A deal with India is &#8220;very close,&#8221; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday, signaling what could be a major breakthrough in negotiations with a significant trade partner.
Many foreign countries, including India, face a 10% baseline tariff after President Donald Trump announced a 90-day pause for harsher &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs he unveiled at the beginning of April. The tariffs for India could rise to 26%, which was the initial rate, if a deal is not reached.
At a White House press briefing, a reporter asked Bessent if he had anything to share on whether &#8220;something could happen&#8221; this week or the next. He <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2025/04/29/bessent_trade_talks_with_india_korea_japan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chose</a> to focus on India.
&#8220;I think we’re very close on India,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;India — just a little inside baseball. India, in a funny way, is easier to negotiate with than many other countries because they have very high tariffs and lots of tariffs.&#8221;
He added: &#8220;So, it’s much easier to confront the direct tariffs when, as we go through these unfair trade deals that have been put in over decades, that the non-tariff trade barriers can be much more insidious and also harder to detect. So, a country like India, which has the posted and ready tariffs, it’s much easier to negotiate with them. I think the India negotiations will move well.&#8221;
Last week, Vice President JD Vance travelled to India and met with the country&#8217;s prime minister, Narendra Modi.
Vance <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1914650218940805207" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> the United States and India finalized the “terms of reference” for a trade negotiation, adding that he believed it was a &#8220;vital step toward realizing President Trump&#8217;s and Prime Minister Modi&#8217;s vision because it sets a roadmap toward a final deal.&#8221;
India, along with Japan and South Korea, seem to be making the greatest amount of headway in talks with the United States.
These &#8220;Asian trading partners and allies,&#8221; Bessent said, &#8220;have been the most forthcoming in terms of doing the deals &#8230; Vice President Vance was in India last week. I think that he and President Modi made very good progress, so I could see some announcements on India. I could see the contours of a deal with the Republic of Korea coming together, and then we&#8217;ve had substantial talks with the Japanese.&#8221;
Because Japan and South Korea have elections coming up in the months ahead, Bessent sees an opportunity to reach agreements with them sooner rather than later.
&#8220;I think from our talks that these governments actually want to have the framework of a trade deal done before they go into the elections to show that they have successfully negotiated with the United States,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;So, we’re finding that they’re actually much more keen to come to the table, get this done, and then go home and campaign on it.&#8221;
Trump implemented the &#8220;Liberation Day&#8221; tariffs by declaring a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/04/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-declares-national-emergency-to-increase-our-competitive-edge-protect-our-sovereignty-and-strengthen-our-national-and-economic-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">national emergency</a> to combat what his administration says are unfair trade practices, protect American workers, and strengthen national security. While most countries received a 90-day reprieve, the United States <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-issues-90-day-pause-on-most-tariffs-raises-chinas-to-125" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> the overall tariff level on China to 145%. Beijing responded by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/11/china-strikes-back-with-125percent-tariffs-on-us-goods-starting-april-12.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raising</a> tariffs on U.S. goods to 125%.
Bessent would not say during the briefing whether Trump administration officials have been talking with their counterparts from China about tariffs, but he did <a href="https://grabien.com/story?id=525096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">express</a> the view that, &#8220;over time, we will see that the Chinese tariffs are unsustainable for China.&#8221;

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent

Sorry, China: Bessent Says Deal With Massive Trade Partner ‘Very Close’

China

Executive

Global Politics

India

Japan

Scott Bessent

South Korea

Tariffs

Trade War

World

On Friday, the Oil Minister of Iran <a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-851626?utm_source=jpost.app.apple&amp;utm_medium=share" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that Russia would fund the construction of a new nuclear plant in Iran.
“Iran and Russia will continue their cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy and the construction of new nuclear energy facilities and the completion of phases two and three of the Bushehr power plant using Moscow’s credit line,” Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/04/25/russia-fund-new-nuclear-power-plant-iran-bilateral-ties-deepen-amid-us-talks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “Multilateral cooperation between Iran and Russia through membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, BRICS, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, and OPEC+ has led to the provision of common interests, peace, stability, and international security, and I am confident that this cooperation will deepen.”
“Earlier this week, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law officially ratifying a <a href="https://www.algemeiner.com/2025/04/22/russia-ratifies-strategic-partnership-iran-strengthening-military-ties/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20-year strategic partnership agreement with Tehran</a>, further deepening their military cooperation,” the Algemeiner reported.
In January, Russia signed a strategic partnership treaty with Iran, which <a href="https://irangov.ir/detail/456479" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>, “The Contracting Parties shall confirm their commitment to develop military-technical cooperation.”
In 2007, Russia sent 80 tons of uranium fuel to Iran to help the Islamist dictatorship build a nuclear reactor in Bushehr. Russia stood to gain $1 billion, since the plant was to be constructed by the Russian state-owned Atomstroyexport.
Russia’s ties with the terrorist group Hamas, which acts as a proxy for Iran, run deep; roughly two weeks after the Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 people in Israel in October 2023, the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/finance/currencies/garantex-russian-crypto-hamas-crime-sanctions-a3648357" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that a Moscow-based crypto exchange, Garantex, acted as a conduit for illicit funds for Palestinian terrorists involved in the October 7 massacre to finance their operations. “Digital wallets controlled by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which joined Hamas in the attacks, received a portion of $93 million via Garantex, according to analysis by researcher Elliptic, which said Hamas also used a similar financing strategy.”
“Russia has been actively engaged in expanding security and military ties with the Houthis, including providing weapons to the organization,” The Jamestown Foundation <a href="https://jamestown.org/program/russias-increases-ties-with-irans-axis-of-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in November 2024. “Media reports indicate that Russian intelligence officers were spotted in the Houthis-held territory, and Moscow has even considered sending significant military support to the Iran-backed militia (<a href="https://www.iranintl.com/en/202409256862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran International</a>, September 25).”
“The <a href="https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title22/chapter95&amp;edition=prelim" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Freedom and Counterproliferation Act of 2013</a> prohibits the ‘sale, supply or transfer of certain materials to and from Iran related to the regime’s nuclear, military, and ballistic missile programs and allows the president to submit sanctions waivers every 180 days containing exemptions based on national security reasons,” the Foundation for Defense of Democracies <a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/policy_briefs/2025/01/22/russia-touts-illicit-nuclear-work-in-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> in January. “Absent a waiver, the president is obliged to sanction foreign individuals and financial institutions that violate the act.&#8221;
The Obama administration issued waivers for certain Russian nuclear work in Iran as part of the 2015 nuclear deal, and upon taking office, the first Trump administration <a href="https://apnews.com/us-clamps-down-on-waivers-tied-to-irans-nuclear-cooperation-ef68a5ccab2f3e0b2247e0ebeda37147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ended</a> U.S. participation in the agreement and the waivers. The Biden administration <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/biden-administration-restores-sanctions-waiver-iran-talks-final-phase-2022-02-04/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restored</a> the waivers soon after taking office to help restart Iran talks.

Iran-Life And Fun Under The Shadow Of Nuclear Power Plant

Russia Will Fund New Nuclear Plants In Iran

Iran

Nuclear

Politics

Russia

President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that he had three requirements for Russian President Vladimir Putin, all of which he expected to be met in order to stop the bloodshed and end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump spoke to the press at the airport in Morristown, New Jersey, as he prepared to board Air Force One and return to the White House after a long weekend trip that included his attendance at the funeral for the late Pope Francis as well as a one-on-one meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Reporters began with questions about the meeting with Zelensky at the Vatican — which, after their highly-publicized Oval Office blowout, was much less dramatic — and Trump said that the pair had had a &#8220;good meeting.&#8221;
&#8220;We had a good meeting, it was a nice meeting — it was a beautiful meeting, I tell you , it was the nicest office I&#8217;ve ever seen,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;It was a beautiful scene. He was very — he wants to do something good for his country. He thinks he&#8217;s doing a good job, he&#8217;s working hard, we&#8217;ll see what happens.&#8221;
Trump went on to say that Zelensky had told him that &#8220;he needs more weapons, but he&#8217;s been saying that for three years. He needs more weapons and we&#8217;re going to see what happens with respect to Russia because, Russia, I&#8217;ve been surprised and disappointed that they did the bombing of those places after discussions.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his meeting with President Zelenskyy: We had a good meeting&#8230; he wants to do something good for his country&#8230; I want to see what happens with respect to Russia because I&#39;ve been surprised and disappointed that they did the bombing of those places after discussions. <a href="https://t.co/OmkDiv0TIR">pic.twitter.com/OmkDiv0TIR</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1916635756669399412?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The follow-up question moved on to Trump&#8217;s plans with regard to Russia, and a reporter asked him, &#8220;What do you want Vladimir Putin to do?&#8221;
&#8220;Well, I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal. We have the confines of a deal, I believe,&#8221; Trump replied. &#8220;And I want him to sign it and be done with it, and just go back to life.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
REPORTER: What do you want Vladimir Putin to do?<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;I want him to stop shooting, sit down and sign a deal. We have the confines of a deal, I believe.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GAhIY6tBx2">pic.twitter.com/GAhIY6tBx2</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1916636633228619898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

President Trump Returns To White House From New Jersey

Trump Lays Out His Demands For Putin: ‘Stop Shooting, Sit Down, And Sign A Deal’

Trump Lays Out His Demands For Putin: 'Stop Shooting, Sit Down, And Sign A Deal'

Donald Trump

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

President Donald Trump on Saturday morning criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for continuing to hit Ukraine, and suggested Putin needs to be &#8220;dealt with differently&#8221; moving forward.
The same morning, minutes before Pope Francis&#8217; funeral, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-meets-with-zelensky-at-vatican-ahead-of-popes-funeral-very-productive?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Meets+With+Zelensky+At+Vatican+Ahead+Of+Pope’s+Funeral%3A+‘Very+Productive’" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky</a> in St. Peter’s Basilica. Both sides signaled that the meeting was &#8220;good&#8221; and &#8220;productive.&#8221;
&#8220;There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,&#8221; Trump said in a Truth Social post. &#8220;It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along.&#8221;
Trump added that Putin might have &#8220;to be dealt with differently, through &#8216;Banking&#8217; or &#8216;Secondary Sanctions?&#8217; Too many people are dying!!!&#8221;
Notably, 50 senators &#8212; 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans — <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-senators-push-sanctions-if-russia-stalls-ukraine-peace-efforts-2025-04-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a bill earlier this month that would impose additional sanctions on Russia.
<div id="attachment_912587" style="width: 849px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-912587" class="wp-image-912587 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM-839x576.png" alt="" width="839" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM-839x576.png 839w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM-300x206.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM-768x528.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM-1536x1055.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-26-at-1.20.33-PM.png 1680w" sizes="(max-width: 839px) 100vw, 839px" />Truth Social: Screenshot</div>
Trump&#8217;s post also said the idea that Ukraine would get back Crimea is &#8220;ridiculous,&#8221; and slammed former President Barack Obama for allowing Russia to take the territory. Zelensky has said that he won&#8217;t recognize Russia&#8217;s control of Crimea.
&#8220;[The New York Times&#8217; Peter Baker] wrote that Ukraine should get back territory, including, I suppose, Crimea, and other ridiculous requests, in order to stop the killing that is worse than anything since World War II,&#8221; Trump wrote. &#8220;Why doesn’t this lightweight reporter say that it was Obama who made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired.&#8221;
In a Time magazine article published on Friday, Trump said he would facilitate a deal between Russia and Ukraine, but noted that Putin would have liked to &#8220;take the whole thing,&#8221; referring to Ukrainian territory.
<p class="self-baseline font-graphik text-body-large text-black-coffee rich-text mb-6 focus-visible:outline focus-visible:outline-black-coffee focus-visible:outline-2 focus-visible:outline-offset-2 focus-visible:shadow-focus-color text-left">&#8220;Yeah, I think Putin will [make peace],&#8221; Trump <a href="https://time.com/7280114/donald-trump-2025-interview-transcript/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. &#8220;I think Putin would rather do it a different way. I think he’d rather go and take the whole thing. And I think that because of me, I believe I&#8217;m the only one that can get this thing negotiated. And I think we’re a long way. We&#8217;ve had very good talks, and we&#8217;re getting very close to a deal. And I don&#8217;t believe anybody else could have made that deal.&#8221;
On Friday, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/team-trump-arrives-in-russia-as-ukraine-hit-by-more-strikes-top-russian-general-assassinated?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Team+Trump+Arrives+In+Russia+As+Ukraine+Hit+By+More+Strikes%2C+Top+Russian+General+Assassinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in Moscow to speak with Putin and other top Russian officials and push for a peace deal.
Putin advisers Yuri Ushakov and Kirill Dmitriev said the meeting was &#8220;constructive and useful,&#8221; and brought the United States and Russia &#8220;closer together&#8221; on Ukraine and other issues, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/04/25/witkoff-putin-meet-moscow-trump-peace-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Axios. Additionally, Witkoff and Putin discussed the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-meets-with-zelensky-at-vatican-ahead-of-popes-funeral-very-productive?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Amanda+Prestigiacomo&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Meets+With+Zelensky+At+Vatican+Ahead+Of+Pope’s+Funeral%3A+‘Very+Productive’" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Meets With Zelensky At Vatican Ahead Of Pope’s Funeral: ‘Very Productive’</a>

Donald Trump/Vladimir Putin

Trump Says Putin Might Have To Be ‘Dealt With Differently’

President Donald Trump and Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelensky met early Saturday in St. Peter&#8217;s Basilica at the Vatican to discuss peace talks between Ukraine and Russia.
The last face-to-face meeting Trump had with Zelensky took place in February at the White House, and did not end well, with Trump saying Zelensky was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-cancels-meeting-sends-zelensky-packing-he-can-come-back-when-he-is-ready-for-peace" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not ready for peace talks</a>.
Trump and Zelensky met minutes before the start of Pope Francis&#8217; funeral, which took place at 10 a.m. Rome time and 4 a.m. Eastern. Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, drawing leaders from around the world to Rome.
The meeting <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/26/europe/zelensky-trump-talks-pope-funeral-intl/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> lasted about 15 minutes, and Trump and Zelensky will continue such talks. The meeting this go-around, according to both sides, went more smoothly than the last face-to-face.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Behind Scenes, Vatican City—President Trump sat down to meet privately with Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine this morning in St. Peter’s Basilica… <a href="https://t.co/zzC78AgbNh">pic.twitter.com/zzC78AgbNh</a>
— Dan Scavino (@Scavino47) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1916097251954278581?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y4ze6g00023b6mu3rvhrjv@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">Zelensky said on X that they had a &#8220;good meeting&#8221; and thanked President Trump.
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y4zifh00063b6mykc3w9nn@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">“We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered,” Zelensky wrote. “Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results. Thank you [President Trump].”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Good meeting. We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out. Very symbolic meeting that has potential to… <a href="https://t.co/q4ZhVXCjw0">pic.twitter.com/q4ZhVXCjw0</a>
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1916089502088524203?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<p class="paragraph inline-placeholder vossi-paragraph" data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/cm9y2sojk000c3b6mb0t99v0x@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true" data-analytics-observe="off">A White House spokesman said the pair “met privately today and had a very productive discussion,&#8221; according to a CNN report.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Trump and Zelensky met in St. Peter’s Basilica for about 15 minutes (pictures per Team Zelensky) <a href="https://t.co/PP7iwK6qzi">pic.twitter.com/PP7iwK6qzi</a>
— Mathieu von Rohr (@mathieuvonrohr) <a href="https://twitter.com/mathieuvonrohr/status/1916069398537724361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Friday, Trump said Russia and Ukraine were “very close” to a peace deal, and called for top leadership of the countries to “finish it off.”
Trump made the comments on Truth Social just as he landed in Rome for Saturday&#8217;s funeral. On the same day, Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/team-trump-arrives-in-russia-as-ukraine-hit-by-more-strikes-top-russian-general-assassinated?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Team+Trump+Arrives+In+Russia+As+Ukraine+Hit+By+More+Strikes%2C+Top+Russian+General+Assassinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in Moscow to speak with President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials and push for a peace deal.
“Just landed in Rome. A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine,&#8221; the president said. &#8220;They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off.’ Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Nothing like some tough diplomacy in one of the most beautiful places in the world. <a href="https://t.co/v23MhfVoBJ">pic.twitter.com/v23MhfVoBJ</a>
— Mike Waltz (@michaelgwaltz) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelgwaltz/status/1916105166484316187?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump also said earlier on Friday that Zelensky needs to sign a mineral deal with the United States, saying that he was “at least three weeks late.”
“Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States,” Trump posted online. “It is at least three weeks late. Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY. Work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. SUCCESS seems to be in the future!”
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lands-in-to-rome-for-pope-francis-funeral-heres-what-to-expect?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Mairead+Elordi&amp;category=News+and+Analysis&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Lands+In+Rome+For+Pope+Francis%E2%80%99+Funeral.+Here%E2%80%99s+What+To+Expect." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump Lands In Rome For Pope Francis’ Funeral. Here’s What To Expect.</a>

Funeral Takes Place For Pope Francis

Trump Meets With Zelensky At Vatican Ahead Of Pope’s Funeral: ‘Very Productive’

Italy

Pope Francis

Vatican

President Donald Trump said Friday that Russia and Ukraine were &#8220;very close&#8221; to a peace deal, and called for top leadership of the countries to &#8220;finish it off.&#8221;
Trump made the comments on Truth Social as he landed in Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. Trump&#8217;s special envoy Steve Witkoff <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/team-trump-arrives-in-russia-as-ukraine-hit-by-more-strikes-top-russian-general-assassinated?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Team+Trump+Arrives+In+Russia+As+Ukraine+Hit+By+More+Strikes%2C+Top+Russian+General+Assassinated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in Moscow on Friday to speak with President Vladimir Putin and other top Russian officials and push for a peace deal.
&#8220;Just landed in Rome,&#8221; Trump posted on Truth Social. &#8220;A good day in talks and meetings with Russia and Ukraine. They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to &#8216;finish it off.&#8217; Most of the major points are agreed to. Stop the bloodshed, NOW. We will be wherever is necessary to help facilitate the END to this cruel and senseless war!&#8221;
That post came just hours after he called for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to sign a mineral deal with the United States, saying that he was &#8220;at least three weeks late.&#8221;
&#8220;Ukraine, headed by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has not signed the final papers on the very important Rare Earths Deal with the United States,&#8221; he posted. &#8220;It is at least three weeks late. Hopefully, it will be signed IMMEDIATELY. Work on the overall Peace Deal between Russia and Ukraine is going smoothly. SUCCESS seems to be in the future!&#8221;
The deal over rare earth minerals was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/rubio-says-trump-will-likely-be-done-with-ukraine-russia-peace-talks-if-no-progress-is-made-soon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">supposed</a> to be signed months ago, but came to a standstill in February after Zelensky was asked to leave the White House following a contentious meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Last week, several Ukrainian officials signaled that the country was coming close to finalizing the agreement.
At the same time, Trump has pushed both Zelensky and Putin to stop the hostilities and come to the negotiating table. Witkoff&#8217;s arrival in Russia came after Ukraine was hit with a pair of deadly air strikes this week and Russian Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, a high-level military official, was killed in a car bombing in Balashikha.
Before Witkoff&#8217;s arrival, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sergey-lavrov-russia-urkaine-ceasefire-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> CBS News that his country &#8220;ready to reach a deal&#8221; on Ukraine.
&#8220;The President of the United States believes, and I think rightly so, that we are moving in the right direction,&#8221; he said. &#8220;The negotiations continue, and until the end of the negotiations, we cannot disclose what it is about.&#8221;
As he was leaving for Rome, Trump <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1915758936667390137" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that he thought negotiations with the two countries were &#8220;coming along,&#8221; but added that they were &#8220;very fragile&#8221; at the moment.
While en route to Rome, Trump declined to tell reporters on board Air Force One whether he would be meeting with Zelensky while at the funeral. Trump also said that he would soon be talking to Witkoff about how his meeting with Putin went and said he hadn&#8217;t heard about the car bomb assassination of Moskalik.
&#8220;He’ll be calling me,&#8221; Trump said, according to a transcript provided by the White House foreign pool service. &#8220;They just left the meeting. I haven’t been briefed yet. But, he had — I hear, a pretty good meeting.&#8221;

ITALY-VATICAN-RELIGION-POPE-FUNERAL-TRUMP

‘Stop The Bloodshed’: Trump Says Russia And Ukraine Are ‘Very Close’ To Peace Deal

Ukraine

The approval of leftist leaders in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom has surged since President Donald Trump took office in January and began implementing his economic and foreign policy agendas.
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/trump-world-left-leaders-polling-43095b2f?mod=hp_lead_pos6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Thursday that the reaction to the beginning of Trump&#8217;s second administration has given new life to liberal leaders who previously looked destined for defeat in upcoming elections. Trump&#8217;s massive tariffs imposed on nearly every country in the world are the top issue that appears to be driving support for leftist leaders.
The biggest swing following Trump&#8217;s inauguration came in Canada, where the ruling Liberal Party appeared dead in the water until Trump imposed a tariff on Canadian goods and suggested making Canada the 51st state.
Trump&#8217;s policies and attitude toward Canada have appeared to turn the upcoming prime minister election on its head — shifting from a likely flip to the Conservative Party to potentially remaining in the hands of the Liberal Party and leftist Prime Minister Mark Carney. The Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, were ahead of the Liberals by more than 20 points in the polls, but now the Liberals lead by around 4 points, according to the WSJ. Poilievre and his Conservative Party hope to gain back support among Canadians, who will go to the polls on Monday.
In Australia, which is holding elections on May 3, Left-leaning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is now ahead in the polls by more than 10 points after trailing his conservative opponent, Peter Dutton, by six points in January. The jump in support for Albanese coincides with Australians losing trust in the U.S. government, according to polling results from the Lowy Institute. The think tank found that only 36% of Australians have any level of trust in the United States to act responsibly, the WSJ reported. That was down from 56% last year.
The United Kingdom&#8217;s Left-leaning Labour Party is still struggling with its approval rating, sitting at just 29%, but that&#8217;s an 8-point increase from February. The upward trend in approval for the British Labour Party followed Prime Minister Keir Starmer&#8217;s meeting with Trump at the White House in late February to discuss tariffs and the war in Ukraine. Starmer has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3ev43vqj49o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vowed</a> to &#8220;only strike a [trade] deal&#8221; with Trump &#8220;if it&#8217;s in the national interest.&#8221; Earlier this month, an Ipsos poll showed a 17-point drop in the number of Britons who agreed that the United Kingdom has a &#8220;special relationship&#8221; with the United States, down to 30%.
Conservative leaders in Canada and Australia are trying to navigate Trump&#8217;s policies as they seek to regain support ahead of their elections. Poilievre, a popular figure on the Canadian Right, has pushed &#8220;Canada First&#8221; campaign messaging, similar to Trump&#8217;s &#8220;America First&#8221; slogan. The Canadian parliamentarian has also amassed a large following among Canadian and some American conservatives for his viral critiques of the legacy media and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Despite his similarities to Trump, Poilievre has been careful to differentiate himself from the U.S. president and has strongly opposed Trump&#8217;s tariffs that are now affecting the Canadian economy, calling Trump&#8217;s move &#8220;historic mistreatment of Canada.&#8221; Poilievre&#8217;s strategy is showing signs of success, as the Conservative Party has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/conservative-party-surges-ahead-of-canadian-election-as-concerns-over-trump-seem-to-wane-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regained</a> some ground on the Liberals, according to a CTV News-Globe and Mail-Nanos poll released earlier this week. According to the survey, Conservatives have narrowed the gap from 5.6 points to 3.6 points.
Dutton, the Australian conservative candidate, has pushed policies similar to those implemented by Trump, such as seeking to radically cut government spending. Dutton, however, has called Trump comparisons a &#8220;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/apr/05/donald-trump-in-the-white-house-seemed-like-a-plus-for-peter-dutton-but-after-this-week-maybe-not-so-much" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sledge</a>&#8221; used to attack him, adding that “the government doesn’t have a good story to tell.”

UK Prime Minister Meets With President Trump In Washington

These Leftist World Leaders Saw A Surge In Support After Trump Took Office

Australia

Canada

United Kingdom

President Donald Trump&#8217;s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Russia Friday morning to push for peace as Ukraine was hit with another series of deadly airstrikes overnight and a top Russian general was assassinated in a car bombing near Moscow.
Witkoff&#8217;s arrival comes after Trump said on Thursday that he was &#8220;not happy&#8221; with Russian strikes against Ukraine and urged President Vladimir Putin to stop the attacks. After those comments, Ukraine was hit with another wave of drone attacks, and Russian Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskalik, a high-level military official, was killed in a car bombing in Balashikha.
Witkoff <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/trumps-envoy-witkoff-arrives-moscow-interfax-reports-2025-04-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrived</a> in Moscow on Friday morning, where he met with Putin and other Russian officials. His trip comes one day after the Trump administration urged both sides to accept the terms the United States had proposed to end the war.
“This war is endable. Both sides just have to agree to it. We’ve shown them a pathway forward. We’ve discussed those ideas,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-hopeful-ukraine-russia-war-endable?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘We’ve+Shown+Them+The+Finish+Line’%3A+White+House+Remains+Hopeful+That+Ukraine-Russia+War+Is+‘Endable’" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Thursday. “It was a good meeting yesterday. There will be good meetings over the weekend. We’ve shown them the finish line. We need both of them to say yes.”
“What happened (Wednesday) night with those missile strikes should remind everybody of why this war needs to end,” the Secretary of State continued. “It’s horrible that those missiles landed. It’s even worse … that people were alive yesterday that are not alive today because this war continues.”
Ukrainian officials <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-says-russia-kills-3-in-drone-attack-after-trump-rebukes-putin/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Friday that another Russian drone attack overnight in southeastern Ukraine had killed at least three people, including a 76-year-old woman and a child, and injured 10 more. Ukraine reported that five different regions had been hit by 103 Shahed and decoy drones.
That came after attacks on Thursday in Kyiv, where Ukrainian officials reported that at least 12 people were killed and another 87 wounded. Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admonishes-putin-over-airstrikes-on-kyiv-vladimir-stop?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Admonishes+Putin+Over+Airstrikes+On+Kyiv%3A+‘Vladimir%2C+STOP%21’" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called out</a> Putin for those attacks, saying that it was hurting peace negotiations.
&#8220;I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying,&#8221; Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. &#8220;Lets get the Peace Deal DONE!&#8221;
Trump has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-zelensky-over-inflammatory-statements-making-it-difficult-to-settle-this-war?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Blasts+Zelensky+Over+‘Inflammatory+Statements’+Making+It+‘Difficult+To+Settle+This+War’" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expressed frustration</a> with Zelensky, accusing him of making &#8220;inflammatory statements&#8221; that are not helping negotiations.
“He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump said Wednesday. “I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.”

RUSSIA-US-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY

Team Trump Arrives In Russia As Ukraine Hit By More Strikes, Top Russian General Assassinated

Steve Witkoff

President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he is &#8220;not happy&#8221; with Russia&#8217;s major missile and drone attack on Kyiv, Ukraine, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s latest offensive was &#8220;not necessary and very bad timing.&#8221;
Russia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-hits-ukrainian-capital-with-worst-bombing-strike-since-summer-2024?author=Hank+Berrien&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Russia+Hits+Ukrainian+Capital+With+Worst+Bombing+Strike+Since+Summer+2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hammered</a> the Ukrainian capital early Thursday morning, killing at least eight people and wounding around 70 more, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/putin-trump-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-kyiv-kharkiv-war-peace-crimea-rcna202736" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. The attack was the deadliest bombing on Ukraine since last summer and comes as the Trump administration struggles to negotiate a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine and end a war that has entered its fourth year.
&#8220;I am not happy with the Russian strikes on KYIV. Not necessary, and very bad timing. Vladimir, STOP! 5000 soldiers a week are dying. Lets [sic] get the Peace Deal DONE!&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114392923237368367" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social.
Russia fired more than 70 missiles at Kyiv, 48 of which were shot down by Ukraine&#8217;s missile defense system. Kyiv was also attacked by 140 drones in the overnight bombing and shot down 64 of them, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Six children and a pregnant woman were among the wounded.
“The search is continuing for people under rubble. … Mobile telephones are heard ringing beneath rubble. The search will continue until it becomes clear that they have got everyone,” the State Emergency Service wrote on Telegram, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/air-defence-units-action-around-kyiv-officials-say-2025-04-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a>.
Trump Special Envoy Steve Witkoff is supposed to meet with Putin in Moscow this week, and it&#8217;s unclear if Russia&#8217;s attack on Kyiv will change those plans. Top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have warned that the United States will walk away from negotiations with Ukraine and Russia if progress on the peace talks isn&#8217;t made soon.
After Russia&#8217;s attack on Kyiv, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that the &#8220;brutal strikes show that Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace.&#8221;
&#8220;Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied,&#8221; Sybiha added.
Trump has grown increasingly frustrated with both Putin and Zelensky, and earlier this week, he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-zelensky-over-inflammatory-statements-making-it-difficult-to-settle-this-war?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Blasts+Zelensky+Over+%E2%80%98Inflammatory+Statements%E2%80%99+Making+It+%E2%80%98Difficult+To+Settle+This+War%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Zelensky again after the Ukrainian president said his country would never recognize Russia&#8217;s occupation of Crimea. Trump called Zelensky&#8217;s comment &#8220;very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia,&#8221; adding that &#8220;Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion.&#8221;
The president then blasted Zelensky, saying he continues to make “inflammatory statements” that make it “difficult to settle this War.”
“He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump continued. “I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.”
Earlier this week, The Daily Wire’s Ben Shapiro traveled to war-torn Kyiv for an exclusive 60-minute, face-to-face interview with Zelensky, which will be released in two parts on the Ben Shapiro Show on Thursday and Friday.
Speaking in front of the Saint Sophia Cathedral, Shapiro questioned Zelensky on several topics, including his tense March meeting with President Trump, the substantial amount of American taxpayer money Ukraine is receiving, and prospects for peace with Russia.

Trump Admonishes Putin Over Airstrikes On Kyiv: ‘Vladimir, STOP!’

Thursday is Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day, commemorating the reputed one and a half million Armenians murdered by the Turks in 1915 during World War I.
The Turkish assault began with hundreds of Armenian intellectuals forcibly deported from the Turkish capital of Constantinople. The Muslim Young Turks intended to get rid of the Christian Armenians in Turkey. Massive atrocities, from forced death marches to placing women and children aboard ships and then deliberately sinking them, were carried out by Turkish government-backed forces.
CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/23/world/armenian-mass-killings/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>:
<blockquote>
While the death toll is in dispute, photographs from the era document some mass killings. Some show Ottoman soldiers posing with severed heads, others with them standing amid skulls in the dirt. The victims are reported to have died in mass burnings and by drowning, torture, gas, poison, disease and starvation. Children were reported to have been loaded into boats, taken out to sea and thrown overboard. Rape, too, was frequently reported.
</blockquote>
The U.S. Congress has passed resolutions acknowledging the genocide, but no U.S. administration has, likely because of concerns about relations with Turkey. Instead, the murders have been referred to as &#8220;massacres&#8221; or &#8220;crimes against humanity.”
In April 1981, soon after he was elected president, Ronald Reagan delivered a Proclamation on Days of Remembrance of Victims of the Holocaust. Speaking of the Holocaust in which the Nazis murdered six million Jews, he <a href="https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/proclamations-april-22-1981" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>:
<blockquote>
When America and its allies liberated those haunting places of terror and sick destructiveness, the world came to a vivid and tragic understanding of the evil it faced in those years of the Second World War. Each of those names &#8212; Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Dachau, Treblinka and so many others &#8212; became synonymous with horror.
The millions of deaths, the gas chambers, the inhuman crematoria, and the thousands of people who somehow survived with lifetime scars are all now part of the conscience of history. Forever must we remember just how precious is civilization, how important is liberty, and how heroic is the human spirit. 
</blockquote>
He then mentioned the “genocide of the Armenians before it, and the genocide of the Cambodians which followed it.”

Armenians killed by Turks.

Thursday Marks Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day

Armenians

genocide

Turkey

In the deadliest attack on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv since the summer of 2024, Russia launched a combined missile and drone offensive on Wednesday night, burying Ukrainians under rubble, killing eight people, and injuring more than 70 others.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UkraineRussiaWar%EF%B8%8F%EF%B8%8F?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UkraineRussiaWar️️</a>
🚨 At least nine dead as Kyiv hit by massive missile and drone strike
FOLLOW LATEST UPDATES <a href="https://t.co/LWhpqwRXoO">https://t.co/LWhpqwRXoO</a> <a href="https://t.co/yHr3GIG5JP">pic.twitter.com/yHr3GIG5JP</a>
— The Independent (@Independent) <a href="https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1915267729445327152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The search is continuing for people under rubble &#8230; Mobile telephones are heard ringing beneath rubble. The search will continue until it becomes clear that they have got everyone,” the State Emergency Service wrote on Telegram, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/air-defence-units-action-around-kyiv-officials-say-2025-04-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, formerly the heavyweight boxing champion of the world, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd7v0lgg18xo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that six children and a pregnant woman were injured in the attack. Kyiv is roughly 430 miles from the Polish border.
On July 8, 2024, Russia launched a massive bombing assault on Ukraine in which Russian missiles hit the largest children’s hospital in the country, the Okhmatdyt hospital in Kyiv.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for not recognizing Crimea as part of Russia. After the Soviet Union dissolved in 1992, the Republic of Crimea was formed. In 2014, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was pro-Russian, was removed after protests against him. Russian President Vladimir Putin <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-crimea-seizure-8245aec572fb71236febfa8735c42879" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invaded</a> Crimea and annexed it, a move only recognized by North Korea and Sudan.
In 2024, Dmitry Medvedev, deputy head of Russia’s Security Council, said bluntly, “Ukraine is Russia.”
“Yesterday&#8217;s Russian maximalist demands for Ukraine to withdraw from its regions, combined with these brutal strikes, show that Russia, not Ukraine, is the obstacle to peace. Moscow, not Kyiv, is where pressure should be applied,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.
Russia reportedly also attacked the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Wednesday night using drones and missiles.
In March, Putin <a href="https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/business/money-report/putin-and-trump-set-to-discuss-russias-demands-for-a-ukraine-ceasefire-deal/4137301/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that any peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia should “eliminate the root causes” of the war between Ukraine and Russia. In 2021, he <a href="http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/66181" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>, “During the recent Direct Line, when I was asked about Russian-Ukrainian relations, I said that Russians and Ukrainians were one people – a single whole. These words were not driven by some short-term considerations or prompted by the current political context. It is what I have said on numerous occasions and what I firmly believe.”
The Daily Wire&#8217;s Ben Shapiro traveled to war-torn Kyiv this week for an exclusive 60-minute face-to-face interview with Zelensky.
Speaking in front of the Saint Sophia Cathedral, Shapiro questioned Zelensky on several topics, including his tense March meeting with President Trump, the substantial amount of American taxpayer money Ukraine is receiving, and prospects for peace with Russia.
The interview will be released in two parts on the Ben Shapiro Show on Thursday and Friday.

Missile Strikes Residential Building in Kyiv

Russia Hits Ukrainian Capital With Worst Bombing Strike Since Summer 2024

Kyiv

President Donald Trump ripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, accusing him of damaging ongoing peace talks after Zelensky said that his country will &#8220;not legally recognize the occupation of Crimea.&#8221;
Zelensky made the comment on Tuesday after the United States proposed that the country recognize Russia&#8217;s takeover of Crimea in exchange for moving closer to a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The Ukrainian president <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelensky-pushes-back-on-u-s-peace-plan-359d74b1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">completely dismissed</a> the U.S. proposal, saying, “There’s nothing to talk about here. This is against our constitution.” Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 after Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych was ousted.
Trump fired back at Zelensky, saying that the Ukrainian government was not asked to recognize Crimea as Russian territory.
&#8220;This statement is very harmful to the Peace Negotiations with Russia in that Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114388111141848447">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?&#8221;
The president then blasted Zelensky, saying he continues to make &#8220;inflammatory statements&#8221; that make it &#8220;difficult to settle this War.&#8221;
&#8220;He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I have nothing to do with Russia, but have much to do with wanting to save, on average, five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, who are dying for no reason whatsoever.&#8221;
Trump has grown increasingly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-pissed-off-at-putin-for-questioning-zelenksys-credibility" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frustrated</a> with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin as the war drags into its fourth year. Both Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of violating a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-leads-russia-ukraine-to-agreements-on-black-sea-ceasefire-ban-on-energy-facility-attacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">limited ceasefire</a> deal that the Trump administration oversaw.
According to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/ukraines-zelensky-pushes-back-on-u-s-peace-plan-359d74b1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a>, last week, Trump officials presented Ukraine with multiple ideas for ending the war, including the proposal to acknowledge Russia&#8217;s control of Crimea. Ukrainian officials were supposed to respond to the U.S. proposals during a meeting with European leaders in London on Wednesday, but those plans were canceled after Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a last-minute decision to skip the talks, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/world/europe/ukraine-cease-fire-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the United States is close to &#8220;walking away&#8221; from peace negotiations if Ukraine and Russia don&#8217;t make progress. Vance&#8217;s comments echo remarks made by Rubio earlier this week when he said that the Trump administration was &#8220;not going to continue with this endeavor for weeks and months on end.&#8221;
Trump warned that Zelensky&#8217;s approach to the latest peace proposals from the United States &#8220;will do nothing but prolong the &#8216;killing field,&#8217; and nobody wants that!&#8221;
&#8220;We are very close to a Deal, but the man with &#8216;no cards to play&#8217; should now, finally, GET IT DONE,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;I look forward to being able to help Ukraine, and Russia, get out of this Complete and Total MESS, that would have never started if I were President!&#8221;

Volodymyr Zelensky, Donald Trump

Trump Blasts Zelensky Over ‘Inflammatory Statements’ Making It ‘Difficult To Settle This War’

Menu