12 h. ago Zelensky 'refuses to sign' Donald Trump's 'problematic' minerals deal amid tensions between world leaders

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is reportedly not ready to sign a controversial minerals deal with Donald Trump that may see him give away billions in critical elements and revenues.

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42 h. ago Mohammed bin Salman wants an alternative to Trump’s Gaza plan – but one that most benefits Saudi Arabia | Madawi al

The crown prince sees Hamas as a regional threat, and may propose a deal that risks sidelining PalestiniansSaudi Arabia has suddenly experienced a diplomatic awakening after lukewarm engagement with the conflict in Gaza. Today, leaders of Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates will gather in Riyadh to discuss Donald Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza. (Keen to be viewed as a global deal maker, Saudi Arabia will also be hosting negotiations over Ukraine this week.)Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was alarmed by Trump’s outrageous “Riviera plan” to reconstruct Gaza following eviction of its people to neighbouring countries. Alongside Arab leaders, he hopes to propose an alternative plan with the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem its capital at its core. The crown prince has insisted that there will be no normalisation of Israel without a Palestinian state.Madawi al-Rasheed is a fellow of the British Academy and a visiting professor at the Midd...

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58 h. ago Putin will agree Ukraine ceasefire in 2025, says spy chief as Trump sparks fury with Russia deal plan

The Russian president and Donald Trump are pushing ahead with controversial plans to try to reach a peace agreement for Ukraine

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60 h. ago Vladimir Putin will agree Ukraine ceasefire in 2025, says spy chief

The Russian president and Donald Trump are pushing ahead with controversial plans to try to reach a peace agreement for Ukraine

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62 h. ago These Republican senators have broken away from Trump after controversial Ukraine post

Senate Republicans balked at Trump’s anti-Ukraine rhetoric after the president took aim at Zelensky in an unhinged social media post

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3 d. ago Did Ukraine start the war? Trump's controversial comments explained

Donald Trump has suggested Ukraine started the war with Russia - here is why it’s not true

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3 d. ago The US and Europe are at a crossroads. A new world order is emerging

We’ve seen the opening salvo in a US effort to transform the transatlantic relationship. The future of democracy is in playOver the past week, the foundations of US-European relations shifted dramatically.In a series of highly controversial interventions, Donald Trump’s administration outlined a new US approach to Europe. It revolves around negotiating a rapid end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, handing Europe the lead responsibility for its own defense, and forging a new transatlantic alliance of populist forces on the right. After 25 years of working on transatlantic relations, I am aware of the tendency of crisis moments like this to fade and relationships to trend back toward historical norms. But this time is different. Continue reading...

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3 d. ago The US and Europe are at a crossroads. A new world order is emerging | Christopher S Chivvis

We’ve seen the opening salvo in a US effort to transform the transatlantic relationship. The future of democracy is in playOver the past week, the foundations of US-European relations shifted dramatically.In a series of highly controversial interventions, Donald Trump’s administration outlined a new US approach to Europe. It revolves around negotiating a rapid end to the war between Ukraine and Russia, handing Europe the lead responsibility for its own defense, and forging a new transatlantic alliance of populist forces on the right. After 25 years of working on transatlantic relations, I am aware of the tendency of crisis moments like this to fade and relationships to trend back toward historical norms. But this time is different. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump’s Gaza takeover won’t happen. But it has already changed the face of Israeli politics | Yair Wallach

The US president’s support for forcibly relocating Palestinians has laid the ground for Netanyahu’s ultimate fantasyWhen President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum to Hamas last week to release all hostages by noon on 15 February, warning that otherwise “all hell [will] break loose”, the Israeli right was ecstatic. Here was a chance to finally move ahead with the complete occupation and annihilation of the Gaza Strip. The families of Israeli hostages were petrified about the prospect of the ceasefire collapsing, yet members of the ruling coalition called to kill the deal. “We have international support, give the order!” demanded the Israeli finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich.But the order never came. Hamas abided by the agreement and freed three hostages; Israel then released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Trump shrugged and said that it was Israel’s decision. His envoy, Steve Witkoff, who visited Israel on Sunday, signalled that the direction of travel is not towards resuming h...

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3 d. ago Trump signs bombshell executive order to make himself the most powerful president in history as he enacts controversial Constitutional theory

Donald Trump has signed an executive order that could make him the most powerful president in history, using a controversial Constitutional law theory to potentially get his way.

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5 d. ago Austin and London Roar in Protest Against Trump's Controversial Gaza Takeover Plan

Austin and London Roar in Protest Against Trump's Controversial Gaza Takeover Plan  Hoodline

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5 d. ago As the US retreats, Europe must look out for itself – so is Macron’s nuclear offer the answer? | Simon Tisdall

Development of a joint defence shield would be politically explosive for Keir Starmer. But it’s an idea whose time has comeThe startling contempt for Europe’s intensifying security concerns displayed by Donald Trump and his henchmen has brought an old, controversial question back to the fore: should Britain and France pool their nuclear weapons capabilities and create a Europe-wide defensive nuclear shield to deter Vladimir Putin’s Russia, if the US reduces or withdraws its support?Trump has not so far explicitly threatened to cut US nuclear forces based in Europe. But speaking last week, the president said he wanted to halve the US’s defence spending, especially on nuclear weapons. Trump often denigrates Nato, keystone of European security. Last year, he encouraged Russia “to do whatever the hell they want” to member states that, in his view, spend too little on defence. Continue reading...

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