Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have agreed to the framework of a ceasefire deal with Ukraine proposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump. However, the Russian leader stopped short of confirming that he accepts the terms of the U.S.-brokered plan as written and recently agreed to by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The comments from Putin, made during a Thursday press conference with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, mark significant progress in Trump’s efforts to end the three-year-long conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Russian officials had until recently refused to acknowledge Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and, as early as Thursday morning, had flatly dismissed the American-negotiated ceasefire deal.
“We agree with the proposals for the ceasefire, but our position is based on the assumption that the ceasefire would lead to a long-term peace. Something that would remove the initial reasons for the crisis,” Putin said. The Russian president added that he would discuss the proposal further with U.S. negotiators and perhaps speak over the phone with President Trump about the plan.
Earlier on Thursday, the Russian government’s negotiator, Yuri Ushakov, appeared to reject the ceasefire proposal outright in off-the-cuff comments made to Russian media. However, an overnight move by President Trump’s Treasury Department to cut off all Russian oil sales to the European Union allowed under a sanctions exemption issued by the former Biden government may have pushed Putin to reverse course.
Putin specifically cited the issue of restoring Russian oil and gas sales to European nations during the press conference on Thursday.
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🚨 #BREAKING: Russia agrees with the temporary ceasefire in Ukraine after Trump sent Rubio and Witkoff to help broker it.
This is the Art of the Deal in action! And COUNTLESS lives will be saved.
Putin thanked President Trump for his efforts, and says he wants to speak with him… pic.twitter.com/OgjgUG42zH
Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have agreed to the framework of a ceasefire deal with Ukraine proposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump. However, the Russian leader stopped short of confirming that he accepts the terms of the U.S.-brokered plan as written and recently agreed to by Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Hungary’s intention to hold a referendum on Ukraine’s potential membership in the European Union (EU). Orbán revealed this plan during discussions in Brussels following a summit with EU leaders. He emphasized the importance of involving the public in such critical decisions rather than allowing decisions to be made solely at the governmental level.
The summit, which included representatives from every EU member state, had initially aimed to issue a unified declaration of continued military support for Ukraine amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia. However, Hungary’s veto, led by Orbán, blocked the statement, as unanimous consent from all EU nations is required for such declarations.
“Twenty-six out of twenty-seven member states argued that Ukraine should continue the war,” Orban stated following the summit before continuing: “Hungary remained on the side of peace.”
The Hungarian leader added that the EU should alternatively “support the President of the United States with the greatest possible strength and energy in order to ensure the success of peace negotiations.”
Since 2010, Orbán’s government has frequently used referendums to gauge public opinion on significant issues. In 2016, a referendum was conducted regarding Hungary’s acceptance of EU migrant quotas, with a majority opposing the policy.
Orbán highlighted that Hungary stands out within the EU for consulting its citizens directly on major issues through referendums. Despite the non-binding nature of these public votes, they provide insight into public opinion and support for government policies.
A long-time ally of President Donald J. Trump, Prime Minister Orbán has also worked toward achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced Hungary's intention to hold a referendum on Ukraine's potential membership in the European Union (EU). Orbán revealed this plan during discussions in Brussels following a summit with EU leaders. He emphasized the importance of involving the public in such critical decisions rather than allowing decisions to be made solely at the governmental level.
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Ukrainian officials have indicated a willingness to enter a preliminary 30-day ceasefire with Russia, as conveyed in discussions with U.S. representatives in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. According to a joint statement from the U.S. Department of State and Ukrainian officials, Ukraine is open to the U.S. proposal for an immediate ceasefire, which could be extended by both parties if agreed upon and implemented simultaneously by Russia.
The U.S. plans to communicate to Russia the importance of reciprocal actions in working towards peace. Concurrently, the U.S. has announced it will resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine, following these diplomatic talks.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Ukraine’s readiness for a ceasefire as a “concrete step” and expressed optimism that Russia might respond similarly. Russia has not yet provided an affirmative response regarding the ceasefire.
Analysts suggest that Russia may seek significant concessions before considering such an agreement, as Russian forces have recently achieved advances in the Kursk region, which borders Ukraine. Russian progress has also been noted in Zaporizhzhia and the Donbas areas in recent days, with expectations of a larger offensive potentially unfolding in the spring.
Ukraine has reportedly targeted an oil refinery near Moscow and a facility linked to the Druzhba pipeline in Russia’s Oryol region. The nation’s military also engaged in a significant drone assault on Moscow, Ukraine’s largest attack on the city, which has resulted in multiple casualties and airport closures.
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Ukrainian officials have indicated a willingness to enter a preliminary 30-day ceasefire with Russia, as conveyed in discussions with U.S. representatives in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. According to a joint statement from the U.S. Department of State and Ukrainian officials, Ukraine is open to the U.S. proposal for an immediate ceasefire, which could be extended by both parties if agreed upon and implemented simultaneously by Russia.
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Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused the United Kingdom of attempting to instigate a global conflict, aligning with historical claims that Britain has manipulated global events for its own benefit. The SVR statement, utilizing the pejorative phrase “Perfidious Albion,” accuses the UK of undermining efforts by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to promote peace in Europe, particularly in relation to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The allegations emerge as the UK observes Commonwealth Day and follows the expulsion of two British diplomats from Moscow. Russia claims these diplomats engaged in espionage under the cover of the British embassy. Meanwhile, peacediscussions involving the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine are proceeding in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Russia’s intelligence agency contends that the UK is threatened by increasing dialogue between Washington and Moscow, fearing it could disrupt British objectives aimed at isolating Russia. According to the SVR, the UK is working to sabotage President Trump’s peace initiatives, and British media and NGOs have been implicated in efforts to portray Trump negatively.
Moscow’s use of “Perfidious Albion,” a narrative once employed by German wartime propaganda, seems to be intended for both domestic reassurance and international impact. Russia’s rhetoric frames the UK as historically responsible for previous global conflicts and suggests that it is on the path to triggering another majorwar.
In a conclusion that appeared to simultaneously warn and accuse Britain, the SVR stated that the current approach mirrors actions taken by the UK before the two world wars, reiterating the accusation that Britain seeks to provoke conflict while remaining insulated.
The National Pulse has previously reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin alleges former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson sabotaged peace talks with Ukraine in late 2022. Putin’s allegation confirms reporting by The National Pulse’s Editor-in-Chief, Raheem Kassam, that Johnson’s intervention scuttled the negotiations.
Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused the United Kingdom of attempting to instigate a global conflict, aligning with historical claims that Britain has manipulated global events for its own benefit. The SVR statement, utilizing the pejorative phrase "Perfidious Albion," accuses the UK of undermining efforts by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to promote peace in Europe, particularly in relation to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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The new Islamist regime in Syria’s genocide of the country’s ancient and indigenous Christian population is a direct result of long-standing United States foreign policy in the Middle East. While U.S. government officials insisted the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December last year would not result in reprisals against Syrian Christians and other minority groups, including the Alawite Muslim sect to which Assad belonged, over 1,000 religious and ethnic minorities have been killed since late last week.
According to human rights observers, Christians, Alawites, and other minorities have been targeted by Syria’s Islamist government security forces as they also clash with pro-Assad fighters in coastal enclaves. During her Senate confirmation hearing earlier this year, President Donald J. Trump‘s Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, warned that the United States’s decade-long policy of backing al-Qaeda-aligned forces against the Assad regime could embolden the Islamist fighters to carry out genocidal attacks against Syria’s Christians and other minorities once they were in power.
“I have no love for Assad or any dictator. I just hate al-Qaeda. I hate that our leaders cozy up to Islamist extremists, calling them ‘rebels’, as Jake Sullivan said to Hillary Clinton, ‘al Qaeda is on our side in Syria,'” Gabbard said. She added: “Syria is now controlled by al-Qaeda offshoot HTS, led by an Islamist Jihadist who danced in the streets on 9/11, and who was responsible for the killing of many American soldiers.”
LEGACY OF THE IRAQ WAR.
Since the 2003 invasion of Iraq under former President George W. Bush, the United States has funneled weapons and provided military training for several Islamic extremist organizations aligned against Iraq’s late dictator, Saddam Hussein, Syria’s Assad, and the Islamic Republic of Iran. While American government officials were aware of the extremist nature of the Islamist groups, they were viewed as useful assets in undermining Iranian-aligned forces.
In Iraq, the United States’s policy of aggressive de-Bathification resulted in thousands of Sunni Muslim soldiers and government workers being forced into unemployment. Subsequently, these Sunni Muslim men flocked to the Islamic State group (ISIS), and in 2014, ISIS overran the cities of Fallujah and Mosul—effectively capturing a large swath of northern Iraq. However, during his first term in the White House, President Donald J. Trump effectively ended ISIS’s presence in Iraq—culminating in the 2019 death of the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
REGIME CHANGE IN SYRIA.
Meanwhile, following the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, the United States actively backed the Free Syrian Army (FSA)—a decentralized coalition of rebel groups that included Islamist forces associated with al-Qaeda. U.S. policy in Syria culminated in the shocking December 2024 overthrow of Bashar al-Assad with Abu Mohammad al-Julani—leader of the al-Qaeda franchise Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly al-Nusra—declaring himself the country’s interim President.
While al-Julani initially claimed he would ensure the protection of Syrian Christians and other minority groups, that pledge appears to have been entirely discarded. Human rights groups dedicated to protecting the Middle East’s Christian minorities contend that al-Julani’s security forces are using the clashes with pro-Assad forces as cover to carry out a genocidal campaign and have wiped out numerous Christian villages. Even more troubling is that the weapons being used to carry out the religious and ethnic genocide may have been—at least in part—provided by the U.S. government.
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The new Islamist regime in Syria's genocide of the country's ancient and indigenous Christian population is a direct result of long-standing United States foreign policy in the Middle East. While U.S. government officials insisted the ouster of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad in December last year would not result in reprisals against Syrian Christians and other minority groups, including the Alawite Muslim sect to which Assad belonged, over 1,000 religious and ethnic minorities have been killed since late last week.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued an apology to U.S. President Donald J. Trump following a heated exchange in the Oval Office, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff disclosed on Monday that Zelensky had sent a letter expressing regret over the incident. Although Trump mentioned receiving a letter from Zelensky during his recent address to Congress, he did not acknowledge any apology. A spokesman for Zelensky had previously indicated that there would be no apology from the Ukrainian leader.
The confrontation in the Oval Office involved Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Zelensky, focusing on Zelensky’s skepticism of diplomatic talks with Russia and Vladimir Putin. This encounter led to Zelensky’s abrupt departure, interrupting discussions about a mineral agreement that was pending between the two nations. As a result, U.S. intelligence sharing and military support for Ukraine were temporarily halted, a decision confirmed by CIA Director John Ratcliffe.
Despite these tensions, efforts are underway to revive peace negotiations concerning the conflict in Ukraine triggered by Russia’s invasion. U.S. and Ukrainian delegates are scheduled to convene in Saudi Arabia starting Tuesday to work towards a resolution. Trump has expressed interest in resuming support for Ukraine, contingent upon their commitment to pursuing peace.
Witkoff has been actively involved in mediating the cessation of hostilities, although his primary role is as a special envoy to the Middle East. He suggested that progress has been made with Russia and expressed optimism for future talks with Ukraine. President Trump emphasized the need for Ukraine to display a genuine commitment to peace, noting that the mineral agreement alone would not suffice to restart support from the U.S.
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued an apology to U.S. President Donald J. Trump following a heated exchange in the Oval Office, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff. Witkoff disclosed on Monday that Zelensky had sent a letter expressing regret over the incident. Although Trump mentioned receiving a letter from Zelensky during his recent address to Congress, he did not acknowledge any apology. A spokesman for Zelensky had previously indicated that there would be no apology from the Ukrainian leader.
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President Donald J. Trump is threatening to place new sanctions on Russia, with a focus on the country’s banking industry, unless it agrees a ceasefire and long-term peace agreement with Ukraine. In a post on Truth Social on Friday, the U.S. President warned Russian and Ukrainian leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky that they needed to begin talks as soon as possible.
“Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely ‘pounding’ Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED,” President Trumpwrote in his post, adding: “To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!”
The United States has already imposed sanctions on most of the Russian economy. However, a series of exceptions implemented by former President Joe Biden and Russia’s use of third parties to access global markets have dramatically weakened the economic restrictions. President Trump could choose to enact sanctions similar to those he has implemented against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which impact companies and countries doing business with the Middle East pariah state, not just the Iranians themselves.
A move towards Iranian-style sanctions could devastate the Russian economy, which is already experiencing some turbulence as it becomes more dependent on the likes of China and North Korea as commerce partners. Some analysts believe that Russia is realizing that access to Western markets is necessary for its economic survival, which could explain the timing of President Trump’s sanction threat.
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President Donald J. Trump is threatening to place new sanctions on Russia, with a focus on the country's banking industry, unless it agrees a ceasefire and long-term peace agreement with Ukraine. In a post on Truth Social on Friday, the U.S. President warned Russian and Ukrainian leaders Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky that they needed to begin talks as soon as possible.
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One of Ukraine’s top diplomats is attacking President Donald J. Trump and his administration, claiming Trump may destroy the NATO military alliance. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, suggested the Trump administration could undermine the alleged international rules-based order.
Speaking at a conference hosted by the Chatham House think tank, Zaluzhnyi remarked that the United States’ approach may destabilize NATO, positioning Europe as a possible target for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Additionally, Zaluzhnyi claimed that the U.S. is inadvertently aiding in the deconstruction of the current world order by engaging in negotiations with Russia, a nation he described as being “headed by a war criminal.”
The ambassador assumed his diplomatic role in London in 2024 after President Volodymyr Zelensky fired him as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces. Consequently, his firing came after an alleged conflict with Zelensky over the military draft.
The comments come after President Zelensky’s disrespectful behavior in the Oval Office, in which he started a row with Vice President J.D. Vance in front of the media. After getting kicked out of the White House, Zelensky folded, saying he was ready to work “under” President Trump.
Aid from the U.S. to Ukraine has been paused following the White House row, including a halt to intelligence sharing with Russia and cyber operations against Russia.
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One of Ukraine's top diplomats is attacking President Donald J. Trump and his administration, claiming Trump may destroy the NATO military alliance. Ukraine's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, suggested the Trump administration could undermine the alleged international rules-based order.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky’s decision to submit to President Donald J. Trump suggests the Ukrainian leader has “run out of political road,” according to the BBC, which typically cheerleads for him while attempting to undermine the American leader. Following a confrontation with President Trump in the Oval Office—resulting from Zelensky starting a row with Vice President J.D. Vance in front of the press—a pause in U.S. aid for Ukraine was announced. Within hours, Zelensky issued a statement pledging, “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
“Washington’s hostile rhetoric, that Oval Office meeting and the ‘pausing’ of US military aid have forced him to bend to Trump’s peace vision,” the state-backed broadcaster argues. It notes that, while European leaders largely backed Zelensky following his White House showdown, with Britain and France even pledging peacekeeping troops, “made clear peace would still require US involvement.”
Most European NATO members have allowed their militaries to shrivel—with President Trump frequently accusing them of being “delinquent” on their alliance defense spending obligations—preferring to spend their money on migrants, net zero policies, and expansive welfare programs instead.
“[W]ith his European allies acknowledging that they still need the US, Washington seems still to be the only place for him to turn to,” the BBC notes.
Zelensky is already compromising by agreeing to sign a deal with the U.S. on rare earth minerals exploration without security assurances. Until now, The Ukrainian leader had been refusing to countenance a ceasefire and certain deals without so-called security guarantees—effectively a promise from the U.S. to go to war with Russia if a ceasefire is broken.
President Trump has made it clear to Zelensky that he is “in no position to dictate” terms to the U.S.
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President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to submit to President Donald J. Trump suggests the Ukrainian leader has "run out of political road," according to the BBC, which typically cheerleads for him while attempting to undermine the American leader. Following a confrontation with President Trump in the Oval Office—resulting from Zelensky starting a row with Vice President J.D. Vance in front of the press—a pause in U.S. aid for Ukraine was announced. Within hours, Zelensky issued a statement pledging, “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”
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The Trump administration and the Ukrainian government are poised to finalize a long-debated minerals deal, despite a tumultuous Oval Office meeting on Friday that led to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being dismissed from the White House before it could be signed.
Three sources report that President Donald J. Trump has instructed his advisers to prepare an announcement of the agreement during his address to Congress on Tuesday evening. However, they cautioned that the deal remains unsigned and subject to change.
The minerals deal, which grants the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine’s natural resources while requiring the Ukrainian government to contribute 50 percent of future monetization of state-owned resources to a U.S.-Ukraine reconstruction fund, was halted last Friday after Zelensky started an argument with Vice President J.D. Vance in the Oval Office. President Trump soon was drawn into the confrontation. Following the row, President Trump said he believes U.S. support is emboldening Zelensky to refuse peace negotiations, and he announced a pause in aid.
Within hours, Zelensky appeared to fold under this pressure, posting a statement on social media pledging, “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.” He added that he was “ready to sign [the minerals deal] in any time and in any convenient format.”
On Monday, Trump signaled his administration’s willingness to proceed with the minerals deal, but he told reporters, “Ukraine should be more appreciative. This country has stuck with them through thick and thin. We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us.”
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The Trump administration and the Ukrainian government are poised to finalize a long-debated minerals deal, despite a tumultuous Oval Office meeting on Friday that led to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky being dismissed from the White House before it could be signed.
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