Radio Free Europe sues Trump admin, Kari Lake over defunding
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the U.S.-funded news outlet created to reach people living under communism during the Cold War, is suing Kari Lake and the Trump administration over efforts to defund the organization. The lawsuit, filed in a Washington D.C. federal court, said the station has not been paid a $7.5 million invoice submitted Monday. It claims the funding freeze undermines Congress’s purse strings. Both entities are funded by government grants, with around 1% coming from private donations and other sources, the lawsuit states. “Whether to disburse funds as directed by appropriations laws, and whether to make those funds available through grants as directed by the International Broadcasting Act, is not an optional choice for the agency to make,” the lawsuit said. “It is the law. Urgent relief is needed to compel the agency to follow the law.” MD GOV DEFENDS $190K TRUMP-CENTRIC IRISH CONSULTANT CONTRACT AS POTUS MOVES IN NEXT DOOR If funding doesn’t resume, the station will be forced to lay off employees that work to bring news coverage to 23 countries in Europe and Asia in 27 languages. “This is not the time to cede terrain to the propaganda and censorship of America’s adversaries,” RFE/RL President and CEO Stephen Capus said in a statement. We believe the law is on our side and that the celebration of our demise by despots around the world is premature.” The lawsuit names U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), Victor Morales, the acting USAGM CEO, and Kari Lake, a former television anchor in Arizona who later ran for governor and senator who serves as a senior advisor to Morales, as defendants. The lawsuit came days after President Donald Trump signed an executive order intended to eliminate USAGM. LAWMAKERS FROM STATE WITH MOST FEDERAL WORKERS PER CAPITA WARN AGAINST TRUMP BUYOUT BID Leaders in Europe have warned that Radio Free Europe could struggle to find funding to replace the cuts made by Trump. On Monday, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky urged European Union ministers at a meeting in Brussels to consider ways to allow the Prague-based service to continue. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called Radio Free Europe “a beacon of democracy” and said it was sad that the U.S. had decided to cut its funding, Reuters reported. “Can we come in with our funding to … fill the void that U.S. is leaving? The answer to that question is … not automatically, because we have a lot of organizations who are coming with the same request to us,” she told reporters. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Radio Free Europe began broadcasting in 1950 to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria, all countries that were behind the Iron Curtain. Radio Liberty started broadcasting to the Soviet Union in 1953. Both entities were alternative news sources to the media controlled by the Soviet Union and other communist governments.
Republican Tudor Dixon praises Trump as she eyes 2026 run for governor or Senate in key battleground
Business executive, conservative commentator and 2022 Republican gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon says she’s seriously mulling another run for statewide office in 2026 in her home state of Michigan. But Dixon says she hasn’t decided whether she’ll bid for the Great Lakes battleground state’s open Senate seat or governor’s office. “I want to do the most good for our beloved state. That’s why I’m considering a run for governor or U.S. Senate,” Dixon announced Tuesday in a statement on social media. “Both races present unique opportunities and different ways to benefit Michigan.” Dixon said that she “will decide soon where my experience and talents would most benefit the state we love so dearly.” THIS TOP DEMOCRAT MAKES A MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT IN MICHIGAN’S SENATE RACE In her statement, Dixon praised President Donald Trump, emphasizing that he “is leading the way nationally.” “He is delivering on his promises to secure the border, bring manufacturing jobs home and boost energy independence,” she argued. “I am committed to standing with President Trump to deliver on the America First agenda here in Michigan. THIS REPUBLICAN WAS THE FIRST TO JUMP INTO MICHIGAN’S RACE FOR GOVERNOR Trump’s endorsement of Dixon in the summer of 2022 helped boost her to the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Dixon went on to lose by ten points to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who secured a second term steering Michigan. Whitmer is now term-limited and prevented from running for re-election in 2026. Among the Republicans already in the race are state Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, who announced his bid for governor in January. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson are among the Democrats who’ve already announced. Detroit’s Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan made headlines late last year when he announced his 2026 gubernatorial campaign as an independent. The Senate race will be a battle to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who announced earlier this year that he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2026 to a third six-year term. Former Rep. Mike Rogers announced at the end of January that he was “strongly considering” a second straight Republican run for the Senate in Michigan. ONLY ON FOX: SENATE GOP CAMPAIGN CHAIR REVEALS HOW MANY SEATS HE’S GUNNING FOR IN 2026 Fox News confirmed earlier this month that Rogers is likely to announce his campaign in the coming weeks and that he has hired veteran Republican strategist and Trump’s 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita as a senior advisor. Rogers won the 2024 GOP Senate nomination in Michigan but narrowly lost to Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the Democrats’ nominee, in last November’s election in the race to succeed longtime Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who retired. Slotkin, who vastly outspent Rogers, edged him by roughly 19,000 votes, or a third of a percentage point. Besides Dixon, other Republicans considering a Senate run are Rep. John James – who is in his second term in the House and was the GOP Senate nominee in Michigan in 2018 and 2020 – and longtime Rep. Bill Huizenga. Among Democrats, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, the majority whip in Lansing, is likely to launch a Democratic campaign. McMorrow grabbed national attention in 2022 after delivering a floor speech in the Michigan Senate that was seen as a model for countering GOP attacks. Among the other Democrats who have expressed interest in running are two-term Michigan Attorney General Dana Nesse and Congresswoman Haley Stevens. Pete Buttigieg last week ruled out a Senate run in his adopted home state of Michigan. The move by the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, who served four years as transportation secretary in former President Joe Biden’s administration, appears to clear the path for a potential 2028 White House bid by Buttigieg.
Zelenskyy open to halting strikes on energy but needs details from Trump
NewsFeed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he would support a proposal to stop strikes on energy infrastructure for one month, but he must first learn the details of the offer that emerged during a phone call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Published On 18 Mar 202518 Mar 2025 Adblock test (Why?)
Congolese, Rwandan leaders meet in Qatar, call for ceasefire in eastern DRC
The three countries call for ‘immediate and unconditional ceasefire’ in eastern DRC. Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame have held direct talks for the first time since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in eastern DRC. In a joint statement issued with Qatar, whose emir mediated the talks in Doha, the countries called for an “immediate ceasefire” in eastern DRC. “The Heads of State then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” the statement said. The DRC has accused Rwanda of sending weapons and troops to support the M23 rebels, which Rwanda has denied. The talks came after M23 representatives pulled out of a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola on Tuesday, after the European Union imposed sanctions on some of the group’s senior members, including leader Bertrand Bisimwa. In a statement, M23 said the sanctions “seriously compromise direct dialogue and prevent any advance”. The EU also sanctioned three Rwandan military commanders and the country’s mining agency chief over support for the M23 fighters. Advertisement The conflict in eastern DRC escalated in January when the rebels advanced and seized the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February. M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in the mineral-rich eastern DRC near the border with Rwanda. The conflict has created one of the world’s most significant humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced. The rebels are supported by about 4,000 Rwandan troops, according to United Nations experts. Adblock test (Why?)
Why has Israel shattered the ceasefire in Gaza?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to implement phase two of the ceasefire agreed upon with Hamas. Israel has launched its biggest assault on Gaza since January 19, when a ceasefire was agreed upon between Hamas and Israel. Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed and many more have been forced to flee their homes. Israel says the strikes were ordered due to a lack of progress in talks to extend the ceasefire. The White House has confirmed it was consulted about the attacks before they were carried out. Hamas is calling on Israel to be held responsible for violating the agreement. So, can Netanyahu achieve his goals through war? Presenter: James Bays Guests: Mustafa Barghouti – secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative Scott Lucas – professor of US and international politics at University College Dublin Daniel Levy – president of the US Middle East Project Adblock test (Why?)
Texas bill would ban K-12 students from using cell phones during school hours
If the proposal becomes law, Texas would follow in the footsteps of several Democrat- and Republican-led states that have enacted similar bans.
Fox News Politics Newsletter: Trump Calls for ‘Lunatic’ Judge’s Impeachment
Welcome to the Fox News Politics newsletter, with the latest updates on the Trump administration, Capitol Hill and more Fox News politics content. Here’s what’s happening… -Vance knocks globalization’s ‘cheap labor’ and lauds ‘America’s great industrial comeback’ at AI summit -Thousands of new JFK assassination files set to be released after Trump announcement -Trump, supporters seek to push back against ‘activist’ judges President Donald Trump called for the impeachment of a judge in a Truth Social post on Tuesday, apparently referring to Judge James E. Boasberg, who recently tried to block deportation flights to El Salvador. President Barack Obama appointed Boasberg to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Boasberg became chief judge of the district court in 2023. “This Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge, a troublemaker and agitator who was sadly appointed by Barack Hussein Obama, was not elected President – He didn’t WIN the popular VOTE (by a lot!), he didn’t WIN ALL SEVEN SWING STATES, he didn’t WIN 2,750 to 525 Counties, HE DIDN’T WIN ANYTHING! I WON FOR MANY REASONS, IN AN OVERWHELMING MANDATE, BUT FIGHTING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION MAY HAVE BEEN THE NUMBER ONE REASON FOR THIS HISTORIC VICTORY,” Trump declared in the post…Read more SECOND OPINION: Trump to declassify JFK files: Famed doctor who investigated assassination predicts what Americans could learn ‘ROGUE’: Allowing judges to impede Trump on immigration poses national security threat: expert TRUMP VS COURTS: Trump administration has noon deadline to disclose deportation flights after judge’s order MAGA MANDATE: Vice President JD Vance to play key role with RNC to grow GOP majority in 2026 ‘LEAVE NOW’: Trump tells illegal immigrants to self-deport using CBP Home app in new video ‘LOW-LEVEL’ JUDGES: Who are the federal judges going toe-to-toe against the Trump agenda? ‘MAJOR VICTORY’: Alleged MS-13 leader on FBI most wanted list being extradited to US, Patel says ALL THE ‘RAGE’: Canada ‘rage room’ lets visitors smash Trump, Vance, Musk portraits to release tariff angst MILITARY SHAKE-UP: Ukraine’s Zelenskyy replaces top military official ahead of Trump-Putin call ‘DEATH SENTENCE’: Israeli strikes on Hamas amount to ‘death sentence’ for remaining hostages, terror group says ‘BARBARIC’: Trump’s DOJ to tackle ‘barbaric Hamas terrorists’ with new Oct. 7 task force ‘IN PROGRESS’: Trump now speaking with Russia’s Putin about ending Ukraine war ‘UNCONSTITUTIONAL’: Impeachment articles hit judge who ordered Trump to stop Tren de Aragua deportation flights ‘EXCESSIVE INFLUENCE’: Bipartisan bill seeks to stop pharmacy middlemen from driving up drug costs HIDING THE EVIDENCE: Vanderbilt Med Center ‘hiding’ DEI resources behind password-protected web pages: report ‘UNPRECEDENTED’: Newsom asks for nearly another $3B for state health program overwhelmed by illegal immigrants ‘THAT’S WHAT WE DO’: University doctor boasts about finding loopholes to skirt anti-DEI laws CAMPUS CRAZINESS: Barnard ‘poisoned’ by ‘DEI propaganda,’ says influencer who uncovered anti-Israel sentiment on campus ‘WHACK NUTS’: Sheriff pushes back after blue state leaders sues to stop immigration enforcement ‘PROTECT OUR SOVEREIGNTY’: Pentagon deploys Navy warship that fought Houthis to new US southern border mission in line with Trump order ‘MY PROMISE TO YOU’: Dan Bongino sworn in as FBI deputy director: ‘Critical time for our nation’ ‘CREDIBILITY ON FIRE’: Red state hunts Tren de Aragua terrorists as judges throw up obstacles Get the latest updates on the Trump administration and Congress, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.
Don Jr. campaigns in WI for GOP-backed Supreme Court candidate as early voting begins
National figures across the political aisle are descending on Wisconsin as early voting is underway for the April 1 election, where the race between Waukesha County Circuit Judge Brad Schimel and Dane County Circuit Judge Susan Crawford is heating up and making history as the most expensive judicial race in the country. Donald Trump Jr. headlined a Turning Point Action town hall in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on Monday with Turning Point President and Co-Founder Charlie Kirk. Turning Point Action, a nonprofit focused on electing conservative leaders, launched a “Commit 100” voter turnout operation in Wisconsin to support Schimel’s candidacy, the Republican-backed former Wisconsin attorney general. “We understand that these kind of races that people don’t always hear about, they could tip the scales of the entire future of the Republic. . . . We have to save our court in order to save this great state of Wisconsin,” Kirk told Wisconsin voters on Monday. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) announced on Tuesday a coordinated campaign for Crawford, the Democrat-backed candidate for Wisconsin Supreme Court. The DNC said it will host 12 text and phone banks and deploy thousands of volunteers to deter Elon Musk’s influence on the election. ‘HE CANNOT BUY AN ELECTION HERE IN WISCONSIN’: SANDERS SLAMS MUSK IN STATE TRUMP WON BY LESS THAN 1% “When I went to Wisconsin to knock doors last month, folks told me they don’t want billionaires like Elon Musk running our federal government, and they certainly don’t want him buying our elections,” DNC Chair Ken Martin said in a statement. SOROS-BACKED JUDGE DEFENDS REDUCED SENTENCE FOR REPEAT CHILD MOLESTER AT DEBATE IN STATE SUPREME COURT RACE “After what I heard on the ground, we’re investing earlier than ever before. The best way to curb Elon Musk’s influence is to organize everywhere, win races, and stop him in his tracks. Right-wing billionaire money is allergic to grassroots organizing, which is why Democrats will call more than 2 million Wisconsin voters—hosting 12 text and phone banks and sending thousands of volunteers into action. The DNC is all hands on deck, because Wisconsin is not for sale,” he added. “Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin’s grassroots army has connected with over 300,000 voters since before Thanksgiving – hearing from parents, business owners, and community members alike and their message is clear— Wisconsinites know that radical Susan Crawford would not protect the rule of law, our public safety, or preserve our constitutional rights. AFP-WI remains laser focused on supporting Brad Schimel through April 1st because the future of our state, and our country, depends on it,” Megan Novak, State Director for Americans for Prosperity Wisconsin, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. The group will lead canvassing efforts in the Milwaukee area on Friday. The winner of April’s Supreme Court election will hold the “nonpartisan” position for a 10-year term, dictating the balance of power in Wisconsin that could determine the battleground state’s political trajectory. Due in part to billionaire investments from Musk and George Soros, the race is on track to be the most expensive judicial race in the United States, according to campaign finance reports. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Ben Wikler described the election as an “all-hands-on-deck moment” and framed the election as a competition against Musk himself. “With Wisconsin voters up against the world’s richest man, this is an all-hands-on-deck moment and we’re thrilled to have the support of the DNC in this fight,” Wikler said. “Elections in Wisconsin often come down to a hairsbreadth, and every voter we can turn out to support Judge Susan Crawford and Dr. Jill Underly on April 1 can make the difference between keeping Wisconsin on a path of progress or letting Elon Musk and Donald Trump drag us backwards.” Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., during a stop on his “Fighting Oligarchy” Tour in Altoona, Wisconsin, targeted Musk for donating to the conservative candidate Schimel. Campaign reports reveal Musk’s Building America’s Future and America PAC have spent millions on Schimel’s campaign. The Wisconsin Democratic Party responded with a $2 million donation to Crawford, which included a $1 million donation from Soros. April’s election is expected to shatter the fundraising record set by the 2023 Supreme Court race, when Justice Janet Protasiewicz’s victory secured a 4-3 liberal majority for the Badger State. Schimel and Crawford are competing to replace the liberal-leaning Justice Ann Walsh Bradley. A win for Schimel would give conservatives the majority, while a win for Crawford would maintain the liberal majority. “We remember back in 2023, a couple of years ago, the off-election year, where we should have won that Supreme Court seat, and we didn’t. And now the balance of power is slipping in one direction. And we did not want to be taken by surprise again,” Kirk said on Monday to explain his involvement in the race. “George Soros . . . JB Pritzker and all those other billionaires are spending millions of dollars here,” Gov. Scott Walker, R-Wisc., said at the Turning Point Action town hall. Walker said Democrats have fallen in step with Crawford because “if she’s elected, they’re going to pick up two more seats currently held by Republicans in the House of Representatives from Wisconsin by gerrymandering those seats.” He said that “could be the end of President Trump’s agenda” in Wisconsin. “We cannot let that happen. The court is not for partisanship. The court is the place to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the state. That’s why we need to elect Brad Schimel,” Walker said. “They will redistrict the hell out of this thing,” Trump Jr. added. “They will break every rule imaginable. They will negate everything and say you don’t have standing and say you can’t combat it. We made such incredible gains over the last few years, because people saw exactly what was at stake and got engaged. We cannot take our foot off the gas for one second.” Conservatives urged Wisconsin voters on Monday night to “stay vigilant” despite Republicans winning big on November 5.
Is Trump helping other world leaders gain popularity back home?
From tariffs to the Ukraine war, United States President Donald Trump has picked diplomatic squabbles with leaders worldwide since his January 20 inauguration. However, while Trump has framed his combative approach as putting “America first”, many of these leaders have benefitted politically, too. Data suggests that leaders who are seen to be proactively negotiating with Trump without compromising too much are gaining in polls and in terms of approval ratings. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum is enjoying the highest approval rating of any Mexican head of state since 1985. Canada’s ruling Liberal Party has closed a wide gap with the opposition Conservative Party, which has been leading in polls ahead of national elections. And they are not the only ones. But to what extent are these poll gains because of how these leaders are dealing with Trump? Are other factors at play? Here is what the numbers look like, and what analysts think might be going on. Canada and Justin Trudeau Prime minister since 2015, Canada’s Justin Trudeau stepped down on March 9 to make way for economist Mark Carney – also from his Liberal Party – who was sworn in as the PM of Canada last Friday. Advertisement Trudeau had been under mounting pressure to resign for months before he finally quit, amid rising costs of living, increasing intraparty fights, resignations from his cabinet and questions about his immigration policies. That pressure only grew as Trump threatened hefty tariffs against Canada after he was elected. Trudeau’s longtime deputy and finance minister Chrystia Freeland resigned in mid-December 2024 amid disagreements over how to deal with Trump. Trudeau initially didn’t respond to a series of barbs from Trump, who repeatedly said that he wanted Canada as the 51st state of the US and referred to the Canadian PM mockingly as “governor”. Instead, as Trump accused Canada of allowing fentanyl to enter the US through their border, Trudeau appointed a “fentanyl czar” to tackle the issue. But as Trump – after deferring tariffs on Canada for a month – eventually carried out his threat against most Canadian exports to the US early in March, Trudeau took a more firm, public position. “Canadians are reasonable, and we are polite. But we will not back down from a fight. Not when our country and the wellbeing of everyone in it is at stake,” Trudeau said on March 4. What do Canadian federal polls show? Several polls show that while Conservatives under their leader, Pierre Poilievre, were consistently leading by a considerable margin throughout 2024, the Liberal Party jumped up in the polls starting from February 2025 and significantly closed the gap. Averages of polls by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) show that the Conservatives were leading the Liberals by 24 percentage points in early January. Now that gap has shrunk to just 5.5 percentage points as of March 17, with the Conservatives at 38.9 percent support, and Liberals at 33.4 percent. Advertisement “In Canadian polling history, at least in this century, it is the first time I’ve ever seen this. To come back from a 25-point deficit is very unheard of, especially for a government that’s been in power for almost a decade,” Philippe J Fournier, analyst and creator of electoral projection model and website 338Canada, told Al Jazeera. What explains this? The Liberals closing such a major gap in the polls can be explained by a combination of factors, experts say. The factors include “Justin Trudeau’s departure, the arrival of Mark Carney, the tariff attacks by Donald Trump and discomfort with Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre,” Darrell Bricker, CEO of public affairs at research agency Ipsos, told Al Jazeera. Fournier of 338Canada explained that many Canadian parliamentarians were pressuring Trudeau to step down for months. “When [Trudeau] finally announced that he would resign in early January, the tension eased. Then, Trump got inaugurated and right away, started his threat of tariffs. “More than tariffs, it was the threat to Canada’s sovereignty,” Fournier said, referring to Trump’s calls for Canada to become a part of the US. Fournier also argued that Poilievre’s approach to politics – and similarities some voters have noted with Trump’s style – could be working against him. “Poilievre is using the same style and the same language and the same tactics as Trump,” Fournier said. “With Trump threatening Canada, many swing voters are looking towards the conservative leader and thinking ‘Is that the direction we want this country to be in?’ Advertisement He added that it is not just Conservative voters who are switching sides, but also voters who would typically vote for other parties. “Carney seems to be able to reach people from across the spectrum,” he said. Mexico and Claudia Sheinbaum Sheinbaum was sworn in on October 1, 2024, as the first female president of Mexico, taking over from predecessor and mentor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. As a response to Trump’s tariff threats, Sheinbaum deployed 10,000 National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border to help curb unregulated immigration. Trump had initially ordered that 25 percent tariffs be imposed on all Mexican and Canadian imports, but these were delayed for a month amid negotiations with Sheinbaum and Trudeau. Days before the tariffs were to be finally imposed, Trump announced further delays on several products from Mexico, and some from Canada, until April 2. These were products that fell under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a free-trade agreement. Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he had made this decision after speaking with Sheinbaum and “out of respect” for her. What do Sheinbaum’s approval ratings show? Data from different pollsters in Mexico shows that Sheinbaum has enjoyed high approval ratings since her inauguration. The Buendia y Marquez polls show that 80 percent of respondents approved of their president in mid-February. Polls by Mexican national daily newspaper El Financiero show that 85 percent of respondents approved of Sheinbaum in February. This is the highest approval rating achieved in the country in the last 30 years, El Fiannciero reported. Sheinbaum’s approval ratings
Ukraine presses for unconditional ceasefire ahead of Trump-Putin talks
Ukraine’s foreign minister says it is time for Russia to show it ‘wants peace’ as US, Russian leaders set to discuss ceasefire proposal. Ukraine has pressed Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire ahead of a highly anticipated phone call in which United States President Donald Trump is set to discuss the war with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. Kyiv and its European allies are demanding that Putin agree to an unconditional US-proposed 30-day ceasefire during the call, which is scheduled to take place later on Tuesday, according to the Kremlin. “We expect the Russian side to unconditionally agree to this proposal,” said Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha ahead of the meeting. “It is time for Russia to show whether it really wants peace.” Trump said on Monday that Washington and Moscow had already discussed “dividing up certain assets” – including territory and power plants – between Ukraine and Russia as part of the ceasefire deal. In the run-up to talks, the Semafor news website published a report that cited two sources saying the Trump administration was considering recognising Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, as Russian territory. Advertisement The Kremlin has repeatedly said that Crimea, where Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based and where the pre-annexation population was mostly Russian speakers, is already formally part of Russia. Kyiv has said it wants the Black Sea peninsula – internationally recognised as Ukrainian territory by most countries – back. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Putin does not want peace, accusing him of continuing “to drag out this war” in a bid to better the country’s military position ahead of any halt in fighting. Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday that Trump and Putin will discuss the war in Ukraine but added that there are also a “large number of questions” regarding the normalisation of US-Russia relations. Nuclear plant US Secretary of State Marco Rubio persuaded senior Ukrainian officials during talks in Saudi Arabia to agree to the ceasefire framework. In preparation for the Trump-Putin call, White House special envoy Steve Witkoff met last week with Putin in Moscow to discuss the proposal. He suggested that US and Russian officials had discussed the fate of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine. The plant, caught in the crossfire since Moscow seized it after invading Ukraine in 2022, is a significant asset, producing nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s electricity in the year before the war. Trump claimed on Monday that Russian forces had “surrounded” Ukrainian troops who took control of 1,300 square kilometres (500 square miles) of Russia’s Kursk region last year. Advertisement Zelenskyy has acknowledged that the Ukrainian forces are facing difficulties there, but refutes Russian claims that they have encircled his troops. Adblock test (Why?)