After a two-hour phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, President Donald Trump announced that ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine would begin immediately.
In a statement following the call, Trump said he believes the call &#8220;went very well&#8221; and that the &#8220;tone and spirit of the conversation was excellent.&#8221;
&#8220;Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114535693441367601">said</a>. &#8220;The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of.&#8221;
Trump added that once the &#8220;bloodbath&#8221; ends, there will be opportunities for Russia to do &#8220;largescale&#8221; trade with the United States and have &#8220;tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth.&#8221;
Trump said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, of Germany, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb immediately after his call with Putin.
Trump said that the Vatican, &#8220;as represented by&#8221; Pope Leo XIV, &#8220;has stated that it would be very interested in hosting the negotiations.&#8221;
After the call, Putin spoke to reporters on-camera and described the call as “very frank” and very useful.”
“The US president expressed his position on the cessation of hostilities, ceasefire, and from my end, I have emphasized that Russia stands for peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian crisis,&#8221; Putin said. &#8220;We just need to outline the most effective routes of moving towards peace.&#8221;
Ahead of the call, Russia launched a massive drone attack on Ukraine with exploding drones and decoys, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-call-putin-bid-end-russias-bloodbath-war-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News reported</a>. Eighty-eight drones were reportedly intercepted, and 128 were lost in the attack on the Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Donetsk regions.
Trump has supported a ceasefire between the two sides, though Russia has pushed for an agreement to end the war with Ukraine making concessions. Trump has grown frustrated with both Putin and Zelensky in his efforts to bring the war to an end.
“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday before the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-confronts-zelensky-on-christian-persecution-and-conscription-in-exclusive-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEN SHAPIRO CONFRONTS ZELENSKY ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND CONSCRIPTION IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</a>
Vice President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JD Vance</a> said there has been “a bit of an impasse” in the talks and that the United States is “more than willing to walk away.”
“President Putin…he doesn’t quite know how to get out of the war,” Vance said. “There is fundamental mistrust between Russia and the West. It’s one of the things that the president thinks is frankly stupid that we should be able to move beyond the stakes that have been made in the past. But it takes two to tango. I know the president is willing to do that but if Russia is not willing to do that, then eventually we will have to say ‘this is not our war.’”
Trump announced the call on Saturday, stating that he planned to talk about “stopping the ‘bloodbath’ that is on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week.”
“Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;God bless us all!!!&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Last week, Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Lands+In+Turkey+As+Putin+Skips+Meeting%2C+Russia+Calls+Him+A+%E2%80%98Clown+and+Loser%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traveled to Turkey</a> in the hopes of having a face-to-face conversation with Putin. When Putin did not show up, the two leaders&#8217; underlings met and successfully negotiated a prisoner swap of 1,000 people from each side, though no agreement on peace was made, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/05/19/trump-putin-call-ceasefire-agreement?utm_campaign=editorial&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to Axios</a>. The meeting was the first direct negotiations between the two sides since March 2022.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-tells-ben-shapiro-hes-open-to-an-audit-on-how-ukraine-spends-u-s-taxpayer-dollars?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Tells+Ben+Shapiro+He%E2%80%99s+Open+To+An+Audit+On+How+Ukraine+Spends+U.S.+Taxpayer+Dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ZELENSKY TELLS BEN SHAPIRO HE’S OPEN TO AN AUDIT ON HOW UKRAINE SPENDS U.S. TAXPAYER DOLLARS</a>
On Sunday, leaders of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy urged Trump to sanction Putin if he doesn’t agree to an immediate, unconditional ceasefire, Axios reported.
Trump has said that the war “has to stop.”
“We spent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-lands-in-turkey-as-putin-skips-meeting-russia-calls-him-a-clown-and-loser">$350 billion there</a> — just handed,” he said. “Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting.”
Trump added that Zelensky is the “greatest salesman, maybe in history” because “every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion.”
“That’s a good salesman, right?” Trump added. “Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.”

Argentina G20 Leaders’ Summit 2018 – Day 1 Of Sessions

Trump Makes Big Announcement Following  ‘Very Frank’ Two-Hour Call With Putin

Donald Trump

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky landed in Turkey today for what he hoped would be face-to-face negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Instead, he was met with Putin&#8217;s underlings.
On Sunday, Putin first proposed direct talks with Ukraine to bring the three-year war to a close during a televised address.
“We are proposing that Kyiv resume direct negotiations without any preconditions,&#8221; Putin said. &#8220;We offer the Kyiv authorities to resume negotiations already on Thursday, in Istanbul.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
Zelensky <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-offers-meet-putin-after-trump-pushes-historic-peace-talks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Agrees+To+Meet+Putin+After+Trump+Pushes+For+Historic+Peace+Talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded by challenging</a> Putin to come to Istanbul himself for a face-to-face meeting.
“We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,” Zelensky <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921611690891940116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. “There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.”
Instead, Russia sent aides to negotiate with the Ukrainian leader, who described them as “stand-in props,” <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c74nxrr7mwkt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported the BBC</a>.
In response, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said “A clown and a loser is talking about respected people.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-confronts-zelensky-on-christian-persecution-and-conscription-in-exclusive-interview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BEN SHAPIRO CONFRONTS ZELENSKY ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION AND CONSCRIPTION IN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</a>
Russia&#8217;s delegation will be headed by presidential aide Vladimir Medinsky, but meetings are still not officially scheduled, according to the BBC.
So far, Zelensky has met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara.
President Donald Trump also said he was skipping the meetings because of scheduling conflicts, despite <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-middle-east-trip?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=6&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here%E2%80%99s+What+You+Need+To+Know+About+Trump%E2%80%99s+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">floating the possibility</a> of attending earlier this week.
Trump said he doesn’t think it “was possible for Putin to go” if he himself wasn’t there.
&#8220;I actually said, why would he go if I’m not going?&#8221; Trump said, speaking at a business roundtable in Doha, Qatar during his four-day Gulf tour.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-trumps-middle-east-trip?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Here%E2%80%99s+What+You+Need+To+Know+About+Trump%E2%80%99s+Middle+East+Trip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TRUMP’S MIDDLE EAST TRIP</a>
The President added that the war “has to stop.”
&#8220;We spent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/zelensky-tells-ben-shapiro-hes-open-to-an-audit-on-how-ukraine-spends-u-s-taxpayer-dollars?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Zelensky+Tells+Ben+Shapiro+He%E2%80%99s+Open+To+An+Audit+On+How+Ukraine+Spends+U.S.+Taxpayer+Dollars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$350 billion there</a> — just handed,” he said. “Nobody even knows where the money is. There’s no accounting.”
Trump added that Zelensky is the “greatest salesman, maybe in history” because “every time he came to the United States, he’d walk away with $100 billion.”
“That’s a good salesman, right?&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Last time he didn’t do as well. He only got $60 billion.&#8221;
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is already in Istanbul for meetings with his NATO counterparts and he and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff were planning to be present for the Russia-Ukraine talks.

COMBO-RUSSIA-UKRAINE-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY-CONFLICT-WAR

Zelensky Lands In Turkey As Putin Skips Meeting, Russia Calls Him A ‘Clown and Loser’

Putin

President Donald Trump departed for Saudi Arabia on Monday, kicking off the second foreign trip of his second term with a packed agenda. Here’s what you need to know.
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-to-visit-saudi-arabia-qatar-and-uae-in-first-middle-east-trip-this-term" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is scheduled</a> to visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and possibly Turkey. The trip was supposed to be the president’s first foreign trip until he attended Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome last month.
The trip to the three energy-rich nations comes as Trump seeks to make deals with foreign nations and attempts to end both the war between Israel and Hamas and the war between Russia and Ukraine.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-last-living-american-hostage-edan-alexander-released-following-trump-admin-efforts?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=BREAKING%3A+Last+Living+American+Hostage+Edan+Alexander+Released+Following+Trump+Admin+Efforts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LAST LIVING AMERICAN HOSTAGE EDAN ALEXANDER RELEASED FOLLOWING TRUMP ADMIN EFFORTS</a>
Trump&#8217;s trip got off to a controversial start following reports that the president is preparing to accept a $400 million Boeing 747 jumbo jet from Qatar, which would be available for Trump to use in lieu of Air Force One. Shortly before he leaves office, the plane would then be transferred to the Trump presidential library foundation.
The gift has caused an uproar with critics who say it’s a signal that Qatar — a massive funder and enabler of terrorist groups — is trying to gain influence in the Trump administration.
Trump defended the gift as an affordable way to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One.
“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40-year-old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” <a href="https://x.com/TrumpDailyPosts/status/1921734060923142301" target="_blank" rel="noopener">he posted</a>. “Anybody can do that! The Dems are World Class Losers!!!”
Speaking to reporters on Monday from the White House, Trump floated adding a stop to Turkey, where peace talks between Russia and Ukraine are scheduled.
“I would fly there if I thought it would be helpful,” Trump said about the meeting where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is slated to meet face-to-face with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-trump-and-rubio-put-america-first-in-100-days?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=How+Trump+And+Rubio+Put+America+First+In+100+Days" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HOW TRUMP AND RUBIO PUT AMERICA FIRST IN 100 DAYS</a>
“Thursday’s meeting with Russia and Ukraine is really important,” he added. “I was really insistent that that meeting take place. I think good things can come out of that meeting. Stop the bloodshed, it’s a bloodbath.”
Zelenskyy <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921955780682502280" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted on X</a> that he would “appreciate” if Trump “could be there with us at the meeting.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/american-hostage-edan-alexander-reunites-family?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=American+Hostage+Edan+Alexander+Reunites+With+Parents+After+584+Days+In+Hamas+Captivity">Recently freed</a> American hostage Edan Alexander may meet with Trump in Qatar, depending on his medical condition.
Last week, Israel approved an expanded ground operation plan that includes plans to conquer and retain more areas of the Gaza Strip. The plan, named “Operation Gideon’s Chariots,” will go into effect if Hamas fails to make an agreement with Israel by the end of President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East this week, <a href="https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-852712" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Jerusalem Post reported</a>.
Israel announced it will be sending a delegation to Qatar on Tuesday to negotiate a hostage deal.
During his first term, Trump built strong ties with several Gulf states, which led to the signing of the Abraham Accords between the UAE, Israel, and Bahrain. Trump has expressed interest in expanding the agreement to include Saudi Arabia, but the ongoing war in Israel has complicated those efforts.
Saudi Arabia did receive a possible win this week after the White House dropped demands for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel as a condition of receiving U.S. assistance in starting a civilian nuclear program, <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-no-longer-demanding-saudis-recognize-israel-for-nuclear-deal-with-us-sources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported The Times of Israel.</a>
In March, Trump announced that Saudi Arabia committed to investing $1 trillion into the American economy.
“I made a deal with Saudi Arabia…I said I’ll go if you pay $1 trillion to American companies, meaning the purchase over a four-year period of $1 trillion, and they’ve agreed to do that,” Trump said, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/saudi-arabia-takes-risky-gamble-trumps-america-opinion-2047288" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsweek reported</a>.
Also in March, the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-secures-1-4-trillion-uae-investment-deal-for-american-industries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UAE committed</a> to investing $1.4 trillion in American energy, manufacturing, and technology over the next decade.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/donald-trump-says-united-states-needs-golden-dome?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Says+U.S.+Needs+%E2%80%98Golden+Dome%E2%80%99+Missile+Defense+System%3A+%E2%80%98This+Is+A+Very+Dangerous+World%E2%80%99" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TRUMP SAYS U.S. NEEDS ‘GOLDEN DOME’ MISSILE DEFENSE SYSTEM: ‘THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS WORLD’</a>
“This new framework will substantially increase the UAE’s existing investments in the U.S. economy in AI infrastructure, semiconductors, energy, and American manufacturing,” the White House said in a statement announcing the framework.
Saudi Arabia was the first country Trump visited during his first term in 2017, where a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/picture-trump-saudi-arabia-glowing-orb-setting-aaron-bandler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">viral image was</a> captured of him touching an orb alongside Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the opening of the Global Centre for Combating Extremist Ideology.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/KingSalman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@KingSalman</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@POTUS</a> inaugurate The Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology in Riyadh. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RiyadhSummit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#RiyadhSummit</a> <a href="https://t.co/do6cFL7wBW" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/do6cFL7wBW</a>
— Saudi Embassy USA (@SaudiEmbassyUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/SaudiEmbassyUSA/status/866354025905754112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">May 21, 2017</a></blockquote>

President Trump Departs Joint Base Andrews To Start His Middle East Trip

Here’s What You Need To Know About Trump’s Middle East Trip

Israel

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Ukraine Russia

United Arab Emirates (UAE)

President Donald Trump appears to be on the cusp of bringing the leaders of Ukraine and Russia together for a historic meeting to negotiate the end of the years-long war between their countries.
In a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114490093180275292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> to Truth Social on Sunday, Trump urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree on a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkey next week.
&#8220;President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!&#8221; he added. &#8220;I’m starting to doubt that Ukraine will make a deal with Putin, who’s too busy celebrating the Victory of World War ll, which could not have been won (not even close!) without the United States of America. HAVE THE MEETING, NOW!!!&#8221;
Soon after, Zelensky said he was ready to meet Putin.
&#8220;We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy,&#8221; Zelensky <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1921611690891940116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X. &#8220;There is no point in prolonging the killings. And I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally. I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses.&#8221;
The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/10/ukraine-ceasefire-demand-russia-trump/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday the United States and its Western allies demanded Putin agree to a 30-day ceasefire starting on Monday or face more sanctions on Russia&#8217;s energy and banking sectors. Putin proposed a meeting in Istanbul.
<div class="wpds-c-PJLV article-body type-text" data-qa="article-body">
<p class="wpds-c-heFNVF wpds-c-heFNVF-iPJLV-css overrideStyles font-copy" dir="null" data-apitype="text" data-contentid="AJORFT4SHNGFZIDWVIKJJTMH5I" data-el="text" data-scroll-pos="3" data-scroll-measured="true">“We are committed to serious negotiations with Ukraine … to remove the root causes of the conflict,” Putin said at a news conference, according to the newspaper. “I do not exclude that during these negotiations it will be possible to agree on some new ceasefire.”
Earlier on Sunday, Trump signaled that a breakthrough was imminent.
&#8220;A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine! Think of the hundreds of thousands of lives that will be saved as this never ending &#8216;bloodbath&#8217; hopefully comes to an end,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114487210304050642" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;It will be a whole new, and much better, WORLD. I will continue to work with both sides to make sure that it happens. The USA wants to focus, instead, on Rebuilding and Trade. A BIG week upcoming!&#8221;
</div>

US President Donald Trump and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky

Zelensky Agrees To Meet Putin After Trump Pushes For Historic Peace Talks

Global Politics

Turkey

World

Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that the Trump administration thinks Russia is pushing for &#8220;too much&#8221; in the peace talks with Ukraine.
Vance spoke at a Munich Security Conference Q&amp;A, where he addressed numerous foreign policy issues, including the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the effort to negotiate a peace deal between the two countries. The vice president said that to end the war, President Donald Trump has been trying &#8220;to understand where the other side is coming from.&#8221; As peace talks have hit multiple roadblocks in Trump&#8217;s first 100 days in office, Vance said he isn&#8217;t giving up hope that the two countries can come to some sort of agreement.
&#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t say that the Russians are uninterested in bringing this thing to a resolution. What I would say is right now, the Russians are asking for a certain set of requirements, a certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict. We think they&#8217;re asking for too much,&#8221; the vice president said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
JD Vance says Russia is &quot;asking for too much&quot; in peace talks with Ukraine. <a href="https://t.co/zyIIsW61Ta">pic.twitter.com/zyIIsW61Ta</a>
&mdash; Zach Jewell (@zach_d_jewell) <a href="https://twitter.com/zach_d_jewell/status/1920137276190846991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Trump administration is hoping to take a step back from mediating negotiations.
&#8220;We would like both the Russians and the Ukrainians to actually agree on some basic guidelines for sitting down and talking to one another,&#8221; Vance continued. &#8220;Obviously, the United States is happy to participate in those conversations, but it&#8217;s very important for the Russians and Ukrainians to start talking to one another.&#8221;
“We think it’s probably impossible for us to mediate this entirely without at least some direct negotiation between the two, and so that’s what we focus on,” Vance added.
The Trump administration has been talking to both Russian and Ukrainian leaders for months, seeking a way to end the war. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff recently spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for the third time. Some of Russia&#8217;s demands include ensuring that Ukraine will never be admitted into NATO and the recognition of its occupation of Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula it invaded and annexed in 2014. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to push for NATO membership, a request Trump said in February that Ukraine should &#8220;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgShN8V5dW0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forget about</a>.&#8221;
Vance said that the Trump administration has &#8220;moved beyond&#8221; pushing for a 30-day ceasefire after those talks went nowhere with Russia.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve tried to move beyond the obsession with a 30-day ceasefire and more on what the long-term settlement would look like,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And we&#8217;ve tried to consistently advance the ball.&#8221;
The United States took a major step forward in talks with Ukraine last week, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/u-s-ready-to-sign-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-as-soon-as-this-afternoon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signing</a> a minerals agreement with Kyiv. The agreement provides Ukraine with continued military assistance in exchange for the United States getting access to some of Ukraine’s vital natural resources, including aluminum, graphite, oil, and natural gas.
Russia <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-hits-u-s-over-minerals-deal-says-ukraine-is-about-to-disappear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> the minerals deal shortly after it was made, mocking President Trump and saying that Ukraine “is about to disappear.”

JD Vance

Vance Says Russia ‘Asking For Too Much’ In Ukraine Peace Talks

Foreign Policy

Politics

Trump Administration

Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders took a big step toward protecting her state from the Chinese Communist Party and other nefarious foreign agents.
She signed a bill demanding representatives acting on behalf of hostile foreign adversaries such as the People&#8217;s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea register publicly, disclose who bankrolls them, and spell out exactly what they are doing in Arkansas politics.
Although this foreign-agent registration is the first statute of its kind in the country, other legislatures should explore similar laws as a defense against hostile foreign actors and their agents covertly swaying policy or political activities at the state level.
Our country is facing a new kind of warfare waged through manipulation, money, and misinformation. Our adversaries are well-funded and coordinated, working relentlessly to sow division and destabilize our society. They’re attacking at the state and local level more and more, hiding behind layers of nonprofits and advocacy groups.
Take Students for Justice in Palestine, for example – a shadowy group that played a prominent role in riling up violent mobs on college campuses last year. This group and others like it (Within Our Lifetime, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestinian Youth Movement, etc.) routinely accept secret money, raising concerns about potential support from hostile foreign actors.
Some of these organizations are not even registered as nonprofits, and alarmingly, many pro-Hamas groups have established local chapters on college campuses and receive funding from student activity fees.
The CCP perfected this playbook long ago. There are Confucius Institutes embedded on college campuses masquerading as language centers while disseminating the Party’s propaganda. Other groups such as Code Pink echo CCP talking points, attacking American energy policy and championing topics that align with China’s geopolitical objectives.
Research has shown that the CCP’s influence stretches far beyond college campuses. It targets state pension funds, critical infrastructure, farmland near military bases, and even municipal procurement of drones and surveillance tech. Every contract, endowment, or protest it bankrolls is another opportunity to steal American intellectual property, map supply chains, and erode public trust.
It’s no surprise the Federal Bureau of Investigation has labeled the Chinese Communist government a “grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States,” and national security agencies from some of our top allies have warned the CCP is engaging in the most “sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in human history.&#8221;
Arkansas has taken the first step in combating this foreign interference. The law will shine a spotlight on every foreign‑funded front group operating in the state. Agents who fail to register face stiff penalties; those tied to hostile nations risk even higher fines.
<div id="attachment_916433" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-916433" class="size-large wp-image-916433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg" alt="DustyPixel. Getty Images." width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />DustyPixel. Getty Images.</div>
The new law also strengthens campaign finance disclosure laws, exposing individuals and organizations seeking to undermine democratic values through covert influence operations. The law is singularly focused on hostile foreign actors; international businesses and lobbyists representing allied nations are unaffected.
It is encouraging that this effort is also a part of a larger “Communist China Defense” suite of bills from Governor Sanders, with proposals to divest state resources from China and ban land purchases near critical infrastructure.
These measures are a timely reminder that safeguarding our communities begins in the statehouse, not just in Washington. Other legislatures should move quickly to adopt similar protections and fortify America’s democracy and sovereignty against those determined to erode them.
 * * *
Joe Gebbia is the CEO and Founder of State Shield, an organization dedicated to educating state leaders and uniting state and federal efforts to combat the growing threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to America’s security, supply chains, and core values.
The views in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Conservatives Gather For Annual CPAC Conference In Washington DC

Arkansas Strikes First Blow Against Foreign Influence In U.S. Politics

Arkansas

China

College

Foreign Funding

Iran

North Korea

Opinion

Real estate

Sarah Huckabee Sanders

U.S. Military

The president cut a very good deal with Ukraine the other day.
The rare earth minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine is a deal Ukraine should have signed back in February. Well, they finally came around and signed it on Wednesday.
According to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/world-news/heres-how-trump-made-ukraine-pay-for-military-aid-with-long-awaited-minerals-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>:
<blockquote>The agreement, inked on Wednesday after months of negotiations, created a shared investment fund to which both nations will contribute — including through oil, gas and mineral rights licenses sold in Ukraine — with the profits split 50/50.</blockquote>
So the United States is not taking money and just throwing it into this fund. We will basically earn credit toward our total contribution equal to the cost of military equipment, technology, or training that we send across the Atlantic. The additional military aid we provide to Ukraine is going to be counted against whatever we would have had to pay into this fund. In some ways, we&#8217;re trading military aid for the development of rare earth minerals in Ukraine. Again, we need rare earth minerals because we&#8217;re presumably not going to get them from China anymore. Ukraine, on the other hand, requires military aid to stand up against the Russian onslaught. It is a good thing, full stop.
President Trump is now showing support for a free and independent Ukraine, and that is an important step. From the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/world-news/heres-how-trump-made-ukraine-pay-for-military-aid-with-long-awaited-minerals-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a>:
<blockquote>The agreement does not preclude the US from dispatching remaining military aid approved by Congress under former President Joe Biden — which is expected to run out by next month — nor does it require the US to sell any military aid to Kyiv.</blockquote>
It&#8217;s not clear how much money is supposed to go into the fund, but the bottom line is that instead of just providing pure military aid, we are now getting something significant in return.
The Ukrainians see this as a way of ensuring continued American support.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/bss-ep-2191-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Ben Shapiro Show</a></h3>
One source familiar with the strategy originally thought maybe they could leverage the president into a better deal for Ukraine. That did not happen. However, the Ukrainian representative said this is a good deal for both sides.
The Kremlin also recognizes the significance of the deal, albeit through sarcasm.
The deal was mocked by Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev (everybody in the Russian government is a cut-out for Putin), who said the U.S. leader made a deal with a nation that will soon “disappear.”
From the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/world-news/heres-how-trump-made-ukraine-pay-for-military-aid-with-long-awaited-minerals-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a>:
<blockquote>Trump has finally pressured the Kyiv regime to pay for US aid with mineral resources,” he posted to Telegram. “Now, the country that is about to disappear will have to use its national wealth to pay for military supplies.</blockquote>
That does not sound like a Russia that is ready to come to the table again.
Though the White House itself, in its <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-agreement-to-establish-united-states-ukraine-reconstruction-investment-fund/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explanation</a> of the minerals deal, suggested:
<blockquote>This partnership represents the United States taking an economic stake in securing a free, peaceful, and sovereign future for Ukraine.
This agreement will also strengthen the strategic partnership between the United States and Ukraine for long-term reconstruction and modernization, in response to the large-scale destruction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion.</blockquote>
The language of this agreement is some of the most pro-Ukrainian language to come from the Trump administration. This is a positive and necessary shift. If you want Russia to come to the table, the United States can’t threaten to walk away from Ukraine.
According to the White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-secures-agreement-to-establish-united-states-ukraine-reconstruction-investment-fund/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fact Sheet</a>:
<blockquote>President Trump envisioned this partnership between the Americans and the Ukrainians to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine.</blockquote>
And by the way:
<blockquote>No state, company, or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine, including participation in projects supported by fund resources.</blockquote>
So, good for Ukraine, good for the United States, and good for President Trump.

President Trump Meets Norwegian Prime Minister Store At White House

What Trump’s Mineral Deal Means For The U.S. And Ukraine

Ben Shapiro

Minerals

President Trump

Scott Bessent

Russia responded on Thursday to the United States striking a minerals agreement with Ukraine, mocking President Donald Trump and saying that Ukraine &#8220;is about to disappear.&#8221;
The Trump administration lauded the deal as a significant step forward in pushing back against Russian aggression. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev responded, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/05/01/us-news/russia-blasts-trump-over-mineral-deal-says-ukraine-will-soon-disappear/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a> on Telegram, “Trump has finally pressured the Kiev regime to pay for US aid with mineral resources. Now, the country that is about to disappear will have to use its national wealth to pay for military supplies.”
The United States and Ukraine finally agreed to the minerals deal on Wednesday after a months-long negotiation process that hit multiple roadblocks. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the &#8220;agreement signals clearly to Russian leadership that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.&#8221;
Unlike the United States&#8217; previous military aid for Ukraine, the minerals deal will ensure that Ukraine continues to receive military support while the United States will gain access to some of Ukraine’s vital natural resources in return. The agreement sets up an investment fund managed by the United States and Ukraine, which will allow the United States to collect revenue from Ukraine&#8217;s natural resources, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/article/ukraine-mineral-deal-us-trump.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The minerals agreement will also make the United States responsible for ensuring that countries “that have acted adversely to Ukraine in the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.” The deal does not appear to prohibit Ukraine from seeking membership in the European Union, which was a major point for Kyiv during negotiations.
Shortly after the deal was signed, Trump <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-minerals-deal-ukraine-rare-earths-military-aid-50-million-2066533" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> $50 million in military aid for Ukraine, the first military package for Ukraine that Trump has approved since taking office in January.
The minerals agreement marks a major step for the Trump administration, which has been pushing hard for both Ukraine and Russia to come to terms on a peace deal to end the war.

Russia Hits U.S. Over Minerals Deal, Says Ukraine ‘Is About To Disappear’

Ukraine and the United States signed a rare earth minerals deal on Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Treasury confirmed, establishing what they named the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the deal had been finalized in a video posted to social media, saying, &#8220;Today&#8217;s agreement signals clearly to Russian leadership that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.&#8221;
&#8220;Thanks to President Trump’s tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today’s historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to help accelerate Ukraine’s economic recovery,&#8221; Bessent said. &#8220;Economic security is national security.&#8221;
The Treasury Secretary added that the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation will establish the investment fund with the Ukrainian government.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Thanks to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>’s tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today’s historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund to help… <a href="https://t.co/N1jPa35DYh">pic.twitter.com/N1jPa35DYh</a>
&mdash; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent/status/1917697018551754802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Bessent revealed earlier in the day that Ukraine was ready to agree to the deal after requesting some last-minute changes.
During a cabinet meeting at the White House, Bessent told reporters that the United States was &#8220;ready to sign&#8221; the deal &#8220;this afternoon&#8221; if Ukraine was on board. Ukrainian officials were in Washington, D.C., to hash out the final technicalities of the agreement, and after some last-minute minor changes to the deal on Tuesday night, Bessent was hopeful that the deal will finally be signed.
&#8220;The Ukrainians decided last night to make some last-minute changes. We&#8217;re sure that they will reconsider that, and we are ready to sign this afternoon if they are,&#8221; the Treasury Secretary said.
He added that Ukraine&#8217;s changes don&#8217;t have any major effect on the overall minerals agreement.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a> on the minerals deal with Ukraine: &quot;Our side is ready to sign. The Ukrainians decided last night to make some last-minute changes. We&#39;re sure that they will reconsider that and we are ready to sign this afternoon if they are.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/U4Pp0i0Dzn">pic.twitter.com/U4Pp0i0Dzn</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1917632594021134598?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Both sides had already agreed to the main part of the deal but were working through &#8220;some technical elements,&#8221; according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-30/ukraine-and-us-working-on-last-details-of-critical-minerals-deal?srnd=homepage-americas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a>, which cited sources familiar with the discussion. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said earlier on Wednesday that the agreement “will be signed in the near future, hopefully within 24 hours.” Shmyhal added that Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko is traveling to D.C. to sign the deal.
The minerals agreement will give the United States access to some of Ukraine&#8217;s vital natural resources, including aluminum, graphite, oil, and natural gas, Bloomberg reported. In return, Ukraine will receive continued military assistance and guarantees from the United States to help &#8220;the long-term reconstruction and modernization of Ukraine, in response to the large-scale destruction caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion,&#8221; according to a draft of the agreement. According to Shmyhal, the latest draft of the agreement ties the United States and Ukraine together for 10 years, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-trump-peace-ce025ba11929ceff0c90f94c25a47624" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The deal has been months in the making after hitting a roadblock when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was chided by President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office in late February. Following heated discussion, Zelensky was asked to leave the White House without signing the minerals deal.
Trump has been pushing Ukraine and Russia to come to terms on a peace deal to end the war, but he has grown increasingly frustrated with both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin over the lack of progress. A signed minerals deal, however, is a major step forward for the Trump administration in its foreign policy talks with Ukraine and would come as Trump celebrates his first 100 days back in office.

Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky

Done Deal: U.S. Signs Minerals Agreement With Ukraine

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that the Trump administration secured the release of the 47th unjustly detained American citizen since taking office 100 days ago.
Youras Ziankovich was released without a prisoner swap this week and brought to neighboring Lithuania by a team of American officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Chris Smith, CNN reported. Ziankovich was detained in Moscow in 2021 and brought to Minsk, Belarus, where he was accused of being involved in a planned United States-backed coup against Belarus’s dictator, Alexander Lukashenko.
“Thanks to<a href="https://x.com/POTUS" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> @POTUS</a>&#8216;s leadership, Belarus has released another wrongfully detained U.S. citizen,” Rubio <a href="https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1917610906944499821">tweeted</a>. “No president has done so much, so quickly, to keep Americans safe abroad.”
The 47 unjustly detained Americans were released from countries including Afghanistan, Russia, and Venezuela through high-level diplomatic efforts, according to Rubio.
“I knew this day would come. It took 1,480 days, but he survived and is on his way home to me and to America,” Ziankovich’s wife, Alena Dzenisavets, said, reported CNN. “I want to thank President Trump, Secretary Rubio, and Special Envoy Boehler and the SPEHA staff. I also want to express my appreciation to Rep. Morgan Luttrell and the nonprofits Global Reach and the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation for their help advocating for Youras.”
The Trump administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-secures-release-of-american-citizen-wrongfully-detained-in-belarus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously negotiated</a> the release of two other Americans from Belarus, one who wishes to remain anonymous, and Anastasia Nuhfer.
“We have one American citizen, which is a huge win and a response to President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” Smith said when the unnamed American was released in February. “The Belarusians are responding to this and we are going to keep working until we get all Americans out.”
The release comes after the Trump administration secured the freedom of two Americans from Russia who caught national media attention, including American <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/president-trump-is-a-hero-marc-fogel-welcomed-at-white-house-after-release-from-russian-prison" target="_blank" rel="noopener">schoolteacher Marc Fogel</a> in February and Russian-American amateur ballerina Ksenia Karelina in April.
Fogel, sentenced to 14 years in 2021 for possessing medical marijuana, was welcomed at the White House upon his return and called Trump “a hero.” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-administration-secures-release-american-ballet-dancer-wrongfully-detained-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karelina was arrested</a> in 2024 while visiting her grandmother and sentenced to 12 years for treason after donating $51.80 to Razom, an American charity providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

Trump Admin Secures Release Of 47th Wrongfully Detained American Citizen Abroad

Hostages

Marco Rubio

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

Nuclear

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Monday that Russia would observe a three-day ceasefire with Ukraine from the start of May 8 to the end of May 10, citing &#8220;humanitarian&#8221; reasons and to commemorate the end of World War II.
Putin&#8217;s announcement comes as the Trump administration has put increasing pressure on both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to reach a deal to end the war. On Saturday, Trump met with Zelensky while in the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis. Meanwhile, his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, arrived in Moscow on Friday to meet with Putin.
&#8220;By order of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the Russian side, guided by humanitarian motives, announces a ceasefire for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War,&#8221; the Kremlin announced on Monday. &#8220;Any military operations will be ceased during this period.&#8221;
&#8220;Russia believes that the Ukrainian side should follow this example. In the event of any violations of the ceasefire by the Ukrainian side, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation will give a proportionate and efficient response,&#8221; the Kremlin added. &#8220;The Russian side reiterates its willingness to enter peace talks without preconditions, with a view to eliminating the root causes behind the Ukraine crisis and establishing constructive interaction with international partners.&#8221;
Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/stop-the-bloodshed-trump-says-russia-and-ukraine-are-very-close-to-peace-deal?author=Leif+Le+Mahieu&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=‘Stop+The+Bloodshed’%3A+Trump+Says+Russia+And+Ukraine+Are+‘Very+Close’+To+Peace+Deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Friday that Ukraine and Russia were &#8220;very close&#8221; to bringing the war to a close, calling for top leadership in the two countries to &#8220;finish off&#8221; a peace deal. He has been critical of both leaders in recent days, slamming Putin for continuing to launch air attacks into Ukraine and Zelensky for not signing a rare earth mineral deal with the United States.
&#8220;There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days,&#8221; Trump posted Saturday on Truth Social. &#8220;It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through &#8216;Banking&#8217; or &#8216;Secondary Sanctions?&#8217; Too many people are dying!!!&#8221;
On Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/heres-where-we-stand-after-trump-met-with-zelensky-at-the-vatican?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=7&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Here’s+Where+We+Stand+After+Trump+Met+With+Zelensky+At+The+Vatican" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the coming week would be &#8220;critical&#8221; for the future of the negotiations.
&#8220;This week is going to be a really important week in which we have to make a determination about whether this is an endeavor that we want to continue to be involved in, or if it’s time to sort of focus on some other issues that are equally, if not more, important in some cases, but we want to see it happen,&#8221; he said. &#8220;There are reasons to be optimistic, but there are reasons to be realistic, of course, as well. We’re close, but we’re not close enough.”

RUSSIA-UKRAINE-CONFLICT

Putin Declares 3-Day Ceasefire As Trump Pushes For End Of War

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