Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov drew attention in Anchorage on Friday when he arrived for a high-profile summit between US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin wearing a vintage sweatshirt bearing the Soviet-era “CCCP” emblem.
Lavrov, a senior member of Russia’s delegation, landed in Alaska ahead of Putin and was seen stepping out of a black vehicle in a black gilet over a sweatshirt emblazoned with the Russian abbreviation for the USSR. The outfit appeared to play on accusations from Putin’s critics that he seeks to restore Soviet influence.
In recent years, statues of former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin have reappeared in Russia, including a monument unveiled in a Moscow metro station earlier this year. Speaking before the summit, Lavrov said Russia “never plans ahead” in response to Trump’s remarks that there was a 25% chance the meeting to arrange peace between Ukraine and Russia could fail. “We know that we have arguments, a clear, understandable position. We will state it,” he said in a video posted by the Russian Foreign Ministry.
In a Fox News radio interview on Thursday, Trump said he was unsure if an “immediate ceasefire” could be reached but wanted a broad peace deal concluded quickly. The Kremlin has said the summit will begin with a one-on-one between the two leaders, followed by delegation talks and a working breakfast, ending with a joint press conference.
Trump has shifted in describing the meeting, initially calling it a “feel-out” session but also warning of “very severe consequences” if Putin does not agree to end the fighting. He has suggested that any deal could involve “some swapping of territories,” though it is unclear what that would entail. Other reports have pointed to potential financial incentives for Russia, including access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders have voiced concern over the idea of land swaps, with Zelensky warning that Putin is “bluffing” about a ceasefire. Trump has said that if talks with Putin go well, he will move to arrange a direct meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents.
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Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
Iran's military has threatened to launch sustained attacks on U.S. bases and interests across the Middle East if Washington resumes military action against Tehran.
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is under preliminary investigation in France over a suspected conflict of interest linked to the 2024 sale of Ligue 1 broadcasting rights.
Overnight Russian strikes on the city of Sumy, northeast Ukraine, have killed one woman and injured a man, the country's State Emergency Service has said.
Russian parliamentary elections have delivered a comfortable win to the ruling United Russia party, which is closely aligned to President Vladimir Putin. With more than 95 per cent of ballots counted, United Russia has taken 57.83 per cent of the vote, up from the 49.8 per cent it won in 2021.
A powerful typhoon was approaching Japan’s Pacific coast on Monday, bringing torrential rain, strong winds and a heightened risk of landslides across the Kanto region, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 21 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in sports.
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