Wednesday briefing: How Trump and Putin might make peace in Ukraine without Zelenskyy at the table

<p>In today’s newsletter: As Russian forces make their deepest push in months and missile attacks intensify, Ukraine finds itself excluded from the very talks that could decide its fate</p><p></p><p>Good morning. All eyes will be on Alaska this Friday for a peace summit aimed at ending the war in Ukraine. The meeting will be between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Even more striking: Ukraine, the country under invasion and with parts of its territory occupied, has not been invited.</p><p>But behind the buzz of diplomacy lies the fog of war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/ukraine-war-briefing-russia-preparing-for-fresh-offensives-not-a-ceasefire-zelenskyy-says">has warned</a> that Russia is not preparing to end the conflict, but “making movements that indicate preparations for new offensive operations”.</p><p><em><strong>Immigration </strong></em>| <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/12/more-than-50000-people-crossed-channel-in-small-boats-since-labour-took-power">More than 50,000 people</a> have crossed the Channel in small boats since Keir Starmer became prime minister, official figures have confirmed.</p><p><em><strong>Gaza </strong></em>| Gaza is facing a new threat as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/gaza-antibiotic-resistant-disease">diseases resistant to antibiotics</a> spread across the devastated territory. Medical supplies are scarce and tens of thousands of people have been injured or weakened by malnutrition in the 22-month war.</p><p><em><strong>UK news </strong></em>| The Treasury is looking at ways to raise more money from <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/aug/12/treasury-targeting-inheritance-tax-reforms-to-help-plug-uk-deficit">inheritance tax</a> amid growing pressure on the country’s finances ahead of the autumn budget, sources have told the Guardian.</p><p><em><strong>Wildfires </strong></em>| Almost 6,000 people have been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/12/thousands-evacuated-in-spain-amid-deadly-wildfires-and-new-heatwave">evacuated from their homes</a> in northern, central and southern Spain as wildfires continue to burn amid a heatwave that could bring temperatures of 44C to some parts of the country.</p><p><em><strong>US news </strong></em>| National guard troops <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/12/mayor-national-guard-washington-dc">arrived at their headquarters</a> in Washington DC on Tuesday as Democratic mayors warned Donald Trump against expanding his law and order power grab in other major cities.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/13/wednesday-briefing-how-trump-and-putin-might-make-peace-in-ukraine-without-zelenskyy-at-the-table">Continue reading...</a>