Новини

Ongoing freezes in federal funding are impacting the U.S. agricultural industry. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more from the Midwestern state of Wisconsin.
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WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear a challenge to the legality of buffer zones used to protect access to abortion clinics and limit harassment of patients in a challenge brought by anti-abortion activists who have argued that their free speech rights were being violated.

The justices turned away appeals by self-described “sidewalk counselors” in New Jersey and Illinois of lower court decisions to throw out their lawsuits that had claimed that the buffer zones violate free speech protections under the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment. The activists had been asking the Supreme Court to overturn its 2000 ruling allowing a Colorado buffer zone law.

Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito said they would have taken up the appeals.

The legality of so-called buffer zones that create a perimeter around abortion facilities, or “floating” zones that put distance between demonstrators and a clinic’s patients or staff, has been legally contested for decades. The issue pits free speech rights against concerns over harassment and violence by anti-abortion protesters.

The Supreme Court has a 6-3 conservative majority. In 2022, the court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized abortion nationwide, ending its recognition of a woman’s constitutional right to terminate her pregnancy. Since that ruling, the issue of buffer zones has regained prominence.

While numerous Republican-led states have banned or severely restricted abortion, some municipalities in states where it remains legal have adopted buffer zone ordinances to limit intimidation and harassment, drawing legal challenges.

In Carbondale, Illinois, a group called Coalition Life that organizes sidewalk counselors sued after the local city council passed such an ordinance in 2023. The measure established a floating 8-foot (2.4 meters) buffer that prevents people from approaching people without their permission in the vicinity of health care facilities, in response to increased threats and disorderly acts at abortion clinics. The ordinance has since been repealed.

It had been modeled after a nearly identical Colorado law that the Supreme Court upheld in 2000 in a case called Hill v. Colorado.

The Chicago-based 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals dismissed the coalition’s case in March 2024, noting that the challengers cannot prevail so long as the Hill ruling remains in place.

Thomas, in his dissent on Monday, criticized the court’s Hill decision and expressed regret that the justices had declined “an invitation to set the record straight on Hill’s defunct status.”

“I would have taken this opportunity to explicitly overrule Hill,” Thomas added.

The coalition’s lawyers had asked the Supreme Court to overrule the Hill ruling because in places where “anti-abortion views are disfavored,” buffer zones are a “ready tool to try to silence those who advance them — and to do so precisely when and where their speech may matter most.”

In New Jersey, a sidewalk counselor named Jeryl Turco sued the city of Englewood for adopting a 2014 ordinance that created an 8-foot buffer zone protecting the entrances and driveways of healthcare facilities.

The buffer was set after reports of people associated with an evangelical Christian ministry engaging in aggressive and hostile protests outside Metropolitan Medical Associates, a local abortion clinic. Turco was not associated with the ministry, and said she delivered only peaceful counseling.

The Philadelphia-based 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals threw out Turco’s complaint in January 2024, saying a buffer zone can help protect an individual’s health, safety and access to pregnancy-related services, and “does not place a substantial burden on Turco’s speech.” The 3rd Circuit said its ruling was in line with the Hill precedent.

Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said after the Supreme Court acted on Monday that buffer zones “help to create a safer environment for patients, providers and staff.”

“No patient should have to encounter threats, intimidation and attacks while seeking health care — and no medical provider or health center staff should be threatened because of their work to deliver abortion care to patients in need,” Johnson said.
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За словами організаторів, в акції взяли участь приблизно 7 тисяч людей. Вони зібралися біля українського посольства, а потім пройшли до Сейму
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«На Куп’янському напрямку противник 11 разів проводив штурми позицій наших оборонців у районах Петропавлівки та Загризового»
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Immigration and the economy were among U.S. voters’ priorities when they went to the polls in the November 2024 general election. But how do Americans feel now about the U.S. economy a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency? VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias spoke to people in the nation’s capital, with Genia Dulot contributing from California.
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NEW YORK — Roberta Flack, the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style on Killing Me Softly with His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and other hits made her one of the top recording artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She was 88. 

She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. Flack announced in 2022 she had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, and could no longer sing, 

Little known before her early 30s, Flack became an overnight star after Clint Eastwood used The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face as the soundtrack for one of cinema’s more memorable and explicit love scenes, between the actor and Donna Mills in his 1971 film Play Misty for Me. The hushed, hymn-like ballad, with Flack’s graceful soprano afloat on a bed of soft strings and piano, topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year. In 1973, she matched both achievements with Killing Me Softly, becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record. 

She was a classically trained pianist discovered in the late 1960s by jazz musician Les McCann, who later wrote that “her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.” Versatile enough to summon the up-tempo gospel passion of Aretha Franklin, Flack often favored a more reflective and measured approach. 

For Flack’s many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social movements of the time, her friends including the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Angela Davis, whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges — for which she was acquitted — for murder and kidnapping. Flack sang at the funeral of Jackie Robinson, major league baseball’s first Black player, and was among the many guest performers on the feminist children’s entertainment project created by Marlo Thomas, Free to Be … You and Me.
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Серед всіх звернень найбільший попит мають посади операторів БПЛА, водіїв та стрілецькі спеціальності
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За проєкт постанови проголосували лише 218 депутатів
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A resolution drafted by the United States and another drafted by Ukraine and backed by the European Union calling for an end to the war in Ukraine are set for votes Monday at the United Nations.

The U.N. General Assembly is expected to vote on the Ukrainian resolution, followed by the U.S. resolution. The U.N. Security Council is expected to hold its own vote on the U.S. resolution later in the day.

The U.S. calls for “a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.”

The U.S.-drafted measure does not mention Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began three years ago Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the resolution would “affirm that this conflict is awful, that the U.N. can help end it, and that peace is possible.”

“This is our opportunity to build real momentum toward peace,” Rubio said in a statement.

The more extensive Ukrainian resolution says the Russian invasion “has persisted for three years and continues to have devastating and long-lasting consequences not only for Ukraine, but also for other regions and global stability.”

It calls for “a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine” and highlights the need for the war to end this year.

The Ukrainian draft says earlier resolutions adopted by the General Assembly need to be fully implemented, including those calling for Russia to fully withdraw from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.

General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do carry the moral weight of the international community.

At the Security Council, a resolution needs the support of at least nine of the 15 members, with none of the permanent members—Britain, China, France, Russia, or United States—using their veto power. The U.S. measure is expected to have enough support Monday.

The votes come as French President Emmanuel Macron visits the United States for talks with President Donald Trump that are expected to include the war in Ukraine.

Macron said last week that he planned to tell Trump the U.S. leader “cannot be weak” in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is due to visit Washington later this week for similar talks, and like Macron has emphasized the need for Ukraine’s sovereignty to be at the center of any peace effort.

A group of leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited Kyiv on Monday in a show of support for Ukraine. 

“We are in Kyiv today, because Ukraine is Europe,” von der Leyen said on X.  “In this fight for survival, it is not only the destiny of Ukraine that is at stake. It’s Europe’s destiny.” 

Fighting continued Monday with Russia saying it shot down 23 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 16 over the Oryol region.

Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov said falling debris from a downed Ukrainian drone caused a fire at an industrial enterprise.

Ukraine’s military said Monday it shot down 113 of the 185 drones that Russia used in overnight attacks.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said in a post on social media Sunday that Dan Bongino, a conservative talk show host, will be deputy director of the FBI.

Bongino will join Kash Patel, who was recently confirmed by the Senate as director of the FBI. Trump said Bongino was named to the role by Patel. The position does not require Senate confirmation.

“Great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice!” Trump posted on his social media network, Truth Social, calling Bongino “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.”

Bongino was previously a New York City police officer, and a member of the U.S. Secret Service. He most recently had been known as a conservative radio host and podcaster.

Trump said in his post that Bongino is “prepared to give up” his program as he steps into the new role. “The Dan Bongino Show” was most recently the 56th-ranked podcast in the United States, according to Spotify.
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The 31st Screen Actors Guild Awards kicked off Sunday night with host Kristen Bell paying tribute to Los Angeles firefighters and another supporting actor win for “A Real Pain” co-star Kieran Culkin.

Bell introduced the ceremony, streaming live on Netflix from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, as an ode to both the aspirational spirit of actors who come to Los Angeles to make it, and to the city, itself.

The SAG Awards unfolded against the backdrop of the devastating wildfires that began in early January. Those fires forced the guild to cancel its in-person nominations announcement and launched a disaster relief fund for SAG-AFTRA members affected.

Before singing “Do You Want to Be an Actor?” to tune of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from “Frozen,” Bell introduced attending firefighters as “the most attractive tables” among a sea of stars.

“First it was COVID then it was the strikes then it was the devastating wildfires,” actor Courtney B. Vance, president of the SAG-AFTRA charitable foundation told attendees ahead of the show. “Thousands have lost their homes including our own members and their families.”

The night’s first televised award went to Culkin, who has won just about every award in the category. Gripping the SAG trophy, he could quickly tell the difference.

“It is funny that the heaviest of all awards is given by actors,” said Culkin, who characteristically riffed his way through a rambling acceptance speech before swearing sincerity: “Believe it or not, this actually means a lot to me.”

The SAG Awards should offer the final clue in an unusually unpredictable Oscar race. The other major awards — including the BAFTAs, the Producers Guild Awards, the Directors Guild Awards and the Golden Globes — have all had their say. But actors make up the largest piece of the film academy pie, so their picks often correspond strongly with Academy Award winners.

After wins from the PGA and the DGA — and last night, the Independent Spirit Awards — Sean Baker’s “Anora” is seen as the favorite to win best picture in a week’s time at the Oscars. But Edward Berger’s “Conclave” won last weekend at the BAFTAs, the latest wrench in an award season full of them. That’s included the unlikely rise and precipitous fall of another top contender, “Emilia Pérez.”

The awards are being streamed lived by Netflix, which distributed “Emilia Pérez,” for the second time.

“Wicked” comes in the leading film nominee, with five nods, while “Shōgun” heads the TV categories. It took early awards for Hiroyuki Sanada, Anna Sawai and for best stunt ensemble. The corresponding award for film went to the stunt performer ode “The Fall Guy.”

The best actor and best actress categories should be nail biters. While Brody (“The Brutalist”) has won a string of awards, Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”) and Ralph Fiennes (“Conclave”) could easily pull off the upset. Best actress could go to either Moore (“The Substance”) or Madison (“Anora”).

In addition to the competitive categories, Jane Fonda will be given the SAG Life Achievement Award.

 
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Washington — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insists President Donald Trump ‘s abrupt firing of the nation’s senior military officer amid a wave of dismissals at the Pentagon wasn’t unusual and he suggested more firings could come.

“Nothing about this is unprecedented,” Hegseth told “Fox News Sunday” about Air Force Gen. CQ Brown Jr. being removed Friday night as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “The president deserves to pick his key national security advisory team.”

Hegseth said “there are lots of presidents who made changes” citing former commanders in chief, including Franklin D. Roosevelt, George H.W. Bush and Barack Obama. Obama, Hegseth said, “fired or dismissed hundreds” of military officials.

Months into his first term, Obama removed Army Gen. David McKiernan from being commander of the U.S. forces in Afghanistan. However, Trump, while running for his second term, vowed to eradicate “woke” ideologies from the military and to swiftly dismiss many top leaders.

Hegseth and Trump have made no secret about focusing on pushing aside military officers who have supported diversity, equity and inclusion in the ranks. The administration says the move will better fortify a lethal fighting force.

Brown was just the second Black general to serve as chairman. His 16 months in the post were consumed with the war in Ukraine and the expanded conflict in the Middle East. Trump in 2020 nominated Brown as Air Force’s chief of staff.

Trump wants to replace Brown with Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine, who retired in December. It is unclear what recalling Caine to active-duty service will require. The position requires Caine to be confirmed by the Senate.

Hegseth said Friday’s dismissals affected six three- and four-star generals and were “a reflection of the president wanting the right people around him to execute the national security approach we want to take.”

He called Brown “honorable” but said he is “not the right man for the moment,” without citing specific deficiencies. After the 2020 murder of George Floyd, Brown in a video spoke of his experience as a Black pilot, apparently making him fodder for the Trump administration’s wars against inclusion initiatives in the military.

Of Caine, Hegseth said that Trump “respects leaders who untie the hands of war fighters in a very dangerous world.”

Retired Gen. George Casey called the firings “extremely destabilizing.” Casey, who was Republican President George W. Bush’s commander of the U.S. and multinational forces in Iraq from 2004 to 2007, also noted that the Trump administration can change Pentagon policy without changing personnel, but added, that what happened is “within the president’s prerogative.”

“That’s his prerogative,” Casey told ABC’s “This Week.” “He is the commander in chief of the armed forces.”

Still, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee told ABC that the firings were “completely unjustified” and that “apparently, what Trump and Hegseth are trying to do is to politicize the Department of Defense.”

Hegseth was also asked on Fox News about officials potentially compiling lists of more defense officials they plan to fire. He said there was no list but suggested that more dismissals could indeed be coming.

“We have a very keen eye towards military leadership and their willingness to follow lawful order,” Hegseth said. “Joe Biden gave lawful orders. A lot of them are really bad,” he said, adding that things like COVID vaccine mandates “eroded” the military ideologically

“President Trump has given another set of lawful orders and they will be followed,” Hegseth said. “If they’re not followed then those officers will find the door.”
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Linda Facci has a unique and charming job. Using just a few tools and a lot of felt, she makes hyper realistic sculptures that, if they weren’t so small, it would be hard to tell them apart from the real thing.  Anna Nelson met up with Facci to talk about her art. Anna Rice narrates her story. (Videographer: Vladimir Badikov, Natalia Latukhina )
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New York — “Captain America: Brave New World” soared on opening weekend but crashed down in its second go-around with audiences. 

“Brave New World,” the latest sign that the Marvel machine isn’t quite what it used to be, remained No. 1 at the box office in its second frame with $28.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. But after a debut of $100 million over four days and $88 million over three days, that meant a steep drop of 68%. 

While blockbusters often see significant slides in their second weekends, only two previous MCU titles have fallen off so fast: 2023’s “The Marvels,” which fell 78%, and 2023’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which dropped 70%. 

The Anthony Mackie-led “Captain America” installment has been slammed by critics, and audiences also have graded it poorly, with a “B-” CinemaScore. “Brave New World,” which fans had hoped would right the Marvel ship, has been largely met as another example of a once impenetrable brand struggling to recapture its pre- “Avengers: Endgame” aura of invincibility. 

Still, “Brave New World” has quickly grossed $289.4 million worldwide, with international sales nearly reaching $150 million. And with few big-budget offerings arriving in theaters in the coming weeks, it will have scant competition through much of March. 

The biggest new release of the weekend was Oz Perkins’ “The Monkey,” the director’s follow-up to his 2024 horror hit, “Longlegs.” Adapted from a Stephen King short story, “The Monkey” opened with $14.2 million for Neon, the second-best debut for the indie distributor. The best? “Longlegs,” which launched with $22.4 million. 

Neon had much to celebrate over the weekend. Its top awards contender, “Anora,” by Sean Baker, continues to gather momentum into next Sunday’s Academy Awards. The best-picture favorite added wins at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday. 

Perkins, Neon and Blumhouse, which partnered in the release of “The Monkey,” have found a productive low-budget collaboration, with more on the way. Even if “The Monkey” doesn’t reach the heights of “Longlegs” ($126.9 million globally), Perkins and Neon return with “Keeper” this October. 

“The Monkey,” starring Tatiana Maslany and Theo James, revolves around an old monkey toy found in an attic. Reviews have been good (77% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), though audiences were less impressed, giving it a C+ CinemaScore. Horror films, though, typically grade low. 

As it did with “Longlegs,” Neon leaned into cryptic promotion for “The Monkey,” along with some macabre marketing. A funeral premiere was held at Los Angeles’ Immanuel Presbyterian Church, and fan screenings took place at the Hollywood Cemetery. The film, produced by James Wan, cost $10 million to make. 

Lionsgate’s “The Unbreakable Boy” opened with a paltry $2.5 million in 1,687 theaters. The Christian-themed Jon Gunn-directed film starring Zachary Levi and Meghann Fahy, is about parents who learn their son is autistic and has brittle bone disease. 

“Paddington in Peru,” the third installment of the marmalade-mad bear, fell to third place in its second weekend. It grossed $6.5 million in 3,890 locations, bringing its two-week total to $25.2 million. “Paddington in Peru” has been most popular overseas, where its collected $150 million thus far. 

“Ne Zha 2,” the animated Chinese juggernaut, took in $3.1 million from 800 theaters in its second weekend. In China, the sequel has grossed $1.7 billion this month, setting numerous box-office records. Those totals put “Ne Zha 2” past “Inside Out 2” ($1.66 billion) as the highest grossing animated film ever. 

Top 10 movies by domestic box office 

With final domestic figures releasing Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. 

1. “Captain America: Brave New World,” $28.2 million. 

2. “The Monkey,” $14.2 million. 

3. “Paddington in Peru,” $6.5 million. 

4. “Dog Man,” $5.9 million. 

5. “Ne Zha 2,” $3.1 million. 

6. “Heart Eyes,” $2.9 million. 

7. “Mufasa: The Lion King,” $2.5 million. 

8. “The Unbreakable Boy,” $2.5 million. 

9. “Chhaava,” $1.5 million. 

10. “One of Them Days,” $1.4 million. 
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The United States and Ukraine said Sunday they are nearing an agreement for Kyiv to give Washington a large share of its rare earth mineral rights as compensation for the billions of dollars in munitions the U.S. sent to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia’s full-scale war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv that Ukraine and the U.S. are “making progress” in reaching a deal. He said a draft of the pact calls for Ukraine to pay the U.S. $2 for each dollar in aid the U.S. has sent to Kyiv to fight Russia’s invasion, although details of the would-be agreement have not been disclosed.

The war hits the three-year mark on Monday.

The U.S. has been Ukraine’s biggest benefactor, sending $128 billion in military and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, according to Germany’s Kiel Institute for the World Economy. The U.S. share is just ahead of the combined $124 billion figure for the 27-nation European Union.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff told CNN’s “State of the Union” that he expects Zelenskyy will sign the minerals deal this week.

Zelenskyy at first rejected the U.S. demand for half of Ukraine’s rare earth mineral supplies, which are used in the production of technology products. Witkoff signaled in the CNN interview that the deal will now be completed although he did not spell out details of the agreement.

Witkoff said that European countries made their contributions to Ukraine’s war efforts after reaching agreement with Kyiv to eventually be paid back, but the U.S. had no such understanding.

Witkoff said such U.S. support for Ukraine with no repayment terms made “no sense” to President Donald Trump, a long-time New York real estate deal maker before entering politics in 2015.

Zelenskyy said, “I had an agreement with [former U.S. President Joe] Biden and American Congress, I am grateful to the Congress, to the both parties. And it was support by providing grants. Grant is not a loan. And we don’t have to return the loan here. Maybe someone does not like it and thinks that it’s unjust. Maybe. I don’t know. But here is what this deal was about. It was grant. Therefore, it’s not about the figure. We simply don’t see it as a loan.”

Trump, who last week called Zelenskyy a “dictator” and accused him of starting the war even though Russia invaded Ukraine, has demanded the repayments and blamed his predecessor, Biden, for not securing some form of compensation guarantee.

Zelenskyy said Sunday he wants Trump to “understand” his position and come through with concrete security guarantees to help Kyiv defend itself against the Russian invasion.

“I want very much from Trump understanding of each other,” Zelensky said at his news conference, adding: “Security guarantees from Trump are much needed.”

Zelenskyy said he was willing to give up his presidency if it meant peace in Ukraine, quipping that he could exchange his departure for Ukraine’s entry into NATO, which Russia is adamantly opposed to.

“If [it means] peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready,” Zelenskyy said. “I can exchange this for NATO [membership], if that condition is there, immediately.”

The top U.S. and Russian diplomats, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, met in Saudi Arabia without either Ukrainian or European officials last week to lay the groundwork for peace talks to end the war. Zelenskyy complained about Ukraine being excluded from the talks, but Trump said he could have negotiated with Russia beforehand to talk Moscow out of invading.

“I’ve had very good talks with Putin, and I’ve had not such good talks with Ukraine,” Trump told U.S. state governors at the White House.

“They don’t have any cards, but they play it tough,” Trump said of Ukraine.

Russian state television said in recent days that Trump’s view of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is “in total alignment with the way we see things.”

Witkoff said the war “wouldn’t have had to happen” if Ukraine hadn’t been pushing at the time for membership in NATO. Kyiv is still pressing to join the 32-nation pact, but Washington says it is unrealistic for that to happen as part of a negotiated peace settlement to end the war.

Witkoff said that eventually “you’ll see concessions signed by both sides” in a peace deal.

Russia now controls about one-fifth of the internationally recognized Ukrainian territory, with Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov saying Sunday Moscow has no intention of yielding any of the land back to the Kyiv government.

“The people decided to join Russia a long time ago,” he said, referring to Moscow-staged votes in eastern Ukraine held amid the three-year offensive that were assailed as bogus by Kyiv, the West and international monitors.

“No one will ever sell off these territories,” Peskov said. “That’s the most important thing.”

A Trump call with Putin two weeks ago set the stage for the Rubio-Lavrov talks in Saudi Arabia.

“This is a dialogue between two extraordinary presidents,” Peskov told state TV.

Russia on Sunday marked Defender of the Fatherland Day — a holiday hailing soldiers and veterans. In a video released by the Kremlin, Putin said God and fate had entrusted him and his army with “the mission” to defend Russia.

Meanwhile, Zelenskyy said Russia launched 267 overnight drone attacks on Ukraine, which he condemned as “aerial terror.” Ukrainian officials reported damage in five regions of the country.

Zelenskyy said that in the past week, Russia has targeted Ukraine with nearly 1,150 attack drones, more than 1,400 guided aerial bombs and 35 missiles of various types.

Some material in this report came from Reuters.
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Міністерство рекомендує зберегти pdf-версію електронного військового посвідчення на смартфоні
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Moscow — The Kremlin on Sunday hailed dialogue between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin — two “extraordinary” presidents — as “promising,” and vowed it would “never” give up territory seized in eastern Ukraine.

Trump broke with Western policy earlier this month by phoning Putin to discuss how to end the Ukraine conflict — a call hailed by Moscow as ending three years of isolation for the Kremlin leader since he launched his full-scale offensive in February 2022.

Top Russian and U.S. officials then met in Saudi Arabia last week to discuss a “restoration” of ties and start a discussion on a possible Ukraine ceasefire — all without the involvement of Kyiv or Europe.

“This is a dialogue between two extraordinary presidents,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told state TV on Sunday.

“That’s promising,” he added.

“It is important that nothing prevents us from realizing the political will of the two heads of state.”

Trump’s overtures to Moscow have triggered alarm in Kyiv and across Europe.

But it is unclear whether his moves will be able to bring Moscow and Kyiv closer to a truce.

Peskov on Sunday ruled out any territorial concessions as part of a settlement.

“The people decided to join Russia a long time ago,” he said, referring to Moscow-staged votes in eastern Ukraine held amid the offensive that were slammed as bogus by Kyiv, the West and international monitors.

“No one will ever sell off these territories. That’s the most important thing.”

‘God willed it’

Putin said God and fate had entrusted him and his army with “the mission” to defend Russia.

“Fate willed it so, God willed it so, if I may say so. A mission as difficult as it is honorable — defending Russia — has been placed on our and your shoulders together,” he told servicemen who have fought in Ukraine.

Russia was on Sunday marking Defender of the Fatherland Day — a holiday hailing soldiers and veterans — a day before the three-year anniversary of the start of its full-scale offensive.

“Today, at the risk of their lives and with courage, they are resolutely defending their homeland, national interests and Russia’s future,” Putin said in a video released by the Kremlin.

Moscow’s army had overnight launched a record 267 attack drones at Ukraine, Kyiv’s air force said.

Among them, 138 were intercepted by air defense and 119 were “lost.”

Ukraine did not say what happened to the remaining 10 but a separate armed forces statement on Telegram said several regions, Kyiv included, had been “hit.”

AFP journalists in the Ukrainian capital heard air defense systems in operation throughout the night.

‘Inappropriate remarks’

Amid his outreach to Moscow, Trump has also verbally attacked Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy falsely claiming Kyiv started the war and that Zelensky was hugely unpopular at home.

The bitter war of words has threatened to undermine Western support for Kyiv at a critical juncture in the conflict.

Zelenskyy on Sunday called for the Western coalition that has been helping Kyiv fend off the Russian offensive for the last three years to hold strong.

“We must do our best to achieve a lasting and just peace for Ukraine. This is possible with the unity of all partners: we need the strength of the whole of Europe, the strength of America, the strength of all those who want lasting peace,” Zelenskyy said on Telegram.

Moscow has reveled in the spat between Trump and Zelensky.

“Zelenskyy makes inappropriate remarks addressed to the head of state. He does it repeatedly,” Peskov said Sunday.

“No president would tolerate that kind of treatment. So his [Trump’s] reaction is completely quite understandable.”

Scrambling to respond to Trump’s dramatic policy reversal, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will travel to Washington next week to make the case for supporting Ukraine.
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