Latest news with #KeithKellogg
News18
3 days ago
- Politics
- News18
President Zelensky Thanks Trump For Readiness To Protect Ukrainian Lives Russia Ukraine War
President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kyiv a day after Trump said the United States would soon send Patriot missiles to Ukraine — marking an optimistic turn for the country in a brutal summer of deadly aerial attacks and demoralizing news from Washington. News18 Mobile App -
The Hill
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hill
Trump sets ticking clock for Moscow
Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here PRESIDENT TRUMP on Monday pivoted in favor of Ukraine, arranging for U.S. weapons to be delivered to Kyiv and threatening new sanctions on Moscow if Russia's war stretches later in the year. Speaking in the Oval Office alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump outlined the parameters of a deal to sell U.S.-manufactured weapons to NATO, with the expectation that they'll be delivered to Ukraine. The systems include Patriot missile defense batteries, which are seen as critical for Ukraine's defenses as it seeks to guard its skies from Russian bombardment. Trump cast the agreement as a win for the U.S., which has approved more than $175 billion in aid for Ukraine since the war started in 2022. It comes after most NATO countries agreed to ramp up their defense spending. 'We are going to be sending them weapons and they're going to be paying for them,' Trump said. The president also set a 50-day deadline for Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring an end to the war. If the war continues beyond that period, Trump said he'd slap 100 percent tariffs on countries that trade with Russia, known as secondary tariffs. 'The country's economy is going very poorly, and he's got to get his economy back. He's got to save his economy,' Trump said. However, Trump cast doubt on a bipartisan sanctions bill on Russia that currently has 85 co-sponsors in the Senate. That bill would implement 500 percent tariffs on Russia and their economic partners. 'I'm not sure we need it, but it's certainly good they're doing it,' Trump said, adding that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) would be at the White House later Monday to discuss the matter. Throughout the press conference, Trump repeatedly expressed frustration with Putin, accusing him of agreeing to wind down the war during their private conversations, only to follow with another bombing campaign. 'I always hang up and say… 'Well that was a nice phone call,' and then missiles launch into Kyiv or some other city,' Trump said. 'That happens three or four times, you realize the talk doesn't mean anything,' he added. Keith Kellogg, Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, met Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. 'We hope for U.S. leadership, as it is clear that Moscow will not stop unless its unreasonable ambitions are curbed through strength,' Zelensky said in a statement. 'I thank Keith Kellogg for this visit to Ukraine. I am grateful to President Trump for the important signals of support and the positive decisions for both our countries. We deeply value the support of the American people.' The Hill's Laura Kelly has everything you need to know about the U.S.-NATO weapons deal here. 💡Perspectives: • New Yorker: Is the U.S. ready for the next war? • American Greatness: Will Brennan ever tell the truth? • Washington Examiner: One year later, few answers on Butler shooting. • Washington Post: Trump shooting ignited belief in MAGA's divine right. • Vox: America is finally moving past its post-9/11 security theater. The price of Bitcoin hit a record high as Congress started 'Crypto Week.' Central Texas was hit with another round of heavy rains and flooding over the weekend, prompting additional rescues and evacuations only 10 days after catastrophic flooding in the region killed at least 130 people. Join The Hill and NewsNation on Wednesday for the inaugural Hill Nation Summit featuring interviews with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and others. © Greg Nash Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) will introduce an amendment Tuesday aimed at forcing a vote to release all government files pertaining to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 'Why are the Epstein files still hidden? Who are the rich & powerful being protected?' Khanna posted on X. 'The Speaker must call a vote and put every Congress member on record,' Khanna added. This comes as President Trump seeks to move on after his Department of Justice and FBI determined there's no Epstein 'client list' to release. That announcement sparked a backlash on the right, as many key figures in the Trump administration spent years promising full transparency while teasing bombshell reports about a cabal of powerful people involved in Epstein's crimes. Attorney General Pam Bondi, FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino have taken the brunt of the anger from MAGA world. There are reports that Bongino considered resigning, unhappy with the administration's handling of the situation, although that appears to have blown over. Trump said over the weekend that Bongino is 'in good shape.' The president also defended Bondi and called on his supporters to drop the matter. 'What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals?' ' Trump posted on Truth Social. 'They're all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB! We're on one Team, MAGA, and I don't like what's happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and 'selfish people' are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein.' Trump went on to baselessly accuse former President Obama, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other Democrats of creating the Epstein files. Many on the right are not letting it go. Far-right activist Laura Loomer, a Trump ally with close ties to the administration, is calling for a special counsel to investigate. Conservative pundit Tucker Carlson blamed Bondi for the controversy, saying the attorney general 'made up a bunch of ludicrous' claims that led people to believe a bombshell was imminent. 'Fox & Friends Weekend' anchor Kevin Corke called the controversy a 'ticking time bomb.' 'You can't tell me that a thousand people were hurt and that there are no people out there that we can arrest,' Corke said. 'You can tell me that, 'Sorry. We don't have a list.' Fine, don't have a list. Tell me who the perpetrators were.' Trump's former adviser Steve Bannon predicted Republicans would lose 40 House seats over the administration's handling of the Epstein case. Elon Musk posted on X: 'Just release the files as promised.' Tomorrow: In The Movement newsletter, The Hill's Emily Brooks will break down how the Epstein saga could affect Republicans in the midterms. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox. 💡Perspectives: • The New York Times: MAGA is tearing itself apart over Epstein. • Axios: 3 ways Trump might try to defuse the Epstein mess. • New York Post: Epstein drama is an unnecessary distraction for Trump. • USA Today: Gen Z voters must turn out for Mamdani. • Issues & Insights: Mamdani vs. the billionaires. Read more: • South Carolina becomes early hot spot for potential 2028 candidates. • Threats against public officials persist after Trump assassination attempt. • Butler assassination attempt proved to be turning point for Trump. • Democrats find reasons for hope and fear six months into Trump 2.0. Former President Biden 'did not individually approve each name for the categorical pardons that applied to large numbers of people' in the final days of his presidency, according to a new report from The New York Times. Instead, Biden signed off on broad standards for the pardons, and his staff 'then ran the final version through the autopen.' The Times interviewed Biden for the story. The former president said he made 'every single one' of the clemency decisions and only used the autopen 'because there were a lot of them.' Biden also responded to allegations he was incapacitated near the end of his presidency and unaware of decisions being made on his behalf. 'They're liars,' Biden said. Trump on Monday called the Biden administration's use of the autopen 'maybe one of the biggest scandals we've had in 50 to 100 years.' 'The whole group, they're no good,' Trump said. 'They're sick people. I guarantee he knew nothing about what he was signing.' ELSEWHERE… Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) formally announced this afternoon he is running for New York City mayor as an independent. Cuomo, who lost the Democratic primary to democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani, will enter a crowded field that includes current New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is also running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa. Centrist Democrats are raising the alarm about Mamdani, worried his far-left politics will be a drag on the party. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who has not endorsed in the race, said in an interview with Punchbowl News that Mamdani must reassure Jewish New Yorkers that he plans to prioritize their safety. Mamdani has in the past refused to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada.' MEANWHILE… Rep. Elise Stefanik's (R-N.Y.) campaign raked in $4 million in the second quarter of the year, leaving her with $11 million in cash on hand. That's the largest amount of cash on hand for any New York Republican in history. Stefanik is preparing to run against Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-N.Y.). © Greg Nash Senate Republicans face a Friday deadline to pass about $9 billion in clawbacks proposed by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The rescissions package, which focuses primarily on foreign aid and public media, is not guaranteed to pass, with several Republicans speaking out against reversing the appropriations that were already passed into law by Congress. President Trump is threatening to withhold his support for any GOP senators that vote against the package. 'I suspect it's going to be very close,' Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on CBS's 'Face the Nation.' 'I don't know if it will be modified in advance, but I can't really honestly look Americans in the face and say that I'm going to be doing something about the deficit if I can't cut $9 billion.' The House approved the rescissions package in a 214-212 vote in June. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine.), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has raised alarms about cuts to an AIDS relief program known as PEPFAR. GOP lawmakers are also concerned about cuts to local public broadcasting stations in their home states, even if they agree that national public broadcasting has taken a leftward turn. 'There's a lot of what the Corporation for Broadcasting does that I support, such as the 70 percent of the money that goes to local stations,' Collins said. 'They maintain the emergency alert system, they do local programing — such as, in Maine, there's a very popular high school quiz show.' Republicans can only afford to lose three votes for the bill to pass. The Hill's Alexander Bolton writes that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) is on a collision course with the GOP holdouts, who are also concerned about ceding more power to the Executive Branch: 'A handful of senior Republican senators are worried about ceding even more power to the Trump administration, as Congress has already done by allowing President Trump to shutter or overhaul agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development or impose steep tariffs on many of the nation's trading partners without much pushback.' Democrats, meanwhile, are warning the DOGE cuts threaten bipartisan funding negotiations and could lead to a government shutdown in September. 'How are we supposed to negotiate a bipartisan deal if Republicans will turn around and put it through the shredder in a partisan vote,' Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.), the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said last week. 'This entire package next week should be rejected outright.' Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) said he supports shutting down the government if Republicans pass the rescissions package. 'It's time to stand up for the American people,' Subramanyam said in an interview on NewsNation's 'The Hill Sunday.' 💡Perspectives: • The Hill: Media take their cues from the Dem talking points on Texas flood. • The Liberal Patriot: The albatross of sectarian identity politics. • The Free Press: The shot that changed America. • National Review: Pass the rescissions bill. • The Hill: Trump attacks public employees, but unions are fighting back. Read more: • Senate GOP faces 'gut check time' on axing global HIV program. • Hospitals brace for Medicaid cuts under 'big, beautiful' law. • Will Bessent serve as Fed chair, Treasury secretary at the same time? • US manufacturers are stuck in a rut. • Economists see lower recession risk and stronger job growth: WSJ Survey. President Trump over the weekend slapped 30 percent tariffs on Mexico and the European Union. European Union President Ursula von der Leyen said the tariffs would 'would disrupt essential transatlantic supply chains, to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.' The European leader said she'd consider 'countermeasures' if no deal is reached by Aug. 1. 'We remain ready to continue working towards an agreement by August 1,' von der Leyen said. 'At the same time, we will take all necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including the adoption of proportionate countermeasures if required.' Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Mexican officials met with Trump administration officials last week to discuss 'issues of security, migration, border and water management.' 'We mentioned at the meeting that this was an unfair deal and that we disagreed,' Sheinbaum said in a statement. 'In other words, Mexico is already in negotiations,' she added. Someone forward this newsletter to you? Sign up to get your own copy: See you next time!
Dubai Eye
3 days ago
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Zelenskyy and Kellogg discuss air defence and arms purchases in Kyiv
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met US special envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg on Monday in the capital Kyiv, where they discussed boosting Ukraine's air defences and Kyiv buying weapons with European help. The meeting took place the day after US President Donald Trump said he would send Patriot air defence missiles to Ukraine and ahead of an expected announcement on Monday of a new US plan to arm Kyiv with offensive weapons. "We discussed the path to peace and what we can practically do together to bring it closer. This includes strengthening Ukraine's air defence, joint production, and procurement of defence weapons in collaboration with Europe," Zelenskyy wrote on X. "And of course, sanctions against Russia and those who help it." Trump, who began his second term with a more conciliatory approach to Russia, has in recent weeks signalled disenchantment with Russian President Vladimir Putin as Moscow has stepped up air strikes on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. An air-raid alert was declared in Kyiv shortly after the meeting took place.
Free Malaysia Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
US envoy Kellogg arrives in Ukraine for defence talks
US President Donald Trump said he would issue a 'major statement' on the Russia-Ukraine war as he meets with Nato's secretary general. (AP pic) KYIV : US envoy Keith Kellogg arrived in Kyiv on Monday for defence talks with senior leadership after US President Donald Trump announced new Patriot air defence systems supplies to Ukraine. The visit – more than three years into the Kremlin's invasion – comes as Russian forces killed three civilians in east Ukraine and launched dozens of long-range drones at targets across the country. 'We welcome US special representative Keith Kellogg to Ukraine,' Andriy Yermak, a top aide to the Ukrainian president wrote on social media. 'Russia does not want to cease fire. Peace through strength is the principle of US President Donald Trump, and we support this approach,' Yermak added, alongside images of him welcoming Kellogg at Kyiv's central train station. Washington had said this month it would pause some arms deliveries to Kyiv but Trump has changed tack, criticising Russian President Vladimir Putin for intensifying attacks as US-led peace talks stalled. Trump said this weekend Washington would also supply Kyiv with more Patriot air defence batteries, but added that the US would not pay for them. Kellogg's visit comes as the US president is set to meet with Nato's secretary general Mark Rutte in Washington later on Monday. Trump has said he would issue a 'major statement' on the war on Monday. Russian forces meanwhile said on Monday they had claimed new territory in eastern Ukraine with the capture of two villages, one in the Donetsk region and another in the Zaporizhzhia region. Moscow claimed to have annexed both almost three years ago despite not having full military control over them. Its forces also killed at least three civilians in the eastern Kharkiv and Sumy regions on Monday, regional Ukrainian officials announced. Moscow has stepped up aerial strikes on Ukraine over recent months, launching hundreds of drones almost on a daily basis. The Ukrainian air force said Monday Russia had launched 136 drones and four missiles at Ukraine.
LBCI
3 days ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Trump to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine, US envoy visits Kyiv
Donald Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg began talks in Kyiv on Monday on security and sanctions against Russia after the U.S. president said he would send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine. In a sharp departure from his earlier stance, Trump was also expected to announce a new plan to arm Ukraine with offensive weapons, American news website Axios cited two sources familiar with the matter as saying. Trump's moves underline his growing disenchantment with Russian President Vladimir Putin over the lack of progress in U.S.-led efforts to secure a ceasefire in Russia's more than three-year-old war in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who was expected to meet Kellogg in the Ukrainian capital, wants more defensive capabilities to fend off intense missile and drone attacks from Russia, which holds about one-fifth of Ukraine, is advancing in the east and shows no sign of abandoning its main war goals. Reuters
