (Mexico) Inter Milan (Italy) Fluminense FC (Brazil) Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Ulsan HD (South Korea) Mamelodi Sundowns FC (South Africa) Manchester City (England) Wydad AC (Morocco) Al Ain FC (United Arab Emirates) Juventus FC (Italy) Real Madrid (Spain) Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia) CF Pachuca (Mexico) FC Salzburg (Austria) Every match during the 2025 FIFA World Cup will be live streamed for free onDAZN.com, which is the exclusive global broadcaster of the event. Saturday, June 14 Group A:Al Ahly vs. Inter Miami, 8 p.m. ET (Miami) Sunday, June 15 Group C:Bayern Munich vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group B:Paris Saint-Germain vs. Atlético Madrid, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group A:SE Palmeiras vs. FC Porto, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group B:Botafogo vs. Seattle Sounders, 10 p.m. ET (Seattle) Monday, June 16 Group D:Chelsea vs. LAFC, 3 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Group C:Boca Juniors vs. Benfica, 6 p.m. ET (Miami) Group D:Flamengo vs. Espérance de Tunis, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Tuesday, June 17 Group F:Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E:River Plate vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F:Ulsan HD vs. Mamelodi Sundowns, 6 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group E:Monterrey vs. Inter Milan, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Wednesday, June 18 Group G:Manchester City vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H:Real Madrid vs. Al Hilal, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group H:Pachuca vs. FC Salzburg, 6 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group G:Al Ain vs. Juventus, 9 p.m. (Washington, D.C.) Thursday, June 19 Group A:Palmeiras vs. Al Ahly, 12 p.m. ET, (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group A:Inter Miami vs. Porto, 3 p.m. ET, (Atlanta) Group B:Seattle Sounders vs. Atlético Madrid, 6 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group B:Paris Saint-Germain vs. Botafogo, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Friday, June 20 Group C:Benfica vs. Auckland City, 12 p.m. ET (Orlando, Florida) Group D:Flamengo vs. Chelsea, 2 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D: LAFC vs. Espérance de Tunis, 6 p.m. ET (Nashville, Tennessee) Group C:Bayern Munich vs. Boca Juniors, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Saturday, June 21 Group F:Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Borussia Dortmund, 12 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group E:Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group F:Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD, 6 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Group E:River Plate vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Sunday, June 22 Group G:Juventus vs. Wydad AC, 12 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group H:Real Madrid vs. Pachuca, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte, North Carolina) Group H:FC Salzburg vs. Al Hilal, 6 p.m. ET (Washington, D.C.) Group G:Manchester City vs. Al Ain, 9 p.m. ET (Atlanta) Monday, June 23 Group B:Atlético Madrid vs. Botafogo, 3 p.m. ET (Pasadena, California) Group B: Seattle Sounders vs. Paris Saint-Germain, 3 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group A:Inter Miami vs. Palmeiras, 9 p.m. ET (Miami) Group A:Porto vs. Al Ahly, 9 p.m. ET (East Rutherford, New Jersey) Tuesday, June 24 Group C:Benfica vs. Bayern Munich, 3 p.m. ET (Charlotte) Group C:Auckland City vs. Boca Juniors, 3 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group D:Espérance de Tunis vs. Chelsea, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Group D:LAFC vs. Flamengo, 9 p.m. ET (Orlando) Wednesday, June 25 Group F:Borussia Dortmund vs. Ulsan HD, 3 p.m. ET (Cincinnati) Group F:Mamelodi Sundowns vs. Fluminense, 3 p.m. ET (Miami) Group E:Inter Milan vs. River Plate, 9 p.m. ET (Seattle) Group E:Urawa Red Diamonds vs. Monterrey, 9 p.m. ET (Pasadena) Thursday, June 26 Group G:Wydad AC vs. Al Ain, 3 p.m. ET (Washington) Group G:Juventus vs. Manchester City, 3 p.m. ET (Orlando) Group H:Al Hilal vs. Pachuca, 9 p.m. ET (Nashville) Group H:FC Salzburg vs. Real Madrid, 9 p.m. ET (Philadelphia) Saturday, June 28 Match 49: Winners of Group A vs. Group B runner-up (Philadelphia) Match 50: Winners of Group C vs. Group D runner-up (Charlotte) Sunday, June 29 Match 51: Winners of Group B vs. Group A runner-up (Atlanta) Match 52: Winners of Group D vs. Group C runner-up (Miami) Monday, June 30 Match 53: Winners of Group E vs. Group F runner-up (Charlotte) Match 54: Winners of Group G vs. Group H runner-up (Orlando) Tuesday, July 1 Match 55: Winners of Group F vs. Group E runner-up (Atlanta) Match 56: Winners of Group H vs. Group G runner-up (Miami) Friday, July 4 Match 57: Winners of Match 49 vs. Winners of Match 50 (Philadelphia) Match 58: Winners of Match 53 vs. Winners of Match 54 (Orlando) Saturday, July 5 Match 59: Winners of Match 51 vs. Winners of Match 52 (Atlanta) Match 60: Winners of Match 55 vs. Winners of Match 56 (East Rutherford) Tuesday, July 8 Match 61: Winners of Match 57 vs. Winners of Match 58 (East Rutherford) Wednesday, July 9 Match 62: Winners of Match 59 vs. Winners of Match 60 (East Rutherford) Sunday, July 13 Match 63: Winners of Match 61 vs. Winners of Match 62 (East Rutherford) The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments bysubscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Club World Cup schedule: LAFC punches final ticket to FIFA tournament

byAlex Perish

in

May 31, 2025

LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America

LAFC earns final FIFA Club World Cup spot with win over Club America USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pri...

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Trump officials are visiting Alaska to discuss a gas pipeline and oil drilling

Trump officials are visiting Alaska to discuss a gas pipeline and oil drilling

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Trump administration is sending three Cabinet members to Alaska this week as it pursues oil drilling in the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and reinvigorating anatural gas projectthat's languished for years. The visit by Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin comes after Trumpsigned an executive orderearlier this year aimed at boosting oil and gas drilling, mining and logging in Alaska. It also comes amidtariff talkswith Asian countries that are seen as possible leverage for the administration to secure investments in the proposed Alaska liquefied natural gas project. Their itinerary includes a meeting Sunday with resource development groups and U.S. Sens. Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski in Anchorage before heading to Utqiagvik, an Arctic town on the petroleum-rich North Slope where many Alaska Native leaders see oil development as economically vital to the region. The federal officials also plan to visit the Prudhoe Bay oil field Monday — near the coast of the Arctic Ocean and more than 850 miles (1,368 kilometers) north of Anchorage — and speak at Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy's annual energy conference Tuesday in Anchorage. While it's not unusual for U.S. officials to visit Alaska during warmer weather months, Dunleavy's office said the officials' visit is significant. Dunleavy,a Trump ally, said he is thankful for an administration that "recognizes Alaska's unique value." Government and industry representatives from a number of Asian countries, including Japan, are expected to participate in a portion of the trip, reflecting pressure from the U.S. to invest in the pipeline — despite skepticism and opposition from environmental groups. In Alaska, some environmentalists criticized the agenda for Dunleavy's conference. Highlighting fossil fuels alongside renewable or alternative energy make "energy sources of the past look more legitimate at a conference like this," said Andy Moderow, senior policy director with the Alaska Wilderness League. "I think we should be looking at climate solutions that work for Alaskans, not trying to open up places that industry is taking a pass on, namely the Arctic refuge," he said. A push for more drilling Trump has long taken credit for provisions of a 2017 tax law championed by Alaska's congressional delegation that called for two oil and gas lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's coastal plain by late 2024.The firstone remains the subject of ongoing litigation, with the main bidder a state corporation that saw itsseven leases later canceledby then-President Joe Biden's administration.A judge in Marchruled Biden's administration overstepped, and the Interior Department, in line with Trump's executive order, is working to reinstate the leases. There weren't any bids in the second sale, held under Biden andblasted by the stateas overly restrictive. Debate over drilling in the refuge — home to polar bears, musk ox, birds and other wildlife — has long been a flashpoint. Indigenous Gwich'in leaders consider the coastal plain sacred land, noting its importance to a caribou herd they rely upon. ManyNorth Slope Iñupiat leaderswho support drilling in the refuge felt their voices were not heard during the Biden era. During the Trump officials' visit, they also hope to make a case for additional development in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, which Trump has advocated, and for being included in planning decisions. Nagruk Harcharek, president of Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat, an advocacy group whose members include leaders from the region, called the officials' visit "a step in the right direction." 'Gigantic natural gas pipeline' For years, the state has sought to develop its stores of North Slope natural gas as a way to provide affordable energy to more residents and bolster revenues via exports. But cost concerns,shifts in direction, competition from other projects and questions about economic feasibility have stymied progress. Oil companies have long reinjected gas that occurs with oil deposits on the slope to produce more oil, which remains Alaska's economic lifeblood. The latest gas proposal calls for a roughly 810-mile (1,300-kilometer) pipeline that would carry gas from the North Slope to port and a facility that would process and export liquefied natural gas to Asian countries. In a March speech to Congress, Trump touted his ongoing support of the "gigantic natural gas pipeline." He said countries like Japan and South Korea "want to be our partner, with investments of trillions of dollars each." No firm commitments from countries have been made. The company advancing the project — in partnership with a state corporation — is in a stage of refining cost estimates, previously pegged at around $44 billion for the pipeline and related infrastructure, before final decisions are made on whether to move forward with the project. Alaska in the spotlight While Dunleavy has likened Trump's friendly approach to energy development as "Christmas every day," Alaska's fortunes remain tightly linked to the volatility of oil prices, which are down sharply from a year ago, squeezing state revenues. State lawmakers across party lines overwhelmingly passed a resolution urging Congress to provide Alaska with 90% of royalty revenues for oil and gas leases in the Arctic refuge, arguing the U.S. government reneged on past promises for such a share. The resolution also asked for that to be extended to the petroleum reserve. Alaska's tax structure allows companies like ConocoPhillips Alaska — which is pursuing amassive oil project known as Willowin the reserve — to write off a portion of their development costs against production taxes they incur elsewhere on the North Slope. While lawmakers widely support Willow, they also have argued a change in federal royalty share would address a hit to state revenues created by production in the reserve.

byAlex Perish

in

May 31, 2025

Trump officials are visiting Alaska to discuss a gas pipeline and oil drilling

Trump officials are visiting Alaska to discuss a gas pipeline and oil drilling JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — The Trump administration is sending thr...

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Putin’s tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia’s demands

Putin's tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia's demands

By making harsh, uncompromising demands inpeace talks with Ukrainewhile continuing to pummel it withwaves of missiles and drones,Russian President Vladimir Putin is sending a clear message: He will only accept a settlement on his terms and will keep fighting until they're met. At the same time, he has sought to avoid angering U.S.President Donald Trumpby praising his diplomacy and declaring Moscow's openness to peace talks — even as he set maximalist conditions that are rejected by Kyiv and the West. Trump, who once promised to end the3-year-old warin 24 hours, hasupended the U.S. policyof isolating Russia by holding calls with Putin and denigrating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. At the same time, however, Trump warned Putin against "tapping me along" and threatened Moscow with sanctions if it fails to back his peace proposals. Trump says Putin is 'playing with fire' In recent days, Trump signaled he was losing patience with Putin, declaring the Russian leader had gone "crazy" by stepping up aerial attacks on Ukraine. He also said: "What Vladimir Putin doesn't realize is that if it weren't for me, lots of really bad things would have already happened to Russia, and I mean REALLY BAD. He's playing with fire!" Dmitry Medvedev, a former Russian president who serves as deputy head of Putin's Security Council, fired back: "I only know of one REALLY BAD thing — WWIII. I hope Trump understands this!" Fyodor Lukyanov, a Moscow-based analyst familiar with Kremlin thinking, said Putin is engaged in a "psychological game" with Trump, with both men thinking they understand each other well. "Putin's tactics is apparently based on an assumption that the issue has a lesser priority for his interlocutor, who wants to get rid of it one way or another, while for the Russian side, nothing compares to it in importance," Lukyanov wrote a commentary. "In this logic, the one who sees it as something of lesser importance will eventually make concessions." While Ukraine's European allies urge Trump to ramp up sanctions against Moscow to force it to accept a ceasefire, some fear that Trump may end up distancing the U.S. from the conflict. If the U.S. halts or reduces military aid to Kyiv, it would badly erode Ukraine's fighting capability. Growing Russian pressure Kyiv already is experiencing a weapons shortage, particularly air defense systems, leaving it increasingly vulnerable to Russian missile and drone attacks. Across the over 1,000-kilometer (over 600-mile) front line, the exhausted and outgunned Ukrainian troops are facing increasing Russian pressure. This month, Russian forces accelerated their slow push across the Donetsk region, the focus of Moscow's offensive, grinding through Ukrainian defenses at the quickest pace since last fall. Russia also expanded its attacks in the northeastern Sumy and Kharkiv regions following Putin's promise to create a buffer zone along the border. Many observers expect Russia to expand its offensive over the summer to try to capture more land and set even tougher conditions for peace. "Moscow thinks its leverage over Ukraine will build over time, and since Trump has strongly implied that he will withdraw from negotiations the Russian military is set to intensify its operations," said Jack Watling of the Royal United Services Institute in London. He predicted Russia would intensify efforts to take all of the Donetsk region while also pressing a bombing campaign. "The Kremlin will want to suggest a deteriorating situation as negotiations continue and to signal to Europe that the rear is not safe, to discourage European militaries from putting forces in country," Watling said in an analysis. Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin, Moscow-based analyst, said the long-expected offensive hasn't yet begun in earnest as Russia is cautious not to anger Trump. "If Kyiv derails peace talks, the Russian army will start a big offensive," he said. Putin's conditions for peace Putin has demanded that Ukraine withdraw its forces from Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — the four regions that Russia illegally annexed in September 2022 but never fully controlled. That demand had been rejected by Kyiv and its allies, but the Russian delegation reportedly repeated it during talks with Ukraine in Istanbul on May 16. Those talks, the first since botched negotiations in the opening weeks of the war, came after Putin effectively rejected a 30-day truce proposed by Trump that was accepted by Kyiv. Russia had linked such a ceasefire to a halt in Ukraine's mobilization effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Putin proposed talks to discuss conditions for a possible truce. Trump quickly prodded Kyiv to accept the offer, but the negotiations yielded no immediate progress except an agreementto exchange 1,000 prisonerseach. Russia offered to hold another round of talks Monday in Istanbul, where it said it will present a memorandum setting conditions for ending hostilities. It refused to share the document before the negotiations. Some observers see the talks as an attempt by Putin to assuage Trump's growing impatience. "Putin has devised a way to offer Trump an interim, tangible outcome from Washington's peace efforts without making any real concessions," said Tatiana Stanovaya of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center. Facing Western accusations of stalling, the Kremlin responded that the conflict can't be resolved quickly and emphasized the need to address its "root causes." When Putin invaded Ukraine, he said the move was needed to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO and protect Russian speakers in the country -– arguments strongly rejected by Kyiv and its Western allies as a cover for an unprovoked act of aggression. Along with those demands, Putin also wants limits on Ukraine's sovereignty, including the size of Ukraine's military, and for Kyiv to end what Moscow sees as glorification of Ukraine's World War II-era nationalist leaders, some of whom sided with the invading forces of Nazi Germany over the Soviet leadership in the Kremlin. A Kremlin negotiator who's been there before Seeking to underline that Moscow will press home its initial demands, Putin appointed his aide Vladimir Medinsky to lead the Russian delegation in Istanbul. He also led the Russian side in the 2022 talks. Kyiv reportedly has asked the U.S. to encourage Putin to replace him. The soft-spoken, 54-year-old career bureaucrat, who was born in Ukraine, ascended through the Kremlin ranks after writing a series of books exposing purported Western plots against Russia. In an interview with Russian state television after the May 16 talks, Medinsky pointed to Russia's 18th century war with Sweden that lasted 21 years, a signal that Moscow is prepared to fight for a long time until its demands are met. "History repeats itself in a remarkable way," he said.

byAlex Perish

in

May 31, 2025

Putin’s tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia’s demands

Putin's tough stance on a Ukraine peace plan shows his resolve on Russia's demands By making harsh, uncompromising demands inpeace t...

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