Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to conclude the conflict, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appears more hesitant.
Day: January 15, 2026
Conflicting reports continue to circulate on the internet and in the media regarding the protests in Iran. Pro-government outlets insist that demonstrations have subsided and claim the situation is under control. Meanwhile, footage of a rally held in Tehran on the night of January 13 flooded social media, directly contradicting official narratives.
Georgian Ambassador to the U.S. Tamar Taliashvili met with Anna Paulina Luna, the Republican U.S. Representative from Florida, amid scrutiny over the lawmaker’s recent foreign policy statements regarding Russia and Ukraine.
According to Taliashvili, the meeting focused on “bilateral relations, prospects of their further development, and new opportunities,” and also “touched upon current and evolving geopolitical developments on the international level.”
“The importance of protecting sovereignty, implementing appropriate immigration policies, building energy independence, and the significance of global peace policies were also highlighted,” she said in a January 14 Facebook post.
The meeting comes as Rep. Luna has drawn increased attention in recent months for a series of controversial foreign policy engagements and public statements, particularly related to Russia and Ukraine.
In October, Luna met with Kirill Dmitriev, Vladimir Putin’s Special Envoy. Announcing the meeting on October 8, Luna wrote on X that it was important “that we continue to foster the relationship and conversations of peace and trade between Russia and the United States as President Trump has so openly called for.”
“Our two countries do not need to be enemies. Allies in trade benefit everyone,” the lawmaker added.
On January 8, Luna said she had invited four members of the Russian State Duma to Washington, D.C., for discussions “regarding peace talks, etc.,” noting that the invitation had been extended following authorization from the U.S. State Department. “Peace should always prevail, and level heads should be leading discussions,” she wrote.
A day later, Luna claimed in a post on X that she had received information from “Ukrainian Orthodox members, as well as members of their own government,” alleging “persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians.” She said she intended to raise the issue with the Vatican City and argued that “American tax dollars should not be going to a government that is responsible for persecuting and obstructing Christians trying to worship God.”
The remarks led to backlash from Ukraine. The Ambassador to the United States, Olha Stefanishyna, rejected the claims, stating that Ukraine fosters a diverse religious landscape with more than 30,000 registered religious organizations, many of which, she noted, are unable to operate in Russia.
“Some communities are divided; those tensions are exploited by Russian propaganda,” she wrote, adding that Ukraine is a democracy, therefore all disputes will be resolved through the courts.
The meeting comes amid a continued freeze in relations between Tbilisi and Washington following the U.S. suspension of its strategic partnership with Georgia in November 2024 under the Biden administration. The Trump administration has yet to respond to repeated calls by Georgian Dream government officials to reset ties, as Georgia remains mired in a prolonged political crisis marked by repression and ongoing protests.
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