NEW YORK (AP) — Special U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff says Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed at his summit with President Donald Trump to allow the U.S. and European allies to offer Ukraine a security guarantee resembling NATO’s collective defense mandate as part of an eventual deal to end the 3 1/2-year war. Witkoff told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that “the United States could offer Article 5-like protection, which is one of the real reasons why Ukraine wants to be in NATO.” Witkoff said was the first time he had heard Putin agree to that.… Continue Reading

KYIV (AP) — European leaders will join Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for his crucial meeting with President Donald Trump, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday. The move in relation to the key White House meeting on Monday is an apparent effort to prevent a repeat of the heated encounter Zelenskyy faced when he met Trump in February. Von der Leyen, head of the European Union’s executive branch, posted on X that “at the request of President Zelenskyy, I will join the meeting with President Trump and other European leaders in the White House tomorrow.”… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi has named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration as Washington’s “emergency police commissioner,” saying she is granting him the powers of the police chief amid President Donald Trump’s takeover. Bondi said in an directive issued Thursday evening that DEA boss Terry Cole will assume “powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.” But the capital’s attorney general responded that Bondi’s order was “unlawful” and said local officers must continue to follow Police Chief Pamela Smith’s orders. Mayor Muriel Bowser says “there is no statute that conveys the District’s personnel authority to a federal official.”… Continue Reading

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump says he expects to know quickly if a deal can be made with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to halt the war in Ukraine. Trump plans to meet Putin on Friday in Alaska. He suggested on Monday that he could know how serious Putin is within two minutes. He also refused to say if the meeting should involve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and appeared dismissive of Zelenskyy’s role. European allies want Ukraine involved to prevent a deal favoring Moscow. Germany plans a separate, virtual meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy and other leaders to prepare for peace negotiations.… Continue Reading