Ukraine, Russia say drone strikes continue after Trump-Putin callNew Foto - Ukraine, Russia say drone strikes continue after Trump-Putin call

Ukraine and Russia accused each other of launching attack drones on one another overnight, hours after Russian President Vladimir Putinspoke by phonewith his US counterpart Donald Trump - and again refused an immediate ceasefire. Russia launched 108 Shahed drones and "various types of decoy drones," Ukraine's Air Force said on its Telegram channel Tuesday, adding air defenses had destroyed 93 of them in the east, center and north of the country. The strikes come after Trump and Putin spoke for nearly two hours on Monday – Trump from the Oval Office and Putin phoning in from a visit to a music school in the city of Sochi. Following the call Trump said Kyiv and Moscow would begin ceasefire negotiations 'immediately.' But Putin said the Kremlin was ready to work with Ukraine on a "possible ceasefire for a certain period of time, provided the corresponding agreements are reached." Neither Putin nor Trump discussed a timeframe for a possible truce, said Kremlin presidential aide Yury Ushakov. Putin has previously ignored a proposal from Washington and Kyiv for a 30-day ceasefire and last weeksnubbed Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyrZelensky's call to meet face-to-facefor talks in Istanbul. As the Turkey talks sputtered, Trump said he didn't think there would be a significant breakthrough on peace talksuntil he spoke directly with Putin. "Unfortunately, following the Trump–Putin phone call, the status quo has not changed," said Mykhailo Podolyak, Adviser to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky European leaders decided to increase pressure on Russia through sanctions after Trump briefed them on the call with Putin, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said in an X post late on Monday. Trump said he would not join in any new sanctions on Russia "because there's a chance" of progress. "I think there's a chance of getting something done, and if you do that, you could also make it much worse. But there could be a time where that's going to happen," Trump said. Following the call Zelensky said discussions would take place about the future location of a further round of talks – which would be aimed first at achieving a ceasefire. Russian state news agency TASS cited Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as telling reporters that "so far, no specific decisions have been made regarding the location for the continuation of possible future contacts" with Ukrainian officials. "We are primarily interested in a prompt settlement by eliminating the root causes of this conflict," Peskov said. Putin "wants Ukraine to surrender," William Taylor, former US Ambassador to Ukraine and Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council, told CNN's the Newsroom with Rosemary Church. "He wants Ukraine to capitulate. He wants Ukraine to disarm… to be in a position where… the Ukrainians cannot defend themselves," said Taylor. "That's what Putin means when he says 'the root causes.'" For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

Ukraine, Russia say drone strikes continue after Trump-Putin call

Ukraine, Russia say drone strikes continue after Trump-Putin call Ukraine and Russia accused each other of launching attack drones on one an...
Rubio to face tough questions on Trump policies in CongressNew Foto - Rubio to face tough questions on Trump policies in Congress

By Patricia Zengerle and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will testify this week before his former colleagues in the U.S. Congress, some of whom have said they regret voting to confirm the ex-senator because he has not stood up to President Donald Trump. The Senate voted 99-0 to confirm the Florida Republican senator as the nation's highest diplomat on January 20, as Democrats joined Trump's Republicans in giving the president his first permanent second-term cabinet member just hours after Trump was sworn in. During his friendly Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on January 15, Rubio promised a robust foreign policy focused on American interests, echoing Trump's "America First" approach to global affairs. Some Democrats who backed Rubio in January have said they regret their votes, as Trump has seized more control of the federal government than any modern president, including cutting funding plans that had been approved by Congress. At the hearing, Rubio is likely to face tough questions about the decimation of foreign aid - Rubio was an advocate of such aid during his 14 years in the Senate - while slashing staff at the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development, which is being folded into the State Department. Senators are also likely to grill Rubio on Trump's plans to unwind Syria sanctions, Rubio's role in the administration's immigration crackdown, the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza and efforts to end the war in Ukraine. He may also face some questions over Trump's suggestions that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state and that the U.S. could acquire Greenland, which have angered some close U.S. allies. COMPETITION WITH CHINA U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the foreign relations committee, said the administration's policies had made it more difficult to compete with China, noting that Beijing is increasing its spending on diplomacy and providing humanitarian aid in areas where the U.S. abruptly terminated programs. "Beijing is making the case that they are a more reliable, supportive partner than the United States," Shaheen said in remarks prepared for the hearing. Rubio has long been known as a China hawk. A few Democrats, including foreign relations committee members Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, have said publicly their votes to confirm Rubio were a mistake. Republicans on the other hand have praised Rubio, who has become a crucial figure in the Trump administration. He currently is secretary of state and Trump's acting national security adviser, as well as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the acting archivist of the United States. Rubio is the first person since Henry Kissinger in the 1970s to hold the positions of secretary of state and national security adviser simultaneously. "When I have a problem, I call up Marco. He gets it solved," Trump said earlier this month. On Tuesday, Rubio will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT), and the Senate Appropriations Committee's State and Foreign Operations subcommittee at 2 p.m. EDT. On Wednesday, he is due to testify before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee at 10 a.m. EDT and the House Appropriations subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs at 2 p.m. EDT. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, Daphne Psaledakis and Simon Lewis; Editing by Don Durfee and Stephen Coates)

Rubio to face tough questions on Trump policies in Congress

Rubio to face tough questions on Trump policies in Congress By Patricia Zengerle and Daphne Psaledakis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary...
Trump alleges 'genocide' in South Africa. At an agricultural fair, even Afrikaner farmers scoffNew Foto - Trump alleges 'genocide' in South Africa. At an agricultural fair, even Afrikaner farmers scoff

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — An extraordinary new U.S. refugee policy welcoming white Afrikaner farmers who theTrumpadministration claims are persecuted is topping the agenda at a White Housemeetingbetween President Donald Trump and South Africa's president. The Associated Press visited a lively agricultural fair in South Africa's heartland days ahead of the U.S. meeting. Both white and Black farmers and even conservative white Afrikaner groups debunked the Trump administration's "genocide" and land seizure claims that led the U.S. to cut all financial aid to South Africa. Farmers agree that violent crime is a problem for everyone. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.

Trump alleges 'genocide' in South Africa. At an agricultural fair, even Afrikaner farmers scoff

Trump alleges 'genocide' in South Africa. At an agricultural fair, even Afrikaner farmers scoff CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — An ex...
Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei doubts success of nuclear talks with USNew Foto - Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei doubts success of nuclear talks with US

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei voiced doubts on Tuesday over whether nuclear talks with the United States will lead to an agreement, Mehr news reported, as Tehran reviews a proposal to hold a fifth round of negotiations. "I don't think nuclear talks with the U.S. will be bring results. I don't know," Khamenei said during a speech in remembrance of Iran's late President Ebrahim Raisi. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei doubts success of nuclear talks with US

Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei doubts success of nuclear talks with US DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei...
PHOTO COLLECTION: South Korea ElectionNew Foto - PHOTO COLLECTION: South Korea Election

This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

PHOTO COLLECTION: South Korea Election

PHOTO COLLECTION: South Korea Election This is a photo collection curated by AP photo editors.

 

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