International
Trump meets with Zelenski at the Elysée, in a meeting organized by Macron
The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, met this Saturday with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, in a meeting in which the French head of state, Emmanuel Macron, who had invited them to the commemorations of the reopening of Notre Dame de Paris, also participated as host.
Zelenski arrived shortly after 17.30 local time (16.30 GMT) at the Elysée Palace, where Trump had gone three quarters of an hour before for a face-to-face with Macron.
The head of protocol of the Elysée, and not the French president, was the one who went out to receive the Ukrainian leader in the courtyard, where the Republican Guard was paying honors.
Zelenski quickly entered the building where Trump and Macron were waiting for him, with whom he posed for a few seconds with the tense gesture in front of the cameras before starting the discussions between the three.
Tariffs, Middle East and Ukraine
The president-elect of the United States and the head of the French state planned to talk about the tariffs that the former threatens to impose on products entering his country from the European Union, the war in the Middle East and, above all, the conflict in Ukraine.
An issue that obviously interests Zelenski more than anyone else, taking into account that the United States is his main supplier of weapons.
During the campaign for his election, Trump had underlined his intention to resolve the war in Ukraine within 24 hours. His attitude has raised uncertainty and fear among Europeans, and in particular in Kiev, for the possibility that this means the end of Washington’s military support.
Diplomatic solution for the war in Ukraine
Zelenski has assumed in recent weeks that his country will not be able to reconquer by arms the territory that Moscow has conquered and has insisted that a diplomatic solution must be sought.
After the meeting at the Elysée, which lasted just over an hour, the three greeted each other again in front of the cameras in the courtyard of the Elysée and the only handshake between Trump and Zelenski was seen.
The two got into their respective official cars to go to Notre Dame.
The three presidents were supposed to participate there from 18.15 local time (17.15 GMT) in the reopening ceremonies of Notre Dame, although in view of the accumulated delay, it is possible that this schedule will not be respected.
These ceremonies will be attended by a quarantine of heads of state and government. The protection device includes a contingent of more than 6,000 police and gendarmes and the establishment of a perimeter closed to the public on the island of the Cité, where the cathedral is located.
Macron’s guests to the ceremony will attend a dinner offered by the French president at the Elysée in the evening.
Macron talks about a historic day and asks to work for peace
The French head of state, Emmanuel Macron, has considered that this Saturday has been a “historic day” after having met the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, with the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, to whom he has asked to continue “common action for peace and security.”
In a message on his X account, Macron congratulated himself on the meeting he has led to at the Elysée Palace between the three: “The United States, Ukraine and France. Together on this historic day. Gathered by Notre Dame. Let us continue common action for peace and security.”
That text is accompanied by an image of the three, who have been talking for just over half an hour, before participating in the reopening ceremony of Notre Dame Cathedral, after five years of restoration due to the fire it suffered in April 2019.
In another previous message, Macron has referred to his face-to-face interview with Trump and has insisted on the “challenges” they have to overcome together and on the “pride in friendship” between his two countries.
The message also includes a short video of the beginning of the meeting of both leaders at the Elysée Palace, which has been held a few tens of minutes before the start of the reopening ceremony of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, which is the reason for the presence of the president-elect of the United States in France.
A “great honor” for the French
In that video, Macron said he was “happy to welcome President-elect Donald Trump in Paris for the reopening of Notre Dame five years later. He was president when the cathedral caught fire.”
“It is a great honor for the French,” he added, before noting the “solidarity” that Trump had expressed for the Notre Dame fire.
Trump, for his part, has highlighted the “very good relationship” he has had with the French president and explained how Americans love and respect the French.
“Very honored to be here,” Trump told Macron, who has also expressed his willingness to work with him and has pointed out that “the world seems to be going crazy.”
Zelenski considers his interview with Trump “good and productive”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has considered “very good and productive” the meeting he has held in Paris with the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, and with the French head of state, Emmanuel Macron, sponsored by the latter, host of the celebration of the reopening of Notre Dame.
In a message on his X account, Zelenski has pointed out that “President Trump has been, as always, decisive. I thank you.”
He also wanted to thank Macron for organizing “this important meeting.”
International
FBI Says It Disrupted Alleged Plot Targeting White House During UFC Event
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced Tuesday that it had disrupted an alleged plot to attack the White House during a major Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event held in Washington over the weekend.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the threat was identified on June 10 through a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. According to Patel, swift action by authorities led to the arrest of several suspects before the alleged plan could be carried out.
“On June 10, the FBI and our law enforcement partners became aware of a potential threat targeting UFC America 250 in Washington. Thanks to the rapid response of the FBI and our partners, multiple individuals are now in custody, and the alleged attack plans were stopped before they could be executed,” Patel said.
He emphasized that the operation demonstrated the ability of security agencies to detect and prevent potential threats at large public gatherings. Patel added that the investigation remains ongoing and that additional details will be released as court proceedings move forward.
According to reports from U.S. media outlets, five individuals have been arrested so far. The suspects were identified as Tycen Proper of Ohio, Daniel Eskridge of Missouri, Abraham Hermosillo Álvarez of Nebraska, and Bryan Omar Roa and Michael Alan Thomas, both from California. Authorities are also investigating the possible involvement of 18 additional individuals.
Investigators allege that the plot involved the use of drones equipped with explosives to target buildings near the sporting event. The plan reportedly sought to trigger a mass evacuation and direct attendees toward areas where snipers were allegedly positioned. Authorities further claim that a second phase of the operation included an attempted assault on the White House.
The U.S. Secret Service confirmed that it worked closely with the FBI throughout the operation. Secret Service Director Sean Curran stated that security teams conducted extensive efforts to identify those involved and eliminate any threat to attendees and protected facilities.
The investigation reportedly uncovered communications conducted through the messaging application Signal, where several suspects allegedly discussed details related to the planned attack. A forensic analysis of one of the seized mobile phones revealed at least 23 users participating in conversations connected to the alleged planning activities.
Court documents also indicate that some of the suspects allegedly intended to target U.S. political figures. Among the reported targets were members of Congress who had received contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Investigators further stated that one of the primary suspects had posted antisemitic messages and expressions of support for Adolf Hitler on social media, evidence that is now part of the ongoing judicial investigation.
International
Brazil helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro kills six, including pilots and international figures
The Rio de Janeiro Civil Police confirmed on Monday the identities of three of the six victims killed in a helicopter collision that occurred the previous morning in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood.
All three identified victims are Brazilian nationals: the pilots of the aircraft, Charles Marsillac and Alexandre Souza, and music producer Lucas Brito.
The identities of the three foreign victims have not yet been officially confirmed. They include U.S. singer Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim—known online as “Gaspi”—and Argentine producer Lucas Vignale, all of whom were listed on the flight manifest.
According to police, forensic experts from the Legal Medical Institute have already collected DNA samples in order to identify the foreign victims, whose bodies were severely burned.
One of the helicopters crashed into a private parking lot, triggering a fire that destroyed around twenty electric vehicles. That aircraft was carrying the pilot and four passengers, including the three foreign nationals.
The second helicopter, which had only the pilot on board, crashed approximately 100 meters away from the first impact site.
Rio de Janeiro’s deputy mayor, Eduardo Cavaliere, stated that both helicopters were operating transport flights toward Angra dos Reis on the Rio coastline and toward the mountainous region of the state.
Oliver Tree, 32, was in Brazil as part of an international tour. The artist, known for songs such as “Life Goes On” and “Miss You,” had performed to a large audience in São Paulo a week earlier and was scheduled to continue his tour in Europe.
Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, 23, had built a following of more than two million on social media platforms, gaining popularity for humorous and often controversial video productions that had occasionally been removed by hosting platforms.
International
Mexico and U.S. Launch New Bilateral Security Group to Combat Fentanyl and Organized Crime
The governments of Mexico and the United States officially launched the Bilateral Implementation Group (BIG) on Friday, a new initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation on security issues and enhancing joint efforts against transnational crime.
In a statement, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson announced that he and Deputy Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco addressed officials from both countries who will lead what he described as a “new phase of bilateral cooperation.” The initiative seeks to curb the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, illegal firearms, and human trafficking across the shared border.
Earlier this week, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed that senior security officials from both nations would meet in Mexico City on June 12 to review and advance existing cooperation agreements.
Through social media, Ambassador Johnson explained that the new bilateral group is designed to improve coordination between the two governments by placing greater emphasis on implementation, accountability, and measurable results. The effort will also focus on combating transnational criminal organizations operating across North America.
“The participation of 15 U.S. government agencies, working alongside their Mexican counterparts, reflects the seriousness of this effort and our shared commitment to delivering measurable results,” Johnson said.
The ambassador also highlighted several achievements that he attributed to ongoing bilateral cooperation. According to Johnson, maritime drug trafficking into the United States has declined by more than 95 percent, while overdose deaths have fallen by 35 percent.
He further noted that Mexican authorities have seized more than 400 metric tons of illegal drugs and dismantled over 2,300 clandestine laboratories as part of their efforts to combat organized crime and narcotics production.
The launch of the Bilateral Implementation Group marks the latest step in the security partnership between Mexico and the United States, as both countries seek to address shared challenges related to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and the activities of criminal networks operating across the region.
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