Trump slams McConnell for voting against RFK Jr.

President Donald Trump has attacked Senator Mitch McConnell's mental and political fitness after the former Senate Republican leader voted against his pick for health secretary.

McConnell was the sole Republican to vote "no" in the Senate confirmation hearing for Robert F. Kennedy today, citing RFK's skepticism and criticism of vaccines. Kennedy was confirmed in a contentious 52-48 Senate vote.

Trump told reporters today that, "he's not voting against Bob, he's voting against me."

"I feel sorry for Mitch, and I was one of the people that led, he wanted to go to the end, and he wanted to stay leader. He's not equipped mentally. He wasn't equipped 10 years ago, mentally, in my opinion," Trump said.

"He let the Republican Party go to hell. If I didn't come along, the Republican Party wouldn't even exist right now. Mitch McConnell never really had it."

McConnell also voted against Tulsi Gabbard's nomination as the director of national intelligence.

Judge blocks Trump's birthright order warning of 'permanent scars'

A judge has ruled in favor of plaintiffs challenging President Donald Trump's birthright citizenship executive order, effectively blocking it citing the "very likely" risk of leaving "permanent scars" on families.

The 14th Amendment grants U.S. citizenship to those born on U.S. soil and was adopted in 1868. Trump challenged this in his executive order saying in part that, "the Fourteenth Amendment has never been interpreted to extend citizenship universally to everyone born within the United States. The Fourteenth Amendment has always excluded from birthright citizenship persons who were born in the United States but not 'subject to the jurisdiction thereof.'"

After Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025, he issued an executive order called "Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship" where he said his policy would not recognize U.S. citizenship to those born in the country if their mother "was unlawfully present in the United States and the person's father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident."

The order also says the U.S. would not issue documentation of citizenship if "that person's mother's presence in the United States was lawful but temporary, and the person's father was not a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident" at the time of birth.

Read in full from Anna Commander on Newsweek.

Judge blocks Trump's order restricting gender-affirming care for trans youth

A federal judge in Baltimore has temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order restricting gender-affirming health care for transgender teens.

Judge Brendan Hurson, who was nominated by Joe Biden, said in his ruling that Trump's order "seems to deny that this population even exists, or deserves to exist."

Hurson issued his temporary restraining order after reviewing a lawsuit from six transgender or nonbinary youths, between the ages of 12 and 18, as well as parents and activist groups, AP reports.

OPINION: Born Privilege—Musk's white pass Trumps Obama's birth certificate

In Donald Trump's America, a Hawaiian-born Black man elected by millions is an eternal suspect. A South African-born white billionaire nobody voted for, however, is handed the keys to the White House. This perverse inversion unmasks MAGA's racial calculus, where "Americanness" is measured in shades of white, not ballots cast.

During Barack Obama's presidency, Trump was one of the loudest voices fueling the "birther" conspiracy theory, falsely claiming Obama wasn't born in the United States. In 2012, Trump tweeted: "An 'extremely credible source' has called my office and told me that Barack Obama's birth certificate is a fraud." This unfounded allegation persisted despite clear evidence, compelling Obama to take the unprecedented step of releasing his long-form birth certificate.

Now, in an ironic twist that would be comical if it weren't so alarming, Trump has empowered Elon Musk—a man actually born in Africa—with significant control over government operations. As Mohamad Safa, a diplomat and representative at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, pointed out on X (formerly Twitter), "Trump insisted that Obama was born in Africa and now has a guy who's literally born in Africa running everything."

Read in full from Alexis Coe, Presidential Historian, on Newsweek.

Manhattan attorney resigns after DOJ orders her to drop Eric Adams case

Republican Manhattan attorney Danielle Sassoon has resigned after she was ordered to drop the corruption case into New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

Adams, who a recent Trump ally, has denied claims he accepted illegal campaign contributions and bribes of heavily discounted or free travel.

Sassoon, the interim US attorney for the Southern District of New York, had refused to drop the corruption charges against the mayor, and today she offered her resignation.

It is not clear who is set to replace her.

Elon Musk given warning over DOGE cuts to education: 'Devastating impact'

Under Elon Musk's leadership, the Trump Administration's new Department of Government Efficiency—or DOGE for short—is slashing federal spending across the board, and the Department of Education took a hefty chop in recent days.

On February 11, DOGE announced it had terminated 89 contracts with the Department of Education worth $881 million as part of its mission to tackle what it identifies as either waste or fraud in government spending. DOGE cited a contractor "paid $1.5mm to 'observe mailing and clerical operations' at a mail center."

It followed a separate announcement the same day by DOGE that it had ended 29 "DEI training grants" worth $101 million. DEI stands for diversity, equity, and inclusion, and is a label for efforts targeted at helping marginalized or underrepresented groups.

"When not wasting money on bureaucracy, the Department of Education has been funding anti-Americanism, gender nonsense and anti-meritocratic racism," Musk wrote in a post on his social media platform, X.

Read in full from Shane Croucher on Newsweek.

Judge extends pause on cuts to USAID

A court order blocking the Trump administration and DOGE's cuts to USAID has been extended by another week.

U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols heard today how the cuts would have put thousands of U.S. employees around the world on leave, and would have frozen all foreign aid.

Nichols asked lawyers from the Justice Department what the government was doing to keep employees on leave safe in high-risk areas abroad.

When they couldn't answer, he requested they file court documents after the hearing.

Nichols issued a week-long extension to the pause and said he plans to issue a written ruling in the next few days to decide if the USAID cuts should be blocked permanently.

Donald Trump still wants Russia back in G7

President Donald Trump said Thursday that he wants Russia to be invited back to join the Group of Seven (G7) major economies.

The G7 countries are Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom. These economies dominate global trade. Russia was a member of the "G8" until 2014 when it was expelled from the group in response to its annexation of Crimea, part of Ukraine.

Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin would "love to be back" in the group and that the country "should be sitting at the table."

"I'd love to have them back. I think it was a mistake to throw them out. Look, it's not a question of liking Russia or not liking Russia. It was the G8," Trump said at the White House when he announced new U.S. reciprocal tariffs.

Read in full from Monica Sager on Newsweek.

Trump says tariffs may lead to prices going up for Americans in the short term

President Trump said today that his tariffs on U.S. trade allies could lead to increased prices for Americans, at least in the short term.

"I think what's going to go up is jobs are going to go up, and prices could go up somewhat short-term, but prices will also go down," he said in the Oval Office today, after announcing he was imposing reciprocal tariffs on countries across the globe.

"And I think the farmers are going to be helped by this very much, because product is being dumped into our country, and our farmers are getting hurt very badly by the last administration," he said.

Farmers have raised concerns that they will be hit twice by recent Trump orders; both from his mass deportations and the tariffs on agricultural exports.

Donald Trump reacts to rising US prices after announcing reciprocal tariffs

President Donald Trump said Thursday that prices of some goods could go up in the short term after rolling out reciprocal tariffs, his plan to increase U.S. tariffs to match the tax rates that other countries charge on imports.

Trump's Republican administration has maintained that its new tariffs are intended to level the playing field for U.S. and foreign manufacturers. However, under current law, these tariffs would likely be paid by American consumers and businesses, either directly or through increased prices.

Before the announcement, food prices saw an upward trend this month, with several key grocery items experiencing noticeable increases.

Trump was asked after the announcement, "who do you think voters should hold responsible?" if prices of goods increase at U.S. shops and stores.

"I think what's going to go up is ... jobs are going to go up and prices could go up somewhat short term, but prices will also go down. I think the farmers will be helped by this very much."

He also said during Thursday's press conference, "This [reciprocal tariffs] is something that should've been done years ago," Trump said. "Ultimately, prices will stay the same or go down, but we're going to have a very dynamic country."

Trump wants to restart denuclearization talks with Russia and China

President Donald Trump announced today he wants to restart denuclearization talks with Russia and China.

In a press conference at the White House Thursday, Trump told reporters that he wanted China, Russia and the United States to dramatically cut back their defense spending once the wars in Ukraine and Gaza had settled.

"When we straighten it all out, then I want to one of the first meetings I want to have is with President Xi of China, President Putin of Russia. And I want to say, let's cut our military budget in half," Trump told reporters at the White House.

The announcement is a dramatic about-turn for a Republican president.

For decades, the Republicans have supported bigger and bigger military spending and defense posturing.

FBI director pick Kash Patel advances for full Senate vote

Kash Patel's nomination as FBI director has advanced to the Senate floor, despite Democrat concerns.

Patel is widely considered one of Trump's most controversial nominees, given his criticism of the FBI's investigation into the Trump-Russia scandal, which involved allegations that Donald Trump's 2016 campaign coordinated with Russia's efforts to interfere in the election, leading to a major FBI investigation and Special Counsel Robert Mueller's probe, which found Russian meddling but no proven criminal conspiracy.

If confirmed, he would lead the agency tasked with countering Russian espionage, despite recently accepting money from a Kremlin-linked figure.

Patel has denied creating an "enemies list" amid concerns he would use his role for retribution against Trump's enemies.

Full list of Republicans, Democrats who voted against RFK Jr.'s nomination

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Thursday was confirmed as the secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) following a contentious 52-48 Senate vote that saw unanimous Democratic opposition and a rare Republican dissent from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

All 45 Democratic senators, two independents who caucus with the Democrats and one Republican (McConnell) voted against Kennedy's confirmation.

Republicans:

• Mitch McConnell, Kentucky

Democrats:

• Angela Alsobrooks, Maryland
• Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin
• Michael Bennet, Colorado
• Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut
• Lisa Blunt Rochester, Delaware
• Cory Booker, New Jersey
• Maria Cantwell, Washington
• Christopher Coons, Delaware
• Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevada
• Tammy Duckworth, Illinois
• Richard Durbin, Illinois
• John Fetterman, Pennsylvania
• Ruben Gallego, Arizona
• Kirsten Gillibrand, New York
• Margaret Hassan, New Hampshire
• Martin Heinrich, New Mexico
• John Hickenlooper, Colorado
• Mazie Hirono, Hawaii
• Timothy Kaine, Virginia
• Mark Kelly, Arizona
• Andy Kim, New Jersey
• Angus King, Maine
• Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota
• Ben Ray Luján, New Mexico
• Edward Markey, Massachusetts
• Jeff Merkley, Oregon
• Christopher Murphy, Connecticut
• Patty Murray, Washington
• Jon Ossoff, Georgia
• Alejandro Padilla, California
• Gary Peters, Michigan
• John Reed, Rhode Island
• Jacky Rosen, Nevada
• Bernie Sanders, Vermont
• Brian Schatz, Hawaii
• Adam Schiff, California
• Chuck Schumer, New York
• Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire
• Elissa Slotkin, Michigan
• Tina Smith, Minnesota
• Chris Van Hollen, Maryland
• Mark Warner, Virginia
• Raphael Warnock, Georgia
• Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts
• Peter Welch, Vermont
• Sheldon Whitehouse, Rhode Island
• Ron Wyden, Oregon

McConnell defends his 'no' vote on RFK

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, was the Republican to vote "no" to confirming Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s' as health secretary.

"I'm a survivor of childhood polio. In my lifetime, I've watched vaccines save millions of lives from devastating diseases across America and around the world," he said in a statement.

"I will not condone the re-litigation of proven cures, and neither will millions of Americans who credit their survival and quality of life to scientific miracles."

Kennedy is a noted vaccine skeptic whose nonprofit has sued multiple vaccine makers.

However, the rest of the GOP Senate threw their support behind Kennedy and his promise to Make America Healthy Again.

"We've got to get into the business of making America healthy again," said Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho.

Trump signs plan to hike tariffs on trading partners

President Trump has signed a plan to hike tariffs on trading partners.

"I have decided for purposes of fairness that I will charge a reciprocal tariff," Trump said, while signing an order in the Oval Office.

"We will charge them no more, no less. In other words, they charge us a tax or tariff, and we charge them the exact same tax or tariff. Very simple."

The move could potentially trigger a global economic standoff.

Brooke Rollins is confirmed as Trump's secretary of agriculture amid tariffs battle

Conservative lawyer Brooke Rollins has been confirmed as Donald Trump's new secretary of agriculture.

Her appointment comes at a key time as Trump's mass deportation plans, and his tariffs on allies and competitors alike, are set to impact farmers.

Rollins, Trump's former chief for domestic policy in his first term, was confirmed by the Senate in a 72-28 vote.

In her confirmation hearing on Thursday, Rollins acknowledged that Trump's mass deportations could lead to farm labor shortages as many farmers, such as those who grow apples, rely on migrant labor.

But Rollins, former CEO of the America First Policy Institute, said she supports the president's crackdown on immigration, and would work with him while also trying to support farmers.

"The president's vision of a secure border and a mass deportation at a scale that matters is something I support," Rollins said.

She was also pressed, during the confirmation hearing, on how Trump's tariffs could affect agricultural exports. Trump has imposed 25% tariffs on America's closest trading allies, Mexico and Canada, although these have temporarily been paused, and another 10% tariff on China. He is set to announce reciprocal tariffs today on all nations that have tariffs on U.S. imports.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., the ranking member of the agriculture committee, asked Rollins if she would be ready to stand up to Trump on behalf of farmers.

"Beyond just getting extra payments to make up for it, will you be a voice to make sure people understand the importance of exports for rural America? And it's not just farming but manufacturing and the like," Klobuchar asked.

Rollins replied her team "would be at the table fighting for what we believe is necessary for these communities.

"Of all of the portfolio that, if confirmed, I am taking on, the one that excites me the most is the opportunity to put forward a vision and build a program around revivifying, restoring and bringing back rural America," Rollins said.

Defense secretary Hegseth denies making concessions to Russia ahead of peace talks

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has shot down criticism that he had already made concessions to Russia by ruling out Ukraine joining NATO.

Hegseth insisted that neither Russia or Ukraine will "get everything that they want" in the negotiations.

When asked by reporters at NATO on Thursday, whether he had taken important bargaining chips off the table by ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine, he said, "Everything is on the table."

But he added that "realism" can't be ignored.

"Simply pointing out realism like the borders won't be rolled back to what everybody would like them to be in 2014 is not a concession to Vladimir Putin," he said.

Student loan update: Linda McMahon reveals details of Trump Admin's plan

During her U.S. Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, addressed questions regarding the future of federal student loan programs.

She assured lawmakers that significant initiatives, including Pell Grants for low-income college students and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, would be preserved.

McMahon emphasized that while the administration aims to restructure the Department of Education, these key programs will continue to operate to support students nationwide.

What are reciprocal tariffs?

Tariffs are taxes imposed by a county on imports, usually charged as a percentage of the price a buyer pays a foreign seller. It is importers—companies in the U.S.—that pay tariffs, and the money goes to the U.S. Treasury.

Those companies typically pass their higher costs to customers by hiking prices. However, tariffs also hurt the exporting countries by making their products costlier and harder to sell abroad.

Reciprocal tariffs would mean the U.S. imposes the same taxes on imported goods from a country that the country imposes on their imports from the U.S. Essentially, it is imposing tariffs in a tit-for-tat manner.

But countries often charge different tariffs on different types of goods, complicating matters.

Trump set to make tariffs announcement shortly

Donald Trump is set to hold his joint presser with the Prime Minister of India from the Oval Office shortly.

Minnesota senator's announcement just made Democrats' job tougher

Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota said Thursday that she won't seek reelection, dealing a blow to her fellow Democrats' hopes of retaking the Senate in 2026.

There are currently 47 Democrats to the 53 Republicans in the Senate. Without the majority, the Democratic Party has already been seen struggling to pass their own bills or approve—or deny for that matter—people President Donald Trump nominated for his Cabinet.

Smith, 66, said in a post on X that she wants to spend more time with her family after 20 years of work in the public sector.

"This decision is not political. It is entirely personal," Smith said. "But it's not lost on me that our country is in need of strong, progressive leadership right now, maybe more than ever."

Smith said she plans to use the two years left in her term working to represent Minnesota's interests in the Senate without having to worry about running for reelection.

"We have a deep bench of political talent in Minnesota, a group of leaders that are more than ready to pick up the work and carry us forward," she said. "And I'm excited to make room for them to move forward."

She said her decision, which comes after "20 years of hard and rewarding work in the public sector," Smith is ready to spend more time with her family. Smith has four grandchildren, and her father will be turning 95 this year.

Hegseth says 'everything is on the table' for Russia-Ukraine negotiations

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that "everything is on the table" in any future negotiations between Russia and Ukraine amid its ongoing war, one day after asserting that NATO membership for Ukraine is unrealistic.

Hegseth's remarks have drawn sharp reactions from NATO allies, many of whom are alarmed by what they see as the U.S. stepping back from its traditional role as the primary guarantor of European security.

Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Hegseth pushed back against the idea that engaging in negotiations at this moment constitutes a concession to Putin.

"The arguments that have been made that somehow coming to the table right now is making concessions to Vladimir Putin outright, that we otherwise or that the President of the United States should not otherwise make, I just reject that at its face," Hegseth said.

He emphasized that the timing of the negotiations was not coincidental, suggesting they were a direct result of the new administration's approach. "There's a reason that negotiations are happening right now just a few weeks after President Trump was sworn in as president of the United States. Vladimir Putin responds to strength."

Read in full from Gabe Whisnant and Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as Trump's Health Secretary

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed Thursday by the U.S. Senate as President Donald Trump's Department of Health and Human Services secretary.

President Trump's decision to appoint Kennedy as his nominee for secretary of HHS had raised concerns for several reasons, particularly his views on vaccines. Kennedy has clarified that he is not opposed to all vaccines but has been critical of their safety. Kennedy was also predicted to face potential confirmation challenges due to accusations of voter fraud in New York and his stance on abortion.

His confirmation required a simple majority in the Senate, meaning he could only be blocked if all Democrats and three Republicans voted against him.

Kennedy, a former Democrat, was approved by a 52-48 vote.

Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote "no" for Kennedy's confirmation. McConnell, who is serving his seventh term and has not yet disclosed plans to run for reelection, also broke with Trump in voting "no" for both Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard.

Read in full from Monica Sager and Gabe Whisnant on Newsweek.

President Donald Trump is set to announce 'reciprocal' tariffs

President Donald Trump is set to announce "reciprocal" tariffs of countries around the globe Thursday, during a joint press conference with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.

The move would fulfill Trump's campaign promise to impose tariffs on imports to match those that trading partners impose on American exports.

Trump said Sunday that he planned to impose reciprocal tariffs on "every country" that imposes them on the U.S, saying, "Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them."

The president already announced tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China—major trading partners of the U.S—but agreed to pause the 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days after their leaders agreed to increase border enforcement efforts.

The press conference, with Modi, is set to take place at the White House's Oval Office at 1 p.m. ET.

Putin's 'consigliere': Mysterious Russian oligarch mediating Trump talks

Kirill Dmitriev, an oligarch dubbed Vladimir Putin's "consigliere" because of his close ties to the Russian president, is reported to be mediating talks between Moscow and Washington.

Until President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, named Dmitriev as his primary counterpart in the prisoner exchange that freed U.S. teacher Marc Fogel in Moscow on Tuesday, it was unclear who might serve as Putin's intermediary for negotiations with the U.S. in Trump's second term. Dmitriev, head of the state-controlled Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), played a crucial role in negotiations leading to Fogel's release, Reuters reported Wednesday, citing a source familiar with the matter.

Earlier, CNN White House reporter Alayna Treene said on X (formerly Twitter), that Witkoff had mentioned "a gentleman from Russia" named Kirill as working with him in Moscow to facilitate Fogel's release. She said in a post shortly after: "Witkoff was referring to Kirill Dmitriev."

Dmitriev was the Russian president's unofficial representative in contacts with the Trump administration during his first term in office in 2016, Reuters reported.

Read in full from Isabel van Brugen on Newsweek.

Moscow in a triumphant mood after Trump-Putin call

Moscow appears to be in a triumphant mood after Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin's call on Wednesday.

Trump had announced after the call that he and Putin planned to work closely together on ending the war in Ukraine, and had even promised to visit Russia to meet with the Russian president.

"Zelenskyy had repeatedly urged Trump to speak with him first before engaging with Putin. Instead, Trump did the exact opposite," Russian commentator Sergei Markov said today, according to The Guardian

Another TV host, Evgeny Popov, said that Trump was helping Russia destroy the western world, saying, "We wanted to chainsaw the western world into pieces, but he decided to cut through it himself."

Russian officials also pointed to the fact that European leaders appear to have been sidelined in the peace talks.

"Frigid spinster Europe is mad with jealousy and rage," former president Russian Dmitry Medvedev. "It's been shown its real place; its time is over."

Russia, North Korea to amass 150K-strong force on NATO's doorstep: Zelensky

The Russian army is expanding this year and will gain around 150,000 additional soldiers, including additional North Korean troops, in preparation for continued conflict with Ukraine and possibly Kyiv's regional allies.

In a recent interview with U.K. newspaper The Guardian, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke about how Russian forces will increase and warned that Moscow's forces may try to attack Poland and Lithuania after training in Belarus.

Newsweek's map below illustrates where Russian and North Korean troops could threaten Warsaw and Vilnius from if stationed in Belarus.

Russia's expansion of its army and recruitment of additional North Korean soldiers follows their crew shortage issue, which has worsened as the war has continued to escalate.

In training Russian troops in Belarus, it indicates that the countries' historically close relationship is growing stronger. A Belarusian official said that Minsk was setting up training centers for Russian soldiers in December 2024, according to the English-language Ukrainian online newspaper Kyiv Independent.

Read in full from Maya Mehrara and John Feng on Newsweek.

NATO Secretary General says membership for Ukraine was not part of peace talks

NATO Secretary General says that membership for Ukraine was never part of the agreed peace talks.

Rutte was challenged by journalists if that meant that he's "giving Putin what he wants".

But Rutte argued that while NATA has committed to granting Ukraine membership in the future, it have never been agreed to make it part of the peace talks with Russia.

Putin has been a strong opponent of Ukraine joining NATO and there are fears that including it as part of peace talks could push Russia away from the negotiating table.

NATO must switch to 'wartime mindset,' says Secretary General Mark Rutte

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says NATO must switch to a "wartime mindset."

Speaking in Brussels on Thursday, Rutte said that he agrees with Donald Trump's calls for other NATO nations to increase their contributions for security assistance to Ukraine, but warned that "to truly change the course of the conflict, we must do even more".

Rutte said that a new military support package has been announced for Ukraine, sending a "clear symbol" Europe and Canada are taking on more of the burden.

"We all agree we need to put Ukraine in the best possible position for negotiations," Rutte said.

Zelensky says he won't 'accept any agreements' made without Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he will not accept any peace deal brokered by the U.S. and Russia, if Ukraine was not involved in negotiations.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Zelensky said, "it's important that everything does not go according to Putin's plan, in which he wants to do everything to make his negotiations bilateral [with the US]."

Ukraine "will not be able to accept any agreements" made without the country's involvement, Zelensky added. "There can be no talk about Ukraine without Ukraine."

He added that "Europeans need to be at the negotiating table too"

Zelensky said that he did not believe Trump's call with Putin on Wednesday meant that he was prioritizing Russia, but he did say it was "not very pleasing.'

Moscow exchange surges and rouble soars after Trump and Putin's call

The Moscow exchange surged more than 6% on Thursday after President Donald Trump announced he would be working closely with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

The Russian rouble also soared to its strongest level since the summer amid optimism over an end to the war in Russia's favor, and a possible end to sanctions.

Major Russian companies, such as Rostelecom, also saw their shares rise by more than 8%.

"Investors dreamed about this scenario but did not really believe it was possible," the Cifa Broker chief analyst, Ovanes Oganisyan, told Russian financial newspaper Kommersant.

Fact Check: Are Ukrainian weapons being sold on black market?

Tucker Carlson recently claimed that the Ukrainian military is selling a significant portion of the weapons it receives from the United States, even suggesting that some have ended up in the hands of Mexican cartels.

Carlson's assertion was made as part of a conversation with retired U.S. Lt. Col. Daniel Davis. He insisted that his claim was not speculative, stating, "I know this for a fact. A fact, OK? Not speculation."

"They're selling it, and a lot of it ends up with the drug cartels on our border," Carlson said. "This is a crime. Our intelligence agencies are fully aware of it. Do you really think they're not profiting from this? Of course, they are."

Claims that NATO weapons and ammunition are being put on sale on the dark web have re-surfaced in recent months, but as other outlets have reported, there is no evidence that any such products have actually made it into the hands of a prospective buyer.

A Newsweek analysis of similar claims made in 2022, the year the war began, reveals a coordinated effort by Russian disinformation networks to spread false narratives about Ukraine's handling of Western-supplied weapons.

Read in full from Jesus Mesa on Newsweek.

US shouldn't have made concessions to Russia, says German defense minister

Germany's defense minister Boris Pistorius said Friday that the U.S. should not have made concessions to Russia over Ukraine ahead of peace negotiations.

Speaking ahead of a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels, Boris Pistorius criticized U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth for ruling out a NATO membership for Ukraine, and President Donald Trump for stating that he was ready to work closely with Putin to end the war.

"In my view it would have been better to speak about a possible NATO membership for Ukraine or possible losses of territory at the negotiating table," Pistorius told reporters.

Map shows areas Ukraine could swap with Russia

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky recently discussed the possibility of swapping territory with Russia as part of future peace negotiations.

Newsweek's map below illustrates what territories Ukraine could swap with Russia after giving Moscow full control of Kursk, parts of which Ukraine's forces have seized.

Since Zelensky has previously refused to cede any territory, this change of mindset indicates that the urgency to end the war is increasing as Trump pushes for a quick resolution.

Peace negotiations will likely be difficult as Russia has swiftly rejected Ukraine's proposal of swapping territory as part of a future peace deal, according to Reuters. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov denounced this idea on February 12 and said, "This is impossible," adding that "Russia has never discussed and will not discuss the exchange of its territory."

Trump says he plans to visit Russia

Donald Trump has revealed he plans to visit Russia as he and Russian President Vladimir Putin work together "very closely" on ending the Ukraine war.

Putin is also set to visit the U.S. for the first time in a decade.

The leaders spoke via a phone call on Wednesday morning, Trump confirmed in a post on Truth Social.

Describing the call as "lengthy and highly productive," Trump said they discussed Ukraine, AI, the Middle East among several other topics.

Trump also enthused about the "great benefit" that Russia and the United States will "someday have in working together" and thanked Putin for the call and for the release of U.S. citizen Marc Fogel yesterday.

The president said that he and Putin had promised to visit each other's nations.

A U.S. president has not visited Russia since Barack Obama was in office.

European allies say Ukraine's NATO membership should not be ruled out

European world leaders have pushed back after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ruled out NATO membership for Ukraine.

U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said Wednesday that "Ukraine's rightful place is in NATO. That is a process that will take some time."

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot also said NATO "is still the main guarantee of security for European countries."

Barrot added that abandoning Ukraine would "entrench the law of the strongest. It would be an invitation to all the world's tyrants and despots to invade their neighbors with complete impunity."

Hegseth said early on Wednesday that the United States "does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement."

Ukraine war negotiation meeting to be held Friday

President Donald Trump announced that a meeting to discuss negotiations on the Ukraine war will be held on Friday.

Trump said the meeting will be held in Munich, where Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio will lead the delegation.

Hegseth slammed for ruling out NATO membership for Ukraine

During his first visit to NATO, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday said a return to Ukraine's pre-2014 borders is "unrealistic." He also cast doubt on Ukraine's NATO membership prospects Associated PressDemocratic Sen. Chris Coons has criticized Secretary Pete Hegseth for publicly ruling out the possibility that Ukraine could join NATO.

On Wednesday morning, shortly before a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, Hegseth said that he did not believe NATO membership for Ukraine is "a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement."

"I think giving that away proactively as a piece of negotiations going forward is a bad idea, strategically," Coons told CNN.

Coons has argued that Ukrainians "deserve a say about their future" and has praised them for pushing back against a much greater force, Russia.

NATO allies stunned by Trump's talks with Putin over Ukraine

Several NATO allies emphasized Thursday that Ukraine and Europe must be central to any peace negotiations with Russia, following signals from U.S. President Donald Trump that he intends to hold further discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Trump's comments have reignited concerns within NATO about Ukraine's role in any potential peace settlement between Kyiv and Moscow. European allies argue that any exclusion of Ukraine from talks risks undermining its sovereignty and security. Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's assertion that NATO membership for Ukraine is unrealistic has fueled further debate over the West's long-term commitment to Kyiv.

U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey warned against overlooking the broader threat Russia poses.

"Let's not forget, Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine," Healey said after Washington indicated that Ukraine should not expect NATO membership and that Europe should assume greater responsibility for its security.

"There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine. And Ukraine's voice must be at the heart of any talks," Healey added during a press briefing at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where defense ministers from the alliance's 32 member states convened for discussions on Ukraine.

European nations accounted for roughly 60 percent of military support to Ukraine last year, according to Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson.

Read in full from Daniel Orton on Newsweek.

Trump says he'll likely meet Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss Ukraine

President Donald Trump told reporters that he would "probably meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia.

Trump said they had not yet set a date but it would be in the "not too distant future."

The president was speaking after he spoke with Putin earlier today. Describing the call as "lengthy and highly productive," Trump said they discussed Ukraine, AI, the Middle East among several other topics.

The president said that he and Putin plan to work together "very closely" on ending the Ukraine war and even promised to visit each other's nations. A U.S. president has not visited Russia since Barack Obama was in office.

Trump also enthused about the "great benefit" that Russia and the United States will "someday have in working together" and thanked Putin for the call and for the release of U.S. citizen Marc Fogel yesterday.