Vladimir Putin
Putin Meets Witkoff, Frees American Stephen Hubbard as Kremlin Signals Ukraine Peace Talks Could Resume in November
Russian President Vladimir Putin met U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, and afterward the Kremlin said Moscow is “generally ready” to resume three-way peace talks with the United States and Ukraine in early November, even as it dismissed much of what Witkoff brought as unhelpful. Russia also released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American held for more than four years, shortly before the meeting began. Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Witkoff “specifically discussed a potential framework for resuming trilateral negotiations.” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow would study the proposals Witkoff delivered, but cautioned that the talks would take a long time and called progress toward a negotiated resolution “theoretically possible.” Ushakov was more pointed about the substance, saying the proposals, which he attributed to Ukraine and the European Union, “contained little that was useful in the context of resolving the Ukrainian crisis.” Before the session, Russian officials had said Moscow’s position and demands had not changed, and Russian state media said headway would require Ukraine’s leaders to make “necessary decisions,” with TASS quoting officials warning that Ukraine’s situation “will be worse” if it does not. Witkoff told Putin he hoped to discuss resuming trilateral talks, which could include technical working groups of specialists to sort through details, and said he had brought “several documents outlining approaches” to a settlement for Putin to review later. He described the previous day’s discussions in Oslo as productive. “I believe the talks were productive,” he said, adding that there was “progress.” Those Oslo talks brought together Witkoff, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the leaders of Norway and Finland, and representatives from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, the European Union and NATO, where the U.S. and its European partners discussed a unified framework for ending the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Oslo conversations positive and said the U.S. would share the ideas with Russia. Witkoff planned to return to Oslo after Russia to consult with European officials again. The Hubbard release was the most tangible result of the day. Hubbard, a U.S. citizen, was seized by Russian troops in eastern Ukraine in April 2022 and had been jailed since. Putin announced the release at the start of the meeting, telling Witkoff, “He is at Pulkovo Airport.” The U.S. has maintained that the charges against him were fabricated, and Trump had personally asked Putin to free him. Trump wrote on Truth Social that “there was no ‘swap’ necessary for this release,” saying the United States gave nothing in return. He also said, according to CBS News, that the release would not have happened if Washington had not blocked new Russia sanctions from taking effect the previous week. That sanctions decision has drawn attention. Around Oct. 17, Trump waived new Russia sanctions and tariffs on major buyers of Russian energy under the Graham Act, following a separate waiver intended to allow more Russian diesel to reach the market, as Farm Policy News reported. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia will send its first diesel tanker to the United States on Thursday, carrying 40,000 metric tons. The administration has framed energy waivers as a response to record U.S. diesel prices, while critics are likely to argue they ease pressure on Moscow at a moment when Russian forces continue to strike Ukrainian cities. The war itself has not paused. Overnight Russian attacks on energy facilities in four regions killed four people, two in Kyiv and two near Kharkiv, according to Ukrainian officials, who said power facilities in the Kyiv, Volyn, Odesa and Mykolaiv regions were hit. Russia’s Defense Ministry said it struck three cargo vessels in the port of Reni and two bound for Odesa, along with logistics hubs in Volyn and Khmelnytskyi. A Ukrainian drone attack in Russia’s Bryansk region killed a 19-year-old man and injured two others, the regional governor said. Behind the diplomacy sit tensions between Washington and Kyiv. Trump said this week that “it’s time for somebody else to negotiate on behalf of Ukraine,” a remark that drew attention given Zelensky’s insistence on a seat at the table. Zelensky has said the next step should be a meeting among himself, Putin and Trump, a format Russia has so far rejected. He has also said he rejects any deal crafted by China, Russia and the United States without Ukraine, and that any agreement would need approval from Ukraine’s parliament. Russian officials told Witkoff a meeting among Trump, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping was “possible,” per state media, and Putin raised a possible meeting with Trump in China in mid-November, according to Axios. Ukrainian officials have objected to that idea because it would sideline Kyiv from discussions about its own future. Military supplies add pressure. Zelensky has said Ukraine has nearly run out of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors, and he offered a 30-day halt on strikes against Russian oil refineries in exchange for more. In a 45-minute call with Zelensky, Rubio said Trump has issued no order to harm Ukraine but acknowledged that deliveries of Patriots already paid for by NATO countries could be delayed because the U.S. needs the systems for its own bases, according to a Just Security summary of reporting. The Washington Post reported that the administration has not approved transferring the interceptors Ukraine needs. Europe is also bracing. The European Union plans to press Canada and the United Kingdom for more Ukraine support to help fill a €70 billion funding gap for next year, with key summits set for Oct. 29-30 with Canada and Nov. 20 with the U.K. U.S. intelligence also assesses that a failed drone attack on Germany’s Leipzig-Halle Airport this summer was an early step in a broader Russian covert campaign against NATO allies. For now, the picture is mixed. Moscow has signaled a willingness to talk in November and delivered a goodwill gesture on Hubbard, but it has also dismissed the Ukrainian and European proposals, held its demands steady, and kept up its strikes. Whether the early-November…
Melania Trump Helps Reunite Ukrainian Children Amid War
First Lady Melania Trump says she helped facilitate the successful reuniting of eight Ukrainian children with their families after initiating quiet diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. She emphasized that this open channel of communication is ongoing and focused on humanitarian outcomes for children affected by war. WATCH LIVE: First lady Melania Trump makes major announcement in Washington, D.C. https://t.co/noX9pl4luA — Fox News (@FoxNews) October 10, 2025 Shift into Humanitarian Diplomacy In August, Melania Trump sent a heartfelt letter to President Putin urging him to protect children caught in the conflict. Her husband, President Donald Trump, personally delivered the message during a summit meeting in Alaska. Putin responded in writing, which opened the door to continued discussions between the two offices. The First Lady released a statement yesterday: “We must foster a future for our children which is rich with potential, security, and complete with free will. A world where dreams will be realized rather than faded by war. Much has unfolded since President Putin received my letter last August. He responded in writing signaling a willingness to engage with me directly and outlining details regarding the Ukrainian children residing in Russia. And since then, President Putin and I have had an open channel of communication regarding the welfare of these children.” “I hope peace will come soon… It can begin with our children.” – @FLOTUS pic.twitter.com/eTnAIEpPqC — Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) October 10, 2025 Over the following months, representatives from both sides engaged in private conversations to arrange the children’s return. These talks were coordinated between human rights officials in both Russia and Ukraine. (MORE NEWS: Letitia James Indicted: Virginia Grand Jury Charges NY AG) Reunifications and Verification According to Melania Trump, eight children have been reunited with their families in the past 24 hours under this new initiative. Among them, three were returned from regions within Russia, while five were reunited from other areas where they had become disconnected from relatives during the early stages of the war. Russian and Ukrainian human rights officials verified the children’s identities and confirmed family links before allowing them to cross borders. The process, though complex, was conducted through mutual cooperation to ensure accuracy and safety. The agreement also allows for children who were minors at the time of displacement, but who have since turned 18, to be considered for reunification. Melania Trump highlighted this clause as an important recognition that the trauma of family separation does not disappear with age. While the number may seem small, she described these reunifications as proof that diplomacy can yield compassionate results, even in times of conflict. Melania’s Track Record with Children This initiative builds on Melania Trump’s long-standing work focused on children’s well-being. During her first term as First Lady, she launched the Be Best initiative, which centered on children’s health, safety, and the effects of social media. The campaign promoted kindness, online responsibility, and emotional resilience among young people. Melania also visited children’s hospitals and foster programs across the United States, highlighting pediatric health care and family stability. Her overseas trips often included visits to schools and orphanages, such as her widely covered 2018 Africa tour, where she met with children affected by poverty and illness. After her husband left office in 2021, Melania remained mostly out of the public eye, but she continued to support child-focused causes. She helped create a scholarship program for foster children and sponsored initiatives promoting early education and literacy. (MORE NEWS: Hamas Accepts Trump Peace Plan to End Gaza War, Return Hostages) When she returned to the White House, Melania resumed her focus on youth. She hosted events for students, promoted mental wellness, and visited children’s hospitals to comfort patients. Her ongoing involvement reflects a consistent dedication to improving the lives of young people through advocacy and outreach. Her latest effort—helping to reunite Ukrainian children with their parents—fits naturally within that mission. It also shows her willingness to engage in global diplomacy to protect children in crisis zones. What Comes Next Melania Trump described the channel with Russia as ongoing and expressed hope that more children will soon be reunited with their families. She said her team is committed to maintaining open communication and ensuring that each case is verified and handled with care. Officials from both countries have acknowledged the effort as a positive step forward, though challenges remain in identifying and verifying all children separated by the war. Melania’s office plans to continue cooperation with international organizations and human rights groups to expand the program. The First Lady emphasized that even small steps can have a large emotional impact. Each reunion represents hope, healing, and the power of diplomacy to make a human difference. She said she believes compassion and persistence can bridge divides—even those formed during war. Through her negotiations and long-standing commitment to children’s welfare, Melania Trump has redefined her role on the world stage. Her initiative demonstrates that leadership can take many forms and that humanitarian outreach remains one of the most powerful tools for peace. Final Word Melania Trump’s legacy may ultimately be defined by her devotion to children and her determination to act on their behalf. By helping reunite young Ukrainians with their families, she has taken a deeply human step that reaches beyond politics and into the heart of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Her quiet diplomacy has opened a small but meaningful channel of communication between two nations locked in war. While it will not end the fighting, this act of compassion shows that dialogue is still possible and that humanity can exist even amid division. In a conflict often defined by loss, her gesture offers a rare moment of hope—one that could help lay the groundwork for broader cooperation and, eventually, a path toward peace. Forget the narrative. Reject the script. Share what matters. At The Modern Memo, we call it like it is — no filter, no apology, no corporate leash. If you’re tired of being lied to, manipulated, or ignored, amplify the truth. One share at…