The Republican president had just replaced his unpopular Democratic predecessor.  A top issue for the new commander-in-chief: Ending a foreign war that had dragged on too long.  Looking at the problem with fresh eyes, the Republican made a deal to stop the fighting.  It wasn’t a glorious victory, but it wasn’t a defeat, either.  Most of all, it was an end to the bloodshed, allowing Americans to refocus on peaceful pursuits back home.

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BRUSSELS, Belgium — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News said he is not ruling out nuclear weapons for Ukraine, and that ultimately it is up to President Donald Trump.

The post Exclusive — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth: Nuclear Weapons for Ukraine Is Up to President Donald Trump appeared first on Breitbart.

A family of six Palestinians from Gaza slipped through what British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described as a “loophole” this week and immigrated to the United Kingdom using a program designed for Ukrainian refugees.

The post Palestinian Family Uses Ukrainian Refugee Program to Settle in U.K. appeared first on Breitbart.

The U.S. Treasury secretary left a straight and to the point message in the welcome book at Shannon Airport in Ireland on Thursday, simply leaving the Trump administration’s two-word motto.

The plane Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was traveling on from Kyiv, Ukraine, made a stop at the western Ireland airport to refuel.

While there, Bessent signed the welcome book, writing, "AMERICA FIRST!"

FOX Business White House correspondent Edward Lawrence snapped a picture of the page, and above Bessent’s entry was an entry from former Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

JD VANCE, TREASURY SEC SCOTT BESSENT TO MEET WITH ZELENSKYY AS TRUMP TEAM SETS SIGHTS ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR

"To all our friends at Shannon – with gratitude for always making us feel at home away from home," Blinken wrote, though the date of the entry was not visible in the photo.

President Donald Trump announced earlier this week that he was sending Bessent to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

‘LET’S DO A DEAL’: ZELENSKYY CALLS TRUMP’S TERMS ACCEPTABLE FOR SECURITY PARTNERSHIP

"This War MUST and WILL END SOON — Too much Death and Destruction. The U.S. has spent BILLIONS of Dollars Globally, with little to show," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Bessent was expected to speak with the Ukrainian president about sanctions, rare Earth minerals and where U.S. funding has gone.

Vice President JD Vance was also meeting with Zelenskyy this week, and both meetings were to take place before U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg travels to Ukraine on Feb. 20.

Trump tasked Kellogg with hashing out a peace deal with Ukraine and Russia to bring the three-year-long war to an end. Last week Kellogg met with Ukrainian delegates at the State Department. 

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told allies at NATO headquarters Wednesday that "returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective," as President Donald Trump is working to bring an end to the war. 

Hegseth, speaking to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Belgium, also said "stark strategic realities prevent the United States from being primarily focused on the security of Europe" because the U.S. is focusing on "securing our own borders" and "deterring war with China in the Pacific." 

"President Trump has been clear with the American people -- and with many of your leaders -- that stopping the fighting and reaching an enduring peace is a top priority," Hegseth said about Ukraine, noting that the war is approaching its third anniversary. 

"He intends to end this war by diplomacy and bringing both Russia and Ukraine to the table.  And the U.S. Department of Defense will help achieve this goal," Hegseth continued. "We want a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering." 

JD VANCE, TREASURY SECRETARY SCOTT BESSENT TO MEET WITH ZELENSKYY AS TRUMP TEAM SETS SIGHTS ON RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR 

In early 2014, Russia first invaded Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula before annexing the region. Russian President Vladimir Putin then launched a larger military conflict with Ukraine in 2022, which remains ongoing. 

"A durable peace for Ukraine must include robust security guarantees to ensure that the war will not begin again," Hegseth said Wednesday. "The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement. Instead, any security guarantee must be backed by capable European and non-European troops."

"If these troops are deployed as peacekeepers to Ukraine at any point, they should be deployed as part of a non-NATO mission and not covered under Article 5. There also must be robust international oversight of the line of contact," he continued. "To be clear, as part of any security guarantee, there will not be U.S. troops deployed to Ukraine." 

ZELENSKYY CALLS TRUMP’S TERMS ACCEPTABLE FOR SECURITY PARTNERSHIP 

Trump, during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on "Special Report," said "tremendous progress" has been made over the last week when it comes to a Ukraine-Russia peace deal. 

"They have tremendously valuable land in terms of rare earth, in terms of oil and gas, in terms of other things. I want to have our money secured because we're spending hundreds of billions of dollars," Trump said about Ukraine. "And, you know, they may make a deal. They may not make a deal. They may be Russian someday, or they may not be Russian someday."

"I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare earth. And they've essentially agreed to do that. So at least we don't feel stupid. Otherwise, we're stupid," Trump added. "I said to them, we have to, we have to get something. We can't continue to pay this money, you know." 

In an interview this week with The Guardian, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said "There are voices which say that Europe could offer security guarantees without the Americans, and I always say no" and that "Security guarantees without America are not real security guarantees."

Hegseth also said he is in Brussels today to "directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States from being primarily focused on the security of Europe."  

"The United States faces consequential threats to our homeland. We must -- and we are -- focusing on securing our own borders," he said. "We also face a peer competitor in China with the capability and intent to threaten our homeland and core national interests in the Indo-Pacific."  

"The U.S. is prioritizing deterring war with China in the Pacific, recognizing the reality of scarcity, and making the resourcing tradeoffs to ensure deterrence does not fail," Hegseth added. "As the United States shifts its attention to these threats, European allies must lead from the front." 

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the NATO headquarters on Wednesday called for an end to the Ukraine War and in a major departure from the Biden administration, did not announce any new aid for Ukraine.

The post Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Calls for End of Ukraine War, Announces No New Aid for Ukraine appeared first on Breitbart.

President Donald Trump announced that he will send Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, adding that the war between Ukraine and Russia "must and will end soon."

The post Trump to Send Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to Meet with Zelensky appeared first on Breitbart.

Russian forces targeted Ukraine's energy and gas infrastructure in a "massive" nighttime missile attack and Ukrainian drones struck an important oil refinery inside Russia, officials said Tuesday, as the almost three-year war rumbled on against a backdrop of renewed diplomatic efforts to end it.

The post Russia and Ukraine Trade Missile and Drone Strikes on Energy Infrastructure appeared first on Breitbart.

Vice President JD Vance will meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday after years of railing against the U.S.’ continued funding of Ukraine in the war against Russia. 

The vice president will meet with Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, a Vance spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital, just ahead of U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg’s trip to Ukraine on Feb. 20. 

Trump announced on Tuesday he would also send Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to meet with Zelenskyy in Ukraine. 

"This War MUST and WILL END SOON — Too much Death and Destruction. The U.S. has spent BILLIONS of Dollars Globally, with little to show," Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

‘LET’S DO A DEAL’: ZELENSKYY CALLS TRUMP’S TERMS ACCEPTABLE FOR SECURITY PARTNERSHIP

Bessent is expected to talk about sanctions, rare Earth minerals and where U.S. funding has gone with the Ukrainian leader. 

Trump tasked Kellogg with hashing out a peace deal with Ukraine and Russia to bring the three-year-long war to an end. Last week Kellogg met with Ukrainian delegations at the State Department.  

Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth are also attending the conference where the Russia-Ukraine war is sure to be a top focal point. 

RUSSIA SAYS US RELATIONS ‘ON THE BRINK OF A BREAKUP,’ WON'T CONFIRM TRUMP-PUTIN TALK

The U.S. does not have a concrete plan yet to end the war, contrary to public reporting, and is listening to concerns and proposals from allies, a European official familiar with peace talks told Fox News Digital. 

"Munich is too soon to unveil a Ukraine peace plan," the official said. "The negotiations between the principals – Trump, Zelenskyy, Putin – will be tough. All options to end the killing are on the table – the course of action will be Trump’s call. There’s still plenty of room to ramp up sanctions." 

Trump said last week he might meet with Zelenksyy himself in the days ahead. 

"I will probably be meeting with President Zelenskyy next week and I will probably be talking to President Putin," Trump said. 

In an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier Monday night, Trump emphasized the need for Ukraine to give the U.S. access to its rare Earth minerals in exchange for its defense. He also suggested Ukraine "may be Russian" someday. 

"They may make a deal, they may not make a deal. They may be Russian some day, or they may not be Russian some day," Trump mused. 

"We are going to have all this money in there, and I say I want it back. And I told them that I want the equivalent, like $500 billion worth of rare Earth," Trump said. "And they have essentially agreed to do that, so at least we don’t feel stupid."

TRUMP'S 'RARE' PRICE FOR US MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE CALLED 'FAIR' BY ZELENSKYY

Both Zelenskyy and Putin have remained opposed to direct talks with each other. Putin is demanding that Ukraine withdraw from regions in the south and east that Kyiv still has control over. Zelenskyy has scoffed at any territorial concessions to Moscow, though he has admitted Ukraine may have to rely on diplomatic means to take back some of its territory. 

Vance was long at the forefront of opposition to Ukraine aid in the Senate. 

"I gotta be honest with you, I don't really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another," he said in February 2022 as Russia invaded. 

"Vladimir Putin is not Adolf Hitler. It doesn't mean he's a good guy, but he has significantly less capability than the German leader did," Vance said in an April 2024 speech on the Senate floor.

A Munich Security report, released just days before world leaders gather in Germany, said that Trump’s election has turned the U.S. into a "risk to be hedged against."

"Without global leadership of the kind provided by the United States for the past several decades, it is hard to imagine the international community providing global public goods like freedom of navigation or tackling even some of the many grave threats confronting humanity," the report warned. "The US may be abdicating its historic role as Europe’s security guarantor – with significant consequences for Ukraine."

President Donald Trump kicked off his fourth week in office by attending the Super Bowl in what is expected to be another action-packed work week that could include a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. 

Trump will land back in Washington, D.C., late Sunday evening after attending the Super Bowl and spending the weekend at Mar-A-Lago. The 47th president hinted that he could hold his first meeting with Zelenskyy since his Jan. 20 inauguration later this week to discuss the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia. 

"[Zelenskyy] may meet next week, yeah. Whenever he would like. I’m here," Trump told reporters while hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. 

Trump has already met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose nation is in the midst of a ceasefire agreement with Hamas following more than a year of war, and has vowed to end the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, leading to hundreds of thousands of deaths for both nations as war continues. 

TRUMP SPELLS OUT TAX PLAN FOR HOUSE GOP LEADERS IN WHITE HOUSE MEETING

"I will probably be meeting with President Zelenskyy next week. And I've… I will probably be talking to President Putin. I'd like to see that war end for one primary reason: They're killing so many people," Trump said during the press conference on Friday. 

Trump last met with Zelenskyy when he was president-elect in December during a trip to Paris ahead of the Notre Dame Cathedral reopening after a fire ripped through the Catholic church in 2019. 

TRUMP’S CUTS TO FOREIGN AID COULD BENEFIT US POSITION IN IRAN NEGOTIATIONS, EXPERT SAYS

"You have 8 or 900,000 Russian soldiers are dead, and very badly wounded. And the same thing with Ukraine, you have probably 700,000 with Ukraine. The numbers they gave are a little bit lower than that. But I believe those numbers aren’t correct. I'd like to see it just on a human basis. It's terrible what's going on," Trump added of the ongoing war during his comments Friday. 

Trump confirmed to the New York Post on Friday that he has spoken to Vladimir Putin as the war continues, but did not divulge many details beyond that Putin "wants to see people stop dying."

Trump suggested earlier last week that Ukraine should strike a deal with the U.S. to provide crucial minerals – such as titanium, lithium, graphite and uranium – in exchange for military aid. 

"We’re putting in hundreds of billions of dollars. They have great rare earths. And I want security of the rare earth, and they’re willing to do [that]," Trump told reporters at the White House last Monday. 

Zelenskyy told the media a day later that he is open to an "investment" from "partners who help us defend our land and push the enemy back with their weapons, their presence, and sanctions packages." 

"And this is absolutely fair," he added. 

Trump is also expected to meet with the CEO of Nippon Steel this week, which is Japan’s largest steel company. The Biden administration had blocked a nearly $15 billion deal for the Japanese company to buy the American steelmaker, U.S. Steel, with Trump previewing last week that Nippon is now looking to invest in U.S. Steel as opposed to purchasing it. 

TRUMP SIGNS LAKEN RILEY ACT INTO LAW AS FIRST LEGISLATIVE VICTORY IN NEW ADMINISTRATION

Nippon Steel "is going to be doing something very exciting about U.S. Steel," Trump said on Friday. "They’ll be looking at an investment rather than a purchase."

"Very great company and they'll work out the details," Trump said of Nippon, mistakenly referring to it as "Nissan," a Japanese car company on first reference. "I'll help. I'll be there to mediate and arbitrate."

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED DURING PRESIDENT TRUMP'S SECOND WEEK IN OFFICE

The president is in the midst of leveraging tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China to bolster border security, end illegal immigration and stem the flow of fentanyl into the U.S. Trump previewed on Friday that this week will include him announcing "reciprocal trade" tariffs on other nations, as opposed to a flat 10% or 20% tariff on other nations, as he has previously threatened. 

"I’ll be announcing that next week, reciprocal trade, so that we’re treated evenly with other countries," he told reporters on Friday, saying the announcement should come by Monday or Tuesday. "We don’t want any more, any less."

"I think that’s the only fair way to do it that way nobody’s hurt," the president continued. "They charge us, we charge them. It’s the same thing, and I seem to be going in that line as opposed to a flat fee tariff."

In addition to anticipated foreign relations and international trade announcements and meetings, Trump's administration is expected to continue its investigations of the federal government's various agencies as part of the Department of Government Efficiency's quest to suss out internal corruption and government overspending. 

Trump’s schedule for the week was not yet released as of Sunday afternoon, beyond attending the Super Bowl before flying back to the White House late Sunday evening. 

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this article. 

President Donald Trump may soon meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.  

"He may meet next week, yeah. Whenever he would like. I’m here," Trump told reporters while hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday. 

Trump said that the meeting would likely be held in Washington, D.C., because he would not go to Ukraine. 

Trump also said there was a possibility he would meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, noting that the two have always had a "very good relationship." 

TRUMP AND ‘NO ONE ELSE’ CAN END THE UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR, US ALLY SAYS 

"That’s why it is so sad that this happened," Trump said, appearing to reference Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. "This never would have happened if I were president." 

Trump, who met with Zelenskyy in New York in September 2024, urged Putin to cease the war — or face sanctions — in a post on Truth Social on Jan. 22. 

"Settle now, and STOP this ridiculous War! IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE," Trump said. If we don't make a 'deal', and soon, I have no other choice but to put high levels of Taxes, Tariffs, and Sanctions on anything being sold by Russia to the United States, and various other participating countries."

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also said he backed issuing harsher sanctions on Russia during his confirmation hearing Jan. 16 to expedite the end of the war. 

TRUMP'S ‘RARE’ PRICE FOR US MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE CALLED ‘FAIR’ BY ZELENSKYY

According to retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump's envoy for Russia and Ukraine, Trump is the only person who could end the conflict. 

"The only person that Putin will really want to talk to — because he’s kind of denigrated other leaders that are out there — is President Trump, and President Trump’s the only one who can bring this to a conclusion," Kellogg told "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday. 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Fox News’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report. 

Ukraine would need a million-man army and a nuclear deterrent to prevent future Russian aggression if it doesn't join NATO, Zelensky said. 

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that excluding his country from talks between the U.S. and Russia about the war in Ukraine would be "very dangerous" and asked for more discussions between Kyiv and Washington to develop a plan for a ceasefire.

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