International
The United States, Russia and Ukraine send delegations to Saudi Arabia in the face of a possible negotiation to end the war
The United States, Russia and Ukraine sent delegations to Saudi Arabia at a time of growing speculation about the possible negotiations between Washington and Moscow to end the war in Ukraine.
The US special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, confirmed on Sunday that an American delegation will travel to the kingdom in the next few hours to meet with Russian officials within the framework of contacts aimed at finding a way out of the conflict.
At the same time, a Ukrainian delegation will also be present in the country, although it is not clear whether it will participate in the talks.
In an interview this Sunday with the Fox network, Witkoff revealed that the US delegation will be composed of himself and the White House National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and explained that they plan to travel tonight.
“We’ll leave tonight. I will travel with the National Security advisor and we will hold meetings on behalf of the president. We hope to achieve significant progress in relation to Russia and Ukraine,” he said.
Witkoff also said that he “belied” that Ukraine would be part of the negotiations with the Russian delegation. “I don’t think it’s about excluding anyone,” he said.
According to local media, the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who was in Israel today and tomorrow will arrive in Saudi Arabia as part of his first tour in the Middle East as head of US diplomacy, will also be part of the US delegation.
When the leaders of Russia and the United States spoke on the phone on February 12, Trump announced that he had reached an agreement with Putin to start “negotiations immediately” with the aim of ending the war in Ukraine and appointed Rubio, Waltz, Witkoff and the director of the CIA, John Ratcliffe, as the negotiating team.
Subsequently, Trump announced his intention to hold a summit with Putin in Saudi Arabia, although there is still no date for the meeting.
The Kremlin has not officially announced who will be part of the Russian delegation in the first high-level meeting between the two countries since the beginning of the war in February 2022.
However, according to CNN, which cites sources familiar with the matter, the delegation could include senior political, intelligence and economic officials, including Kirill Dmitriev, who played a key role in the recent prisoner exchange between the two countries.
While the US delegation is heading to Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian delegation has already arrived in the kingdom, according to Ukrainian Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, who is also Deputy Prime Minister, announced on Facebook.
Svyrydenko explained that the objective of the trip is to strengthen economic ties with Saudi Arabia and prepare a possible trip for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, although he did not specify whether the delegation will participate in the negotiations between Washington and Moscow.
In an interview broadcast this Sunday by NBC, Zelenski insisted that “no world leader” can reach an agreement on Ukraine without his participation. Asked if Putin is capable of negotiating in good faith, he replied: “He is a liar. He doesn’t want peace.”
According to an advisor close to Zelenski quoted by NBC, until Saturday night Ukraine had not been invited to the talks between the US and Russia and reiterated that Kiev considers it essential that there is a “joint position” between its country, Washington and Europe before any negotiation with Putin.
The eventual meeting between the US and Russia to end the war has generated concern both in the Ukrainian Government, which has warned that it will not accept any agreement without its consent, and in Europe, where this Monday the leaders of the EU, the United Kingdom, the European Commission and NATO will hold a meeting to define their strategy.
International
U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute
The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.
All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.
The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.
The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.
“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.
International
Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.
“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.
Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.
According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.
International
Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power
Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.
The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.
Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.
Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.
The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.
Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.
Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.
In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.
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