president Donald Trump He is expected to return from a four-day trip to the Middle East and start his week in US soil by phone to help negotiate a potential ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump spent the weekend in Washington, DC after returning from a visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. He received warm welcome in countries and returned home after numerous deals including Qatar’s purchasing contracts for Boeing aircraft, and “strategic economic partnerships” in energy, defense, mining and space-based agreements with Saudi Arabia.
Political eyes are trapped in Eastern Europe as Trump line up phone conversations this week With Russia Ukraine was scheduled for Monday morning.
From left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump, and Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky. (sputnik/alexei danichev/pool via Reuters | Leah Millis | Alina Smutko)
Telephones between Russia and Ukraine
Over the weekend, Trump made a private call with Russian President Vladimir Putin to announce that he would help mediate transactions to end the bloodshed and ensure long-term peace.
“I will be on the phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin at 10am on Monday. The calling subject will stop the “blood bathing” that is on average being murdered.
Trump then spoke with Zelenskyy, adding that he will be in line with another call between Zelenskyy and NATO leaders, adding that he will line up his busy Monday schedule.
Russian and Ukrainian officials held their first direct peace negotiations over the years in Istanbul last week. However, both sides have failed to agree to a ceasefire in a war that has been raging since February 2022. Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large prisoner exchange during the meeting.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to speak to President Donald Trump on Monday. (Kremlin Press Office / Handout / Anadolu via Getty Images)
A few hours after the meeting, a Russian drone strike hit a passenger bus Northeast Ukraine Saturday.
World leaders traveled to Rome on Sunday for Pope Leo XIV’s first Mass in the Vatican, including Zelensky, Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The US leaders met with Zelensky at another meeting, where they discussed efforts to end the war, according to the Vice President’s office.
GOP lawmakers praise Putin and Trump’s call after Biden refuses to even pick up a phone call.
“The leader discussed the common goal of ending bloodshed in Ukraine and provided an update on the current state of negotiations for ceasefires and enduring peace,” Vance’s office said in a statement Sunday afternoon.
Zelenskyy posted his own message on Sunday about the social media meeting, denounced Russia for sending a “non-decisive maker” to a meeting in Istanbul last week, thanking him for “the support and leadership in saving lives for all Americans.”
President Donald Trump is expected to call Ukrainian President Zelensky following his call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday. (Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP/Getty Images)
“During our consultations, we discussed negotiations in Istanbul with where the Russians sent a low-level delegation of non-decisive manufacturers. I reaffirmed that Ukraine was ready to engage in real diplomacy, and emphasized the importance of a complete and unconditional ceasefire as soon as possible,” Zelenskyy posted.
“We have also touched on Russia, bilateral trade, defence cooperation, the situation on the battlefield, and the need for sanctions on future prisoner exchanges. Pressure on Russia is needed until they are eager to stop the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed with local media that “conversation is ongoing” on Monday, the BBC reported on Saturday.
“Hopefully it will be a productive day and there will be a ceasefire. And this very violent war, a war that should never have happened, is over. Trump added a highly anticipated phone call on Monday.
Potentially hiking tariffs on the horizon
Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent, right, has negotiated trade with foreign countries. (Getty Images/Photo illustration)
Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent on Sunday said countries that defied negotiation agreements with the US in “good faith” could see tariff hikes.
“President Trump has informed them that if you don’t negotiate in good faith, they will return to the level of April 2,” Bescent told CNN.
Trump’s April 2nd “Liberation Day” Trade announcement He published his mutual tariff plans in dozens of countries as he worked to bring equality to the US trade deficit. The president issued a 90-day suspension on mutual tariffs in April, except for China, as the country requested that it engage in trade transactions. Trump administration leaders have been involved in dissolving trade negotiations before the 90-day suspension was lifted in July.
After productive talks, Trump and China are approaching a trade deal, Bescent says
Bessent’s comments raised consumer prices amid the rollout of tariffs after Trump denounced Walmart on Saturday.
“Walmart should stop trying to condemn tariffs as a reason to raise prices across chains,” the president wrote of the true society. “Last year, Walmart made billions of dollars. More than I expected. Don’t charge your precious customers, as it is said between Walmart and China, “eating tariffs.”
Push to hand over “big and beautiful bills”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA. (AP Photo/j. Scott Apple White)
Congressional Republicans are in the process of pushing to pass Trump’s “big and beautiful bill,” which is touted as a critical fiscal reform that funds the president’s agenda.
Republicans are working to get it through the budget adjustment process and have set an anniversary deadline for that passing. With only a week left before the summer weekend, House Budget Committee members were summoned to Congress on Sunday night to start work passing the bill.
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The bill was disrupted last week when four members of the conservative home Freedom Caucus voted against moving forward in the law alongside Democrats. The four conservatives have been troubled by cracking down on Medicaid laws and have also worked to abolish the Biden-era Green Energy Tax Subsidies.
Brooke Singman and Elizabeth Elkind of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
