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The world’s top gold producers delivered a string of robust second-quarter results, buoyed by record prices and resilient operations as investors continue to seek refuge in the yellow metal amid growing economic uncertainty.

With spot gold trading above US$3,400 per troy ounce, just shy of its April all-time high of US$3,448.50, the world’s largest gold producers posted higher earnings and stronger cash flow in their recent Q2 results.

Below is a breakdown of how a few major players fared in Q2.

Barrick nearly doubles profit margins

Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) formerly Barrick Gold, reported a 97 percent year-on-year jump in net income to US$1.25 billion for the quarter, compared to US$634 million a year earlier.

Earnings per share rose to US$0.47 while operating cash flow in the first half reached US$2.5 billion, up 32 percent from 2024. Free cash flow more than doubled to US$770 million, supported by higher commodity prices.

Gold production climbed 5 percent from the first quarter, while copper output surged 34 percent, led by strong performance at Zambia’s Lumwana mine. Nevada Gold Mines boosted output by 11 percent, while Pueblo Viejo in the Dominican Republic posted a 28 percent increase as expansion work in the site advanced.

“From the ramp-up at Goldrush to the progress at Pueblo Viejo, Lumwana and Reko Diq, not to mention the transformational potential of Fourmile, we’re demonstrating the strength and depth of our portfolio,” president and chief executive Mark Bristow said in the recent Q2 report.

The company also recently agreed to sell its Alturas Project in Chile to a Boroo subsidiary for US$50 million upfront plus a royalty, with proceeds earmarked for funding future ventures

Kinross outpaces gold price gains

Kinross Gold Corporation (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) posted record attributable free cash flow of US$646.6 million in the second quarter, alongside operating cash flow of US$992.4 million. Adjusted net earnings jumped to US$541 million from US$174.7 million a year earlier.

Further, the company achieved a 21 percent margin increase from the first quarter, outpacing the 15 percent rise in gold prices over the same period.

“Our portfolio of mines continued to perform well during the quarter contributing to a strong first half of the year and positioning us well to achieve our full-year guidance,” CEO J. Paul Rollinson said.

Kinross said that it expects to produce 2 million gold-equivalent ounces in 2025 at an average production cost of US$1,120 per ounce.

Paracatu in Brazil was the company’s top-producing asset, while Tasiast in Mauritania began mining the Fennec satellite deposit. US-based Bald Mountain also reported higher output at lower costs.

The company also advanced key projects, including its Great Bear exploration program in Ontario, engineering work at Round Mountain Phase X in Nevada, and drilling at the Curlew Basin project in Washington.

Agnico Eagle delivers, shares gain

Agnico Eagle’s (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM) operational consistency and cost control helped drive a six-day share price rally, culminating in a 10.06 percent gain over the past week.

In the second quarter, the company produced 866,029 ounces of gold, maintaining full-year guidance of 3.3 to 3.5 million ounces. Adjusted earnings per share came in at US$1.94, prompting analysts to raise 2025 profit forecasts by US$0.70 to US$6.94.

Analysts cited the company’s steady performance despite rising unit costs, noting its appeal as a defensive play in the sector. Bank of America raised its price target to US$173 due to rising optimism about the firm’s growth prospects.

Newmont rides sector momentum

Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) posted higher sales and net income for the quarter while authorizing a new share repurchase program and declaring a quarterly dividend.

The miner also renewed a key lease in Ghana. Shares rose 36 percent over the last quarter, outpacing the US Metals and Mining industry’s 24.1 percent return.

The performance came despite a drop in the company’s gold production. Rather, Newmont underscored the role of shareholder returns and strategic asset moves in supporting investor sentiment. Over the past three years, Newmont has delivered a total shareholder return of 63.75 percent.

Gold outlook: Gold shines during volatility

The sector’s strong quarter unfolded against a favorable macro backdrop.

Gold, which has gained about 30 percent year-to-date, has been buoyed by safe-haven flows. The metal’s latest rally began after spot prices dipped to US$3,311.80 in early August, then climbed back above US$3,418 by the first week of August..

The Federal Reserve cut rates by a full percentage point in late 2024 but has held steady this year, citing the need for more data on how tariffs affect inflation. Lower rates generally enhance gold’s appeal by reducing the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets..

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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1911 Gold Corporation (‘ 1911 Gold ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSXV: AUMB,OTC:AUMBF; OTCQB: AUMBF; FRA: 2KY) is pleased to announce that, subject to TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSXV’) acceptance, it has engaged WIN Expertise Inc. (‘ WIN ‘), operated by Suzette Ramcharan to provide investor relations and corporate communications services (the ‘ Services ‘).

WIN (an Ontario -based company) specializes in investor relations services and will develop and implement an investor relations strategy for 1911 Gold to support the Company’s goals and objectives, targeting a broader and more diversified investor base. The engagement is for an initial period of six months and bears an aggregate fee of $48,000 , to be paid in installments of $6,000 per month for the first three months and $10,000 per month for the following three months. For the first three months, Ms. Ramcharan will spend approximately 20 hours per week providing the Services to the Company, and approximately 40 hours per week thereafter. WIN is also entitled to reimbursement by the Company for its expenses and to an additional fee of $3,000 for each in-person industry event or conference attended by Ms. Ramcharan, at the election of the Company, on behalf of the Company. The Services will commence, and the first monthly payment will be made upon receipt of TSXV acceptance of the Services.

WIN’s engagement as an investor relations and corporate communications services provider may be renewed upon completion of the initial six-month term, following which WIN will be paid a monthly fee of $10,000 for approximately 40 hours per week dedicated to providing the Services. All fees and expenses will be paid from the working capital of the Company. WIN and Ms. Ramcharan are arm’s-length parties to the Company. Neither WIN nor Ms. Ramcharan have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest.

About 1911 Gold Corporation

1911 Gold is a junior explorer that holds a highly prospective, consolidated land package totalling more than 61,647 hectares within and adjacent to the Archean Rice Lake greenstone belt in Manitoba , and also owns the True North mine and mill complex at Bissett, Manitoba . 1911 Gold believes its land package is a prime exploration opportunity, with the potential to develop a mining district centred on the True North complex. The Company also owns the Apex project near Snow Lake, Manitoba and the Denton-Keefer project near Timmins, Ontario . It intends to focus on organic growth and accretive acquisition opportunities in North America .

1911 Gold’s True North complex and exploration land package are located within the traditional territory of the Hollow Water First Nation, signatory to Treaty No. 5 (1875-76). 1911 Gold looks forward to maintaining open, co-operative and respectful communication with the Hollow Water First Nation and all local stakeholders in order to build mutually beneficial working relationships.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shaun Heinrichs
President and CEO

www.1911gold.com

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION

This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, or ‘believes’, or describes a ‘goal’, or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken, occur or be achieved.

All forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made. Actual results or events may differ from those predicted in these forward-looking statements. All of the Company’s forward-looking statements are qualified by the assumptions that are stated or inherent in such forward-looking statements, including the assumptions listed below. Although the Company believes that these assumptions are reasonable, this list is not exhaustive of factors that may affect any of the forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. All statements that address expectations or projections about the future, including, but not limited to, the expected term of the Services to be provided, the total compensation expected to be paid for the Services, the results to the Company and its shareholders of the Services, the timing and ability of the Company to receive necessary regulatory approvals for the Services, the results of any exploration or other work on the Company’s properties, and the plans, operations and prospects of the Company, are forward-looking statements. Although 1911 Gold has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are given as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE 1911 Gold Corporation

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TSX Venture Exchange: BSK
Frankfurt Stock Exchange: MAL2
OTCQB Venture Market (OTC): BKUCF

Blue Sky Uranium Corp. (TSXV: BSK,OTC:BKUCF) (FSE: MAL2) (OTC: BKUCF) (‘Blue Sky’ or the ‘Company’) announces that it has closed final tranche of the private placement through the issuance of 1,851,000 units of the Company (each, a ‘ Unit ‘) at a price of $0.06 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $111,060 (the ‘ Offering ‘). In total, the Company has issued 29,212,633 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of $1,752,758 .

Each Unit consists of one common share and one transferrable common share purchase warrant (a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one additional common share in the capital of the Company at $0.075 per share for three (3) years from the date of issue, expiring August 16, 2028 for this final tranche.

The Company intends to use the proceeds of the Offering for general working capital.

Finder’s fees of $714 are payable in cash on a portion of the Offering from this tranche to parties at arm’s length to the Company. In addition, 11,900 non-transferable finder’s warrants are being issued for this tranche (the ‘ Finder’s Warrants ‘). Each Finder’s Warrant entitles a finder to purchase one common share at a price of $0.06 per share for three (3) years from the date of issue, expiring on August 16, 2028 . In total, the Company paid cash finder’s fees of $4,822.86 and issued 80,381 Finder’s Warrants for this Offering.

Certain insiders of the Company participated in this tranche of the Offering for $21,000 in Units. Such participation represents a related-party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘ MI 61-101 ‘), but the transaction is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the subject matter of the transaction, nor the consideration paid, exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization. In total, insiders participated in the Offering for $117,000 in Units.

This Offering is subject to regulatory approval and all securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering in this 3 rd and final tranche are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws expiring on December 16, 2025 . The proceeds of the Offering will be used for general working capital.

The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘ 1933 Act ‘) or any state securities laws, and accordingly, may not be offered or sold within the United States except in compliance with the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable state securities requirements or pursuant to exemptions therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in any jurisdiction.

About Blue Sky Uranium Corp.

Blue Sky Uranium Corp. is a leader in uranium discovery in Argentina . The Company’s objective is to deliver exceptional returns to shareholders by rapidly advancing a portfolio of uranium deposits into low-cost producers, while respecting the environment, the communities, and the cultures in all the areas in which we work. Blue Sky’s flagship Amarillo Grande Project was an in-house discovery of a new district that has the potential to be both a leading domestic supplier of uranium to the growing Argentine market and a new international market supplier. The Company’s recently optioned Corcovo project has potential to host an in-situ recovery (‘ ISR ‘) uranium deposit. The Company is a member of the Grosso Group, a resource management group that has pioneered exploration in Argentina since 1993.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

‘Nikolaos Cacos’

______________________________________
Nikolaos Cacos , President, CEO and Director

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE Blue Sky Uranium Corp.

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Ulta Beauty and Target said Thursday that they have decided to end a deal that opened makeup and beauty shops in hundreds of Target’s stores.

Shares of Target fell about 2% in early trading, while Ulta’s stock slid about 1%.

In a news release, the companies said the partnership — which also added some of Ulta’s merchandise to Target’s website — will end in August 2026. Target had added more than 600 Ulta Beauty shops to its stores since 2021, according to a company spokesperson. That’s nearly a third of Target’s 1,981 U.S. stores.

Ulta Beauty at Target shops carried a smaller and rotating assortment of the merchandise at the beauty retailer’s own stores. They were staffed by Target’s employees.

The loss of the popular beauty retailer’s products could be another blow to Target as it tries to woo back both shoppers and investors. Target’s annual sales have been roughly flat for four years and it expects sales to decline this fiscal year. Shares of the company are worth less than half of what the were back in 2021, when they hit an all-time closing high of $266.39. It also has faced backlash over both its Pride collection and its rollback of key diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

Store traffic for Target has declined year over year nearly every week from the week of Jan. 27, days after the company’s DEI announcement, through the week of Aug. 4, according to Placer.ai, an analytics firm that uses anonymized data from mobile devices to estimate overall visits to locations. Target traffic had been up weekly year over year in the four weeks before Jan. 27.

The only exceptions to that trend were the two weeks on either side of Easter, when traffic rose less than 1% year over year, the firm’s data showed.

On earnings calls and in investor presentations, leaders of the Minneapolis-based company had touted Ulta’s shops and its trendy beauty brands as a way to drive store traffic.

At a investor presentation in New York City in March, CEO Brian Cornell highlighted beauty as a growth category for Target and cited it as reason for confidence in Target’s long-term business. He said the company had gained market share in beauty and its sales in the category rose by nearly 7% in the fiscal year that ended in early February.

Target’s CEO Brian Cornell, 66, is expected to depart the company soon. The longtime Target leader renewed his contract for approximately three years in September 2022 after the board scrapped its retirement age of 65.

David Bellinger, an analyst for Mizuho Securities who covers retailers, said in an equity research note on Thursday that Target’s “messy in-store operations” as well as issues with retail theft and insufficient staffing at stores likely contributed to the companies ending their partnership.

“Overall, we see losing the Ulta shop-in-shop relationship as a negative development and something else Target’s next CEO will have to grapple with,” he wrote.

In a statement on Thursday, Target Chief Commercial Officer Rick Gomez said the discounter is “proud of our shared success with Ulta Beauty and the experience we’ve delivered together.”

“We look forward to what’s ahead and remain committed to offering the beauty experience consumers have come to expect from Target — one centered on an exciting mix of beauty brands with continuous newness, all at an unbeatable value,” he said.

In a statement, Ulta’s Chief Retail Officer Amiee Bayer-Thomas described the Target deal as “one of many unique ways we have brought the power of beauty to guests nationwide.”

“As we continue to execute our Ulta Beauty Unleashed plans, we’re confident our wide-ranging assortment, expert services and inspiring in-store experiences will reinforce our leadership in beauty and define the next chapter of our brand,” she said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

For years, conservative groups and corporate leaders argued that the U.S. government would be better if it were run like a business.

For President Donald Trump, who has controlled his own businesses for decades, that looks like taking an increasingly active role in individual corporations’ affairs, from manufacturing to media to tech firms.

And corporations are meeting the demands of a president who is more freely exerting his powers than he did the last time he was in office. At Trump’s urging, Coca-Cola said it would produce a version of its namesake soda with U.S.-grown cane sugar. Paramount paid millions to settle allegations Trump levied against CBS’ venerated “60 Minutes.” Two major semiconductor makers agreed to give the government a cut of their sales in China. The CEO of Intel met with Trump soon after the president called on him to resign.

“It’s so much different than the first term,” said a Republican lobbyist whose firm represents several Fortune 500 companies, who spoke on condition of anonymity to speak candidly. “He’s just acting like a businessman. In his first term, I think he was trying to cosplay as a politician. He’s more comfortable in his own skin, too. He can explain deals better.”

Trump’s role represents a break with past administrations that may have been unwilling or unable, politically, to bring similar pressure to bear on businesses. In the past, small-government conservatives once accused previous Democratic administrations of attempting to “pick winners and losers” by trying to regulate industries. Trump today stands downstream of a bolder right-wing movement that calls for enhanced state intervention in corporate affairs.

Trump has said the corporate concessions are intended to boost the U.S. economy.

And the White House, in a statement, reinforced the idea that Trump’s involved approach to private-sector dealings is a key part of his economic agenda.

“Cooled inflation, trillions in new investments, historic trade deals, and hundreds of billions in tariff revenue prove how President Trump’s hands-on leadership is paving the way towards a new Golden Age for America,” White House spokesperson Kush Desai said.

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The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is rolling out a new ad tying the policies of ‘radical’ Democrats, like New York City socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, to the future outlook of the Democratic Party. 

The new message, targeting 25 vulnerable House Democrats across the country with a modest ad buy on digital platforms, hammers the party on ‘Project 2026’ and outlines what the Republicans say Democrats will offer voters in the midterms. 

‘Hakeem Jeffries’ plan to remake America,’ the ad says. ‘Raise taxes on working families, impeach President Trump.’

The ad then plays a clip of Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying, ‘Donald Trump must be removed from office’ and Dem. Rep. Dina Titus saying, ‘I’d like to impeach the bastard right now.’

The ad then claims Democrats want to ‘open the border’ and ‘restart the invasion’ of illegal immigrants that came into the country during the Biden administration, before quoting two Democrats, Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gabe Vasquez, calling to abolish ICE and defund the police.

‘They riot, they loot,’ the ad continues before showing two clips of Mamdani saying ‘we are unapologetic about our socialism’ and promoting the ‘abolition of private property.’

Jeffries then says in a clip, ‘Chip at it aggressively until we can unravel the whole system.’ 

The ad closes by claiming that Democrats want to ‘turn America into a socialist, crime-filled dystopia’ before airing a clip from Jeffries saying, ‘We’re gonna take back America and it starts today’ 

The ad closes with, ‘Are you going to let them?’

The list of vulnerable elected officials targeted by the ad includes Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi of New York, Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, Emilia Sykes of Ohio, Eugene Vindman of Virginia, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Frank Mrvan of Indiana and others. 

‘This is the America Democrats want to build: Raising taxes for working families, baseless impeachments, wide open borders, abolishing ICE, defunding the police, and turning America into a socialist, crime-filled dystopia,’ NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital. ‘House Republicans are the only thing standing between you and the nightmare of ‘Project 2026.’’

The NRCC released a memo on Tuesday morning in which it knocked Jeffries for failing to meet a self-imposed deadline to roll out a new vision for America with a Democratic-controlled House.

The Hill reported in April that Jeffries committed that ‘over these next 100 days, House Democrats are going to lay out a blueprint for a better America. And you will see a vision for this country’s future that isn’t about Donald Trump. It’s all about you.’

With those 100 days having already elapsed, the NRCC published a satirical memo titled ‘Project 2026,’ in which they accused the Democrats of being out of step with the American people.

In response, Viet Shelton, a spokesperson for the DCCC, fired back at the messaging from the NRCC.

‘House Republicans have done nothing to improve the lives of everyday Americans,’ Shelton said. 

‘It’s no wonder they’re desperately attempting to distract from their disastrous record of higher costs for working families and ripping away health care from millions while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest few. Poll after poll shows voters across the country are fed up with their billionaire-first agenda and are going to reject them next year.’

Fox News Digital’s Peter Pinedo contributed to this report

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Vice President JD Vance is poised to meet with U.S. troops at a military installation in England Wednesday – capping off a high-stakes trip to the U.K. meeting with European leaders to discuss the war in Ukraine ahead of President Donald Trump’s Friday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Vance’s visit to the U.K. comes as he’s sought to lay some groundwork with European allies leading up to Trump’s talk with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska – and as he’s turned up the heat on them to take greater ownership in the discussions since the conflict is in their backyard. 

The vice president is slated to visit Royal Air Force Base Fairford, where the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron are based. Vance, a former Marine, is expected to voice appreciation for their service, according to a source familiar with Vance’s prepared remarks. 

The military installation serves as a key location for U.S. Air Force operations and is Air Force Global Strike Command’s preferred bomber forward operating base in Europe. U.S. Air Force bombers are regularly deployed to the military base as part of Bomber Task Force Europe 25-2 to integrate with NATO allies and sharpen the service’s global strike capabilities. 

Days after Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, several Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Fairford conducted joint operations with Germany and Romania over NATO’s eastern flank.

There are approximately 10,000 U.S. troops stationed in the U.K., according to foreign policy think tank Council on Foreign Relations. 

Prior to addressing U.S. troops, Vance is poised to participate in calls with European leaders to discuss the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Fox News Digital has learned. 

The calls come on the heels of multiple other discussions with European allies on a series of topics – including the war – during Vance’s U.K. visit. Vance has met with multiple U.K. leaders, including U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy. 

A U.S. official told Fox News Digital that Vance and Lammy discussed the relationship between the U.S. and the U.K. and the two allies’ shared economic and technology goals during a meeting on Friday at Lammy’s official residence, Chevening House, in Kent, England. 

Meanwhile, the two leaders also discussed the state of affairs in the Middle East, as well as negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the U.S. official said. 

The two also met with representatives of Ukraine and other European allies at Chevening House on Saturday. The meeting led to ‘significant progress’ on ending the conflict in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official. 

No other details were provided regarding the Ukraine talks. It’s unclear if Vance will accompany Trump to Alaska for talks with Putin. 

However, Vance said in an interview with Fox News that he communicated to European leaders that the U.S. is ‘done with the funding of the Ukraine war business,’ and that European allies must assume more responsibility in ending the conflict. 

‘What we said to Europeans is simply, first of all, this is in your neck of the woods, this is in your back door, you guys have got to step up and take a bigger role in this thing, and if you care so much about this conflict you should be willing to play a more direct and a more substantial way in funding this war yourself,’ Vance told Fox News on Sunday. 

Congress has passed multiple measures to support Ukraine, totaling at least $175 billion in spending to aid Ukraine since February 2022, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. 

Meanwhile, Trump told reporters Monday that he’d know within minutes is Putin actually interested in a deal or not. Still, he said Moscow and Kyiv must come to terms with some ‘land swapping’ issues to sign off on a deal. 

‘If it’s a fair deal, I will reveal it to the European Union leaders and the NATO leaders and also to President Zelenskyy,’ Trump said. ‘I may say, ‘lots of luck, keep fighting,’ or I may say we can make a deal.’

Trump’s meeting with Putin also comes as his relationship with the Russian leader has soured as peace negotiations have lagged. While the two seemed to remain cordial with each other publicly during Trump’s first administration, that’s changed in recent weeks as Trump has grown fed up with Putin’s tactics. 

‘We get a lot of bulls— thrown at us by Putin, if you want to know the truth,’ Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on July 8. ‘He’s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.’

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Adversaries’ fear of the U.S. military is what makes tough negotiations like the one President Donald Trump is scheduled to have with Russian President Vladimir Putin possible, Vice President JD Vance told U.S. troops stationed in England on Wednesday. 

Vance’s comments come as he’s spent the past several days meeting with multiple European leaders in preparation for Trump’s meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, with Putin in an attempt to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

‘You guys make that possible,’ Vance, a former Marine, told U.S. troops stationed at Royal Air Force Base Fairford. ‘You guys are the reason why we can go into a negotiation with strength. You guys are the reason why we have leverage in these conversations with world leaders. Because they know that if we cut a deal, it is backed up by the finest fighting force anywhere in the world. And that is what makes your job so important.’

‘The fact that people are impressed by you, the fact that so many people are frankly afraid of you is why we’re able to do what we do as an administration,’ Vance said. 

Royal Air Force Base Fairford is home to the U.S. Air Force’s 501st Combat Support Wing and the 99th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron. It is also paramount for U.S. Air Force operations and serves as Air Force Global Strike Command’s preferred bomber forward operating base in Europe. 

The Air Force routinely sends bomber aircraft to the military base as part of Bomber Task Force Europe 25-2 to train with NATO allies. For example, multiple Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bombers from Fairford participated in an exercise with Germany and Romania over NATO’s eastern flank in March 2022 — just after Putin launched his invasion into Ukraine.

Roughly 10,000 U.S. troops are based in the U.K., according to foreign policy think-tank Council on Foreign Relations.

Vance told troops that he had just wrapped up a call with approximately 30 European leaders, coming on the heels of various meetings with other European allies about Ukraine talks in recent days. 

A Saturday meeting with representatives of Ukraine and other European allies led to ‘significant progress’ on ending the conflict in Ukraine, a U.S. official told Fox News Digital. More details on the discussions were not available. 

But Vance said in a Sunday interview that he informed European leaders the U.S. is ‘done with the funding of the Ukraine war business,’ and that they must take on more of the burden in resolving the war. 

‘What we said to Europeans is simply, ‘First of all, this is in your neck of the woods. This is in your back door. You guys have got to step up and take a bigger role in this thing, and if you care so much about this conflict, you should be willing to play a more direct and a more substantial way in funding this war yourself,’’ Vance told Fox News Sunday.

Trump told reporters Monday that he’d be able to tell almost instantly if Putin is serious about negotiating a deal or not, and that he’d keep European leaders like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the loop after the meeting.

‘If it’s a fair deal, I will reveal it to the European Union leaders and the NATO leaders and also to President Zelenskyy,’ Trump said. ‘I may say, ‘Lots of luck, keep fighting,’ or I may say we can make a deal.’

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President Donald Trump threatened ‘very severe consequences’ for Russia if President Vladimir Putin doesn’t agree to end the war in Ukraine after their meeting in Alaska on Friday. 

Trump issued the warning Wednesday as he is preparing for a sit-down with Putin in Anchorage. 

‘Yes, they will. There will be consequences,’ Trump said in response to a reporter’s question on the topic. The president then refused to elaborate on what the punishment would be. 

‘I don’t have to say. There will be very severe consequences,’ he added. 

Trump later appeared to cast doubt on whether he could convince Putin to stop bombing Ukrainian civilians. 

‘I’ll tell you what. I’ve had that conversation with him. I’ve had a lot of good conversations with him then I go home and I see that a rocket hit a nursing home or a rocket hit an apartment building, and people are laying dead in the streets,’ Trump said. 

‘So, I guess the answer to that is no, because I’ve had this conversation. I want to end the war. It’s Biden’s war, but I want to end it. I’ll be very proud to end this war, along with the five other wars I ended. But, I guess the answer to that is probably no,’ Trump continued. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said Wednesday that there is ‘no sign’ that Russia is preparing to end the war in Ukraine. 

‘At present, there is no sign that the Russians are preparing to end the war. Our coordinated efforts and joint actions – of Ukraine, the United States, Europe, and all countries that seek peace – can definitely compel Russia to make peace,’ Zelenskyy said on X. 

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President Donald Trump indicated Wednesday that he would meet with the top congressional Democrats ahead of the looming government funding deadline, but said he didn’t believe it would go well.

Lawmakers in the House and Senate are currently away from Washington, D.C., in their respective districts and states, but the Sept. 30 deadline to prevent a partial government shutdown will be just a handful of weeks away when they return after Labor Day.

And there is a brewing tension between Republicans and Democrats over just how the looming government funding fight will shake out.

Trump, during a press conference where he announced a slate of Kennedy Center honorees, said he would meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., before the deadline.  

‘But it’s almost a waste of time to meet, because they never approve anything,’ Trump added.

‘I don’t believe anybody is capable of making a deal with these people,’ he continued. ‘They have gone crazy.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Jeffries for comment but did not immediately hear back.

Lawmakers must pass the dozen spending bills needed to fund the government to avert a partial shutdown, but that process, known as regular order, has not happened in decades.

While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has made clear he wants to pass spending bills, and the Senate did indeed pass a trio of funding measures before leaving town, Congress will likely again turn to a short-term government funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR).

However, any CR must pass muster with Senate Democrats, given that the legislation has to pass through the upper chamber’s 60-vote threshold.

And congressional Democrats have a bitter taste left in their mouths after Republicans rammed through Trump’s $9 billion clawback package, which included deep cuts to NPR, PBS and foreign aid. They warned that any more attempts to claw back congressionally approved funding on a partisan basis could doom government funding negotiations.

Ahead of the vote to pass three spending bills in the Senate, which included funding for military construction and Veterans Affairs, agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the legislative branch, congressional Democrats vowed that they would play ball – as long as the appropriations process was bipartisan.

‘We all want to pursue a bipartisan, bicameral appropriations process,’ Schumer said at the time. ‘That’s how it’s always been done, successfully, and we believe that, however, the Republicans are making it extremely difficult to do that.’

Earlier this year, Schumer briefly flirted with a government shutdown. However, he eventually relented and voted with Republicans to keep the lights on in Washington, and in the process ignited a firestorm within his own party over his ability as leader of the Senate Democratic caucus.

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