Trump to speak to Putin on end to war in Ukraine as Europeans demand ceasefire

Trump to speak to Putin on end to war in Ukraine as Europeans demand ceasefire

By Guy Faulconbridge and Lidia Kelly MOSCOW (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump is set to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday about peace in Ukraine as European leaders demanded that the Kremlin accept an immediate ceasefire to halt the region's deadliest conflict since World War Two. Putin sent thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022, triggering the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker, has repeatedly called for an end to the "bloodbath" of Ukraine, which his administration casts as a proxy war between the United States and Russia. Under pressure from Trump, delegates from the warring countries met last week in Istanbul for the first time since March 2022, after Putin proposed direct talks and Europeans and Ukraine demanded an immediate ceasefire. "The subjects of the call will be stopping the 'bloodbath' that is killing, on average, more than 5,000 Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week, and trade," Trump wrote on his Truth Social website. "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." Trump, who said that progress on peace was unlikely until he and Putin get together, said he would speak to Putin at 10 a.m. Eastern Time (1400 GMT) on Monday. The Kremlin said preparations for a call were underway. Trump, whose administration has made clear that Russia could face additional sanctions if it does not take peace talks seriously, said he would also speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and various members of NATO. Putin, whose forces control a fifth of Ukraine and are advancing, has stood firm on his conditions for ending the war, despite public and private pressure from Trump and repeated warnings from European powers. On Sunday, Russia launched its largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of the war. Ukraine's intelligence service said it also believed Moscow intended to fire an intercontinental ballistic missile on Sunday, though there was no confirmation from Russia. In June 2024, Putin said Ukraine must officially drop its NATO ambitions and withdraw its troops from the entire territory of the four Ukrainian regions Russia claims. On Sunday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer discussed Russia's war against Ukraine with leaders of the United States, Italy, France and Germany, a Downing Street spokesperson said. "Tomorrow, President Putin must show he wants peace by accepting the 30-day unconditional ceasefire proposed by President Trump and backed by Ukraine and Europe," French President Emmanuel Macron said on X after Sunday's call. Putin is wary of a ceasefire and says fighting cannot be paused until a number of crucial conditions are worked out or clarified. European leaders say Putin is not serious about peace, though they fear Trump and he may force a punitive peace deal that will leave Ukraine essentially shorn of a fifth of its territory and lacking a strong security guarantee against possible future attack from Russia. Former U.S. President Joe Biden, Western European leaders and Ukraine cast the invasion as an imperial-style land grab and repeatedly vowed to defeat Russian forces which they say could one day attack NATO, a claim denied by Moscow. Putin casts the war as a watershed moment in Moscow's relations with the West, which he says humiliated Russia after the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union by enlarging NATO and encroaching on what he considers Moscow's sphere of influence, including Ukraine. (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 18, 2025

Trump to speak to Putin on end to war in Ukraine as Europeans demand ceasefire

Trump to speak to Putin on end to war in Ukraine as Europeans demand ceasefire By Guy Faulconbridge and Lidia Kelly MOSCOW (Reuters) -U.S. ...

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Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes key House hurdle after GOP rebel mutiny

Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes key House hurdle after GOP rebel mutiny

PresidentDonald Trump's"one big, beautiful bill" survived a key hurdle in the House of Representatives on Sunday night, putting it one step closer to a chamber-wide vote later this week. It comes after a rebellion by four House conservatives upended plans to advance the bill on Friday morning. Lawmakers on theHouse Budget Committeewere summoned back to Washington for a 10 p.m. meeting to vote again on the bill. It passed the panel in a nearly party-line vote, 17 to 16, with four Republicans voting "present." Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made a surprise appearance in the committee room shortly before the vote began, telling reporters there would likely be "minor modifications" to the final bill before disappearing into a back room with the four GOP holdouts who sunk the bill on Friday morning. Anti-abortion Provider Measure In Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Could Spark House Gop Rebellion Johnson later signaled confidence in another set of remarks to reporters just as the vote began, "I think what is about to happen here is that every member, every Republican member, will give a vote that allows us to proceed forward, and we count that as a big win tonight." Read On The Fox News App The speaker said he expects to have "productive discussions" with various factions of the House GOP, adding, "I am absolutely convinced we're going to get this in final form and pass it in accordance with our original deadline." Four conservative House Freedom Caucus members on the committee blocked the bill from advancing on Friday, with the fiscal hawks seeking assurances that stricter crackdowns on Medicaid and green energy subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) would be in the final bill before a House-wide vote. The four conservatives voted "present" in an effort to move discussions forward on Sunday night after getting those assurances from House GOP leaders. Advancing the legislationthrough the House Budget Committee is a largely procedural move. Lawmakers have signaled that some changes will be introduced as amendments in the House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before a House-wide vote, sometime early this week. Notably, two of the Budget Committee fiscal hawks who demanded further changes – Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Ralph Norman, R-S.C. – also sit on the House Rules Committee. "Tonight, after a great deal of work and engagement over the weekend, the Budget Committee advanced a reconciliation bill that lays the foundation for much needed tax relief, border security, and important spending reductions and reforms.  Importantly the bill now will move Medicaid work requirements forward and reduces the availability of future subsidies under the green new scam," Roy said in a statement after the vote. Norman, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital that the four conservatives got those assurances from House GOP leaders in writing. The House Budget Committee passed a framework earlier this year with "instructions" for various other committees to enact Trump policies under their jurisdictions. Following House and Senate-wide votes on their frameworks, House committees began crafting those policies, which have now been put back together into the massive bill the House Budget Committee advanced on Sunday night. Brown University In Gop Crosshairs After Student's Doge-like Email Kicks Off Frenzy Republicans are working to pass Trump's agenda via the budget reconciliation process, which allows the party controlling both Congress and the White House to pass vast pieces of legislation while completely sidelining the minority – in this case, Democrats. It does so by lowering the Senate's threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51, lining up with the House's own simple majority. The legislation must adhere to a specific set of rules, however, including only items related to federal spending, tax, and the national debt. Trump is having Republicans use the legislation to enact his campaign promises on tax cuts, immigration, energy, defense, and raising the debt limit. And while quellingFriday's GOP mutinyis a victory for House Republican leaders, lawmakers will still have to sit through high-stakes negotiations on any changes made to the bill before the House Rules Committee considers it. Conservatives are opposed to aspects of the legislation's crackdown on Medicaid, which Republicans have said they are only trimming for waste, fraud, and abuse. But Medicaid work requirements for able-bodied people are not set to kick in until 2029, and conservatives have argued that it was a large window of time for those changes to be undone, among other concerns. They're also pushing for a more aggressive effort to repeal green energy tax subsidies passed in the former Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The respective pushes have pitted them against moderates wary of significant Medicaid cuts, and Republican lawmakers whose districts have businesses that have benefited from the tax relief. Meanwhile, moderates in high-cost-of-living areas have also pushed for larger state and local tax (SALT) deduction caps, which red state Republicans have largely dismissed as subsidies to high-tax blue states. The Republicans in those seats, however, have argued that it's an existential issue for their districts, where GOP victories were critical to winning and holding the House majority. But even after it passes the House, Republicans there likely won't be done withthe "big, beautiful bill"– Republican senators have already signaled they are likely going to make changes to the bill. Johnson said on Fox News Sunday that House and Senate leaders were "in close coordination" on the final product, adding, "we hope that they don't make many modifications to it." Any changes will have to go through the House again; identical bills must pass both chambers before getting signed into law by Trump. Republican leaders have said they hope to get a bill on the president's desk by Fourth of July. Original article source:Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes key House hurdle after GOP rebel mutiny

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 18, 2025

Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes key House hurdle after GOP rebel mutiny

Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' passes key House hurdle after GOP rebel mutiny PresidentDonald Trump's"one big, beautiful...

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Political Leaders React to Joe Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis

Political Leaders React to Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis

Joe Biden puts his hand on his heart as the national anthem plays during a farewell ceremony at Joint Base Andrews on Jan. 20, 2025. Credit - Allison Robbert—AFP/Getty Images Political leaders from across parties in the U.S. extended their sympathies to Democratic former President Joe Biden, 82, after his officeannouncedSunday that he was diagnosed with an "aggressive" form of prostate cancer. Biden, who served as Vice President from 2009 to 2017 and President from 2021 to January, and his family are reviewing treatment options, according to the announcement. His Administrations had made addressing cancer a priority, launching the "Cancer Moonshot" initiative to try to make it such that "a diagnosis isn't a death sentence." Biden lost his son Beau in 2015 to brain cancer. Here are some of the messages of support for Biden that have come in since his diagnosis was made public: President Donald Trump, who has constantly attacked Biden's health and cognitive ability from the 2024 campaign trail to the present,sentwell wishes to Biden in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. "Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis," Trump said, referencing the First Lady. "We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery." Biden's Vice President Kamala Harris, who became the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 election after Biden pulled out of the race amid concerns about his fitness,postedon X: "Doug [Emhoff] and I are saddened to learn of President Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis. We are keeping him, Dr. [Jill] Biden, and their entire family in our hearts and prayers during this time. Joe is a fighter—and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership. We are hopeful for a full and speedy recovery." Doug Emhoff, the former Second Gentleman,repliedwith a brief message of his own to Biden: "Sending love and strength to my friend @JoeBiden." Former President Barack Obama, whom Biden served with as Vice President for two terms, alsowishedBiden well in a post on X: "Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery." The Clintons also wished Biden well. Former President Bill Clinton, who was diagnosed withskin cancerat the end of his presidency in 2001,postedon X: "My friend Joe Biden's always been a fighter. Hillary and I are rooting for him and are keeping him, Jill, and the entire family in our thoughts." Meanwhile, former Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton alsoposteda message for Biden and his family. "I'm thinking of the Bidens as they take on cancer, a disease they've done so much to try to spare other families from," Clinton posted. "Wishing you a speedy, full recovery." Trump's Secretary of State Marco Rubioissueda brief statement on X on behalf of himself and his wife: "Jeanette and I are united in prayer for the Biden Family during this difficult time." Pete Buttigieg, who ran against Biden in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and then worked under Biden as Transportation Secretary,postedon X: "President Biden is a man of deep faith and extraordinary resilience. Chasten and I are keeping him, and the entire Biden family, in our prayers for strength and healing." Biden's former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerraextendedhis well wishes to Biden and his family on X: "Sending our strength and prayers to President Biden, Dr. Biden and family as they navigate his treatment together." House Speaker Mike Johnson (R, La.) also extended well wishes to Biden. "This is certainly sad news, and the Johnson family will be joining the countless others who are praying for the former President in the wake of his diagnosis," Johnsonpostedon X. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R, La.), who battledblood cancerafter a 2023 diagnosis, alsopostedon X: "Praying for former President Joe Biden as he battles prostate cancer 🙏" House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D, N.Y.)issueda statement shortly after Biden's cancer diagnosis went public. "The House Democratic Caucus and our nation are praying for President Joe Biden and his family as he battles this challenging medical diagnosis," Jeffries said. "Over the years, the Biden family has confronted unimaginable adversity with grace and steadfast perseverance. We stand with President Biden as he confronts this moment with the same courage and resilience he has shown throughout his life." Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, Calif.)postedon X: "President Joe Biden is a great American patriot. Paul and I join the millions across the country and around the world praying for him to have strength and a swift recovery in the battle against cancer. Sending love to him and his family." Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, N.Y.)postedon X: "I am praying for President Biden and the entire Biden family." Vivek Ramaswamy, former 2024 Republican presidential primary candidate who is now running for Governor in Ohio,postedon X: "Politics aside, let's pray for the health of our nation's former President. His case of metastatic prostate cancer appears to be still in the hormone-sensitive disease stage, which leaves open the possibility of effective treatment." Ramaswamy, a billionaire,made his fortunebuilding a biotech company that went on to develop drugs including for prostate cancer treatment. Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R, Alaska)postedon X: "Rose and I are praying for Joe Biden and his family, and we wish him a swift recovery." "This is horrible news," Gov. Katie Hobbs (D, Ariz.)postedon X. "My heart is with former President Biden and his entire family." Gov. Gavin Newsom (D, Calif.)postedon X: "Our hearts are with President Biden and his entire family right now. A man of dignity, strength, and compassion like his deserves to live a long and beautiful life. Sending strength, healing and prayers his way." Gov. Brian Kemp (R. Ga.)postedon X: "All Georgians send our sincere wishes to former President Biden for successful treatments and a full recovery. He and the Biden family will remain in our thoughts and prayers in the coming days and weeks." Gov. JB Pritzker (D, Ill.) alsoposteda message of support for Biden on X: "President Biden knows that when you get knocked down, you get back up and fight. I join the nation in sending strength to President Biden and his family and hope for a full recovery. We're with you in this fight, Joe." Gov. Wes Moore (D, Md.)postedon X: "Dawn and I carry @JoeBiden and his family in our hearts today. He stood with me during some of the toughest times in our state, and we stand with him today. We pray for his strength and a swift recovery." Gov. Tim Walz (D, Minn.), who was Harris' running mate in 2024,calledBiden "a truly decent man and a friend" in a post on X. "Gwen and I are praying for President Biden and his family," Walz wrote. "We're wishing him all the best." Gov. Phil Murphy (D, N.J.)postedon X: "Tammy and I are keeping former President @JoeBiden in our prayers and wishing Jill and the entire Biden family strength during this difficult time." Gov. Kathy Hochul (D, N.Y.)postedon X: "President Biden has served our nation with distinction. During this difficult time, Bill and I are praying for his health and a speedy recovery." Gov. Josh Shapiro (D, Pa.)postedon X that he and his wife Lori were praying for Biden's family. "May they find strength and hope in one another, and be lifted up by the thoughts and prayers of Americans across the country who are thinking of them right now," Shapiro wrote. Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, where Biden formerly served as Senator from 1973 to 2009,postedon X: "Annie and I are praying for Joe and Jill as they confront his prostate cancer diagnosis. Over his decades of public service, Joe comforted so many of us in tough times and contributed so much to fighting cancer. Now we need to support and encourage him." California Rep. Eric Swalwellpostedon X: "My thoughts and prayers are with Joe Biden and his family as they navigate this challenging time. I am wishing him strength and a swift recovery." Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockettpostedon X: "My heart is with President Biden and his family. Lifting him up in prayer and wishing him a peaceful, successful healing journey." Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who has battled with his ownhealth issues,postedon X: "Joe has been a fighter his whole life. He will prevail. Sending Dr. Jill Biden and their family my absolute support." Ohio Rep. Joyce Beattyexpressedsupport for Biden in a post on X. "President @JoeBiden your resilience and strength have always inspired us. As you face this health challenge, my prayers are with you—for continued courage, grace in this moment of trial, and a full recovery." Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delawarepostedon X: "To President Biden, know that I am sending you prayers for peace and healing. And to Jill and the entire family, you have a legion of friends and supporters who stand with you on this journey." Sen. Peter Welch of Vermontpostedon X: "Margaret and I are praying for President Biden, Jill, and the Biden family during this difficult time. We join Vermonters in wishing him a full recovery. California Rep. Ro Khannapostedon X: "Praying for @JoeBiden and his family to defeat the cancer he's recently been diagnosed with. He and Jill have always been fighters and I am confident they will meet this challenge with grit and grace." Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizonapostedon X: "My heart goes out to President Biden and his family in light of this terrible news. Sydney and I are praying for his strength and recovery." Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who was Hillary Clinton's running mate in the 2016 presidential election,saidin a post on X that he was praying for Biden and his family "as they take on this challenge." Kaine added: "Americans will be with them every step of the way." Florida Rep. Anna Paulina Lunasaidin a post on X that she was praying for Biden's recovery. "This is very sad news," Luna added. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an outspoken critic of Biden and Democrats, expressed sympathy for the former President and his family after the diagnosis was revealed. "I'm sorry to see this news," shepostedon X. "Cancer is truly awful. My Dad passed away in 2021 with cancer. Prays for Joe Biden and his family." New York Rep. Mike Lawler, who alsolost his father to cancer,postedon X: "Keeping former President ⁦@JoeBiden⁩ and his family in my prayers. Cancer is a vicious disease that spares no one. We all hope for a speedy recovery." Sen. Roger Marshall from Kansaspostedon X: "Laina and I are sending heartfelt prayers for President Biden and his family as he fights cancer. Please join us in praying for strength, comfort, and hope during this difficult time." Sen. Susan Collins of Mainepostedon X that she was "saddened to hear of President Biden's cancer diagnosis" and is "wishing him and his family well as he begins treatment." Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolinapostedon X: "Susan and I are saddened to hear about President Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis and are praying for his full recovery." Contact usatletters@time.com.

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 18, 2025

Political Leaders React to Joe Biden’s Cancer Diagnosis

Political Leaders React to Joe Biden's Cancer Diagnosis Joe Biden puts his hand on his heart as the national anthem plays during a farew...

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Telegram founder says France asked him to ban conservative Romanian voices

Telegram founder says France asked him to ban conservative Romanian voices

PARIS (Reuters) -The founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel Durov, said he refused a request by the head of France's intelligence service to ban Romanian conservative voices ahead of the country's elections. Romania's centrist Bucharest mayor, Nicusor Dan, won the presidential election on Sunday in a shock upset over a hard-right, nationalist rival who had pledged to adopt a path inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump's politics. "This spring at the Salon des Batailles in the Hôtel de Crillon, Nicolas Lerner, head of French intelligence, asked me to ban conservative voices in Romania ahead of elections. I refused," Durov wrote on X late on Sunday. "We didn't block protesters in Russia, Belarus, or Iran. We won't start doing it in Europe." Earlier on Sunday, the French foreign ministry had denied any such interference after Durov implied French involvement in a prior message on Telegram the same day. That initial message had referred to France by implication, with the emoji of a baguette, but did not name it explicitly. "France categorically rejects these allegations and calls on everyone to exercise responsibility and respect for Romanian democracy," the foreign ministry said. Reuters is seeking comment from the intelligence services. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta)

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 18, 2025

Telegram founder says France asked him to ban conservative Romanian voices

Telegram founder says France asked him to ban conservative Romanian voices PARIS (Reuters) -The founder of the Telegram messaging app, Pavel...

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Having Trump’s ear is the new frontline in the Russia-Ukraine war

Having Trump's ear is the new frontline in the Russia-Ukraine war

Make no mistake, the real battle in the Ukraine war right now isn't in the skies over Kyiv or Dnipro where Russian drone strikes have intensified, dramatically, in recent days. Nor is the slow, grinding progress being made by the Russian army on the brutal frontlines of eastern Ukraine how the conflict, now in its third year, will be decided. No, the crucial fight being slugged out between the warring parties and their allies is for the ear of US President Donald Trump, who seems increasingly frustrated with efforts to broker peace. And that's why his phone call, expected to take place with Russian President Vladimir Putin later today, may be of such pivotal importance. Moscow and Kyiv are both vying to demonstrate it is the other who is the real obstacle to peace, hoping to swing Trump's changeable opinion, at least for a while, their way. European officials say they will also be speaking to Trump ahead of his call with Putin, amid concerns that Trump's view on the conflict may be shaped by whom he speaks to last. Just last month, after speaking to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky at Pope Francis' funeral, Trump made some of his most critical remarks towards Putin, condemning the Russian leader for launching a missile attack on Kyiv, adding he couldn't say for sure whether the Russian leader was serious about ending the war. As long as Monday's call lasts, Putin – who has refused to accept a 30-day ceasefire demanded by President Trump and agreed to by Ukraine – will have that presidential ear all to himself. He could pour into it whatever business inducements, flattery or poison Putin calculates will work best. Trump and Putin already seem to share an unshakeable conviction that it is them alone who have the personal authority and skills to settle the Ukraine war, while the Europeans and the Ukrainians themselves will ultimately do as they are told. Underwhelming talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul last week – the first directly between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators for years – seem to have underlined President Trump's own sense of centrality to a deal. It has encouraged him to reinsert himself, by calling Putin directly, into peace efforts from which he had only recently threatened to walk away. The big Ukrainian fear is that the two leaders will cook up their own peace plan over the phone with President Trump – who says he'll call his Ukrainian counterpart Zelensky afterwards – then potentially seek to impose Putin's terms under a renewed threat of withdrawing vital US military and economic aid. President Trump has leverage on Russia, too, if he chooses to use it. With mounting casualties and a strained economy, the Kremlin undoubtedly wants to avoid pushing an angry and rebuffed Trump towards restoring and possibly redoubling US support for the Ukrainian war effort. As ever, the problem remains that neither Russia nor Ukraine is currently willing to accept each other's minimum terms, to compromise enough to satisfy the other side. That doesn't mean talks – whether direct, face-to-face, or on the phone – are pointless. If nothing else, they can highlight how far apart the two sides really are. But what may mean is that, even under US pressure, even after a direct phone call with President Trump, both Moscow and Kyiv may still choose to fight on. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byDaniel Coleman

in

May 18, 2025

Having Trump’s ear is the new frontline in the Russia-Ukraine war

Having Trump's ear is the new frontline in the Russia-Ukraine war Make no mistake, the real battle in the Ukraine war right now isn'...

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