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The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Putin and Zelenskyy 'to meet' following European leaders summit
The US president spoke directly with the Russian president to begin planning a meeting between the two warring leaders, which will then be followed by a three-way meeting involving himself. It comes after Trump said Moscow will 'accept' multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraine's security while hosting several European leaders including the Ukrainian President, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French president Emmanuel Macron and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte. (Image: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire) (Image: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire) Posting on his Truth Social platform after the meeting, Trump said he and the eight leaders discussed security guarantees before he called the Russian president. He described the meeting as 'very good' and added: 'During the meeting we discussed security guarantees for Ukraine, which guarantees would be provided by the various European countries, with a coordination with the United States of America. READ MORE: Crown Office cancels court dates for Scottish activists on terror charges 'Everyone is happy about the possibility of PEACE for Russia/Ukraine. 'At the conclusion of the meetings, I called president Putin and began arrangements for a meeting, at a location to be determined, between president Putin and president Zelensky. 'After the meeting takes place, we will have a trilat which would be the two presidents plus myself.' Before the White House talks, the US president said he would 'probably' be able to find common ground with the leaders on a plan to ward off future attacks on Ukraine. (Image: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire) (Image: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire) He previously met with Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday, where he declared there was 'no deal until there's a deal' to end more than three years of fighting in eastern Europe. 'The Alaska summit reinforced my belief that while difficult, peace is within reach and I believe, in a very significant step, President Putin agreed that Russia would accept security guarantees for Ukraine,' Trump said on Monday. 'And this is one of the key points that we need to consider.' READ MORE: Anger as Edinburgh Fringe venue admits to censoring artist's work He later said: 'We also need to discuss the possible exchanges of territory taken into consideration the current line of contact.' Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, had suggested measures similar to Nato's article five mutual defence provision – that an attack on one member is an attack on the entire bloc – could be offered by the US without Kyiv joining the alliance. 'We were able to win the following concession: that the United States could offer article five-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in Nato,' Witkoff told CNN over the weekend, as he spoke about the Alaska summit. Future three-way talks 'have a good chance' of stopping the conflict, the US president claimed. But the president appeared to share conflicting views on whether a ceasefire was necessary to stop the war. 'I don't think you need a ceasefire,' he had originally said, before later explaining that, 'all of us would obviously prefer an immediate ceasefire while we work on a lasting peace'. (Image: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire) Starmer welcomed plans for a security guarantee, after Trump introduced him at the negotiating table as a 'friend'. The Prime Minister said: 'Your indication of security guarantees, of some sort of article five-style guarantees, fits with what we've been doing with the coalition of the willing which we started some months ago, bringing countries together and showing that we were prepared to step up to the plate when it came to security. 'With you coming alongside, the US alongside, what we've already developed, I think we could take a really important step forward today – a historic step, actually, could come out of this meeting in terms of security for Ukraine and security in Europe.' Starmer also described potential future trilateral talks as appearing to be a 'sensible next step' and continued: 'So, thank you for being prepared to take that forward, because I think if we can ensure that that is the progress out of this meeting – both security guarantees and some sort of progress on (a) trilateral meeting of some sort to bring some of the difficult issues to a head – then I think today will be seen as a very important day in recent years.' READ MORE: Preserving Gaelic will require effort on same scale as went into trying to kill it It is understood that the Prime Minister disrupted his holiday plans in Scotland over the weekend to join calls, including with Trump and Zelensky, before he headed to Washington. Zelensky, whom Trump greeted at the door of the West Wing with a handshake earlier in the evening, wore a black shirt with buttons and a black blazer to the meeting at the White House. His attire had appeared to become a point of irritation for Trump during a previous meeting in February. Early in the meeting, the Ukrainian described the talks as 'really good', saying they had been 'the best' so far. Zelensky said: 'We are very happy with the president that all the leaders are here and security in Ukraine depends on the United States and on you and on those leaders who are with us in our hearts.'
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
Trump Says He's Ended Six Wars. What Are They?
President Trump participates in a multilateral meeting with European Leaders on Monday. (Aaron Schwartz/Press Pool)
UPI
12-08-2025
- Politics
- UPI
U.S. blacklists Pakistan-based separatist group
The State Department under Secretary Marco Rubio on Monday designated a Pakistan-separatist group as a foreign terrorist organization. File Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo Aug. 11 (UPI) -- The United States on Monday designated the Pakistan-based separatist group Balochistan Liberation Army and its Majeed Brigade suicide attack unit as foreign terrorist organizations. The designations from the State Department come years after it designated the BLA as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2019. The move on Monday also includes designating the Majeed Brigade as an SDGT. The BLA is primarily located in Pakistan's largest province, Balochistan, and seeks independence from Islamabad, while the Majeed Brigade is a unit of the BLA that conducts suicide attacks on its behalf. According to West Point's Terrorism Center, the Baloch insurgency has intensified this year. On March 11, the BLA hijacked a Jaffar Express passenger train, kidnapping 400 people and resulting in the deaths of at least 26 hostages. In the past year, it has claimed responsibility for suicide attacks near the Karachi airport and the Gwadar Port Authority Complex. Often targets of the Majeed Brigade are Chinese workers or enterprises as the BLA opposes the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. The State Department blacklisted the BLA in 2019, following several terrorist attacks in the preceding year, including the targeting of Chinese engineers in Balochistan and the Chinese consulate in Karachi in November 2018. "Terrorist designations play a critical role in our fight against this scourge and are an effective way to curtail support for terrorist activities," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday in a statement. The new terrorist designation is broader than the previous SDGT, and bars U.S. citizens from supporting the BLA. It also comes nearly a month after the State Department designated The Resistance Front, which it called a front and proxy group of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba.
UPI
04-07-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Supreme Court allows Trump admin. to deport 8 migrants to South Sudan
Police stand guard outside the Supreme Court in Washington on June 27, 2025. The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled the Trump administration can deported eight migrants to South Sudan. Photo by Aaron Schwartz/UPI | License Photo July 4 (UPI) -- The conservative-leaning Supreme Court has allowed the United States to deport eight migrants being held at a military base in Djibouti to war-torn South Sudan, handing the Trump administration a victory in its crackdown on immigration. The justices issued their ruling Thursday, which was the second time they have weighed in on the case. On June 23, the Supreme Court stayed an April 18 preliminary injunction that prevented the federal government from removing any noncitizen to a third country other than their own without permitting them the opportunity to argue they would be subjected to tortured or receive degrading treatment. Later that same day, a district court ruled in favor of lawyers representing eight migrants already deported to Djibouti, ordering that the Trump administration must maintain custody of them. The Trump administration then filed a request with the U.S. high court for clarification that its June ruling also applied to the men being held in the East African country. In its two-page, unsigned ruling on Thursday, the Supreme Court said, "Our June 23 order stayed the April preliminary injunction in full." Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, wrote in a strongly worded dissent that the Supreme Court's refusal to justify its decisions in this case "is indefensible." "What the government wants to do, concretely, is send the eight noncitizens it illegally removed from the United States from Djibouti to South Sudan, where they will be turned over to the local authorities without regard for the likelihood that they will face torture or death," Sotomayor wrote. "Today's order clarifies only one thing: Other litigants must follow the rules, but the administration has the Supreme Court on speed dial." The eight migrants are natives of Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar and Vietnam. Only one is from South Sudan. All have been convicted in the United States of serious crimes, including murder. The government flew them to Djibouti in May with the intentions of sending them to South Sudan, despite the State Department having issued the highest level of warning -- Level 4: Do Not Travel -- against Americans going to South Sudan due to threats posed by crime, kidnapping and armed conflict. The flight prompted a mad dash by their lawyers to ensure the Trump administration maintains custody of their clients. On Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security celebrated the Supreme Court ruling. "These sickos will be in South Sudan by Independence Day," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. Independence Day is Friday. "A win for the rule of law, safety and security of the American people." The Trump administration sent the migrants to Djibouti amid its crackdown on immigration, which includes mass deportations and efforts to prevent migrants from entering the country via the southern border.
Toronto Sun
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
New York to LA ramp up security after US airstrikes on Iran
Published Jun 23, 2025 • Last updated 5 minutes ago • 2 minute read Major U.S. cities are tightening security after President Donald Trump unleashed airstrikes on Iran, a direct military intervention that's deepened Washington's role in Israel's war with Tehran and raised concerns about potential retaliation. Photo by Aaron Schwartz / ??????????????/??????? Major U.S. cities are tightening security after President Donald Trump unleashed airstrikes on Iran, a direct military intervention that's deepened Washington's role in Israel's war with Tehran and raised concerns about potential retaliation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Iran early Sunday warned the US attack, dubbed 'Operation Midnight Hammer' by the Pentagon, will trigger 'everlasting consequences' and said it 'reserves all options' to respond. Police in New York, Washington, DC, and Los Angeles have increased patrols at religious institutions, diplomatic facilities and public spaces. Officials cited no credible threats at this time but highlighted the need for vigilance. The Department of Homeland Security said the Israel-Iran war has placed the U.S. in a 'heightened threat environment' through Sept. 22. Pro-Tehran hacktivists are expected to keep probing lightly defended U.S. networks, while state-linked operators eye critical infrastructure, according to a bulletin issued on Sunday. It warned that a religious ruling from Iran's leadership to retaliate 'in the Homeland' would increase the likelihood of 'violent extremists' in the U.S. independently mobilizing. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The State Department also issued a 'Worldwide Caution' alert for American citizens, flagging the potential of travel disruptions and demonstrations. In the capital, the Metropolitan Police Department said it's closely monitoring the events in Iran and is coordinating with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to share information and monitor intelligence. The New York Police Department said it's deployed additional officers across the city and is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies to monitor for any potential threats. Mayor Eric Adams said the city increased police presence at religious, cultural, and diplomatic sites throughout the five boroughs 'out of an abundance of caution.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Greater New York area is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel, with about 1.4 million people. The city is also holding the Democratic primary for mayor on Tuesday with 1,213 poll sites across its five boroughs. Since 2001, the NYPD and its federal partners have disrupted about 30 plots targeting the city, the department said. Officials said those efforts reflect a broad strategy that combines intelligence gathering, overseas partnerships and rapid response capabilities — tools they're now using to assess any fallout from the U.S. strikes on Iran. The department's Intelligence Bureau operates an international liaison program with embedded personnel in 13 countries, including in Israel, where an officer is providing real-time assessments from the region. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The NYPD also maintains a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, where meetings can take place without fear of listening devices. Three DHS intelligence analysts are assigned to the department, facilitating the flow of classified information and supporting joint threat analyses. Additional capabilities include a foreign linguist program with more than 1,200 registered speakers across 85 languages, and the Domain Awareness System, a real-time surveillance and analytics platform developed in partnership with Microsoft. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass said that officials in the second largest U.S. city are closely monitoring the situation. 'Out of an abundance of caution, LAPD is stepping up patrols near places of worship, community gathering spaces and other sensitive sites,' Bass said. 'We will remain vigilant.' The Los Angeles area has significant Jewish and Iranian populations, including many Jews who immigrated from Iran after the Islamic revolution in 1979. The Westwood area is commonly referred to as Tehrangeles. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto & GTA World Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA
