This week, will Ukraine and Russia’s presidents meet? Violence continues to cause suffering in DRC despite peace deal. Despite ceasefire, Thai-Cambodian relations remain tense.
Will Ukraine and Russia’s Presidents Meet?
A highly publicized meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin failed to result in a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. On August 15, Trump met with Putin in Alaska for the US-Russia Summit. At the press conference after the summit, no details were revealed regarding what the two presidents had discussed, with Trump only discussing “some headway” having been made, saying “There’s no deal til there’s a deal.”
Prior to the summit, Trump had warned Putin that there would be “severe consequences” if he didn’t agree to stop his war in Ukraine. However, after meeting with Putin, Trump has said he doesn’t know if a ceasefire is necessary.
On August 18, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European leaders at the White House. On August 19, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said that Putin had agreed to a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, however, Russia did not confirm this.
Since then, Russia has played down talks of a meeting with Ukraine, while Trump has said it is possible that Putin doesn’t want to make a deal. On August 21, the Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia targeted Ukraine with 574 drones and 40 missiles overnight. Officials said that at least one person was killed, with 15 injured. In a statement, the French government said these attacks showed “Russia’s lack of any genuine intention to engage seriously in peace talks.”
Violence Continues to Cause Suffering in DRC Despite Peace Deal
Violence continues to cause suffering in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) despite a ceasefire deal between the M23 armed group and the DRC government on July 19. On August 20, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported that M23 had killed over 140 people in the country’s eastern region in July in one of the group’s worst atrocities since its resurgence in 2021.
M23 rebels summararily executed these 140 civlians, mostly ethnic Hutus along with some ethnic Nandes, in at least 14 villages and farming areas in July 2025 near Virunga National Park, HRW reported. These attacks included women and children, the organization said. The M23 has denied being involved in the killings, BBC reported.
Despite Ceasefire, Thai-Cambodian Relations Remain Tense
Despite Thailand and Cambodia agreeing to a 13-point ceasefire on August 7, relations between the two countries remain tense. On August 18, Royal Thai Army (RTA) spokesman Major General Winthai Suvaree said Cambodians were building housing beyond an allocated refugee zone in Sa Kaeo province.
Suvaree said that Thailand set up the refugee zone in 1977 to help Cambodians fleeing conflicts within their country. However, he said that some refugees refused to leave, and the Cambodian government claimed it was Cambodian land. Suvaree added that Cambodia was encouraging its citizens to invade Thai land. Meanwhile, Cambodia has accused Thailand of staging footage of Cambodian soldiers laying anti-personnel landmines.
Meanwhile, analysts have warned of the economic risks of the tensions. A research fellow at Cam Tech University, Kosalthanan Neth, has noted that in 2024, Cambodia imported US$41 million of fertilisers from Thailand, and in the first seven months of 2025, exported US$130 million in cassava to Thailand. Neth says that with land transport restricted, cassava exports risk sharp drops unless domestic processing expands to serve China and other markets, The Nation reported.
Local media interviewed Thais who lived in border provinces who, due to having to stay in shelters, were not able to return to their farms and businesses, and thus were being cut off from their livelihoods.
Neth said that if relations between the countries continue to deteriorate, Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand could also be forced to return home.
Keywords: Ukraine, Russia, Putin, Alaska, US-Russia Summit, peace, DRC, M23, Thailand, Cambodia, conflict, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
