This subscription does not include access to ft.com or the FT App Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country Digital access for organisations. Includes exclusive features and content. See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times. taking up the skill aged 21.","thumbnailUrl":["https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1920x1080/p0l7xgs7.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1232x1232/p0l7xgs7.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/688xn/p0l7xgs7.jpg","https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/400xn/p0l7xgs7.jpg"],"uploadDate":"2025-05-05T06:28:11.218Z","duration":"PT2M10S"}Viral hedgelayer lands book dealThis video can not be played CloseA hedgelayer from Somerset has landed a book deal after his videos went viral on social media Paul Lamb has been hedgelaying for nearly 30 years since he first tried his hand at the traditional skill at the age of 21 He gained traction on social media and recently published his book Of Thorn & Briar: A Year with the West Country Hedgelayer Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook, external and X, external. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630 Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionEditor's recommendationsViral hedgelayer lands book deal 2:10Up Next Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:44Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:44Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50Ros Atkins on.. What's in the US-Ukraine resources deal 1:23Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 00:01:18Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 1:18Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released 00:00:46Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker That price is for a two-year lease and is being offered by Lease4Less via the Auto Express Find A Car service This deal comes with an allowance of 5,000 miles per year although we expect most people will want to enjoy the Ioniq 5 N as much as possible raising the annual mileage limit to 8,000 only brings the price up to £530 per month if you want to make the most of that hefty down payment you can upgrade to a three-year lease plan which is available from £536 per month The Ioniq 5 N delivers organ-rearranging acceleration thanks to dual electric motors that deliver 641bhp and 740Nm of torque But Hyundai’s N division boffins didn’t focus all their time on winning drag-strip bragging rights During our testing, we found that the Ioniq 5 N does a stunning job of disguising its heft, with its arsenal of electronic wizardry including an N Torque Distribution system with 11 settings that allow drivers to adjust the power balance between the axles There’s also an N Pedal set-up that offers very aggressive brake regeneration before corners for incredibly sharp turn-in One of the Ioniq 5 N’s more novel features is its selection of synthesised soundtracks including those that can replicate the exhaust note of a petrol hot hatch with the system adjusting the car’s torque output to deliver a small jolt and give the impression of gearchanges in an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission All of this comes together to give this car a real personality The styling is menacing and the interior features excellent sports seats plus great tech including dual 12.3-inch displays with bespoke N graphics and performance data But the Ioniq 5 N is still a practical family car with a 480-litre boot and a 278-mile range plus the ability to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 18 minutes Check out the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Deal of the Day or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here… Ellis is responsible for covering everything new and exciting in the motoring world He was previously the content editor for DrivingElectric and won the Newspress Automotive Journalist Rising Star award in 2022 Icon could be reborn with a little help from Volkswagen New Renault 4 2025 review: as good as the Renault 5 with the bonus of extra space New 2025 Kia PV5 van starts from a tempting £22,645 Our marketing claims explained. 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Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas, Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information, news and insight around the world Blackstone will remain as the majority shareholder of the Redwood City, California-based company, according to a joint statementBloomberg Terminal Monday confirming an earlier Bloomberg News report The transaction is expected to close mid-2025 there is no “conflict” to negotiate — only war crimes to stop and an aggressor to defeat Attendees during the funeral of 11-year-old Maksym Martynenko and his parents killed by a Russian missile strike on April 13 by Andrew ChakhoyanNews of Victoria Roshchyna’s brutal death at the hands of Russian captors shocked Ukraine and the world last week Her body was returned mutilated — eyes gouged out brain removed — bearing evidence of unspeakable brutality This is what Russia does — and has done since its 2014 invasion of Ukraine A day after the world discovered what had happened to Roshchyna, the White House celebrated a long-awaited minerals deal signed with Kyiv As diplomacy took center stage in Washington This disconnect between gestures in D.C. and violence in Ukraine speaks to a deeper problem: the U.S. still treats Russia’s criminal war of choice like a policy dilemma to be managed not a strategic threat to be dealt with decisively before it spreads further Since President Donald Trump took office the policy of carrots for the victim and sticks for the aggressor has morphed into a cold shoulder for Ukraine and olive branches for Russia treating overtures from the White House not as goodwill to reciprocate but as weakness to exploit In March, Ukrainian civilian casualties surged by 50% compared to February and by 70% compared to March 2024 A missile strike on a playground in April killed 18 people The UN now reports near-daily attacks on civilian areas This isn’t peacemaking — it’s sadism in slow motion For eleven years since Russia first invaded, successive U.S. Administrations have failed to grasp that there is no “conflict” in Ukraine — no tension between two sides with competing claims Just as there wasn’t a “conflict” in Poland in 1939 when the Nazis invaded from the west and the Soviets from the east Poland didn’t need mediation between Warsaw and Berlin Eighty years ago, the world learned — and then promptly forgot — a hard lesson: Unchecked aggression only grows stronger with time. America tried to stay out of the war. At the time, that seemed wise, even noble. But history proved otherwise: Wishing for peace isn’t enough and every one of them pulls America’s adversaries deeper into a war Russia claims to want to end Washington is threatening to walk away from negotiations altogether Ukraine wants peace more than we will ever know It agreed to an unconditional ceasefire within 24 hours and accepted the minerals deal Russia, meanwhile, has spent nearly two months dodging that same unconditional truce that the White House put on the table. Even an agreement that heavily favors Russia The minerals deal was originally conceived as a mechanism to “collect” repayment for aid and looked more like a shakedown than a strategic partnership set against fresh atrocities and America’s ceasefire efforts rejected by Russia make it more of a distraction than a deterrent We are not ending a war — we are indulging a war criminal And the longer we pretend this is a conflict to be negotiated rather than a criminal aggression to be terminated the more respect — and security — we will lose Andrew Chakhoyan is an academic director at the University of Amsterdam managing international development programs at the Millennium Challenge Corporation and overseeing regional government affairs covering Ukraine and Russia at the World Economic Forum and India have wrapped up the latest round of talks in London without clinching a long-coveted trade deal on Friday for unscheduled negotiations in an attempt to conclude the talks government said the two sides had held constructive discussions this week after negotiators tried to push the deal over the finish line following three years of talks Ministers see securing a free trade agreement with India as well as a separate bilateral investment treaty Department for Business and Trade said on Saturday: “We have been clear we will only sign a deal that is fair balanced and ultimately in the best interests of the British people.” “We are determined to improve access for U.K and make trade cheaper and easier,” the spokesperson added Goyal returned after visiting Oslo and Brussels following a two-day negotiating sprint with U.K Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds in London at the start of this week There are “just a couple of issues left to resolve,” said a person briefed on the talks by Goyal it “appears like most of [the deal] has been resolved and it is likely there might be something announced soon,” they said Goyal’s mid-week visits to Norway and the European Commission were focused on carving out exemptions for India’s high-emission commodities like steel and cement from new European carbon border tax regimes India’s trade chief has also pushed for carve-outs from the U.K.’s forthcoming carbon border tax, which is due to come into effect in 2027 and EU both argue that providing safeguards from these carbon taxes through a trade deal would breach the WTO’s Most Favored Nation rule which requires all trade partners to be treated equally “This government is committed to doing the right deal with India on trade and investment that delivers our Plan for Change,” said the Department for Business and Trade spokesperson The two countries have entered the final stages of negotiations High Commissioner Ralph Goodale also said the 245 percent tariffs U.K cheesemakers face in Canada is due to a “Brexit screw up.” The two sides have completed an intensive two-day negotiating sprint in London The new rules will lead to around 100 new visas for Indian workers each year A searingly intimate observation of an alternative production of Hamlet where many of the actors are soldiers from the frontline What is the use of art in time of war? Shot a few months prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosołowski’s documentary probes this thorny question with a searing intimacy The film observes an alternative production of Hamlet which brings together a group of Ukrainian performers from all walks of life and as volatile emotions are spilled on to the stage performance becomes a conduit for personal catharsis as well as artistic expression scenes of the rehearsal process are interspersed with revelations about the actors’ backgrounds Many of them are soldiers on the frontline: Slavik and Katia have endured the bloodshed of combat as well as the horrors of captivity was thrust on to the battlefield as a medic a responsibility for which he was both professionally and emotionally ill-equipped the stage transforms into a common ground for understanding Hailing from a conservative region of the country Slavik admits to having his preconceptions erased through meeting Rodion who proudly incorporates his traumatic experience as a queer person into his performance The rigid parameters of national pride are also up for debate raises important inquiries about the place of women in Ukrainian society These differences of opinions are processed not just through heated arguments By emphasising the collaborative process of performance the film stresses that unity must be achieved through holistic dialogue rather than an autocratic consolidation of ideas The documentary’s postscript feels even more shattering in this regard: with most of the cast called up for military conscription opportunities for creative experiments like this are already a thing of the past The Hamlet Syndrome is on True Story from 9 May Casual Online Sports ReporterPublished: Invalid Date BRENDAN RODGERS has made it clear he expects Celtic to strengthen in the transfer market this summer And a new report claims that the Hoops are looking to add a very young and promising star from Europe to their squad Serbian outlet Max Sport says that Celtic are 'very interested' in Red Star Belgrade defender Veljko Milosavljevic but has already made 15 appearances for the Serbian champions as well as featuring for the nation's under 19s team Milosavljevic reportedly caught the attention after showing his potential in his limited first team appearances especially in two derby matches against Partizan Belgrade It's also understood that Red Star have told Celtic that the teenager is not yet for sale but by the end of the transfer window the situation may change as unnamed teams in England and France are also believed to be monitoring his development Celts could be set to regain another name in central defence in the form of forgotten star Gustav Lagerbielke Arnold Bruggink, the technical director at Lagerbielke's loan club Twente, says that the Premiership champions are pricing the Swede out of a permanent move The 24-year-old has revealed he would like to remain with the Eredivisie club beyond this summer, but his loan deal runs out at the end of the season and he still has three years left on his Parkhead contract. "They are asking for quite a bit of money "We would like to make the deal permanent but I think it is not very realistic at the moment." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here Jordan Thompson was Stoke City's longest-serving player before his release by the club Stoke City's long-serving Northern Ireland midfielder Jordan Thompson is leaving the Championship club after five-and-a-half seasons The 28-year-old joined Stoke in January 2020 from Blackpool and made 178 appearances He played 23 times in the league this season but missed the Potters' last three games through injury as the club secured survival on the final day following a relegation-threatened campaign Stoke have also released USA international Lynden Gooch and defenders Michael Rose and Enda Stevens Jordan Thompson proud to reach personal milestone Stoke appoint ex-Coventry boss Robins as manager the club exercised an option to extend midfielder Lewis Baker's contract for another season who has been with Stoke since January 2022 spent the first half of this season on loan with Blackburn before returning to the Potteries at the start of the year Stoke sporting director Jonathan Walters said, external Baker "has been an integral part of our side since he returned to the club in January" and had "played some of his best football for Stoke City" under boss Mark Robins Walters said the club were grateful to someone "who gave 100% on each of the 178 times he donned a Stoke City shirt" and called his contribution to the side "significant and valued" Top storiesLive Watch Arsenal in Champions League training before crucial semi-final with PSG - latest Stunning stats and 'Ronaldo behaviour' - is Yamal cut out to rival Messi Real seek to sign Alexander-Arnold for Club World Cup The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Is the risk that Mercedes took with Antonelli paying off Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - Arsenal stalling at wrong time Europa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney VideoEuropa League 'papering over cracks' for Man Utd - Rooney Ask Me Anything the new BBC Sport service designed to serve you Bayern's 'James Bond' - how Kane clinched his first trophy Nine bolters with a shot of making the Lions squad How 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool VideoHow 'absolutely outstanding' Palmer 'destroyed' Liverpool Solskjaer on Besiktas Saints 'punch' favourites Leinster in game for the ages VideoVardy the best £1m ever spent - Shearer Poppy's tears Elton John & Happy Gilmore - McIlroy on Jimmy Fallon show Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times The White House says the the "partnership represents the United States taking an economic stake in securing a free peaceful and sovereign future for Ukraine" Part of the the deal says the US will share profits from future sales of Ukraine's mineral and energy reserves, while a Ukrainian adviser tells the BBC it's "part of the wider negotiating process" Many Ukrainians are reassured but some worry the US could still turn its back on the country, our reporter in Kyiv writes The initial deal fell apart in February after a heated clash between Trump and Zelensky in the Oval office - the pair have since spoken at the Pope's funeral on Saturday Watch: White House says Ukraine mineral deal is 'repayment' to US The signing of the much-anticipated natural resources deal has been warmly welcomed by both Ukrainian and US officials today Here's a recap of the significant developments since then: but you can keep up with this story across the BBC: Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingSeven key takeaways from US-Ukraine resources dealpublished at 18:04 British Summer Time 1 May18:04 BST 1 MayImage source ReutersAs we follow Trump's prayer event at the White House let's take a look at the seven key takeaways from the US-Ukraine resources deal: Want to know more? Read our analysis piece: Seven takeaways from US-Ukraine resources deal Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingTrump briefly addresses war in Ukraine during prayer eventpublished at 17:54 British Summer Time 1 May17:54 BST 1 MayImage source Getty ImagesDuring his wide-ranging address at the White House's National Day of Prayer event Donald Trump briefly addresses the war in Ukraine Trump condemns the "Ukraine-Russian horror show" that he says "we're trying to stop" He urges attendees to "think of those parents" on both sides who are losing loved ones in the fighting and reasserts his claim that the war "would not have happened" under his presidency The US president did not mention the natural resources deal that his administration has just signed off with Ukraine - but we'll bring you the key lines if he does You can watch Trump's address at the White House by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingZelensky: US-Ukraine deal 'truly equal'published at 17:49 British Summer Time 1 May17:49 BST 1 MayBreakingUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says the US-Ukraine resources deal is a "truly equal" agreement and it is a result of his Vatican meeting with Trump at Pope Francis's funeral last week The Ukrainian president says the agreement has "changed significantly" over negotiations adding that it will open the way for the modernisation of industries in Ukraine Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUkraine's military denies civilian attack in Khersonpublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 1 May17:38 BST 1 MayAs Trump speaks outside the White House we can bring you the latest from the war in Ukraine Earlier, we reported that the Russian-installed governor of Oleshky said a Ukrainian strike on a market had killed seven people and injured 20 others this morning Ukraine's military has since confirmed it carried out an attack in the Kherson region but says it killed only military personnel has told Ukraine's public broadcaster that the drone strike attacked four Russian soldiers The forces have also released a video which purports to show the attack on Russian troops The BBC has not independently verified this footage Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWho is National Security Advisor Mike Waltz?published at 17:29 British Summer Time 1 May17:29 BST 1 MayImage source Getty ImagesAs Trump speaks outside the White House the BBC's US partner CBS reports Michael Waltz having previously called him "a nationally recognized leader in national security" and an "expert on the threats posed by China he had been heavily involved in Middle East policy and the Russia-Ukraine war He was also at the centre of one of the Trump administration's biggest blunders - inadvertently adding the senior editor of The Atlantic magazine to a group chat on Signal that discussed details of airstrikes in Yemen The fallout - from what's been dubbed "Signalgate" - led to bipartisan calls for accountability Waltz told Fox News: "I take full responsibility Defending Waltz against growing calls for his resignation Trump later told NBC News: "Michael Waltz has learned a lesson Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingTrump speaking outside White Housepublished at 17:09 British Summer Time 1 May17:09 BST 1 MayImage source ReutersUS President Trump is now speaking outside of the White House as he hosts a National Day of Prayer event We'll bring you the key lines as we get them and you can follow by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUS has 'skin in the game' after Ukraine deal White House tells Russiapublished at 16:54 British Summer Time 1 May16:54 BST 1 MayImage source Getty ImagesAs we wait to hear from US President Donald Trump we can bring you some details released from the White House in a fact sheet on the resources deal "This partnership sends a strong message to Russia - the United States has skin in the game and is committed to Ukraine's long-term success," the fact sheet reads Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingTrump to speak at White House soonpublished at 16:45 British Summer Time 1 May16:45 BST 1 MayImage source White House/YouTubeWe are expecting to hear from US President Donald Trump outside of the White House shortly as he hosts a National Day of Prayer event in Washington It is unclear whether he will address the US-Ukraine resources deal we'll bring you the key lines and you can follow by clicking Watch Live at the top of this page Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingMore value in resources deal if peace secured quickly - US officialspublished at 16:32 British Summer Time 1 May16:32 BST 1 MayBernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White House Before US media reported Mike Waltz is set to leave his post, I had finished listening into an extremely technical briefing call at the White House on the US-Ukraine resources deal Much of the call focused on the minutiae of the documents finally signed into agreement yesterday but the officials also said that they see the agreement as "an integral part" of any subsequent peace process is that "the faster we are able to accomplish the peace process a senior administration official said that the US will have an "important role" in its governance The official also said that the deal gives the US "certain rights" that US companies will participate in the Ukrainian minerals and resources sector "The way to think about this is that the US has a very significant interest in the Ukrainian gas and resources sector," the official added There were no specific discussion of how yesterday's agreement could alter the course of peace negotiations or how quickly they believe the deal could become operational Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhat has Waltz said on the war in Ukraine?published at 16:22 British Summer Time 1 May16:22 BST 1 MayImage source Mike Waltz (right) presented US proposals for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine with Secretary of State Marco Rubio (left) in Saudi Arabia in March As we've been reporting, US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is to leave his post according to the BBC's US partner CBS News Waltz has been a key member of Donald Trump's team on Ukraine In February, he said the White House was "very frustrated" with Volodymyr Zelensky after he levelled "unacceptable" insults at Trump This came after Zelensky rejected US demands for a share of its rare earth minerals After an explosive row in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelensky in February Waltz said the US had "taken a step back" when the US suspended intelligence sharing - a move that was later reversed More recently, Waltz was part of the team that travelled to Saudi Arabia, reaching a deal with Ukraine for a 30-day ceasefire, that was later rejected by Russia. This morning Waltz said the US-Ukraine natural resources deal was a "momentous step" before urging Russia to "come to the table" Waltz praised Trump for securing a "huge step toward peace" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUS National Security Advisor Mike Waltz set to leave post - CBSpublished at 15:55 British Summer Time 1 May15:55 BST 1 MayBreakingImage source ReutersUS National Security Advisor Mike Waltz is set to leave his post according to the BBC's US partner CBS In his role, Waltz has been responsible for dealing with Ukraine and was part of the negotiating party that announced a 30-day ceasefire proposal after talks in Saudi Arabia in March We understand that his deputy Alex Wong will also be leaving We'll bring you more on this breaking story so stick with us Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingZelensky: 'Ready for negotiations only after killing stops'published at 15:29 British Summer Time 1 May15:29 BST 1 MayImage source EPAWe can bring you comments from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier today who said Russia has ignored the US's ceasefire proposal for "over 50 days" and has failed to engage with Ukrainian proposals Zelensky writes that Russia has "responded to all this with new shelling and new assaults" in a post on X - with a video of a residential building in Odesa in flames "That is why a strong push for diplomacy is needed - continued pressure on Russia is essential to force it into silence and negotiations," he says the Ukrainian president says his country are "ready for negotiations but only after the killing of our people stops" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhite House praises 'historic deal' at briefingpublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 1 May15:12 BST 1 MayImage source ReutersThe White House's press briefing has ended Although the briefing centred on several domestic matters there were some remarks on the Ukraine resources deal Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the deal represents "the United States taking an economic stake" in securing peace in Ukraine It establishes a "fund that will receive 50% of royalties license fees and other similar payments from natural resource projects in Ukraine," she added Leavitt praised the "historic" deal crediting it to "dealmaker-in-chief" Donald Trump Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the deal was a "repayment to the United States" for the "hundreds of billions of dollars that our taxpayers suspect subsidised the war" He added that deal will be operationalised "as fast as we possibly can" Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingUkraine deal 'repayment' for US aid - US deputy chief of staffpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 1 May14:37 BST 1 MayBernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller is asked when the mineral deal would be operational Miller says the deal will be operationalised "as fast as we possibly can" Miller then pivots and says the deal is intended to repay "hundreds of billions of dollars that our taxpayers suspect subsidised the war" "It is repayment to the United States," Miller adds When asked what leverage the deal gives the US government over Russia Miller answers that "the president's goal to achieve a peacebuilding that remains" The briefing then moves onto other matters again Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhite House: Resources deal means US has stake in securing peace in Ukrainepublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 1 May14:16 BST 1 MayBernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White House White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt lauds the US-Ukraine agreement - crediting it to "dealmaker-in-chief" Donald Trump Leavitt says that the "first of its kind historic" partnership will ensure the "long-term economic success of Ukraine" that the United States will "greatly benefit from" "This partnership represents the United States taking an economic stake in securing a free peaceful and sovereign future for Ukraine," she says adding that it establishes a "fund that will receive 50% of royalties license fees and other similar payments from natural resource projects in Ukraine" Leavitt also says "Trump has been clear from the beginning: he wants the killing to end" suggests that the White House sees this as one of its most notable achievements when it comes to the Ukraine-Russia war - a positive sign in a process that has left Trump Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhite House briefing beginspublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 1 May14:08 BST 1 MayThe White House's press briefing has begun - the first since the signing of the US-Ukraine resources deal You can follow along by clicking Watch Live above Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhite House briefing due to begin after US-Ukraine resources dealpublished at 13:48 British Summer Time 1 May13:48 BST 1 MayBernd Debusmann JrReporting from the White House We will shortly hear from Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller at an early morning news briefing at the White House The theme of today's news conference is "restoring common sense" - likely a reference to the various "culture wars" that the administration has found itself embroiled in since Donald Trump returned to office to hear at least a few references to the US-Ukraine natural resources deal The deal is largely seen as a "win" for the administration Among the most significant is what impact the White House believes this will have on Russia and what subsequent steps they plan to take to pressure Russia to coming to the negotiating table in good faith We'll be bringing you live updates from the briefing. In the meantime, you can read seven key takeaways from the agreement and the reaction from some Ukrainians. Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Russia needs to come to the table' US security director sayspublished at 13:40 British Summer Time 1 May13:40 BST 1 MayBrandon DrenonReporting from Washington DC was asked on Fox News this morning whether the US is "rethinking about continuing talks with Russia" Waltz responded: "The process is moving forward Waltz called yesterday's minerals deal signing "a momentous step" but said "Russia needs to come to the table" "Both sides have to want to stop the fighting there is still a deal to be had," Waltz said Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWhat could the US offer Russia?published at 13:36 British Summer Time 1 May13:36 BST 1 MayOlga RobinsonBBC Verify asks: Could an economic relationship with the USA be used as a bargaining chip to incentivise Putin to accept a peace deal Could the Trump administration promise to return American business and tourism - as well as remove sanctions on Russia - in exchange for peace and security in Ukraine is Trump giving away valuable leverage for free The Russians are already talking to Steve Witkoff and he is talking to Putin about investment There's been talk about the construction of a Trump Tower These negotiations don't actually mention Ukraine very much when you read the summaries of what they've been talking about It's almost like the Russians are trying to move the conversation with the US away from Ukraine and a peace deal and more into the transactional sphere of discussions around the prospects of better diplomatic or economic relations So the on-again-off-again US-Ukrainian resources deal has been signed It is perhaps appropriate that it was done without fanfare While its terms are rather better than originally mooted it still shows not that ‘the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centred on a free and prosperous Ukraine’ as US Treasury secretary Scott Bessent put it Kyiv has some reason to be satisfied by what it considers less of an economic deal and more a necessary piece of performative submission to keep Donald Trump engaged with their cause rare earths – will now come under the remit of a new US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund While Kyiv will still decide who gets to exploit them any revenues accrued from new exploitation projects will be split 50-50 between the US and Ukraine Already a subscriber? Log in Mark Galeotti heads the consultancy Mayak Intelligence and is honorary professor at the UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies and the author of some 30 books on Russia Forged in War: a military history of Russia from its beginnings to today Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? Log in Ukrainian president says the deal was the result of Vatican meeting with Donald Trump Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has hailed the long-discussed minerals deal with the US as “historic” and suggested it had been much improved during those talks to now become “an equal partnership” he said: “The agreement has changed significantly during the preparation process It is now truly an equal partnership – one that creates opportunities for substantial investment in Ukraine as well as significant modernisation of Ukraine’s industries and its legal practices.” He said the deal was the result of a “meaningful meeting” with Donald Trump at the Vatican on the fringes of Pope Francis’s funeral service and that he looks forward to the further results arising from that meeting Ukrainian analysts have noted that Kyiv has apparently been able to extract some major concessions, despite Donald Trump’s repeated claim that Ukraine “has no cards” to play. “Ukraine held the line every overreaching demand from the other side was dropped The final deal looks fair,” Tymofiy Mylovanov Notably absent from the final text was the insistence that Ukraine should repay previous military US assistance via the deal something Trump has previously repeatedly demanded The Kremlin was silent on Wednesday’s agreement but former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev claimed it meant Trump had “broken the Kyiv regime” because Ukraine would have to pay for US military aid with mineral resources The deal will show the “Russian leadership that there is no daylight between the Ukrainian people and the American people between our goals,” US treasury secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business Network in an interview I think this is a strong signal to the Russian leadership and it gives President Trump the ability to now negotiate with Russia on even a stronger basis,” he said His remarks appeared to send a signal to Russia that Washington remains aligned with Kyiv despite question marks over its commitment to its ally since Trump’s return to power upended US diplomacy according to a communication sent to the US committee on foreign relations Trump paused all Ukraine-related military aid shortly after taking office The state department announced a 30-year veteran of the foreign service to run the US embassy in Kyiv “during this critical moment as we move toward a peace agreement to stop the bloodshed” was announced the day after the minerals deal was signed She has previously served as ambassador to Belarus and deputy ambassador to Nato who announced she was leaving the post last month as the Trump administration pushed ahead with plans for peace talks that many believed favoured Moscow French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday that the European Union was preparing a 17th round of sanctions against Russia describing Vladimir Putin as the “sole obstacle” to peace in Ukraine The 27-nation bloc has hit Russia with multiple rounds of sanctions in response to its invasion of Ukraine and said earlier this year that it would not lift them before the “unconditional” withdrawal of Moscow’s forces from its neighbour “We Europeans will accompany this American [sanctions] initiative with a 17th package of sanctions and I committed yesterday to [US senator] Lindsey Graham that we would try to coordinate both the substance and the timing of these two packages of sanctions,” Barrot told AFP in an interview Zelenskyy may have have secured a better agreement than first seemed likely There is cautious optimism in Kyiv over the terms of the long-discussed US-Ukraine minerals deal, signed on Wednesday which appear to be more advantageous for Ukraine than most had expected Many details are still to be finalised and will be written into a yet-to-be-signed further technical agreement, suggesting that the long saga over the deal may not be quite over. But Ukrainian analysts have noted that Kyiv has apparently been able to extract some major concessions, despite Donald Trump’s repeated claim that Ukraine “has no cards” to play. “Ukraine held the line. Despite enormous pressure, every overreaching demand from the other side was dropped. The final deal looks fair,” Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics, wrote on X. said on Thursday that his country would retain “full control over its subsoil Volodymyr Zelenskyy had rejected signing something that would obligate “10 generations” of Ukrainians to repay Future potential military assistance to Ukraine The signed agreement also makes it clear that its terms will not jeopardise Ukraine’s potential future integration with the EU and also does not subject Ukraine to US legal jurisdiction It does not lock Ukraine in to partnering only with the US on projects in future and guarantees only access to bidding processes for US companies on fair terms “There’s no requirement to sell everything to the US or to channel all investment through the fund The obligation is to give the fund fair market access to future projects,” wrote Mylovanov However it seemed that the gambit had backfired when Trump dispatched the US Treasury secretary to Kyiv with the draft of an agreement that “looked like it had been written on the train” The plan appeared to lock Ukraine into all kinds of obligations while offering Kyiv nothing in return by way of security guarantees save the rather thin claim that Washington taking a stake in Ukraine’s economy was itself a kind of security guarantee Since then, there have been various attempts to revise and revisit the terms of the deal. In late February, Zelenskyy was meant to sign it during a meeting in Washington, but after the vice-president, JD Vance, goaded him into an argument in front of the cameras in the Oval Office, Ukraine’s president was kicked out of the White House without signing. it transpired that the Ukrainian justice ministry had hired the US law firm Hogan Lovells to advise on the deal according to filings with the US Foreign Agents Registration Act registry The first rhetorical noises from Washington on the deal were positive. After signing the agreement, Bessent called it the start of a “historic economic partnership” and claimed it showed that the US remained committed to Ukraine as an ally. “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centred on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,” said Bessent. 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-wjxay9-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-152q15n-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-x340e0-SquareButton{margin:0;padding:0;display:inline-grid;-webkit-column-gap:8px;column-gap:8px;grid-template-columns:repeat(3 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-x340e0-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-v6oqvx{margin:0;font-family:Lato,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0px;font-style:normal;text-transform:none;font-stretch:normal;padding:0.5px 0px;}.css-v6oqvx::before{content:'';margin-bottom:-0.4973em;display:block;}.css-v6oqvx::after{content:'';margin-top:-0.4463em;display:block;}Listen Analysts say that’s probably BP’s best shot at emerging from years of poor execution analysts say such a marriage may be the latter’s best hopes of putting years of lackluster management behind it where she leads MarketWatch's pre-markets coverage of financial markets and writes the Need to Know column She has worked in London and Los Angeles for MarketWatch previously described by Blackpool Council Leader Cllr Lynn Williams as 'game-changing' with the seven business cases having been approved by the Blackpool Council's Executive Committee further to an initial Investment Plan submitted to Government in July 2020 of all seven schemes was provided by the government's Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities (DLUHC) - now Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) - in March 2022 Blackpool will have until the end of the 2025/26 financial year to spend the Town Deal money open year-round providing a major boost to the visitor economy including major job creation.  An additional £1million of “accelerated funding” was previously granted in September 2020 which allowed the purchase of the land where the new court building is anticipated to be relocated The new multiversity campus has been designed to accommodate up to 3,000 staff and students Above: Architect's Image of the Multiversity the scheme will support business and jobs growth opening up 10.5 hectares of previously inaccessible development land This will support the aim of the Enterprise Zone to create 5,000 new jobs for the area by 2041 Above: Aerial view of the Blackpool Enterprise Zone This project will aid the regeneration of the Revoe area creating new sports pitches and facilities for community wide use It will create investment within the Blackpool FC Bloomfield Road ground and surrounding area The overall project aim is to provide a sports village with leisure and residential uses and attract further private investment to the area Above: Aerial view of the Community Sport Village Area.  Redevelopment of the existing town centre Stanley Buildings to create modern office space for new start-ups and growing businesses and providing business advice for growth-ambitious small businesses The Edge is the name given to the new extended managed workspace that will bring into use large parts of the upper floors of the building to create a vibrant business hub with a choice of offices,meeting rooms Upgrading the world famous Blackpool Illuminations to attract new visitors by developing new features and lighting technology A number of new centrepiece attractions will be designed alongside new lighting infrastructure improvements and essential technical equipment needed to deliver the illuminations in a greener Above: The new Odyssey illumination feature The development of a physical space to support young people in the town to access jobs and training and to make the jump from school or unemployment into work The Youth Hub will provide a ‘one place base’ providing quality advice for young jobseekers aged 16-24 The Platform is located in a town centre unit within Bickerstaffe House Above: The Platform team outside of The Platform Hub Blackpool Council received £243,029 in capacity funding to support the development of the project business cases and to support programme development and management costs or email regeneration@blackpool.gov.uk There are no results that match your criteria Sign up to our regular newsletters indispensable guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington follow the latest on tariffs and executive orders Stay on top of the latest events in US politics with the FT’s trusted and impartial coverage Insight and analysis on US politics from commentators such as Ed Luce and James Politi LONDON — Britain and India are closing in on a long-coveted trade deal after an intensive two-day negotiating sprint in London British business leaders had been invited to No 10 Downing Street on Tuesday afternoon for an announcement on the talks It comes after India’s trade chief Piyush Goyal told attendees at a business roundtable in London Tuesday morning that “25 of 26 matters have been agreed” in the negotiations three people familiar with the briefing told POLITICO India’s commerce minister was speaking during his second day of talks with Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds as the two sides try to push the long-sought deal over the finish line after years of negotiations British stakeholders were briefed on the talks by Amanda Brooks director general for Trade Negotiations at the Department for Business and Trade Brooks said that a deal with India is close but that Goyal had raised outstanding issues in a meeting with Reynolds on Tuesday said multiple people familiar with the content of the briefing All were granted anonymity to speak freely Among the issues are India's calls for a carve-out from Britain's forthcoming tax on high-emissions imports like steel and aluminum the government has promised to roll out in 2027 Other issues include the description of Indian territory in the deal and the sunset clause in the pact’s parallel investment treaty Talks on a bilateral trade deal began in early 2022 Then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised the deal would be struck by Diwali that November Reynolds traveled to Delhi to restart the negotiations in February A breakthrough in the talks came after India accepted Britain would only offer minor changes to its visa regime with the two sides closing the mobility chapter of the deal in recent weeks Rule changes that would allow more Indians to obtain visas to work in the U.K. have been a politically sensitive issue in the talks. A British official said early this week that the new rules will lead to only 100 new visas for Indian workers per year. A No. 10 spokesperson said on Tuesday afternoon that that negotiations were “constructive and productive.” They added: “We’ve been clear that we will only sign a deal in our best interest.” India’s top trade negotiator had returned to the U.K. on Friday for unscheduled negotiations in an attempt to conclude the talks. The two countries have entered the final stages of negotiations. High Commissioner Ralph Goodale also said the 245 percent tariffs U.K. cheesemakers face in Canada is due to a “Brexit screw up.” The new rules will lead to around 100 new visas for Indian workers each year, a U.K. official told POLITICO. CommentTrump gets his deal, but what does Zelensky get in return?Yes, the minerals deal Zelensky agreed with the US is vastly less humiliating than the one he refused to sign after being monstered in the Oval Office. But all Ukraine is really left with is the prospect of more war, writes Mark Almond After two months on tenterhooks following the bust-up in the Oval Office, President Zelensky’s team will have sighed with relief as US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent announced the reconstruction and investment deal with Kyiv The good news for Zelensky is that this deal is vastly less humiliating for Ukraine than what he refused to sign in February leading to Donald Trump’s harsh comment: “You don’t have the cards.” The idea that past US military aid was a “debt” owed by Ukraine has been dropped as have terms that would contradict Ukraine’s obligations to its EU partners But future US involvement in reconstruction implies peace first. Who is going to pour cash into new plants or operations when Shahed drones are buzzing overhead Nothing about security guarantees for Kyiv has been announced Even when celebrating the minerals deal, Donald Trump emphasised: “This was Biden’s war… I’m trying to end it.” Still blaming his predecessor, not Putin, for the war means Trump still dangles hopes of a deal before the Russians “The US cavalry are not coming over the hill.” Putin got de facto control of two regions of Georgia but Saakashvili’s presidency was fatally tarnished and his successors have imprisoned him and flirted with Russia while drifting away from the West This is an ominous precedent for Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump has already conceded Crimea to Russia. What of Russian-occupied southeast Ukraine as a price for peace and US economic aid? Already, radical nationalists – not least in the military – are denouncing any concessions to Russia and threatening politicians who agree to them A false dawn of hopes for renewed US support for Ukraine could turn out to be a body blow to its forces’ morale, but Russian troops, too, must be wondering whether their supreme commander is quite the master of the battlefield and diplomacy that pro-Putin media have been trumpeting since Trump’s return to the White House Many analysts emphasise that the current war is not so much postmodern as a throwback to the slug-fest of the First World War. Despite Russia’s hyper-sonic missiles and each side’s deployment of drones over the fighting below the Germans had the initiative and Field Marshal Haig admitted his troops were fighting “with their backs to the wall” but six months later it was German morale that collapsed as losses mounted without an end to the war in sight More war is the only certainty at the moment. But how much more war is either side willing to endure? This conflict remains a mind game as much as a ground game. Donald Trump is still the wild card but what does Zelensky get in return?","description":"Yes the minerals deal Zelensky agreed with the US is vastly less humiliating than the one he refused to sign after being monstered in the Oval Office But all Ukraine is really left with is the prospect of more war Move seals a deal to create a fund the Trump administration says will begin to repay roughly $175bn provided to Ukraine The minerals deal, which has been the subject of tense negotiations for months and nearly fell through hours before it was signed will establish a US-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund that the Trump administration has said will begin to repay an estimated $175bn in aid provided to Ukraine since the beginning of the war “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term,” said Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, in a statement. Read more“President Trump envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine.” confirmed in a social media post that she had signed the agreement on Wednesday we are creating the fund that will attract global investment into our country,” she wrote The deal still needs to be approved by Ukraine’s parliament Ukrainian officials have divulged details of the agreement which they portrayed as equitable and allowing Ukraine to maintain control over its natural resources said that the fund would be split 50-50 with between the US and Ukraine and give each side equal voting rights Ukraine would retain “full control over its mineral resources, infrastructure and natural resources”, he said, and would relate only to new investments, meaning that the deal would not provide for any debt obligations against Ukraine, a key concern for Kyiv The deal would ensure revenue by establishing contracts on a “take-or-pay” basis Shmyhal on Wednesday described the deal as “truly a good equal and beneficial international agreement on joint investments in the development and recovery of Ukraine” Critics of the deal had said the White House is seeking to take advantage of Ukraine by linking future aid to the embattled nation to a giveaway of the revenues from its resources The final terms were far less onerous for Ukraine than those proposed initially by Bessent in February which included a clause that the US would control 100% of the revenues from the fund 0:57White House lauds 'historic' US-Ukraine minerals deal – videoOn Wednesday Trump said a US presence on the ground would benefit Ukraine keep a lot of bad actors out of the country or certainly out of the area where we’re doing the digging,” he said at a cabinet meeting Speaking at a town hall with NewsNation after the deal had been signed, Trump said he told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a recent meeting at the Vatican that signing the deal would be a “very good thing” because “Russia is much bigger and much stronger” Asked whether the minerals deal was going to “inhibit” Russian president Vladimir Putin UK foreign secretary David Lammy welcomed the agreement in a post on X adding that “the UK’s support for Ukraine remains steadfast” It was unclear up until the last moment whether the US and Ukraine would manage to sign the deal with Washington reportedly pressuring Ukraine to sign additional agreements including on the structure of the investment fund That followed months of strained negotiations during which the US regularly delivered last-minute ultimatums while cutting off aid and other support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia Ukraine’s prime minister earlier had said he expected the country to sign the minerals deal with the US in “the next 24 hours” but reports emerged that Washington was insisting Kyiv sign three deals in total The Financial Times said Bessent’s team had told Svyrydenko who was reportedly en route to Washington DC Bessent later said the US was ready to sign though Ukraine had made some last-minute changes Reuters reported that Ukraine believed the two supplementary agreements – reportedly on an investment fund and a technical document – required more work The idea behind the deal was originally proposed by Ukraine looking for ways to offer economic opportunities that might entice Trump to back the country But Kyiv was blindsided in January when Trump’s team delivered a document that would essentially involve handing over the country’s mineral wealth with little by way of return Since then, there have been various attempts to revise and revisit the terms of the deal, as well as a planned signing ceremony that was aborted after a disastrous meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House in February it was revealed that the Ukrainian justice ministry had hired US law firm Hogan Lovells to advise on the negotiations over the deal In a post on Facebook Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko gave further details of the fund which she said would “attract global investment” She confirmed that Ukraine would retain full ownership of resources “on our territory and in territorial waters belong to Ukraine”. “It is the Ukrainian state that determines where and what to extract,” she said. There would be no changes to ownership of state-owned companies, she said, “they will continue to belong to Ukraine”. That included companies such as Ukrnafta, Ukraine’s largest oil producer, and nuclear energy producer Energoatom. Income would come from new licences for critical materials and oil and gas projects, not from projects which had already begun, she said. Read moreIncome and contributions to the fund would not be taxed in the US or Ukraine, she said, “to make investments yield the greatest results” and technology transfer and development were a “key” part of the agreement. Washington would contribute to the fund, she said. “In addition to direct financial contributions, it may also provide new assistance – for example air defense systems for Ukraine,” she said. Washington did not directly address that suggestion. Ukraine holds some 5% of the world’s mineral resources and rare earths, according to various estimates. But work has not yet started on tapping many of the resources and many sites are in territory now controlled by Russian forces. Razom for Ukraine, a US non-profit that provides medical and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and advocates for US assistance, welcomed the deal, and encouraged the Trump administration to increase pressure on Vladimir Putin to end the invasion. “We encourage the Trump administration to build on the momentum of this economic agreement by forcing Putin to the table through sanctions, seizing Russia’s state assets to aid Ukraine, and giving Ukraine the tools it needs to defend itself,” Mykola Murskyj, the director of advocacy for Razom, said in a statement. Visit Rwanda has become Atletico Madrid's first sponsor from Africa While Arsenal fans continue protesting about the club's sponsorship deal with Visit Rwanda the African country's tourism board has signed a deal with another top European football side Spanish giants Atletico Madrid have agreed a three-year contract with Visit Rwanda and their men's and women's teams will carry its logo on their shirts next season Rwanda's long-standing partnerships with Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain have come under the spotlight after increased violence in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January The Congolese government accuses Rwanda of arming M23 rebels and sending troops to support the militants Despite assertions from both the United Nations and United States A section of Arsenal's support has formed a group named Gunners for Peace and are calling on the Premier League club not to renew its deal with Visit Rwanda as the partnership does not fit the club's "values and standards" which is reportedly worth more than £10m ($13.3m) per year The group has distributed armbands to cover up the Visit Rwanda logo on kits and held a protest outside the Emirates Stadium ahead of Tuesday's 1-0 defeat by PSG in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie A small number of fans of the French club donned the armbands and joined followers of the north London outfit in standing behind a banner reading 'Drop Visit Rwanda' Gunners for Peace campaigners held up a banner outside the Emirates on Tuesday and were joined by a couple of PSG fans "I stand with human rights and am not with this kind of sponsor," PSG fan Chakib told BBC Sport Africa "We are rivals in football but we are brothers to defend human rights." Arsenal said the club will not be commenting on the Gunners for Peace campaign while a Rwanda government spokesperson has defended their sports partnerships and said they helped boost the country's economy PSG recently renewed its partnership with Visit Rwanda until 2028 while Bayern's deal expires the same year Fans of both sides have held up banners criticising the partnerships during games this season What's the fighting in DR Congo all about The evidence that shows Rwanda is backing rebels in DR Congo The deals with top European clubs tie into Rwanda's ambition to position itself as a premier global hub for investment But Rwanda's government has been accused of investing in sport to enhance its image amid accusations of human rights violations in the country - a strategy labelled by critics as 'sportswashing' Alongside the Visit Rwanda partnerships, Kigali is set to be the venue for cycling's World Road Championships in September but hopes of the country hosting a Formula 1 race appear to have receded. The Rwandan government said its sports partnerships had played an important role in the country's "economic transformation" since 1994 and that the tourism campaign helped generate nearly $650m (£488m) in tourism revenues last year the chief executive of the Rwanda Development Board said Atletico Madrid's "values of resilience and excellence" closely aligned with Rwanda's "national ethos and transformation journey" The Visit Rwanda logo will be visible immediately as it will appear on the front of Atletico's men's first team's training and warm-up kits in the remaining five matches of the La Liga season as well as during the Fifa Club World Cup in June and July it will also appear on the women's first team's training and warm-up kits and on the back of shirts of both of the club's senior teams An Atletico official highlighted that Rwanda was a country "in constant growth" and added the deal had "great importance" as part of the club's aims of international expansion The foreign ministers of DR Congo and Rwanda signed an agreement in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington DC last week The decades-long conflict in eastern DR Congo has intensified since January when M23 staged an unprecedented offensive seizing the cities of Goma and Bukavu and sparking fears of a wider regional war Rwanda has said its forces are acting in self-defence against the Congolese army and allied militias some of which it accuses of links to the 1994 Rwandan genocide DR Congo also accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral deposits At the end of last week DR Congo and Rwanda signed an agreement to respect each other's sovereignty and come up with a draft peace deal by Friday That agreement in Washington DC came about after the government in Kinshasa turned to the United States for help in exchange for access to mineral deposits and both sides now expect significant investments facilitated by the US government and private sector Meanwhile, DR Congo and the M23 group said last week that they were committed to peace, expressing hopes that a permanent ceasefire could be reached More than a week of talks mediated by Qatar have been described as "frank and constructive" who is part of the Gunners for Peace campaign said that peace negotiations would not change their ultimate target of getting the club to end the Visit Rwanda deal "Some way or another we will find a way to end this conflict but it is not the right moment for Arsenal to keep this deal," he told BBC Sport Africa "It is not giving a good image." A number of PSG fans accepted Gunners for Peace armbands ahead of the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday Bayern Munich fans held up a banner which translates as 'Visit Rwanda - Whoever looks on with indifference is betraying the values of FC Bayern' during a game in February An analyst says market uncertainty has ‘given rise to activist campaigns.’ after the comfort-footwear maker agreed to be taken private in an acquisition by investment firm 3G Capital following pressure on the stock this year due to economic uncertainty Bill Peters is a Los Angeles-based MarketWatch reporter who covers earnings You have reached ESPN's UK edition. Stay on current site or go to US version playWhat has happened to 'invisible' Cole Palmer (2:28)Steve Nicol reacts to Cole Palmer's performance in Chelsea's 1-0 win vs DAMAC Properties will be Chelsea's front-of-shirt sponsor for the rest of the season, the Premier League club confirmed on Wednesday Chelsea have spent the majority of the 2024-25 campaign with a blank space on the front of their jerseys after Infinite Athlete only sponsored their preseason fixtures But DAMAC -- a Dubai-based property development company -- will sponsor the west London side's final four Premier League games of the season, as well as their remaining Europa Conference League fixtures. Chelsea take on Djurgården in a semifinal first leg on Thursday in Stockholm DAMAC Properties will develop "first-of-its-kind football-themed branded residences" in Dubai Chelsea said in a statement that "Chelsea Residences by DAMAC is a unique project that will consist of 1,400+ residential units Each residence will have incredible seafront views along with access to the exclusive Chelsea-branded amenities that place health fitness and wellbeing at the heart of its offering." whether DAMAC will feature on the front of Chelsea's shirts for the Club World Cup which runs from June 14 through to July 13 Ukraine and the United States planned to sign a long-awaited minerals deal Wednesday — before yet another last-minute obstacle threatened to scupper the plan As Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko traveled to Washington on Wednesday to ink the agreement the American side demanded Kyiv sign not only the main economic pact a senior official familiar with the matter told POLITICO after being granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive topic Kyiv and Washington have been negotiating for months on an agreement develop and profit from Ukraine’s vast natural resources including critical elements and minerals vital to manufacturing modern technologies and contribute to a reconstruction fund for Ukraine President Donald Trump has previously described such a deal as reimbursement for the billions in American aid funneled to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022 The Trump administration urged Ukraine to sign all three documents connected to the deal “President Trump has said that the time to get this done is now and we are moving with all deliberate speed toward this end The United States is committed to the quick conclusion of this vital agreement and to securing a lasting peace in Ukraine,” a Treasury spokesperson said One person familiar with the matter faulted Ukraine for reopening terms that have already been agreed upon “All three documents need to be signed today but the Ukrainians are trying to reopen terms which have already been agreed upon as part of the package — this will be up to the Ukrainians told Svyrydenko not to travel to Washington on Wednesday unless the agreements were finalized Both countries agreed on the final technical documents over the weekend but the person said Ukraine on Wednesday tried to reopen previously agreed upon sticking points the transparency mechanism and making sure the funds are all fully traceable The teams “stayed up all night Friday and into Saturday morning finalizing the documents” and worked late into Tuesday night as well If Ukraine lives up to already agreed upon terms the signing could still happen Wednesday Ukrainian MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said that the agreement’s terms have improved — Ukraine will not need to pay back prior aid as debt and that the U.S “The agreement will be for a fixed term with the right of both parties to make changes in the future,” Zheleznyak said The sides have not yet agreed on its final terms then the Ukrainian parliament will have to ratify it and change the legislation for it to be properly implemented Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said on national television that the deal was expected to be signed in the next 24 hours we were planning to sign the deal today,” the senior official said “The United States also agreed to contribute to the reconstruction fund their money […] can be considered as a contribution to the fund.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously refused to sign two draft agreements proposed by Trump’s administration, saying the terms — which included Kyiv giving up minerals plus earnings from ports and other infrastructure to the tune of $500 billion — were too harsh “I will not sign what 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to pay back,” Zelenskyy insisted in February Trump and Zelenskyy were set to sign a deal in February before the discussions were spectacularly derailed by a heated Oval Office meeting between the two leaders Felicia Schwartz contributed to this report from Washington “I’m very sorry the dog died,” Christian Lindner says maybe the children will have two dolls instead of 30 dolls,” the U.S The hard right cruised to victory in Sunday’s presidential election first round sparking the stunning announcement from socialist PM Marcel Ciolacu TikTok and ultranationalism propels hard-right chief to cult status among Romania’s diaspora the United States and Ukraine signed a long-awaited deal to establish a joint investment fund for the reconstruction of Ukraine by revenues from future natural resource extraction The newly signed agreement is a positive step in U.S.-Ukraine relations following contentious meetings between U.S President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky While more favorable to Ukraine than earlier iterations the deal’s effectiveness hinges on long-term peace and stable investment conditions Key barriers include outdated geological surveys The agreement reflects the Trump administration’s transactional approach to mineral diplomacy and may serve as a template for similar deals such as the emerging U.S.–Democratic Republic of the Congo cooperation framework Q1: What are the terms of the signed “Establishment of a United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund,” and how does it compare to previous iterations A1: The newly signed agreement is more favorable for Ukraine than earlier iterations of the deal Ukraine will maintain complete ownership over its natural resources and infrastructure The United States–Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund will be jointly managed by both countries on an equal partnership basis Ukraine will contribute 50 percent of revenues from the exploitation of new minerals Current projects—such as the country’s largest oil and gas producers Naftogaz and Ukrnafta—are exempt from contributing to the fund This means the profitability of the fund is dependent on the success of new investments in Ukraine’s resources The investments from the fund intend to spur further private sector interest in investing in Ukraine’s resources and attract the necessary capital for Ukraine’s reconstruction and development of resources military assistance to Ukraine in the form of ammunition or training as a capital contribution to the fund Ukraine will not reimburse Washington for past military aid that was provided This is a substantive jump from the first iteration of the deal which called for Ukraine to repay $500 billion in military assistance provided President Trump restarted military support to Ukraine The White House approved $50 million in weapons sales to Ukraine on the same day that the agreement was signed The agreement designates the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) as the U.S. partner in the deal. The DFC has been the Trump administration’s go-to agency to handle many of its new critical minerals initiatives. This largely expands the mandate of an agency that only financed four critical minerals projects in 2024 Q2: Does the new deal provide the United States access to Ukraine’s minerals A2: The signed deal does not entitle the United States to billions of dollars in Ukrainian minerals as repayment for military aid, as Trump originally called for. However, the deal does include a provision for U.S offtake for future mineral resources on competitive terms: Each Governmental Authority of Ukraine that is authorized to issue a license or special permit for subsoil use for any Natural Resource Relevant Assets shall include in the terms of such license Partner (or its designee or assignee) to negotiate for in accordance with the terms of the LP Agreement offtake rights on market-based commercial terms Q3: Does the new agreement include security guarantees for Ukraine Q4: Can the deal still be effective without a Russia-Ukraine peace deal Without lasting peace in Ukraine or pledged support to defend assets the security situation in the country will be too unstable for a long-term investment to establish a mine and all of the supporting infrastructure developing a mine globally takes around 18 years and requires an investment of between $500 million and $1 billion to construct both the mine and a separation facility Since a mine can operate for more than 50 years investor confidence in a jurisdiction’s political and economic stability is essential due to the scale and long-term nature of the investment Q5: What obstacles need to be overcome to establish a more supportive environment for the development of the minerals sector An updated mapping will be key to understanding the commercial viability of mining Ukraine’s minerals Key factors affecting whether deposits can be mined economically include their depth Updated data will be critical for attracting later investments in exploration and production major infrastructure investments will be required Mining ranks among the most energy-intensive sectors globally accounting for approximately 38 percent of industrial energy consumption and around 15 percent of total global electricity use nearly half of Ukraine’s power generation capacity was lost due to Russian occupation and about 50 percent of the country’s major substations were hit by missile and drone attacks Ukraine now has only about one-third of its prewar electricity capacity A substantial reconstruction of energy infrastructure will be essential before mineral exploration or production can begin Ukraine’s viability as a mining destination will largely depend on the level of support provided by the United States and its allies and the DFC have key roles to play in enabling this recovery and development Q6: Is the new U.S.-Ukraine deal a blueprint for mineral diplomacy A6: The agreement is a strong signal that the Trump administration is embedding minerals into its foreign policy The investment-for-minerals structure of the deal aligns well with President Trump’s foreign policy ethos which has favored a transactional approach to dealmaking With one critical minerals deal under his belt the administration is likely to turn to other mineral-rich regions to secure resources The United States is already pursuing a security-for-minerals agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the DRC has also been deeply affected by conflict DRC President Felix Tshisekedi offered the United States access to the nation’s mineral resources in exchange for military assistance have captured substantial areas of mineral-rich land along the DRC’s eastern border and recently took control of Goma a major regional city with over 2 million inhabitants which includes a mutual commitment to uphold sovereignty and cease any military support to armed groups The United States and DRC are also in discussions on minerals cooperation which is expected to lead to increased U.S investment in the DRC’s mining sector—an important step toward diversification as Chinese entities currently control or hold stakes in 15 of the country’s largest copper and cobalt mines Gracelin Baskaran is director of the Critical Minerals Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington Meredith Schwartz is a research associate for the Critical Minerals Security Program at CSIS Critical Questions is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary CSIS does not take specific policy positions and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s) © 2025 by the Center for Strategic and International Studies See Media Page for more interview ©2025 Center for Strategic & International Studies one of London’s best-heeled members’ societies a must-have accessory is a free travel pass senior lawyers and members of the great and good those turning 60 proudly show off their new 60+ London Oyster photocard which entitles them to free travel in the capital at all times except the morning rush hour One regular has apparently taken to enjoying sightseeing bus tours of the West End The twentysomethings working for the national living wage in the Covent Garden shops around the corner London residents get their complimentary ticket to ride around the capital from the age of 60 several years before the state pension age of 66 Exclusive: US officials have split negotiations with countries into three phases Donald Trump has made a trade deal with the UK a second-order priority, sources have told the Guardian, hampering British attempts to meet their mid-May deadline. US officials have decided to split their negotiations with more than a dozen other countries into three phases, with the UK being placed in either phase two or three, according to people who have been briefed on the talks. A trade deal with the US would be the biggest prize for British negotiators, who made major strides toward separate agreements with the EU and India on Tuesday. But UK officials fear that a deal with the EU, which they hope to agree at a summit on 19 May, could make it more difficult to negotiate with a Trump administration that repeatedly criticises European trade policies. One person with knowledge of the US talks said: “The US has now decided to negotiate its trade deals in three phases. The government has been told it will not be in phase one – though that leaves the door open to be in either phase two or three.” Read moreA spokesperson for the business department said: “The US is an indispensable ally and negotiations on an economic prosperity deal that strengthens our existing trading relationship continue “We’ve been clear that a trade war is not in anyone’s interests and we will continue to take a calm and steady approach to talks.” The White House did not respond to a request to comment British officials first presented a draft deal to their US counterparts weeks ago, before the president’s major tariff announcement They hoped to agree a deal in time to grant the UK an exemption but shifted their focus instead to a self-imposed deadline of 19 May Whitehall sources say, however, that negotiations have continued to be unpredictable in the weeks since Trump made his announcement. US officials are now reportedly demanding the UK lower its food quality standards to allow imports of American beef and chicken – something the Labour government has long ruled out The draft agreement prepared by the British side would lead to the UK reducing its digital services tax which is paid only by major US technology companies has also held out the possibility of reducing the 10% tariffs on US cars as an additional sweetener But in the past few days the Trump administration has decided to split its negotiations with 17 different countries into three groups, each of which will get a week to negotiate in turn – a development first reported by the Wall Street Journal. The US has imposed a deadline of 8 July for talks to conclude – several weeks later than the UK target. Sources said UK officials had been told the immediate priority would be negotiating with Asian countries, with South Korea at the top of the list. Scott Bessent, the US Treasury secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that Asian trading partners such as India, South Korea and Japan “have been the most forthcoming, in terms of doing the deals”. He also criticised European countries for imposing digital services taxes on US companies, saying he wanted them to be removed. The British government has offered to reduce the tax but not to drop it entirely. Read moreDespite the new negotiating approach from the Trump administration British negotiators are hopeful they will be able to continue talks – even if in a more unofficial capacity – throughout the next few weeks One government source described the US tactics as “makeshift and unpredictable” Another said contact had continued in the past few days despite the promised phasing of talks the UK is making better headway with India and the EU Negotiators held crunch talks on Tuesday afternoon with their Indian counterparts told businesses at a roundtable in London that 25 out of 26 aspects of the deal had been agreed UK officials were hopeful of finalising the deal on Tuesday but one source briefed on the talks said they broke up without agreement on national insurance contributions A longstanding sticking point has been Delhi’s concern that Indians working temporarily in the UK on business visas must pay national insurance despite not being eligible for UK pensions or social security benefits The expectation is that at least one more round of talks will be needed to clinch any deal. Officials are in discussions over a potential visit by Keir Starmer to India this year once an agreement has been finalised British ministers including Nick Thomas-Symonds amid signs that a UK-EU deal could be getting closer Šefčovič tweeted afterwards it had been “a productive exchange on securing balanced trade relationships The Guardian revealed last week that Brussels was willing to make major concessions to its proposals for a youth mobility scheme to get a deal over the line, including limiting work visas to 12 months, restricting the sectors EU citizens can work in. However, experts say that the plans to align British agricultural standards with European ones would make it impossible to give concessions on US demands to align with US ones instead. Anand Menon, the director of the thinktank UK in a Changing Europe, told MPs on Tuesday: “If the Americans say you have to lift the regulations that restrict the access of our goods to your market, that is incompatible with what we need to do to sign a … deal with the EU.” Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Any shared minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv suggests that while Trump’s support of Ukraine is not morally driven it may now be underwritten by the prospects of American profits I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ukraine signed a mineral and profit-sharing deal with the United States on Wednesday evening in Washington DC following two months of testy negotiations The agreement will give the United States preferential access to new Ukrainian minerals deals and fund investment in Ukraine's reconstruction Previous versions of the deal presented by Donald Trump’s negotiators insisted that Ukraine pay back the aid the US had given it over the last three years of war according to Ukraine’s prime minister Denys Shmyhal Mr Shmyhal said the reworked agreement has become a “real partnership deal” which could consider future US aid as part of contributions to a joint investment fund Ukraine’s first deputy prime minister in charge of economic affairs landed in DC on Wednesday to sign the deal Ms Svyrydenko said the partnership will be equal confirming that the agreement includes no debt obligation to the US She said the accord allowed Ukraine to "determine what and where to extract" and that its subsoil remains owned by Ukraine Ukraine is rich in natural resources including rare earth metals which are used in consumer electronics electric vehicles and military applications The US Treasury Department said: “In recognition of the significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion this economic partnership positions our two countries to .. The US secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said: “Thanks to President Trump’s tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace I am glad to announce the signing of today’s historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund.” The deal does not mention Ukrainian liability for past aid spent President Trump had previously demanded $300bn in back payments on the US contribution to the defence of Ukraine which has in fact been about $130bn since 2022 “Both countries will be equal parties in the sharing of investment and an equal share in the resources of Ukraine will be spent on rebuilding Ukraine infrastructure and local investment,” Mr Morezkho told The Independent He said that there would be no taxes on the US part of the fund and no tariffs on Ukrainian mineral exports to the US The key issue of Ukraine’s security appears to have been addressed by references to the Budapest Memorandum, the 1994 documents signed by China, Russia that guaranteed Ukraine’s security when it gave up its vast nuclear arsenal There is a hope that by having US investments in Ukraine the Trump administration will see this as having skin in the game and take the defence of Kyiv more seriously Mr Trump has taken a strongly pro-Russian line and adopted many of the Kremlin’s demands as his own in prescribing the terms for a ceasefire The agreements will have to go before the Ukrainian parliament for ratification Mr Morezkho said he was likely to support it but wanted to see the details of the first phase of the agreement and the extent to which it would result in greater security for Ukraine Other Ukrainian sources said that they thought US would have had to express interest in Ukraine’s security because that would be essential in getting the backing of President Volodymyr Zelensky The first phase of the deal has also dropped previous American demands to control Ukraine’s infrastructure The softening of the US position through the negotiations may have been helped by a hard line taken by Vladimir Putin over ceasefire talks. Ukraine has repeatedly offered an unconditional 30-day, or more, ceasefire in talks brokered by Washington. Mr Putin, meanwhile, has refused the offers and demanded ceasefires in areas where he is vulnerable – notably the Black Sea. The deal is unlikely to affect Mr Putin’s offer of a three-day ceasefire to mark Russia’s celebration of victory over Nazi Germany on 8 May. It does, however, represent a shift in the attitude of the Trump administration to Ukraine. Mr Zelensky has already said that he would back a 30-day ceasefire from 8 May but that he believed the Russian proposal was a stunt. The key is that the US had shown every sign that if, as threatened, they walked away from negotiations in frustration, Ukraine risked being blamed. This would have jeopardised continued military and intelligence support for Kyiv. With a mineral deal imminent, marking 100 days of the Trump administration, Ukraine and the US can share a joint “win” – and Kyiv may, for now, believe that while Mr Trump’s support is not morally driven, it may now be underwritten by the prospects of American profits. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.732677,"label":"/law govt and politics/politics"},{"score":0.732672,"label":"/law govt and politics/government/government contracting and procurement"},{"score":0.69808,"label":"/finance/investing"},{"score":0.69808,"label":"/finance/investing/beginning investing"},{"score":0.636142,"label":"/law govt and politics/armed forces"},{"score":0.628537,"label":"/law govt and politics/government/heads of state"},{"score":0.609878,"label":"/law In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast Elan Journo and Ben Bayer discuss the Trump administration’s move to restart nuclear talks with Iran by rehashing Obama’s failed deal This podcast was recorded on April 28, 2025 and posted on April 30, 2025. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Watch archived podcasts here Ibis Slade is a junior fellow at the Ayn Rand Institute and a content creator He focuses on American intellectual and moral history Explore unique philosophical content that challenges conventional views — in courses you can take on the go Media Inquiries Contact Us Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions If you like what you’re reading, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter! You’ll also receive a FREE copy of our book, Illuminating Ayn Rand. Agreement is aimed at centering future US engagement in Ukraine Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the news in a press release later, which described the agreement as a recognition of the “significant financial and material support that the people of the United States have provided to the defense of Ukraine.” “As the president has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war,” said Bessent. “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.” The president “envisioned this partnership between the American people and the Ukrainian people to show both sides’ commitment to lasting peace and prosperity in Ukraine. And to be clear, no state or person who financed or supplied the Russian war machine will be allowed to benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine,” Bessent continued. Axios and Bloomberg first reported that the deal was to be signed on Wednesday, citing senior Ukrainian officials. Yulia Svyrydenko, Zelensky’s first deputy prime minister, was in Washington for the signing. The agreement is a modification of a previous offer, in which the U.S. demanded billions in repayment for past funding of Ukraine’s defense. The latest version instead envisions U.S. investments in Ukraine’s rare earth minerals sector as part of joint deals with Ukrainian businesses that will keep control split 50-50 between the two countries. Investments will be tax-free, while Ukrainian exports of rare earth minerals to the U.S. will be immune from tariffs under the deal. Under the plan, all money raised for development of Ukraine’s minerals will go into a fund managed jointly by the U.S. and Ukrainian governments. American military assistance going forward will count toward that total. Ukraine’s prime minister said that the deal contained no obligations regarding previous U.S. military support. The final minerals deal would also provide for Ukraine’s continued "full control over subsoil, infrastructure, and natural resources," Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, according to the Kyiv Independent. Bessent denied that any changes had been made in the agreement from the U.S. side, though Trump has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine repay the billions in assistance approved under the Biden administration. The Independent reported that a previous iteration also created a pathway for U.S. control over some Ukrainian infrastructure. Bessent claimed in February that reaching such a deal on Ukraine’s rare earth minerals would mean an effective “security shield” for Ukraine. The Trump administration and its Republican allies in Congress have been increasingly opposed to the kind of formal military support packages passed repeatedly to support Ukraine under the Biden presidency. Zelensky’s deputy economy minister told Axios that the deal was meant to spur further U.S. investment in Ukraine’s defense, rather than to repay past support. "This agreement is a win-win and it is written in friendly language. it is about investments, investments and investments," said Taras Kachka, Ukraine’s deputy minister for Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture. Svyrydenko added that Ukrainian contributions to the fund would be generated by revenues from new licenses purchased by companies for development. The news that the agreement was finally reached put an end to weeks of fraught negotiations between Washington and Kyiv exacerbated by Trump and Vice President JD Vance jointly confronting Zelensky in a furious argument before the cameras at the White House earlier this year. Zelensky quickly left Washington afterward without reaching an agreement on the deal’s framework. The deal also signals a warming of the Trump administration to Ukraine’s side, a development that comes after the president made multiple statements accusing Zelensky of being a “dictator,” and expressing support for Russia maintaining at least some of its territorial gains in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Trump has publicly speculated that Moscow is not being genuine in its approach to peace talks which Trump has sought to take credit for from the beginning. White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said on Tuesday that administration officials believe a ceasefire is impossible to reach if Trump can’t orchestrate one. She told the New York Post: "The president has devoted 100 days and his very top people to Russia and Ukraine, and if peace is not achieved, it will be because it can’t be achieved. It just cannot."