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Vladimir Putin has agreed to an immediate 30-day pause in strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine during a lengthy phone call with Donald Trump.

The Russian and US presidents spoke for around an hour and a half as the Trump administration aims to bring about an end to the conflict which started after Moscow’s forces carried out a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Mr Putin agreed to the limited ceasefire but stopped short of backing a broader 30-day pause in fighting that the White House is pushing for.

Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin. File pics: AP
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Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. File pics: AP

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after the call that he supports the US proposal to stop Kyiv’s strikes on Russian energy infrastructure.

Mr Zelenskyy added that the hopes to speak to Mr Trump to find out “what the Russians offered the Americans or what the Americans offered the Russians” during his conversation with Mr Putin.

He also said that future talks about Ukraine without Kyiv at the table will not bring results.

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During talks led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Saudi Arabia last week, Ukrainian officials agreed to the US proposal for a 30-day pause in fighting.

However, Mr Putin said during his call with Mr Trump on Tuesday that any long-term deal would require a complete halt to intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine from its allies.

Mr Zelenskky said in an online briefing after the call that Ukraine’s partners would never agree to such a move and that he hopes supplies will continue.

He added that Moscow’s demand was simply an example of Mr Putin attempting to weaken Ukraine.

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What did Trump and Putin talk about?

Trump has moved dial closer to peace but Putin can continue ground war

The outcome of this call will allow both side to claim a win.

For President Trump, he can and will claim that he has secured a phased ceasefire – an air and sea ceasefire.

He will claim, correctly, that he has moved the dial closer to peace (at least in the short term) in this long conflict.

For President Putin, he has accepted a partial ceasefire (energy and infrastructure facilities will not be targeted) but he can still continue his war along the frontline.

He wants to do this because he believes he has the upper hand and can continue the battlefield conflict to push the frontline as far west as he can.

This is a war all about territory. Russia wants to have control of as much land as possible before it signs any full ceasefire plan.

US hopes call marks first step towards peace

The White House has said Mr Trump and Mr Putin agreed to a “movement to peace” it hopes will eventually include a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea and a full and lasting end to the fighting.

“These negotiations will begin immediately in the Middle East,” the White House added.

Mr Putin welcomed Mr Trump’s calls for the maritime ceasefire and “agreed to begin negotiations to further work out specific details of such an agreement”, according to the Kremlin.

Ukrainian officials had earlier proposed a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes and the release of prisoners at their meeting with the US delegation in Saudi Arabia earlier this month.

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Trump-Putin call
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Pic: Reuters
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Pic: Reuters

Prisoner swaps and hockey matches

The Kremlin also said after the call that Russia and Ukraine will exchange 175 prisoners of war each on Wednesday.

Moscow added that it will also hand over 23 badly wounded soldiers to Ukraine.

Mr Zelenskyy responded by saying Russia could show it was serious about peace talks by freeing all prisoners.

Meanwhile, Moscow said in its recap of the call that Mr Trump supported an idea from Mr Putin to organise ice hockey matches in the US between professional players from America and Russia.

The White House’s account of the conversation did not mention hockey.

Shortly after the call, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “We agreed to an immediate Ceasefire on all Energy and Infrastructure, with an understanding that we will be working quickly to have a Complete Ceasefire and, ultimately, an END to this very horrible War between Russia and Ukraine.”

Mr Zelenskyy remains sceptical that Mr Putin is ready for peace as Russian forces continue to pound Ukraine.

Mr Putin last week said he agreed in principle with the US proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, but emphasised that Russia would seek guarantees that Ukraine would not use a break in hostilities to rearm and continue mobilisation.

He has also demanded that Ukraine renounce joining the NATO military alliance, sharply cut its army, and protect Russian language and culture to keep the country in Moscow’s orbit.

Fears Washington favours Moscow

The call between Mr Trump and Mr Putin is just the latest turn in a dramatically shifting relationship between the two superpowers.

Mr Trump made bringing about a quick end to the conflict a top priority when he took office in January – straining ties with allies who want Mr Putin to pay a price for the invasion.

Mr Trump, who has long shown admiration for Mr Putin, has blamed Ukraine for Russia’s unprovoked invasion.

European countries have continued to show support for Ukraine as Mr Trump has appeared to favour Moscow as he aims to secure an end to the war.

Mr Zelenskyy said he spoke to German leader Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron following Tuesday’s call between the US and Russian presidents.

Meanwhile, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a ceasefire and in negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

“This process must lead to a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to ensure Russia can never launch an illegal invasion again.”

Shortly after the call, air raid alerts sounded in Kyiv which were followed by explosions in the city.

It comes after the AES Group private oil refinery was badly damaged after a shock Russian attack in the Kharkiv region on Monday.

The AES Group confirmed the destruction of the facility in Merefa after about 20 drones were launched at it.

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Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s US citizenship

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Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's US citizenship

Donald Trump has said he is considering “taking away” the US citizenship of actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits a government from doing so.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, the US president said: “Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.”

He also labelled O’Donnell, who has moved to Ireland, as a “threat to humanity” and said she should “remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her”.

O’Donnell responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Mr Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.

“You are everything that is wrong with America and I’m everything you hate about what’s still right with it,” she wrote in the caption.

“I’m not yours to silence. I never was.”

Rosie O'Donnell arrives at the ELLE Women in Hollywood celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Donald Trump secured a second term. Pic: AP

O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old son in January after Mr Trump had secured a second term.

She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage and that she would only return to the US “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America”.

O’Donnell and the US president have criticised each other publicly for years, in an often-bitter back-and-forth that predates Mr Trump’s move into politics.

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Will Trump address parliament on UK state visit?

This is just the latest threat by the president to revoke the citizenship of someone he has disagreed with, most recently his former ally Elon Musk.

But the two situations are different as while Musk was born in South Africa, O’Donnell was born in the US and has a constitutional right to American citizenship.

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Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, said the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the fourteenth amendment of the constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.

“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born US citizen,” he added.

“In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”

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Farmer becomes first person to die during Trump’s ICE raids

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Farmer becomes first person to die during Trump's ICE raids

A farmer who fell from a greenhouse roof during an anti-immigrant raid at a licensed cannabis facility in California this week has died of his injuries.

Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first person to die as a result of Donald Trump’s Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) raids.

His niece, Yesenia Duran, posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe to say her uncle was his family’s only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to his wife and daughter in Mexico.

The United Food Workers said Mr Alanis had worked on the farm for 10 years.

“These violent and cruel federal actions terrorise American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,” the union said in a recent statement on X.

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Who is being targeted in Trump’s immigration raids?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it executed criminal search warrants at Glass House Farms facilities on Thursday.

Mr Alanis called family to say he was hiding and possibly fleeing agents before he fell around 30ft (9m) from the roof and broke his neck, according to information from family, hospital and government sources.

Agents arrested 200 people suspected of being in the country illegally and identified at least 10 immigrant children on the sites, the DHS said in a statement.

Mr Alanis was not among them, the agency said.

“This man was not in and has not been in CBP (Customs and Border Protection) or ICE custody,” DHS assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin said.

“Although he was not being pursued by law enforcement, this individual climbed up to the roof of a greenhouse and fell 30ft. CBP immediately called a medivac to the scene to get him care as quickly as possible.”

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President threatens to revoke US comedian’s citizenship

Four US citizens were arrested during the incident for allegedly “assaulting or resisting officers”, the DHS said, and authorities were offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a person suspected of firing a gun at federal agents.

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In a statement, Glass House, a licensed Cannabis grower, said immigration agents had valid warrants. It said workers were detained and it is helping provide them with legal representation.

“Glass House has never knowingly violated applicable hiring practices and does not and has never employed minors,” it added.

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Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s US citizenship

Published

on

By

Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's US citizenship

Donald Trump has said he is considering “taking away” the US citizenship of actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits a government from doing so.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, the US president said: “Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.”

He also labelled O’Donnell, who has moved to Ireland, as a “threat to humanity” and said she should “remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her”.

O’Donnell responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Mr Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.

“You are everything that is wrong with America and I’m everything you hate about what’s still right with it,” she wrote in the caption.

“I’m not yours to silence. I never was.”

Rosie O'Donnell arrives at the ELLE Women in Hollywood celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
Image:
Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Donald Trump secured a second term. Pic: AP

O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old son in January after Mr Trump had secured a second term.

She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage and that she would only return to the US “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America”.

O’Donnell and the US president have criticised each other publicly for years, in an often-bitter back-and-forth that predates Mr Trump’s move into politics.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Will Trump address parliament on UK state visit?

This is just the latest threat by the president to revoke the citizenship of someone he has disagreed with, most recently his former ally Elon Musk.

But the two situations are different as while Musk was born in South Africa, O’Donnell was born in the US and has a constitutional right to American citizenship.

Read more from Sky News:
Kate’s ’emotional’ words for tearful tennis star
Music festival cancelled as headliner pulls out

Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, said the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the fourteenth amendment of the constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.

“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born US citizen,” he added.

“In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”

Continue Reading

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