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'This sounds ominous': Foreign ally told to 'buckle up' for new peace deal being imposed
New details have emerged about a Ukraine peace plan secretly worked up between the U.S. and Russia – and how Trump administration officials intend to impose its conditions.President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff has been drafting the 28-point plan with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev, according to reporting from Tuesday night, and Politico Playbook reported Wednesday the White House will soon unveil the agreement to end the three-and-a-half year war to an end."So this is one way to distract from the Epstein files," Playbook reported. "A senior White House official [says] they expect a framework for ending the conflict to be agreed by all parties by the end of this month — and possibly 'as soon as this week.'""Buckle up," the report added.Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, along with a pair of four-star general and other senior U.S. military officials, made a highly unusual trip to Kyiv on Wednesday to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of his talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Trump administration officials said a plan was on the table to end the Russian invasion."But here’s the thing: This new peace plan has seemingly had no direct input from Ukraine, nor from America’s allies in Europe," Playbook reported. "And we have no sense yet of the details, of what’s been hammered out on the thorniest questions around Russia’s seizure of vast swathes of Ukrainian territory, the kidnapping of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children or the security guarantees being offered to Ukraine in the aftermath."The White House feels confident an agreement will be reached because, as administration officials said, Zelenskyy is under too much pressure to turn it down."What we are going to present is reasonable," a senior White House official said.Russian officials apparently agree, and Playbook noted "this sounds ominous."“We feel the Russian position is really being heard," Dmitriev, the Russian envoy. "[This is a proposal] to address the Ukraine conflict, but also how to restore U.S.-Russia ties [and] address Russia's security concerns. It's actually a much broader framework, basically saying, 'How do we really bring, finally, lasting security to Europe, not just Ukraine.'"A senior White House official was asked to comment on Europe's possible input on the agreement and dismissed the issue entirely.“We don't really care about the Europeans,” the official told Playbook. “It's about Ukraine accepting.”
Colombia's Petro releases bank records to counter U.S. drug claims, sparking backlash over spending
Colombian President Gustavo Petro has publicly released his bank records in an effort to demonstrate he has no ties to drug trafficking, an unsubstantiated claim made by U.S. President Donald Trump.
China ready for undersea cable attacks, congressional report warns
The Chinese government is developing capabilities for cutting undersea communications cables as part of its large-scale military buildup and preparation for war, according to a congressional report.
Israel used widely banned cluster munitions in Lebanon, photos of remnants suggest
Exclusive: Images are first indication that Israel has used cluster munitions in nearly 20 yearsIsrael used widely banned cluster munitions in its recent 13-month war in Lebanon, photos of munition remnants in south Lebanon seen by the Guardian suggest.The images, which have been examined by six different arms experts, appear to show the remnants of two different types of Israeli cluster munitions found in three different locations: south of the Litani River in the forested valleys of Wadi Zibqin, Wadi Barghouz and Wadi Deir Siryan. Continue reading...
Nominee for U.S. deputy ambassador calls U.N. 'ineffective' global body
President Trump's nominee to be U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations urged "bold reform" of what she called the "bloated, unfocused and ineffective" global organization during her confirmation hearing Wednesday.
Surge of mystery drone incursions target Europe's military nerve centers
A pattern has become disturbingly familiar across Europe over the past few months: a surge of mysterious drone activity over NATO territory.
Kosovo heading for an early vote after lawmakers fail to elect government
Kosovo lawmakers on Wednesday failed to elect a new government, paving the way for an early election following a monthslong political crisis in the small Balkan nation.
3 injured after South Korean ferry carrying about 270 people runs aground
A South Korean ferry carrying nearly 270 people ran aground on rocks off the country's southwest coast on Wednesday, leaving three with minor injuries, the coast guard said.
Railway project in the Amazon raises questions over Brazil's efforts to stop deforestation
As Brazil seeks to boost its environmental credentials by hosting the United Nations' climate summit, a proposal to build a railway through the Amazon has threatened to tarnish that image amid protests by Indigenous groups and environmentalists.
Myanmar's military says it has raided a second major online scam center
Myanmar's military government extended its crackdown on online scam activities to a second major location, detaining hundreds of foreigners and seizing thousands of mobile phones used to carry out the fraud, state media reported Wednesday.
German leader downplays the impact of remarks about Brazil after drawing strong criticism
Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Wednesday downplayed the impact of remarks he made about Brazil that drew sharp criticism from officials there, and the German leader's spokesperson said he hadn't denigrated the South American country.
Congo river barge capsizes, leaving 64 people missing
Authorities report that at least 60 people are missing after a boat capsized in central Congo




