Wednesday Briefing: U.S. Resumes Aid to Ukraine


The U.S. said it would immediately lift the pause on intelligence sharing and resume military assistance to Ukraine after hours of meetings in Saudi Arabia. Kyiv said it would support the Trump administration’s proposal for a 30-day cease-fire with Russia.

In a joint statement, the U.S. and Ukraine acknowledged that the terms of any cease-fire would be subject to Russia’s approval. They also agreed to conclude a deal to develop Ukraine’s critical mineral resources “as soon as possible.”

The U.S. and Ukraine also discussed humanitarian relief efforts that could occur once a cease-fire was in place, and the exchange of prisoners of war. There was no immediate comment from Russia, which did not have officials at the talks.

President Trump told reporters that he might speak this week with Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, and that he hoped a lasting cease-fire would be negotiated in the coming days.

What’s next: After the meetings, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the agreement now put the pressure on Russia to end the war. “The ball is now in their court,” he said.

Defense: President Emmanuel Macron of France gathered the chiefs of staff of more than 30 armed forces yesterday to review the formation of a multinational peacekeeping force to monitor any cease-fire in Ukraine.

Urban warfare: Russian officials said Ukraine attacked Moscow before dawn yesterday, with at least three people killed and 18 others injured in the broader Moscow region.

It was a day for confusion and threats. After spending the earlier half of yesterday threatening Canada with doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum, President Trump pulled back after Ontario dropped the surcharges it had imposed on electricity it exports to the U.S. The planned 25 percent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum were still set to go into effect, a White House spokesman said.

Markets whipsawed, as investors tried to puzzle through Trump’s commitment to tariffs. Stocks dropped in early trading before recovering late in the day.

Context: Trump’s latest tariff salvo was in response to Ontario’s plan to add a 25 percent surcharge to the electricity it exports to Michigan, Minnesota and New York.

The 51st state: Trump repeated his desire to annex Canada. He said that “the only thing that makes sense” was for the U.S.’s northern neighbor to become its 51st state. He laid out in the clearest terms yet how he envisions that happening, saying it would “make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”

Philippine authorities yesterday arrested former President Rodrigo Duterte at Manila’s main airport as he returned from a trip to Hong Kong, acting on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court. The I.C.C. has accused Duterte of crimes against humanity for his past antidrug campaigns, which rights groups say killed roughly 30,000 people, many of whom were not involved with the drug trade.

What’s next: Duterte was flown on a plane bound for The Hague, where the court is based. The case will test the legal reach of the I.C.C., which draws its jurisdiction from the Rome Statute, a treaty currently signed by 125 countries. Here’s what else to know.

Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, has presented itself as an orderly city with ample attractions and premier sporting events. But that image, and Rwanda’s position as a security partner in Africa, are increasingly at odds with the war that has killed thousands in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Rwanda backs M23, a rebel group. Tourism brought Rwanda $620 million in 2023, but sanctions are piling up.

Lives lived: Joey Molland, a guitarist and songwriter who was the last surviving member of the band Badfinger, died at 77.

As the producers of the hit West End musical “Operation Mincemeat” prepared to go to New York, they asked a question: “Are we too British for Broadway?” The answer, they hoped, would come from Americans before opening night, later this month.

The show, a comedy about a World War II spy operation, went across the pond armed with an Olivier Award for best new musical and a request for preview audiences to email feedback to the director. Tweaks were made for Broadway palates.

“American audiences are quick and sophisticated, but they also love the dumb stuff, like the slapstick,” the director said. “Almost more than the British.”

Cook: Pav bhaji — mashed vegetable curry with buns — is a popular street food originally from Mumbai.

Move: These explosive exercises can help you age well.



Source link

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR