Author: Agencies And A News
The Trump administration has been conducting secret talks with Hamas on the possibility of releasing U.S. hostages being held in Gaza, a source briefed on the conversations told Reuters. U.S. special envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler has been holding the direct talks with Hamas in recent weeks in Doha, the source said, confirming a report by Axios. Until recently the United States had avoided direct discussions with the group. The U.S. State Department designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. The Israeli embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Boehler’s office declined…
The United States has cut off intelligence-sharing with Kyiv in a move that could seriously hamper the Ukrainian military’s ability to target Russian forces, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing officials familiar with the matter.
President Donald Trump will consider restoring aid to Ukraine if peace talks are arranged and confidence-building measures are taken, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said on Wednesday. “I think if we can nail down these negotiations and move towards these negotiations, and in fact, put some confidence-building measures on the table, then the president will take a hard look at lifting this pause,” Waltz said in an interview with Fox News.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that a lasting settlement to the war with Russia was “entirely achievable” if Europe and the United States worked together. “We all want a safe future for our people. Not a temporary ceasefire, but an end to the war once and for all. With our coordinated efforts and U.S. leadership, this is entirely achievable,” Zelensky wrote on social media following a call with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to US President Donald Trump’s decision Tuesday to implement tariffs on Canada, saying that it is “a very dumb thing to do.” “Canadians are reasonable and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight,” Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa, emphasizing that “Canada will be implementing 25% tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods, starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion of American products in 21 days.” Stressing that “there are no winners in a trade war,”…
President Donald Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that continued US support for his country may not last “much longer” unless the Ukrainian president changes his tune on bringing a rapid end to Russia’s war. Trump reposted a news article that quoted Zelensky as saying the end of Russia’s war on Ukraine is “very, very far away,” which Trump bemoaned as “the worst statement that could have been made by Zelensky.” “America will not put up with it for much longer! It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has…
President Donald Trump announced on Monday that the US will impose tariffs on imported agricultural products beginning April 2. “To the Great Farmers of the United States: Get ready to start making a lot of agricultural product to be sold INSIDE of the United States. Tariffs will go on external product on April 2nd. Have fun,” he said on Truth Social. The president did not specify which agricultural products would be affected or whether any exemptions would be made. It also remains unclear whether the measure is part of his previously announced plan to impose so-called “reciprocal” duties on nearly…
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday he expedited the delivery of $4 billion in military assistance to Israel. “I have signed a declaration to use emergency authorities to expedite the delivery of approximately $4 billion in military assistance to Israel,” Rubio said in a statement. “The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump,” he added. His statement came one day after the State Department said it approved potential…
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s pragmatic aim to end the war in Ukraine but scolded Europe for seeking to continue the conflict, Russian news agencies reported.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer held separate calls with the presidents and the US and France after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Downing Street on Saturday, according to media reports. Starmer’s conversations with Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron were constructive and centered on finding a path forward, Sky News reported.. Starmer reiterated his country’s support for Ukraine during talks with Zelenskyy in London. That was after a heated exchange Friday between Zelenskyy, Trump and US Vice President JD Vance in the Oval Office. During the exchange, Trump criticized the Ukrainian leader’s attitude, while Zelenskyy expressed his expectation of support…