Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians over the New Year, with Moscow reporting a deadly strike on a hotel in territory it occupies in southern Ukraine while Kyiv said there had been another broad attack on its power supplies.
The reports coincide with intensive talks overseen by U.S. President Donald Trump and aimed at bringing an end to the nearly four-year-old war. Each country has said the other is doing all it can to influence his views and shape the outcome.
&#8220;On New Year, Russia deliberately brings war. Over 200 attack drones were launched onto Ukraine in the night,&#8221; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram, saying energy infrastructure in seven regions across Ukraine had been targeted.
Russia accused Ukraine of killing at least 24 people, including a child, in a drone strike on a hotel and cafe where civilians were seeing in the New Year in a Russian-controlled part of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine.
Ukraine&#8217;s military, which has accused Russia of killing many civilians in its own attacks on Ukrainian cities, said it targeted strictly military and energy targets, but made no specific reference to accounts of the strike on the hotel.
Zelensky said that Russia&#8217;s holiday season attacks showed Ukraine could not afford delays in air defense supplies.
&#8220;(Our) allies have the names of equipment which we are lacking. We expect that everything agreed with the United States at the end of December for our defense will arrive on time,&#8221; he said, without clarifying further.
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed governor of the region, said three Ukrainian drones had hit the celebrations in Khorly, a coastal village, in what he said was a &#8220;deliberate strike&#8221; against civilians. He said that many people had been burnt alive.
Russia&#8217;s Foreign Ministry said that as well as the 24 dead, 50 people had been injured.
It said the strike, as well as other drone attacks blamed on Ukraine, sought to &#8220;divert attention from the failures of the Ukrainian military at the front. The Kyiv regime is trying to prove its viability through terrorist acts.&#8221;
On Monday, Moscow accused Kyiv of trying to strike a residence of President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian and European officials have said the incident did not happen and U.S. security officials were also reported to have found that Ukraine did not target the residence.
A senior Russian military chief handed to a U.S. military attache what he said was part of a Ukrainian drone containing data he said proved that the Ukrainian military had targeted the residence.
Reuters was not able to immediately verify the reported Kherson region attack or photographs of what Saldo&#8217;s press service said was the aftermath on Thursday. Saldo said he had briefed Putin on the details of the attack.
The images showed at least one dead body was visible beneath a white sheet. The building showed signs that a fire had raged and there were what looked like blood stains on the ground. Russia&#8217;s TASS news agency published video showing drone fragments, some with Ukrainian writing on them.
Ukrainian officials regularly report civilian deaths from Russian air attacks, including in the Ukrainian-held city of Kherson, which lies near the front line.
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The Ukrainian governor of Kherson region, Oleksandr Prokudin, said that one man had been killed and an 87-year-old woman injured in attacks on the city on Thursday.
Ukraine&#8217;s deputy prime minister Oleksiy Kuleba said rail facilities had been attacked in three regions.
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Thursday its strikes had hit military targets, as well as energy infrastructure which it claimed was being used to support Ukraine&#8217;s military.
Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia&#8217;s Security Council, told TASS that those who carried out the hotel attack and their commanders should be targeted.
Kherson is one of four regions in Ukraine which Russia claimed as its own in 2022, a move Kyiv and most Western countries denounced as an illegal land grab.
Moscow&#8217;s Mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, said Russian air defence units had downed 35 Ukrainian drones over the past 24 hours. He reported no casualties or damage.
(Reporting by Max Hunder and Reuters bureaux; writing by Philippa Fletcher; editing by Ros Russell and Ron Popeski)

Ukraine

Russia And Ukraine Trade Allegations Of Civilian Attacks On New Year’s Day

Global Politics

Russia

Ukraine-Russia War

Vladimir Putin

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

President Donald Trump talked to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, as the United States seeks to finally bring an end to the Ukraine-Russia war.
Trump&#8217;s discussion with Putin on Monday was &#8220;positive,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/2005668576771051870">according</a> to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who did not reveal any details of the phone call. Trump also <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115798213364038844">said</a> he spoke to Putin in a &#8220;productive telephone call&#8221; just prior to his meeting with Zelensky on Sunday.
During a press conference alongside Zelensky following their meeting, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-peace-deal-in-ukraine-is-closer-than-ever-save-a-few-thorny-issues">said</a> that he believes a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia is &#8220;closer than ever,&#8221; adding, “In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other.” Zelensky added that Ukrainian negotiators have agreed to about 90% of Trump&#8217;s 20-point peace plan, while Trump said Ukraine agreed to 95% of it. Trump proposed a 28-point peace plan last month, but it was reduced to 20 points during negotiations.
“Our meeting was excellent, we covered — somebody would say 95 percent, I don’t know what percent — but we have made a lot of progress on ending that war,” Trump said on Sunday.
While Trump remains optimistic about the peace negotiations, Putin has shown no signs of slowing down his campaign to take over Ukraine.
Russia continued to pummel Ukraine with missiles and drones over the weekend, just ahead of Trump&#8217;s meeting with Zelensky. Kyiv, along with other parts of Ukraine, was targeted with hundreds of missiles and drones on Saturday. At least two people were killed, and 46 others were wounded in the attacks, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-drones-missiles-pound-ukraine-before-zelenskiy-trump-meeting-2025-12-27/">reported</a>. Zelensky argued that Russia’s aggression was a direct response by Putin to Ukraine’s negotiations with Trump.
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&#8220;Today, Russia demonstrated how it responds to peaceful negotiations between Ukraine and the United States to end Russia&#8217;s war against Ukraine,&#8221; Zelensky said on Saturday.
Russia also accused Ukraine of targeting a presidential residence in a drone attack that was thwarted by Russian defenses. Zelensky denied the accusation, calling it a &#8220;new lie&#8221; from Moscow.
Russia has signaled that it does not agree with some of Trump&#8217;s peace plan, including how large Ukraine&#8217;s military would remain under the conditions, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-29/trump-putin-held-positive-call-on-ukraine-white-house-says">reported</a>. Another major sticking point in the negotiations is Ukraine’s Donbas region, which is largely under Russian control despite continued fighting by Ukrainian troops.
Zelensky, meanwhile, said on Monday that he wants security guarantees from the United States to last up to 50 years if he agrees to the peace deal. Under the current proposal, the United States and Europe would provide security guarantees for 15 years, with the possibility for an extension.
“I would like the guarantee to be much longer,” Zelensky said. “We would like to consider the possibility of 30, 40, 50 years and then it will be a historic decision by Trump.”

U.S. President Trump And Russian  President Putin Meet On War In Ukraine At U.S. Air Base In Alaska

Trump Holds ‘Positive’ Call With Putin After Zelensky Meeting

Donald Trump

Executive

Politics

President Donald Trump presses on for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, a fraudulent daycare scheme adds to the scandals in Minnesota, and major cities tighten security for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
It’s Monday, December 29, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below or on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251229">The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/zelensky-visits-mar-a-lago-minnesota-daycare-fraud-12-29-25/id1576594336?i=1000743034813" 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 style="text-align: center;">Trump Hosts Zelensky</h2>
As the war in Ukraine continues to rage, President Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-peace-deal-in-ukraine-is-closer-than-ever-save-a-few-thorny-issues">hosted</a> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, hoping to finalize a peace deal to end the war. Hours before the meeting, Russia hammered Kyiv with one of the most extensive airstrikes in months, killing four, wounding dozens, and knocking out power to much of the city. Trump described his meeting with Zelensky as “good and very productive.” Trump also said that “land” is a major sticking point in the peace process. Zelensky has vowed never to give up land to Russia, but did offer a compromise: turning some Ukrainian land in the East into a demilitarized zone. As an apparent show of good faith toward Trump, Zelensky has also expressed a new willingness to hold nationwide elections, a move Trump has long called for.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Empty Somali-Run Daycares Bilk Taxpayers For Millions</h2>
New reports of rampant fraud across dozens of Minnesota daycares have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shocking-video-exposes-more-apparent-somali-linked-fraud-in-walzs-minnesota">stirred</a> controversy online and even attracted the attention of federal lawmakers and the FBI. Independent journalist Nick Shirley posted a roughly 40-minute investigative documentary online that racked up tens of millions of views within days. Shirley claims that he uncovered more than $100 million in fraud involving Somali-run businesses. For example, Shirley and his co-investigator identified a childcare center that has received millions in taxpayer funds, but no one has seen the children purportedly cared for there. The explosive report has increased pressure on Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to be held accountable.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Admin’s Anti-Terror And Immigration Operations</h2>
While Americans took time to unwind over the holiday season, the Trump administration was active on several fronts. Alongside its aggressive foreign policy and national security moves abroad, it continued its immigration and counterterrorism operations at home. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been ramping up her <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tulsi-gabbard-warns-that-islamist-ideology-is-freedoms-greatest-threat">warning</a> about the threat posed by terror actors, especially after the Bondi Beach massacre in Australia and the attacks on U.S. servicemembers in Syria. Major cities worldwide, including in the United States, have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-cities-scuttle-new-years-plans-amid-increased-islamist-terror-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">altered</a> or canceled New Year’s celebrations due to security concerns. In the meantime, the Trump administration’s deportation operations have continued.

MRN_251229_V1

Morning Brief: Zelensky Visits Mar-A-Lago, Minnesota Daycare Fraud & New Year’s Terrorism Risks

Media

Minnesota

Morning Wire

Tim Walz

Tulsi Gabbard

President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he believes Russia and Ukraine are &#8220;closer than ever&#8221; to reaching a peace deal that would finally bring about an end to the carnage and bloodshed of the last nearly four years of war.
&#8220;In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other,&#8221; Trump said in a Mar-a-Lago press conference alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, where he also revealed that he&#8217;d spoken at length to Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier in the day. &#8220;It&#8217;s been a very difficult negotiation.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> delivers remarks upon meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ZelenskyyUa</a> at Mar-a-Lago: &#8220;We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin&#8230; and I do think we&#8217;re getting a lot closer.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/tIHjR0wko2">pic.twitter.com/tIHjR0wko2</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005397981361566190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;We had a terrific meeting. We discussed a lot of things. As you know, I had an excellent phone call with President Putin,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005399260355825824">Trump said</a> as the press conference began. &#8220;And I do think we&#8217;re getting a lot closer &#8230; We could be very close. There are one or two very thorny issues &#8230; but I think we&#8217;re doing very well. We made a lot of progress today.&#8221;
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Trump went on to <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400040559284280">explain</a> that Zelensky might need to take any deal upon which the leaders agreed to the parliament or to the people via a referendum — but, he added, &#8220;Everybody wants [the war] ended&#8230; I want it ended because I don&#8217;t want to see so many people dying.&#8221;
The president then took a number of questions — and when asked about the &#8220;<a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005400349428027582">thorny issues</a>&#8221; he&#8217;d mentioned earlier, Trump said that was almost entirely to do with the land that had been seized by Russian military forces and who would control it once the ink was dry: &#8220;The land, they&#8217;re talking about. Some of that land has been taken, some of that land is maybe up for grabs, some of that land may be taken over the next couple of months &#8230; You&#8217;re better off making a deal now.&#8221;
Another reporter asked for a timeline, wondering how long it might take to get a deal across the finish line if they were, in fact, &#8220;closer than ever.&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401647707484432">Trump&#8217;s response</a> was simple: &#8220;In a few weeks, we will know one way or the other&#8230; it&#8217;s been a very difficult negotiation.&#8221;
Reflecting on his earlier phone call with Putin, Trump said that the Russian president had seemed different than in past interactions.
&#8220;I saw a very interesting President Putin today,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I think we&#8217;re going to get there. .. I was on the phone with him for almost two-and-a-half hours. We discussed a lot of things. We didn&#8217;t talk about the weather.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on his call with Putin: &#8220;I saw a very interesting President Putin today&#8230; I think we&#8217;re going to get there&#8230; I was on the phone with him for almost two-and-a-half hours. We discussed a lot of things. We didn&#8217;t talk about the weather.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/DUilLAh6lc">pic.twitter.com/DUilLAh6lc</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/2005401716943106558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I really believe we&#8217;re probably, Mr. President, closer than — by far — closer than ever before with both parties,&#8221; Trump declared, and when he looked over at Zelensky, the Ukrainian leader nodded his agreement.

President Donald Trump Hosts Visiting Ukrainian President Zelensky At Mar-a-Lago

Trump: Peace Deal In Ukraine Is ‘Closer Than Ever,’ Save A Few ‘Thorny Issues’

A Russian general and his assistant were killed by a car bomb in Moscow on Monday, with investigators saying it&#8217;s possible Ukrainian operatives orchestrated the attack.
Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, who was head of the Operational Training Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces, was killed in the blast, along with his assistant, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-explosion-general-killed-sarvarov-73413ae5936609832f706ab26f864b3c">reported</a>. Russian authorities said that investigators &#8220;are pursuing numerous lines of inquiry regarding the murder. One of these is that the crime was orchestrated by Ukrainian intelligence services.”
Sarvarov is the third senior Russian military officer to be killed by a car bombing in the past year. Ukraine has claimed responsibility for some of the assassinations, including the killing of Lt. Gen. Igor Kirillov, who led Russia&#8217;s nuclear, biological, and chemical protection forces. Kirillov was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ukraine-kills-top-russian-general-in-moscow">killed</a> last December by a bomb placed on an electric scooter outside his apartment building.
“Kirillov was a war criminal and an absolutely legitimate target, as he gave orders to use banned chemical substances against the Ukrainian military,” a Ukrainian official said at the time. “Such an inglorious end awaits all those who kill Ukrainians. Retribution for war crimes is inevitable.”
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Russia arrested an Uzbek man who was charged with carrying out the attack last year on behalf of Ukraine. Putin called the assassination of Kirillov a &#8220;major blunder&#8221; by Russian security agencies.
Then in April, Lt. Gen. Yaroslav Moskali was killed in Moscow by a bomb placed near his parked car, according to the AP. Ukraine did not directly take credit for Moskali&#8217;s killing, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said at the time that he received a briefing on the “liquidation” of top Russian military officials, adding that “justice inevitably comes.”
The killings of top Russian military leaders have come as Ukraine has held off Russian forces for nearly four years. The exact number of casualties Russia has suffered since launching its invasion in February 2022 is unclear, but President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/a-lot-of-unnecessary-death-trump-drops-new-figures-on-russian-battlefield-losses">said</a> in August that he had been told that over 112,000 Russians have been killed during the &#8220;ridiculous war.&#8221; Trump has been pushing Putin to agree to a peace deal with Ukraine to end the bloodshed, arguing that Russia is taking the brunt of the losses.

Russian General

Another Russian General Taken Out By Car Bomb On Moscow Street

Bombings

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remained committed to retaining all Ukrainian territory on Monday, pushing back against a key demand in the Trump-initiated proposal to end the war.
After meeting with European leaders to discuss the peace proposal, Zelensky suggested that Ukrainian leaders lacked the authority to give up land and would continue to fight to defend all of its territory.
“Under our laws, under international law — and under moral law — we have no right to give anything away,” Zelensky said, according to <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/12/08/europe-ukraine-leaders-trump-plan/">The Washington Post</a>. “That is what we are fighting for.”
President Donald Trump told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/12/09/donald-trump-full-interview-transcript-00681693">POLITICO</a> in a wide-ranging interview that was released on Tuesday that Ukraine needs to &#8220;play ball,&#8221; adding that &#8220;Russia has the upper hand.&#8221;
&#8220;They’re much bigger. They’re much stronger in that sense. I give the people of Ukraine and the military of Ukraine tremendous credit for the bravery and for the fighting and all of that. But you know, at some point, size will win, generally,&#8221; Trump added.
Trump&#8217;s 28-point peace plan, which is on the table before Zelensky and Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/ukraine/trump-zelenskyy-hasnt-read-russia-ukraine-peace-plan-war-europe-putin-rcna247956" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> requires Ukraine to hand over some of its territory to Russia in exchange for the United States giving Ukraine security guarantees. Trump told POLITICO that Zelensky needs to &#8220;get on the ball and start accepting things.&#8221;
The two biggest hurdles to a peace deal are territorial disputes over Ukraine&#8217;s Donbas region and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, according to U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg. Russian forces now control most of the Donbas, but Ukraine has not given up the region. Kellogg said over the weekend that Ukraine and Russia are &#8220;really, really close&#8221; to a deal, but Zelensky&#8217;s latest remark and comments from Russian officials suggest otherwise.
Putin’s top foreign policy aide said on Sunday that the United States needs to make “radical changes” to its proposal before Russia moves forward with a deal.
The president said that Russia&#8217;s continued missile strikes on Ukraine, which have killed dozens of civilians in recent weeks, are &#8220;a sad thing for humanity.&#8221;
On Sunday, Trump said that he was &#8220;disappointed&#8221; in Zelensky&#8217;s lack of movement on peace negotiations, accusing the Ukrainian leader of not reading the proposal to end the Ukraine-Russia war.
&#8220;His people love it, but he has it. Russia is fine with it … but I’m not sure Zelensky is fine with it,&#8221; Trump said.
Trump also called on Zelensky to hold an election, something Ukraine has not done since the beginning of the war in February 2022.
&#8220;I think it’s an important time to hold an election. They’re using war not to hold an election, but, I would think the Ukrainian people should have that choice,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;And maybe Zelensky would win. I don’t know who would win. But they haven’t had an election in a long time. You know, they talk about a democracy, but it gets to a point where it’s not a democracy anymore.&#8221;

Trump/Zelensky

Zelensky Vows Not To Cede Territory As Trump Says Russia Has ‘Upper Hand’

U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s outgoing Ukraine envoy said a deal to end the Ukraine war was &#8220;really close&#8221; and depended on resolving just two major issues but the Kremlin said there had to be radical changes to some of the U.S. proposals.
Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a &#8220;peacemaker&#8221; president, says that ending Europe&#8217;s deadliest conflict since World War Two has so far been the most elusive foreign policy aim of his presidency.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 after eight years of fighting between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian troops in the Donbas, which is made up of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg, who is due to step down in January, told the Reagan National Defense Forum that efforts to resolve the conflict were in &#8220;the last 10 meters&#8221; which he said was always the hardest.
The two main outstanding issues, Kellogg said, were on territory &#8211; primarily the future of the Donbas &#8211; and the future of Ukraine&#8217;s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe&#8217;s largest, which is under Russian control.
&#8220;If we get those two issues settled, I think the rest of the things will work out fairly well,&#8221; Kellogg said on Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. &#8220;We&#8217;re almost there.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re really, really close,&#8221; said Kellogg.
After President Vladimir Putin held four hours of Kremlin talks last week with Trump&#8217;s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump&#8217;s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, Putin&#8217;s top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, said &#8220;territorial problems&#8221; were discussed.
That is Kremlin shorthand for Russian claims to the whole of Donbas, though Ukraine is still in control of at least 5,000 square km (1,900 square miles) of the area. Almost all countries recognize Donbas as part of Ukraine.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that handing over the rest of Donetsk would be illegal without a referendum and would give Russia a platform to launch assaults deeper into Ukraine in the future.
Ushakov was quoted by Russian media on Sunday as saying that the United States would have to &#8220;make serious, I would say, radical changes to their papers&#8221; on Ukraine. He did not clarify what changes Moscow wanted Washington to make.
Zelensky said on Saturday that he had had a long and &#8220;substantive&#8221; phone call with Witkoff and Kushner. The Kremlin has said it expects Kushner to be doing the main work on drafting a possible deal.
Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who served in Vietnam, Panama and Iraq, said the scale of the death and injuries caused by the Ukraine war was &#8220;horrific&#8221; and unprecedented in terms of a regional war.
Kellogg said that, together, Russia and Ukraine have suffered more than 2 million casualties, including dead and wounded since the war began. Neither Russia nor Ukraine disclose credible estimates of their losses.
Russia currently controls 19.2% of Ukraine, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014, all of Luhansk, more than 80% of Donetsk, about 75% of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, and slivers of the Kharkiv, Sumy, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
A leaked set of 28 U.S. draft peace proposals emerged last month, alarming Ukrainian and European officials who said it bowed to Moscow&#8217;s main demands on NATO, Russian control of a fifth of Ukraine and restrictions on Ukraine&#8217;s army.
(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)

Donald Trump/Vladimir Putin/Volodymyr Zelensky

U.S. Envoy says Ukraine Peace Deal Is Close, But Moscow Wants Radical Change

U.S. negotiators head to Moscow after huddling over a peace framework with Ukraine officials, Luigi Mangione arrives at a Manhattan courtroom for pre-trial hearings in his murder case, and the Supreme Court hears arguments on who is responsible for music piracy.
It’s Tuesday, December 2, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251202">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
<iframe style="width: 100%; max-width: 660px; overflow: hidden; border-radius: 10px;" src="https://embed.podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moscow-peace-negotiations-mangione-contests-evidence/id1576594336?i=1000739259937" 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 style="text-align: center;">U.S. Negotiators In Moscow, And Trump’s Caribbean Crackdown</h2>
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Topline: U.S. negotiators are in Moscow on Tuesday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin as the White House faces growing scrutiny over its drug crackdown in the Caribbean. 
Ukraine peace deal: Last week, a draft of the U.S. peace plan leaked, including significant concessions from Ukraine. After outrage from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and virtually every European head of state, the White House spent the following days meeting with Ukrainian officials who lobbied for more favorable terms.
Specifically, Ukrainian officials want to remove portions of the text that hand over large swaths of land in the East and cap their military at 600,000 personnel. And perhaps most importantly, they want explicit guarantees that if Russia invades in the future, the U.S. and NATO will have their back.
Those talks concluded Sunday in Miami, where three of Zelensky’s top advisers huddled with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Ukraine’s secretary of national security called the meetings productive and said, “The U.S. is hearing us, supporting us, and walking beside us.”
Witkoff to Moscow: Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, are in Moscow on Tuesday for an expected sit-down with Putin. But he’s unlikely to sign on to the current deal if it doesn’t allow him to seize large portions of land in Eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, including some territory still in Ukrainian hands.
Speaking last week, Putin warned that “when Ukrainian troops leave the territories they hold, then the fighting will stop. If they don’t, then we’ll achieve that through military means.”
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But the reality is, even if Zelensky agreed to hand over land in exchange for peace, which seems unlikely at the moment, there are significant legal hurdles. Under the Ukrainian constitution, any change to the country’s borders must be approved by voters through a nationwide referendum.
Caribbean capers: The administration is facing increased scrutiny over White House <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/5628447-defense-secretary-authorizes-drug-boat-strike/">confirmation</a> that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth authorized, but did not order, a follow-up strike on a suspected drug vessel after at least two people survived the initial strike.
On Monday, Democrats continued to slam Hegseth and the president, accusing them of committing war crimes. Now, Congress is stepping in, with the Republican-led armed services committees in the House and Senate vowing to conduct “vigorous oversight” and a “full accounting” of the alleged incident.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Luigi Mangione In Court For Pre-Trial Hearings</h2>
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Topline: Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, appeared in a New York City courtroom this week for key pre-trial hearings.
Mangione, a 27-year-old Ivy League grad, has been charged with stalking and killing Thompson in December 2024. Thompson, a father of two, was shot from behind while walking toward a New York City hotel to attend a corporate investor conference.
Prosecutors say Thompson was targeted over the suspect’s grievances with the health insurance industry, citing a “manifesto.” Recovered shell casings also had the inscriptions, “delay,” “deny,” and “depose.” Mangione is facing life in prison for the state case against him, and potentially the death penalty if he’s convicted in the federal case. Mangione has pleaded not guilty on all counts.
The state case: Mangione appeared in a New York City court on Monday to begin a pre-trial evidentiary hearing. His lawyers are asking that key evidence be suppressed at trial, arguing that it was found on Mangione without a warrant and before Mangione was read his Miranda rights.
The evidence in question is crucial to the case, including the 9 mm handgun matching the murder weapon, and a notebook that prosecutors say contains writings revealing Mangione’s motive for the assassination. The defense also wants statements Mangione allegedly made to police, which they say were made before the suspect was read his rights, tossed.
The prosecution’s case: Prosecutors say the search of Mangione’s backpack was lawful and not unreasonable, as officers needed to search the suspect’s bag for safety reasons. Officers needed to ensure there were no weapons or dangerous items on Mangione when they found him at a McDonald&#8217;s in Pennsylvania. That was after a days-long national manhunt.
As far as the statements Mangione made before being read his Miranda rights, the state says Mangione spoke to them voluntarily and before he was in formal custody, so the Miranda requirement doesn’t apply. They also note that the only statement they plan to use is when officers asked Mangione for his name, and he allegedly gave a false name in response.
Looking ahead: Pre-trial hearings in the state case could last several weeks.
As for the federal case, the next court appearance is scheduled for Friday, and a trial date may be set then. Prosecutors have filed a &#8220;notice of intent&#8221; to seek the death penalty.
<h2 style="text-align: center;">SCOTUS Hearing On Music Piracy Case</h2>
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Topline: The Supreme Court is stepping into a billion-dollar showdown that&#8217;s pitting the music industry against internet giants. Cox Communications v. Sony Music will decide who’s responsible for illegal downloading of copyrighted content – and whether millions of Americans could lose their broadband access. 
At its core, this case asks whether an internet service provider can be held financially liable for its subscribers&#8217; illegal downloading or sharing of copyrighted material. It’s called “secondary liability.”
This began back in 2018 when major record labels like Sony, Warner Brothers, and Universal first filed a bombshell lawsuit against Cox, the third-largest broadband provider in the country. They accused Cox of ignoring rampant music piracy. This was primarily peer-to-peer file-sharing via BitTorrent. Think sites like The Pirate Bay.
In 2019, a Virginia jury ruled against Cox and awarded the plaintiffs a staggering $1 billion for allowing &#8220;habitual offenders&#8221; to steal more than 10,000 works.
But the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals tossed the damages, so Cox didn’t have to pay the $1 billion. But the Court upheld the liability. Cox appealed, and on Monday, SCOTUS heard oral arguments in the case.
The case: The main question the justices focused on was whether Cox had an obligation to terminate broadband internet provision of content thieves once the music companies had informed them of the theft.
Cox’s attorney argued they can’t set a standard here because there would be no way to isolate and punish a single user when it comes to massive accounts like universities, hospitals, and office buildings.
If the Court sides with Cox, it would reaffirm broad protections for ISPs and possibly constrain how aggressively artists and content creators can pursue copyright claims. But if the Court sides with the record labels, that could have a massive impact on millions of Americans, establishing a standard under which internet service providers are required to police user activity and cut off service to anyone found illegally downloading content.

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Morning Brief: Moscow Peace Talks, Luigi Mangione Back In Court, & SCOTUS Piracy Case

Morning Brief: Witkoff In Moscow, Mangione In Court, And SCOTUS Case On Music Piracy

Luigi Mangione

Marco Rubio

New York City

Pete Hegseth

SCOTUS

President Donald Trump defended U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on Tuesday after a leaked phone call showed the diplomat advising a top Russian aide on how to approach Trump.
Witkoff’s phone call with Yuri Ushakov, top foreign policy aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, took place last month. Bloomberg published a transcript of the call on Tuesday, igniting backlash and calls for Witkoff&#8217;s removal for allegedly favoring Russia over Ukraine.
Trump dismissed complaints over the phone call, saying that what took place was “standard” negotiation.
“That’s a standard thing, you know, because he’s gotta sell this to Ukraine, he’s gotta sell Ukraine to Russia. That’s what a deal maker does. You gotta say, look, they want this, you’ve gotta convince him with this, and you know, that’s a very standard form of negotiation,” Trump <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/1993722285883068521">said</a> when asked about the phone call aboard Air Force One on Tuesday evening.
“I haven’t heard it, but I heard it was standard negotiation. And I would imagine he’s saying the same thing to Ukraine, because each party has to give and take,” the president added.
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Trump also dismissed concerns that Witkoff is pro-Russian.
“No, I think, look, this war could go on for years, and Russia’s got a lot more people and a lot more soldiers, you know? So I think if Ukraine can make a deal, it’s a good thing. I think it’s great for both,” said Trump.
The phone call sparked backlash from some Republicans, such as Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska.
“For those who oppose the Russian invasion and want to see Ukraine prevail as a sovereign &amp; democratic country, it is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians. He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired,” <a href="https://x.com/RepDonBacon/status/1993446393076498714">said</a> Bacon.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania <a href="https://x.com/RepBrianFitz/status/1993428150492316095">called</a> the phone call “a major problem. And one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop.”
In the October 14 phone call, Witkoff advised Ushakov on how Putin should approach Trump to have the most favorable meeting, including flattering Trump with compliments over the recently struck ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The U.S. envoy said a similar plan to the 20-point Israel-Hamas plan could be struck between Russia and Ukraine.
Witkoff also advised Ushakov that Putin should schedule a phone call with Trump before Trump was set to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“Maybe he (Putin) says to President Trump: you know, Steve and Yuri discussed a very similar 20-point plan to peace and that could be something that we think might move the needle a little bit, we’re open to those sorts of things — to explore what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done,” Witkoff said, according to the transcript published by <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-11-25/witkoff-discusses-ukraine-plans-with-key-putin-aide-transcript">Bloomberg</a>.
“Now, me to you, I know what it’s going to take to get a peace deal done: Donetsk and maybe a land swap somewhere. But I’m saying instead of talking like that, let’s talk more hopefully because I think we’re going to get to a deal here. And I think Yuri, the president will give me a lot of space and discretion to get to the deal,” Witkoff said.

Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump

Trump Dismisses Backlash Against Witkoff Over Leaked Phone Call With Top Russian Diplomat

Steve Witkoff

United States

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that his team is making &#8220;tremendous progress&#8221; toward ending the years-long Russia-Ukraine war, offering updates on his peace negotiations ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Trump&#8217;s Special Envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow as his Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll meets with the Ukrainians, the president shared. Though there had been some talk of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky coming to the United States this week, Trump dispelled this rumor, noting that he will only meet with Zelensky and Putin when they have reached a deal.
&#8220;Over the past week, my team has made tremendous progress with respect to ending the War between Russia and Ukraine (A War that would have NEVER started if I were President!),&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Last month 25,000 soldiers died. The original 28-Point Peace Plan, which was drafted by the United States, has been fine-tuned, with additional input from both sides, and there are only a few remaining points of disagreement.&#8221;
&#8220;I will be briefed on all progress made, along with Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles,&#8221; the president added of his team&#8217;s meetings with the warring world leaders.
<div id="attachment_1006069" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-vows-no-meetings-with-putin-zelensky-until-the-deal-to-end-this-war-is-final/u-s-washington-d-c-trump-ukraine-zelensky-meeting" rel="attachment wp-att-1006069"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1006069" class="wp-image-1006069 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/11/GettyImages-2241665155.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>U.S. President Donald Trump 2nd L welcomes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, Oct 17, 2025. (Photo by Hu Yousong/Xinhua via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;I look forward to hopefully meeting with President Zelenskyy and President Putin soon, but ONLY when the deal to end this War is FINAL or, in its final stages,&#8221; he concluded. &#8220;Thank you for your attention to this very important matter, and let’s all hope that PEACE can be accomplished AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!&#8221;
The president&#8217;s statement came after news that Ukraine has agreed to the terms of a potential peace deal, negotiated by the Trump White House, that could end the years-long war with Russia.
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“The Ukrainians have agreed to the peace deal,” Driscoll <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/us-holds-secret-meetings-russians-abu-dhabi-ukraine/story?id=127840867" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> ABC News on Tuesday morning. “There are some minor details to be sorted out but they have agreed to a peace deal.”
A White House official told The Daily Wire late Tuesday morning that no meeting between Zelensky and President Trump had been scheduled “at this time,&#8221; and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also stressed Tuesday morning that “there are a few delicate, but not insurmountable, details that must be sorted out and will require further talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States.”
A spokesman for Driscoll, who was part of a Monday evening meeting of U.S. officials with the Russian delegation, said in a statement that “late Monday and throughout Tuesday, Secretary Driscoll and team have been in discussions with the Russian delegation to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine.”
“The talks are going well and we remain optimistic,” said LTC Jeff Tolbert, who is Driscoll’s spokesman. “Secretary Driscoll is closely synchronized with the White House and the U.S. interagency as these talks progress.”

President Trump Pardons Thanksgiving Turkeys

Trump Vows No Meetings With Putin, Zelensky Until ‘The Deal To End This War Is FINAL’

U.S. Army

Negotiations continue as a deal for peace in Ukraine takes shape, the surge of new Turning Point USA chapter requests hits a surprising stonewall, and the Trump administration reverses a longstanding approach to handling homelessness.
It’s Tuesday, November 25, 2025, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below, and the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/mrn-251125">video version can be seen on The Daily Wire</a>:
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump Pushes Peace In Ukraine </h2>
Topline: American and Ukrainian diplomats continue to meet in Europe this week as they negotiate the details of a peace plan with Russia. 
The White House presented both sides with a 28-point peace plan that included significant concessions from Ukraine. Initially, it appeared the plan was a final offer—Trump went so far as to set a Thanksgiving deadline —and there were even reports that the Trump administration would cut off all military and financial aid if Ukraine turned it down, which it did. But now it appears that all-or-nothing language was more of a negotiating tactic from Trump.
After strong pushback from Ukraine and the European Union, the White House now says the plan is meant as a starting point. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio put it, “just because it’s printed on a piece of paper doesn’t indicate finality … you get input and you make adjustments.”
President Donald Trump displayed some cautious optimism, writing on Truth Social Monday, “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening.”
What’s in the way: The main issue for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is that the current plan would require Ukraine to surrender large portions of land in the East that would then be recognized as Russian territory. He pushed back publicly on that demand Monday, saying, “It is crucial to support the principles on which Europe stands, that borders cannot be changed by force.”
Kyiv also wants to see more concrete security guarantees that would put on paper assurances of European and U.S. military support if Russia were to relaunch its invasion.
But the big problem now is that if Ukraine succeeds in amending the plan to its liking, there’s a good chance Russian President Vladimir Putin won’t sign on. After the initial plan was released, he said it “could form the basis of a final peace settlement.” But that could well change if significant changes are made.
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">Christian Colleges Reject TPUSA</h2>
Topline: TPUSA chapters are exploding across college campuses in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, with 44,000 new applications. But a surprising number of Christian colleges and universities have rejected the organization, telling students they aren’t allowed to start new clubs.
Which schools? It’s a surprisingly long list of schools that have rejected TPUSA chapters. Point Loma Nazarene in California rejected students’ requests for a TPUSA chapter at least three times. At Biola, one of the largest evangelical universities in the country, students’ first request for a chapter was denied in 2023. In September, after Charlie’s assassination, they tried again and aren’t getting an answer.
Another Christian school, Concordia University in Wisconsin, initially rejected TPUSA, but after a student&#8217;s post about it went viral last month, they reversed course.
All told, about 20 Christian colleges and universities have said TPUSA isn’t welcome on their campuses. That includes well-known schools like Bob Jones University, Asbury, Oral Roberts, and Loyola University New Orleans. 
Why? The reasons for rejection vary by school. The students and alumni who want to see new TPUSA chapters at the schools don’t always buy the reasons they’re being given.
Point Loma said its board of directors rejected TPUSA largely because of a professor watchlist that “exposes and documents&#8221; professors who allegedly discriminate against conservative students. Even though Point Loma students agreed not to use or contribute to that list, the board still felt TPUSA doesn’t represent the kind of “constructive communication” they require from official clubs.
However, the school has approved left-leaning clubs like BREAK that focus on issues like “gender equality” and &#8220;gender justice,&#8221; and the &#8220;Center for Justice and Reconciliation,&#8221; which focuses on &#8220;immigration and racial justice.” The administration also removed a Charlie Kirk memorial that had been put up on campus after his death.
A similar situation has played out at Biola. Biola approved the left-leaning club, Students for Justice and Liberation, which says it stands for “progressive values,” the same semester they applied. Yet the verdict on TPUSA is being dragged out.
In the first rejection, the decision once again went all the way to the board of directors, and they said they took issue with TPUSA’s “narrative” and “tactics.”
<h2 style="text-align: center;">Trump’s Turn On Homelessness</h2>
Topline: The Trump administration has recently announced major changes to how the federal government funds housing for the homeless. The administration says the changes will encourage more self-sufficiency and reduce drug abuse, while opponents say it could lead to almost 200,000 people being kicked out of their homes. 
Morning Wire spoke to Judge Glock, director of research at the Manhattan Institute, about the administration’s announcement. (The following interview has been edited for clarity.)
Morning Wire: This all revolves around federal funding for homelessness. First, how does the federal government actually distribute money for this issue?  
Glock: Every year, the feds announce how nonprofits and other groups can apply for what are known as Continuum of Care or CoC grants. The CoC grants a total of about three-and-a-half billion dollars a year and mainly goes to nonprofits that provide housing. And I should just say that homeless nonprofits read this yearly announcement like it’s the Talmud or the Bible or something, because it says what they have to do to compete for the federal money and what sort of programs they can fund and what sort of things are forbidden.
Morning Wire: Got it. The administration’s announcement this year said the federal government would no longer support what it calls “the failed ‘Housing First’ ideology.” Can you explain a little bit about what “Housing First” means? 
Glock: The “Housing First” idea is that the only way to “solve” homelessness is to give the homeless subsidized and permanent housing without any conditions before entering the housing or strings attached afterwards. The basic idea is that you provide both housing and services, but it’s all voluntary. A nonprofit couldn’t force a person in one of these Housing First apartments to, say, take a drug test or even get a mental health screening. And for a little over a decade–including, I might add, through the first Trump administration–these annual funding announcements said federal money would be given almost exclusively to groups that practiced the “Housing First” philosophy. Because in most of the country, the federal money is the main source of funding for the homeless, the Housing First idea became something of a nationwide mandate.
Morning Wire: Right – so that made it a nationwide policy. What does this announcement actually change?
Glock: The biggest change is that there is no more Housing First mandate. Instead, the administration says nonprofits must provide treatment for underlying issues instead of just focusing on housing. The Housing First program was supposed to provide treatment, but it said people just kind of had to come to the treatment on their own. The problem was it’s often impossible for people in the midst of, say, a heroin addiction or schizophrenic episode to really pursue treatment. This new policy will mandate some treatment services for those in the housing units and will require more housing to be “transitional,” meaning for a limited time period until people can get back on their feet, instead of the old permanent housing model.

MRN_251125_V1

Morning Brief: Ukraine’s New Deal, TPUSA Vs. Christian Schools, & Trump’s Homeless Policy

Morning Brief: New Ukraine Peace Plan, TPUSA Rejected, And Trump’s Turn On Homelessness

Charlie Kirk

Housing

TPUSA

President Donald Trump is optimistic that a peace agreement could be reached in the Russia-Ukraine war.
In a Truth Social post on Monday morning, the president wrote, “Is it really possible that big progress is being made in Peace Talks between Russia and Ukraine??? Don’t believe it until you see it, but something good just may be happening. GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Ukrainian officials in Geneva, Switzerland, over the weekend to discuss a possible end to the war that accelerated in 2022.
“We’re working through making some changes, some adjustments, in the hopes of further narrowing the differences and getting closer to something that both Ukraine and, obviously, the United States are very comfortable with,” Rubio <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/11/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-and-ukrainian-presidential-office-head-andriy-yermak-remarks-to-press">said</a> on Sunday.
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Rubio added that the meeting was “very, very meaningful,” calling it “the best meeting and day we’ve had so far in this entire process” when it kicked off in January.
It’s unclear whether Russian President Vladimir Putin will agree to a deal at this point.
“And then obviously there’s the Russian side of the equation,” Rubio said. “But again, we think we have some pretty substantial insights over the last nine months into some of the things that are really important to them.”
Trump and Putin met at a summit in Alaska over the summer. Some Republican lawmakers have scrutinized potential components of a proposed peace plan, arguing that it would give Russia too much of what it might want in the wake of the land invasion.
“But those who think pressuring the victim and appeasing the aggressor will bring peace are kidding themselves,” Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) posted to X. “Which difficult concessions are we pressing Russia to make?”
“How does limiting Ukraine’s defenses against future aggression increase the likelihood of enduring peace? The price and stability of peace matters, and our credibility is on the line. Allies and adversaries are watching: Will America hold firm against aggression or will we reward it?” he added.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said that “congressional review” should be part of the process.
“The proposed Russia-Ukraine peace deal provides an opportunity to end the war honorably and justly,” he wrote on X. “Congress should also have the ability to review a plan that includes any future security guarantees — just like we have the ability to review any Iran nuclear agreement.”

President Trump Hosts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy At The White House

Trump Drops Hint Of Russia-Ukraine Peace: ‘Something Good Just May Be Happening’

Ukraine Russia

zelenskyy

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