Two people were killed and at least 14 wounded when a Russian drone smashed into a residential high-rise in Ukraine&#8217;s Black Sea city of Odesa, authorities said on Saturday.
Three children were among the wounded in the overnight attack, with one in critical condition, said regional Governor Oleh Kiper.
Footage posted by the State Emergency Service showed firefighters battling a blaze and rushing residents down a dark stairwell in the 21-storey building.
Russia has stepped up drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly three-and-a-half-year-old war have stalled.
<div id="attachment_940751" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-940751" class="size-full wp-image-940751" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-scaled.jpeg" alt="Residents walk in front of an apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 28, 2025." width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1800x1200.jpeg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R027_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1200x800.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />REUTERS/Nina Liashonok</div>
This is only the latest use of more advanced war tech. Several weeks ago, Russia launched a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/russia-launches-massive-drone-attack-on-ukraine-as-war-intensifies?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Russia+Launches+Massive+Drone+Attack+On+Ukraine+As+War+Intensifies">massive attack</a>, firing nearly 500 drones and 20 missiles into Ukraine in response to Ukraine’s major drone offensive on Russian airfields earlier this month.
According to Ukraine, slightly more than half of the drones were intercepted, as were almost all of the missiles.
“Russia is escalating the war and has no intention of stopping it. Any escalation can only be stopped by force,” said Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
<div id="attachment_940753" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-940753" class="size-full wp-image-940753" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-scaled.jpeg" alt="A resident walks inside his apartment building hit by a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine June 28, 2025." width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-300x200.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-864x576.jpeg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-768x512.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-2048x1365.jpeg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1800x1200.jpeg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/06/2025-06-28T074002Z_1_LYNXMPEL5R028_RTROPTP_4_UKRAINE-CRISIS-ATTACK-ODESA-1200x800.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />REUTERS/Nina Liashonok</div>
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These attacks come as President Donald Trump continues his attempt to broker peace between the warring nations. The president <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-tells-russian-leader-to-stop-using-the-n-word-after-nuclear-threats">scolded</a> Russian Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev on June 23 after Medvedev discussed other nations supplying Iran with “nuclear warheads.”
“Did I hear Former President Medvedev, from Russia, casually throwing around the ‘N word’ (Nuclear!), and saying that he and other Countries would supply Nuclear Warheads to Iran? Did he really say that or, is it just a figment of my imagination?” Trump said on Truth Social.
“If he did say that, and, if confirmed, please let me know, IMMEDIATELY. The ‘N word’ should not be treated so casually,&#8221; Trump added.
(Reporting by Dan Peleschuk; Editing by William Mallard)

Ukrainian Building

Russian Drone Strike Kills 2, Wounds 14 In Ukraine’s Odesa, Authorities Say

Global Politics

Russia

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

World

Russia launched its largest drone attack of the war overnight Sunday into Monday, firing nearly 500 drones and 20 missiles into Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s major drone offensive on Russian airfields earlier this month.
Ukraine claims that it intercepted 277 drones and 19 missiles, adding that only 10 Russian missiles or drones hit their targets, according to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-drones-attack-air-force-a1b092efaaad6886659a9230109a48db">the Associated Press</a>. The Ukrainian air force said the Russians targeted the central and western areas of Ukraine, <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/06/09/world-news/russia-launches-biggest-drone-attack-on-ukraine-since-start-of-war-with-almost-500-individual-strikes/">damaging</a> a military airfield in Dubno, which is just 40 miles from Ukraine&#8217;s border with Poland. Russia also said on Monday that its forces took more territory in Ukraine&#8217;s east-central region of Dnipropetrovsk, giving Putin&#8217;s army a &#8220;buffer zone,&#8221; Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-says-it-takes-more-territory-east-central-ukraine-creating-buffer-zone-2025-06-09/">reported</a>.
“Russia is escalating the war and has no intention of stopping it. Any escalation can only be stopped by force,” said Andriy Yermak, a top adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attack comes as the three-year-long war has intensified despite the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to work out a peace deal between the two countries. U.S. officials <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/us-believes-russia-response-ukraine-drone-attack-not-over-yet-expects-multi-2025-06-07/">warned</a> over the weekend that Russia would conduct multiple strikes on Ukraine in response to Ukraine&#8217;s surprise drone attack that knocked out numerous Russian bombers. The first round of Russia&#8217;s response came on Friday when it launched a missile and drone barrage on Kyiv, an attack that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/05/europe/russia-launches-retaliatory-strike-on-kyiv-latam-hnk-intl">said</a> involved 400 drones and 40 missiles.
President Donald Trump, who spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the phone last week, said that Putin &#8220;strongly&#8221; <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-holds-75-minute-call-with-putin-not-a-conversation-that-will-lead-to-immediate-peace?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Trump+Holds+75-Minute+Call+With+Putin%3A+%E2%80%98Not+A+Conversation+That+Will+Lead+To+Immediate+Peace%E2%80%99">insisted</a> that Russia “will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.”
“We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump later told reporters that he urged Putin to avoid further escalation in the war, but added that &#8220;it&#8217;s probably not going to be pretty.&#8221;
&#8220;I said: &#8216;Don&#8217;t do it. You shouldn&#8217;t do it. You should stop it,'&#8221; Trump said of his conversation with Putin. &#8220;But, again, there&#8217;s a lot of hatred.&#8221;
While little progress has been made in negotiating a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, the two countries have agreed to multiple rounds of prisoner swaps, with the latest swap beginning on Monday, according to Zelensky.
&#8220;Today, an exchange began, which will continue in several stages over the coming days,&#8221; the Ukrainian president <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/russia-ukraine-war-prisoner-swap-drone-strikes-front-lines-latest/">said</a>. &#8220;Among those we are bringing back now are the wounded, the severely wounded, and those under the age of 25,&#8221; he added.

Russian troops target Zaporizhzhia with guided bombs

Russia Launches Massive Drone Attack On Ukraine As War Intensifies

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Volodymyr Zelensky

President Donald Trump revealed that he had an hour-and-fifteen-minute phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, but said that the discussion was not one &#8220;that will lead to immediate peace.&#8221;
Trump said the two leaders discussed Ukraine&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-massive-drone-strike-inside-russia">drone attack</a> on Russia, which reportedly decimated Russia&#8217;s fleet of bombers that are capable of carrying nuclear payloads. The president said that Putin &#8220;strongly&#8221; told him that Russia &#8220;will have to respond to the recent attack on the airfields.&#8221;
&#8220;I just finished speaking, by telephone, with President Vladimir Putin, of Russia. The call lasted approximately one hour and 15 minutes,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114626383407680212">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;We discussed the attack on Russia’s docked airplanes, by Ukraine, and also various other attacks that have been taking place by both sides. It was a good conversation, but not a conversation that will lead to immediate Peace.&#8221;
On the Iran front, however, Trump said he came to an &#8220;agreement&#8221; with Putin, reiterating &#8220;that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.&#8221; Iran and Russia — two nations that are outspoken in their rejection of Western values — have grown close in their economic and military ties, with Iran <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/iran-sends-russia-hundreds-ballistic-missiles-sources-say-2024-02-21/">reportedly</a> sending Russia hundreds of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles last year.
&#8220;President Putin suggested that he will participate in the discussions with Iran and that he could, perhaps, be helpful in getting this brought to a rapid conclusion,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;It is my opinion that Iran has been slowwalking their decision on this very important matter, and we will need a definitive answer in a very short period of time!&#8221;
Russia and Ukraine have taken turns escalating the three-year-long war in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues to push the countries toward a peace deal. Trump last spoke to Putin on May 19 and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-makes-big-announcement-following-very-frank-two-hour-call-with-putin">said</a> that Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War.&#8221; But as Russia&#8217;s aggression continued, Trump said a week later that he was “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-eyes-stinging-russia-sanctions-bipartisan-proposal-bring-pain">absolutely</a>” considering imposing new sanctions on the country. He also blasted Putin as &#8220;CRAZY,&#8221; saying that he was “needlessly killing a lot of people.”
Trump then warned that if Putin pushed for taking &#8220;ALL of Ukraine,&#8221; it would &#8220;lead to the downfall of Russia.&#8221;

Putin/Trump

Trump Holds 75-Minute Call With Putin: ‘Not A Conversation That Will Lead To Immediate Peace’

Iran

U.S.

Backlash to liberal immigration policies fuels yet another shift to the Right in Europe. The fallout from the Colorado terror attack continues as more details emerge about the victims and the illegal immigrant suspect. And, the Trump administration pauses most operations at the Department of Labor’s highly controversial Job Corps. 
It’s Tuesday, June 3, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<h2>Europe Updates</h2>
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Topline: As Ukraine and Russia meet this week for peace talks, a growing list of European countries have elected right-wing leaders amid growing anti-immigration sentiment.
In the last 24 hours, we’ve learned more about <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-massive-drone-strike-inside-russia">Ukraine’s surprise attack</a> on Russia last weekend. The Ukrainians managed to smuggle scores of attack drones across the border, where they were launched from wooden sheds mounted on the backs of large moving trucks. Because those drones originated within Russian territory, they were able to bypass Putin’s extensive air defense systems, targeting five separate air bases and knocking out dozens of the country’s most important planes. According to some estimates, Ukraine successfully destroyed up to one-third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet. 
The strikes came at a crucial time, as the two countries began meeting Monday in Istanbul for formal peace talks. Those talks concluded after just 90 minutes, and little progress had been made. Moscow finally presented its terms for peace: Ukraine must recognize all of Russia’s territorial gains, shrink the size of its military, change its official language to Russian, agree to long-term neutrality, and forfeit the right to join NATO.
Meanwhile, Poland elected right-winger Karol Narwocki to the presidency. Many have compared the 42-year-old Narwocki, who had no prior political experience, to Donald Trump, who openly supported Narwocki’s campaign. Narwocki even adopted a similar campaign slogan: “Poland First.&#8221; Among other things, he campaigned on a promise to withdraw from the European Union’s Migration Pact, which he said flooded the continent with illegal immigrants. He’s staunchly pro-life, against same-sex marriage, and has called for a return of Christian values to public life in his country. 
Narwocki has signed a pledge to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO — and like Trump, he’s accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of not showing enough gratitude for the support his country has given Ukraine for its war effort. 
In the last year, conservatives have made historic gains across the continent — largely by promising to crack down on illegal immigration from Africa and the Middle East. In Austria, the country’s right-wing Freedom Party won control of parliament — the first time a hardline Conservative Party had won since World War II. Then, conservatives made historic gains in Germany, with the right-wing AfD party surging. And last week, Portugal’s right-wing Chega party scored a number of victories to become the country’s leading opposition party. 
In Paris this week, we’ve seen mass rioting following a big soccer victory – sparking conversations about law and order and immigration policies in France.
Some left-wing politicians have even adopted a more conservative tone. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for example, has promised to “significantly” cut down on immigration over the next four years, restrict new visas for skilled labor, and penalize companies that hire foreign labor.
“The experiment is over,” Starmer <a href="https://x.com/addicted2newz/status/1929076924392903007">said</a>. “We will deliver what you’ve asked for time and again. And we will take back control of our borders.”
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<h2>Boulder Terror Suspect Charged With Multiple Felonies</h2>
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Topline: The man suspected of attacking a Colorado demonstration in support of Israeli hostages has been hit with multiple charges, including a federal hate crime.
Mohamed Sabry Soliman is being held in Boulder County Jail on a $10 million bond.  At the state level, he’s facing felony <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/colorado-hits-egyptian-anti-israel-terror-suspect-with-charges-including-murder">charges</a> for first-degree assault and “extreme indifference” to criminal use of an incendiary device – as well as crimes against the elderly. Federal prosecutors have charged Soliman with a hate crime. The special agent in charge at the FBI’s Denver office, Mark Michalek, said the bureau is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
None of the people injured in the attack has died. Soliman himself was treated for burn injuries before he was booked. Police say Soliman received those injuries using a makeshift flamethrower and Molotov cocktails to attack demonstrators.
Soliman is an Egyptian national. He entered the United States in 2022 on a visa that then expired the next year. He was able to obtain a temporary work permit from the Biden administration, but that, too, expired in March this year. Trump said in a social media post on Monday that Soliman “came in through Biden’s ridiculous Open Border Policy, which has hurt our Country so badly.” The president went on to say: “This is yet another example of why we must keep our Borders SECURE, and deport Illegal, Anti-American Radicals from our Homeland.”
In an interview with the FBI, Soliman said that he wanted to kill “Zionists.” Law enforcement also says he screamed “free Palestine” during his assault. The demonstration targeted in the attack was a weekly march in support of the hostages held by terrorists in Gaza. The FBI said that Soliman had planned this attack for at least a year and targeted what he called a “Zionist group.” Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis called it a “targeted attack on the Jewish community.”
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<h2>Department Of Labor &#8220;Pauses&#8221; Job Corps Program</h2>
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Topline: The Department of Labor last week said it was “pausing” most operations at the Job Corps, a $1.7 billion program that trains high school dropouts on residential campuses across the country.
Job Corps was spending an average of $80,000 a year per student, training them to go on to earn an average of $16,000 a year. That’s more than Harvard charges for tuition to essentially get them minimum wage. At one campus run by ODLE Management Group LLC, the cost was $764,000 per graduate.
The Job Corps operates about 130 campuses across the country, where troubled young adults are paid $1,200, plus living expenses, to take classes towards their GED or training in the trades. Most campuses are run by companies whose staff are paid bonuses based on how many people they recruit, and how many get a job afterwards. Reports found that contractors were faking job statistics to make it look like the training worked, and were looking the other way at criminal behavior on campus, because if they expelled students, they’d get less revenue.
“The Trump administration has terminated all contracts with companies,” Daily Wire Investigative Reporter Luke Rosiak told Morning Wire. “About one-fifth of campuses are operated by the Department of Agriculture, and those will remain open. So this is really targeted towards preventing contractors from abusing the taxpayer and using at-risk youth as a cash cow.”
Other forms of exploitation were also common. Discipline data from the Job Corps campuses show that there were 500 sex assaults and 5,000 violent assaults in the last three years. That includes a 16-year old transgender runaway who was ordered to live with a 23-year-old man who was later arrested for raping her. &#8220;One-third of students are expelled, one-third abscond, and one-third graduate,” Rosiak said. “To enroll, you’re required to be on welfare, a refugee, a high school dropout, illiterate, or a victim of sex trafficking.”
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Morning Brief: Ukraine’s Major Drone Op & Charges For Colorado’s Illegal Alien Terrorist

Colorado

Department of Labor

Europe

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illegal immigrant

Media

Morning Wire

Politics

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Ahead of high-stakes peace talks in Istanbul, Ukraine says it carried out an audacious drone attack that destroyed over 40 Russian military planes at airfields, including Belaya air base in Russia’s Irkutsk region.
Planned for over a year and overseen by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the operation involved drones smuggled deep into Russia via truck containers, a Ukrainian security official <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-sumy-region-18966d4b286ffb6f4e764b94a6afaf61" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Associated Press. Also noted by the news outlet, Russia conducted its own attack with 472 drones and several missiles, killing at least 12 Ukrainian service members and injuring over 60 others, according to Ukraine&#8217;s air force.
The assaults, which happened before Monday’s planned negotiations in Turkey, underscore the fragile prospects for peace.
Zelensky, <a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1929145331696239049" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting</a> on X, outlined Ukraine’s demands: &#8220;First — a full and unconditional ceasefire. Second — the release of prisoners. Third — the return of abducted children.&#8221; He added: &#8220;And in order to establish a reliable and lasting peace and ensure security, preparation of the meeting at the highest level. The key issues can only be resolved by the leaders. On Monday, our delegation will be led by Rustem Umerov.&#8221;
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Russia’s state-run TASS <a href="https://x.com/tassagency_en/status/1929182444097327484" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quoted</a> envoy Rodion Miroshnik accusing Kyiv of &#8220;destabilizing the situation&#8221; ahead of the talks.
President Donald Trump, a vocal critic of the war’s escalation, has taken to Truth Social to lambast both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Zelensky.
&#8220;I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY! He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; Trump said in a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent</a> post on Truth Social.
&#8220;Likewise, President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and [former President Joe] Biden’s War, not &#8216;Trump’s,&#8217; I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Drone operators perform combat tasks in Zaporizhzhia direction

Ukraine Says It Obliterated 40 Russian Military Planes In Drone Attack

Drones

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he is seriously weighing tougher sanctions on Russia over its years-long war against Ukraine, a potential move backed by a bipartisan Senate supermajority eager to force Moscow’s hand, as peace negotiations falter.
In a Sunday exchange with reporters, Trump <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1926772105401549062" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he is “absolutely” considering new sanctions on Russia. Hours later, he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> Russian President Vladimir Putin on social media, calling him “CRAZY” for “needlessly killing a lot of people” with continued fighting between soldiers, as well as missile and drone strikes on Ukrainian cities. &#8220;I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!&#8221; he added.
The rebuke stretched into Tuesday, with Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114580564427808609" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warning</a> that Putin is “playing with fire” and claiming that “really bad things” would have already struck Russia without his restraint.
A coalition of 81 senators, led by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), has rallied behind a <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/1241/text?s=1&amp;r=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bill</a> to slam Russia with fresh sanctions if Moscow refuses genuine peace talks with Ukraine or launches new attacks threatening Ukraine’s sovereignty post-agreement. The legislation also <a href="https://www.lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=3D495158-CF7D-4833-A2DB-9E5558843F1B" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proposes</a> a 500% tariff on goods from nations buying Russian oil, gas, uranium, or other commodities.
&#8220;While we yearn for peace, it is increasingly clear to us – and a supermajority of the Senate – that Putin is playing games,&#8221; Graham and Blumenthal declared in a joint <a href="https://www.blumenthal.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/blumenthal-and-grahams-hard-hitting-sanctions-bill-has-over-80-cosponsors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> last week. &#8220;The United States Senate stands ready to act if these games continue.&#8221;
The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-says-putin-has-gone-absolutely-crazy-risks-the-downfall-of-russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that after a two-hour call with Putin last week, Trump declared that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would &#8220;immediately start,&#8221; only for the Kremlin to deny any such plans. The week prior, Putin snubbed scheduled talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Turkey, prompting Trump to insist that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together.&#8221;
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Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), a co-signer of the Graham-Blumenthal bill, argued Tuesday that sanctions are now critical. &#8220;I believe president trump was sincere when he thought his friendship w Putin wld end the war,&#8221; Grassley <a href="https://x.com/ChuckGrassley/status/1927369150529171572" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on X. &#8220;Now that being the case ITS TIME FOR SANCTIONS STRONG ENUF SO PUTIN KNOWS &#8216;game over.'&#8221;
Trump also took aim at Zelensky and former President Joe Biden.
&#8220;President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Truth Social over the weekend. “Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop. This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred.&#8221;

Trump and Senate Republicans

Trump Eyes Stinging Russia Sanctions. This Bipartisan Proposal Could Bring The Pain.

Chuck Grassley

Congress

Lindsey Graham

Sanctions

U.S. Senate

President Donald Trump fires back at Vladimir Putin following Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine, the Treasury Department reveals a new approach to combating drug cartels, and Hollywood enjoys a record-breaking box office over Memorial Day weekend. 
It’s Tuesday, May 27, and this is the news you need to know to start your day.
Morning Wire is available on video! You can watch today’s episode here:
 
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Trump REBUKES Putin &amp; Cracks Down on the Cartels" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h-cs4WQyzlc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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If you’d rather listen to your news, today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:
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<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/russia-strikes-again-cartel-crackdowns-5-27-25/id1576594336?i=1000710071254" height="175" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-forms allow-popups allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-storage-access-by-user-activation allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation"></iframe>
<h2>Russia Strikes Ukraine</h2>
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Topline: President Trump rails against Russian President Vladimir Putin after he launches another aerial attack on Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Russia launched a series of air assaults on Ukrainian cities, deploying hundreds of attack drones and dozens of missiles. Those strikes killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more — many civilians — in what Ukraine <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/russian-drone-fragments-set-kyiv-apartment-building-ablaze-official-says-2025-05-24/">called</a> the most extensive aerial bombardment of the three-year war. 
In recent months, there had been hopes that a peace deal was within reach, but Putin appears to be making clear that he’s pushing ahead, despite increased threats of sanctions from the West. Ukrainian intelligence <a href="https://ca.news.yahoo.com/russias-casualties-war-against-ukraine-095937828.html?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM3atsZc41kCSRMKSfurjA_lU-16DhBVMjma8L5udzrwkvFa0KgXegrcgN4PLiL5kMS7G5o-tI97OUCDDVv0q_D28ERp7U8aWOO1ONbadwbiQg0sOb-32woFiDBFhUNANBcGjAoYOUBI1FcOyeD46QfZpkI09tXrEb_Zwy9CY8KJ">reportedly</a> shows that Moscow is gathering forces near the front line in preparation for a summer offensive. 
In response to those attacks, President Trump offered his <a href="https://x.com/yashar/status/1926775198956572815">strongest condemnation</a> of Putin to date. “I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin. I&#8217;ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he&#8217;s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don&#8217;t like it at all. Okay, we&#8217;re in the middle of talking and he&#8217;s shooting rockets into Kiev and other cities.“ Later, on social media, the president appeared to make a veiled threat against Putin, <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114571369956761390">writing,</a> “I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right. But if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” 
However, this new anti-Putin rhetoric hasn’t exactly led to friendlier relations with Ukraine. Trump also said over the weekend that “Zelensky is doing his country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems.” 
Meanwhile, on Friday, Trump accused the Europeans of being “difficult to deal with” during trade negotiations, saying “discussions are going nowhere.”  The president threatened a 50% tariff that would kick in on June 1. That seemingly got their attention, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called the White House over the weekend to say “Europe is ready to advance talks swiftly and decisively.” As a result of that new willingness to make a deal, Trump agreed to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-delays-50-tariffs-eu-leader-blinks?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=8&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Trump+Delays+50%25+Tariffs+On+EU+After+Its+Leader+Blinks">pause</a> his tariff hike until July 9 so an agreement could be reached. 
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<h2>Freezing Cartel Funds</h2>
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Topline:  Trump enlists the Treasury Department in his sweeping crackdown on drug cartels.
President Trump promised a “whole of government” approach to combating drug cartels. While the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Border Patrol have obvious roles to play, the Treasury Department is taking steps to crack down on money laundering.
“One of the most important things that the president did upon coming into office was to declare a number of the narco groups terrorist organizations,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender told The Daily Wire. “[That] unleashes additional authorities at Treasury for us to better target some of the financial activities that these cartels are engaging in. It&#8217;s one thing to have our partners at DHS work on stopping the flow of people and drugs, but we can also use our financial tools to go after the money – because if the money is not flowing back south, then there&#8217;s less of an incentive to bring the drugs and the guns and some of the illicit activity up to the north.”
Among other things, Faulkender explained why Brinks Global was fined $37 million. “There is a statute called the Bank Secrecy Act that requires that if you&#8217;re going to facilitate transfers of monetary sums, that you need to know who the party is that is receiving this money, that is engaging in this transaction. And so what we did is our Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is called FinCEN, they launched an investigation into how this money was flowing south of the border – and found that Brinks had facilitated some of these money transfers without knowing who the parties were that were participating in this transaction.”
For the full interview, check out the Morning Wire podcast.
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<h2>Box Office Bonanza</h2>
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Topline: The box office for the holiday weekend blew away expectations. Disney’s live-action &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and Paramount’s &#8220;Mission: Impossible 8&#8221; set records to kick off the summer blockbuster season.
&#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; and &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; provide a much-needed shot in the arm for theaters nationwide. According to studio estimates, &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch&#8221; grossed a staggering $183 million domestically. That’s an all-time Disney record for this time frame. Its global haul was $342 million. Meanwhile, &#8220;Mission: Impossible&#8221; brought in a franchise-best $77 million domestically and $190 million worldwide. Taken together, Hollywood hopes this is a game-changer for an industry that’s been fighting to regain that pre-pandemic momentum.
Social media buzz for &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; especially from younger women and parents, has been off the charts with an “A” CinemaScore signaling strong word-of-mouth. Posts on X captured the excitement, with fans showing up in Stitch merch and plushies, turning screenings into events. This kind of cultural resonance is exactly what Disney banks on with its IP-driven strategy – sometimes successfully, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/snow-white-bombs-with-one-of-disneys-lowest-opening-weekends-for-a-remake">sometimes not</a>.
While it didn’t reach the heights of &#8220;Lilo &amp; Stitch,&#8221; &#8220;Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning&#8221; is unquestionably a triumph for Tom Cruise. The film’s opening beat the previous franchise record set by &#8220;Mission: Impossible – Fallout&#8221; in 2018 by $14 million, not adjusted for inflation.
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MRN 05.27.25 Tue Thumbnail

Morning Brief: Trump Blasts Putin, Cartel Crackdowns & Box Office Bonanza

Cartels

Disney

Drug Cartels

Mission Impossible

Paramount

Tom Cruise

Treasury Department

President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin has “gone absolutely CRAZY” and is focused on taking Ukraine rather than ending the war.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump warned that Putin’s ambition would wreck Russia while also criticizing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump posted.
“He is needlessly killing a lot of people, and I’m not just talking about soldiers. Missiles and drones are being shot into Cities in Ukraine, for no reason whatsoever. I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” Trump continued.
Hours earlier, when Trump was asked by a reporter what he intended to do about Putin, Trump <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1926766181609820177" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded:</a> “We’ll see what we’re going to do. What, am I going to tell you? You&#8217;re the fake news, aren&#8217;t you? You&#8217;re totally fake.”
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&#8220;I don&#8217;t like what Putin is doing, not even a little bit,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;He&#8217;s killing people. And something happened to this guy, and I don&#8217;t like it.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: PRESIDENT TRUMP FUMES ABOUT PUTIN
&#8220;Yeah, I&#8217;ll give you an update. I&#8217;m not happy with what Putin&#8217;s doing! He&#8217;s killing a lot of people. And I don&#8217;t know what the hell happened to Putin! I&#8217;ve known him a long time. Always gotten along with him. But he&#8217;s sending… <a href="https://t.co/Az6XpL7Dqz">pic.twitter.com/Az6XpL7Dqz</a>
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/1926766181609820177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
Trump also lashed out at Zelensky on Sunday, chiding the Ukrainian president for his rhetoric around the war.
“President Zelenskyy is doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does. Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” said Trump.
“This is a War that would never have started if I were President. This is Zelenskyy’s, Putin’s, and Biden’s War, not ‘Trump’s,’ I am only helping to put out the big and ugly fires, that have been started through Gross Incompetence and Hatred,” he added.
Trump and Putin spoke on the phone for two hours last week. Afterward, Trump posted to Truth Social that peace talks between Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start.” Days later, the Kremlin said that no peace talks had been scheduled.
The week prior, Putin skipped peace talks with Zelensky that were set to take place in Turkey. Trump <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/putin-trump-zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-peace-turkey-istanbul-ankara-rcna206961" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the time that “nothing’s going to happen until Putin and I get together” and suggested that Putin’s absence at the talks was due to Trump himself not attending.
Trump has suggested that peace talks could take place in the Vatican and be moderated by Pope Leo. While Italy and the pope have agreed to host the talks, the Kremlin dismissed the proposal.
“Many people are fantasizing about when and where it will take place. We don&#8217;t have any ideas right now,” <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/moscow-wont-allow-russian-speakers-ukraine-remain-under-rule-zelenskiys-junta-2025-05-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday. “But imagine the Vatican as a venue for negotiations. It would be a bit inelegant for Orthodox countries to use a Catholic platform to discuss issues on how to remove the root causes.”

Trump Says Putin Has ‘Gone Absolutely CRAZY,’ Risks ‘The Downfall Of Russia’

Executive

President Donald Trump announced on Friday morning that Ukraine and Russia were completing a &#8220;major&#8221; prisoner exchange as the United States continues to seek peace between the two nations.
The deal, which was agreed to last week, swaps 1,000 prisoners each between Ukraine and Russia, making it the largest prisoner exchange of the war, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Trump congratulated the countries on the agreement and hinted that it &#8220;could lead to something big.&#8221;
&#8220;A major prisoners swap was just completed between Russia and Ukraine. It will go into effect shortly,&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114556494480941887" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a> on Truth Social early Friday morning. &#8220;Congratulations to both sides on this negotiation. This could lead to something big???&#8221;
Earlier this week, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations with Ukraine, adding that the talks could be held at the Vatican. Trump <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/world/europe/ukraine-russia-prisoner-swap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made the announcement</a> after a two-hour phone call with the Russian despot.
“Russia and Ukraine will immediately start negotiations toward a Ceasefire and, more importantly, an END to the War,” Trump said on Monday. “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.”
While Trump administration officials have met with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the two leaders have yet to negotiate with each other. Last week, Zelensky met with Russian officials in Turkey as Putin skipped the meeting. Trump said last Friday that he understood why Putin didn&#8217;t attend the meeting, adding that he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/after-putin-blows-off-peace-talks-trump-gives-timeline-for-meeting-with-russian-prez" target="_blank" rel="noopener">planned</a> to meet with the Russian president &#8220;as soon as possible.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial&amp;utm_campaign=memorial&amp;utm_content=editorialmemorialday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Memorial Day Sale – Get 40% Off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>
During the talks in Turkey, Ukraine and Russia agreed to the prisoner swap, but Russian officials <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/world/europe/russia-ukraine-peace-talks.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> said they would not agree to a ceasefire unless Ukraine withdraws from four regions in eastern Ukraine that Russian forces took over in 2022.
&#8220;The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity became perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Turkey,” Zelensky said following the meeting. “We are working to ensure this result is delivered.”
Ending the war in Ukraine has been a top foreign policy goal for President Trump, who promised on the campaign trail that the conflict would end by his first day back in the White House. Peace talks between the countries, however, have hit multiple roadblocks, and the Trump administration has suggested that it is willing to walk away from further negotiations if Ukraine and Russia don&#8217;t make progress soon.
Trump, however, remains optimistic that he can work out a deal between Putin and Zelensky to end the bloodshed, saying last week that &#8220;in two or three weeks we could have it be a much, much safer place.&#8221;

Ukraine/Russia War

‘Lead To Something Big?’: Trump Touts ‘Major’ Prisoner Swap Between Ukraine And Russia

Prisoners

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

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>

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