Donald Trump used his appearance at the G7 summit to renew calls for an end to the Ukraine war, telling reporters that Moscow "should make a deal" and lamenting what he called "the great antipathy" between Ukrainian and Russian leadership that has stalled negotiations.
The president described the death toll across the conflict as "ridiculous" and noted that both Russia and Ukraine had "lost a great many people." He claimed to have spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday before the summit began, saying both leaders seemed open to direct talks.
European leaders at the G7 have been pressing Trump to broker a breakthrough by hosting face-to-face negotiations between Zelenskyy and Putin on American soil. During a morning session with G7 leaders and the Ukrainian president, Trump indicated he would attempt to facilitate such a meeting. German sources suggested Trump had come to view Russia as operating from a weakened position compared to earlier in the war.
Trump has previously expressed frustration with the conflict's trajectory, particularly Ukraine's refusal to cede territory it has not lost in active fighting.
Georgia Republicans Rally Behind Trump's Pick
Voters in Georgia's Republican primary runoff chose Trump-aligned US representative Mike Collins to challenge Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in November's general election. Collins defeated former college football coach Derek Dooley for the nomination.
In the Republican gubernatorial primary, billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson prevailed over Trump-backed Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who will now face Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms. The Georgia race has been marked by aggressive campaigning that generated libel litigation and federal legal challenges over election procedures.
Fifteen people in Minnesota were charged with conspiracy to impede federal officers following their alleged involvement in violent opposition to an immigration enforcement operation conducted earlier this year. Prosecutors say the defendants were members of two Minneapolis-based groups identified as Direct Action Minnesota and Black Cat Workers' Collective.
Federal authorities also charged five men over an alleged plot to carry out a violent attack at a UFC event held at the White House on Sunday. According to the Department of Justice, the men planned to use guns and explosive-laden drones in an attempt to kill government officials and event attendees at what was called "UFC Freedom 250."
Election experts and former officials have raised alarms over what they describe as a Trump administration assault on voting rights through Department of Justice lawsuits, FBI investigations, and an executive order restricting mail-in voting. The moves reflect the president's longstanding false claims that he lost the 2020 election because of widespread voting fraud.
A $14.2 million renovation of the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool has run into an unexpected problem. Days after work finished transforming what Trump had called a "filthy" and "dirty" body of water, algae blooms have returned, thwarting the administration's goal of turning the pool "American flag blue" before the nation's 250th birthday celebration.
Hillary Clinton declared Joe Biden's decision to seek a second term "a terrible mistake" that cost Democrats the presidency and may have left a permanent mark on his legacy. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pushed back on reports that Trump had snubbed him at the G7, saying the two leaders had simply not scheduled a bilateral meeting at the summit.
Author James Rodriguez: "Trump's attempt to position himself as a peacemaker on Ukraine while his own administration tightens the screws on voting rights shows a president operating on two very different wavelengths."
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