🇺🇸 Trump Announces Final Stage of Ukraine Peace Deal

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President Trump delivered a hopeful update Sunday night after hosting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-A-Lago — announcing that Ukraine and Russia are now in the final stages of peace talks.

Following a three-hour meeting with senior U.S. officials, military leaders, and a teleconference with European allies, Trump said negotiators have reached an agreement on roughly 95 percent of a 20-point peace framework.

While acknowledging a handful of “very tough” remaining issues, the president said the talks are “closer than ever” to ending the war.

Trump praised Zelensky’s leadership and confirmed a productive call with Vladimir Putin, stressing that too many lives are at stake if a deal isn’t finalized soon.

America is leading again — and peace may finally be within reach.

Start your week by catching up on all the latest Trump news below!

—Nick

In today’s email:
🔔 Trump Announces Final Stage of Ukraine Peace Deal
✝️ White House Defends Religious Christmas Messages
🚄 California Drops High-Speed Train Lawsuit
🇺🇳 Trump Says US Has Become "Real United Nations"
🇮🇱 Trump to Meet Netanyahu for Gaza Talks

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✅TRACKING TRUMP✅

Curated by Mike Luso

Trump said negotiations to end the war between Russia and Ukraine are nearing a decisive phase after meeting with Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago. The president told reporters significant progress was made during Sunday's discussions and suggested the parties may be close to an agreement following weeks of intensified diplomatic engagement. Zelenskyy confirmed Ukraine and the US are close to finalizing a 20-point framework covering security guarantees and economic arrangements, though territory and ceasefire terms remain thorny unresolved issues.

Meanwhile, the White House fired back at the Washington Post after the outlet criticized Trump officials for using "explicitly sectarian" language in Christmas messages, with spokesperson Abigail Jackson declaring "Christmas is a Christian holiday for millions of Christians celebrating the birth of their Savior, whether the Washington Post likes it or not."

Check out all the latest developments and more below!

🔔 Trump Says Ukraine Peace Deal is Close 🔔

Trump said peace talks to end the war in Ukraine are close to completion after meeting with Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago, with both leaders citing major progress on a 20-point plan while acknowledging unresolved disputes over territory, ceasefire terms and Ukrainian approval. Trump told reporters he held a "good and very productive telephone call" with Putin prior to the afternoon meeting with Zelenskyy, which included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General Dan Caine, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller.

Trump said negotiations have intensified over the past month and suggested discussions are far more advanced than at any previous point in the war, cautioning that final agreements depend on resolving a small number of difficult questions. Trump said "we could be very close" but noted "there are one or two very thorny issues, very tough issues" while adding "we made a lot of progress today, but really, we've made it over the last month."

Zelenskyy echoed that assessment, confirming negotiators have largely agreed on the framework of a deal and crediting sustained diplomacy across multiple international meetings in cities including Geneva, Miami, Berlin and Mar-a-Lago. Zelenskyy said "we discussed all the aspects of the peace framework, which includes a 20-point peace plan, 90% agreed" and confirmed a separate bilateral document with Washington covering security guarantees is intended for US Congress review.

Both leaders said European and NATO officials were closely involved in the process, with a joint call held following the meeting that included senior leaders from across the continent. Zelenskyy said teams are expected to meet again in the coming weeks to finalize remaining issues and that Trump has agreed to potentially host further talks in Washington with European leaders and a Ukrainian delegation.

Territory remains one of the most difficult unresolved issues, with Trump and Zelenskyy acknowledging differing positions between Ukraine and Russia particularly regarding the status of Donbas. Trump suggested time could be a critical factor in negotiations, warning that delays could result in further territorial losses as fighting continues, saying "some of that land has been taken" and "some of that land is maybe up for grabs, but it may be taken over the next period of a number of months."

Trump asked "are you better off making a deal now" while stressing he wants to see the war ended because "I don't want to see so many people dying" and noting "we're losing massive numbers of people – the biggest by far since World War II." Zelenskyy stressed that any final agreement would need to comply with Ukrainian law and reflect the will of the Ukrainian people, potentially requiring parliamentary approval or a national referendum, stating "our society, too, has to choose and decide who has to vote, because it's their land – the land not of one person."

Trump previously announced on Truth Social he "had a good and very productive telephone call with President Putin of Russia prior to my meeting, at 1:00 P.M. today, with President Zelenskyy of Ukraine" and said the meeting would take place "in the main dining room of Mar-a-Lago." Russia has launched another wave of attacks on Ukraine including more than 2,100 drones, roughly 800 guided aerial bombs, and 94 missiles according to Ukrainian officials, with Saturday attacks resulting in power outages in parts of Kyiv.

Reporters were briefly allowed into the room where Zelenskyy and his delegation faced Trump and the US team before Trump instructed aides to escort journalists out for lunch. Trump told reporters afterward he believed both sides want the war to end and said "we have the makings of a deal," adding he would follow up with a call to Putin once the meeting concluded. Bloomberg reported Russia views the 20-point plan as only a starting point and intends to seek key changes including additional restrictions on Ukraine's military, with a widening gap between Kyiv's portrayal of progress and Moscow's insistence on renegotiating core elements.

🍟 Quick Bite News 🍟

⚖️ Obama-appointed Federal Judge Irene Berger blocked West Virginia's ban on artificial food dyes, siding with food dye manufacturers and issuing a preliminary injunction halting the state's ability to enforce HB 2354 which bans food and pharmaceuticals adulterated with compounds. Berger wrote the law's use of "poisonous and injurious" lacked "criteria guiding its determination" which could unfairly harm dye manufacturers, while West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey said "we believe this decision is premature and incorrectly decided" and vowed to continue pressing forward "with our efforts to get harmful crap out of our food supply."

⚖️ JD Vance praised YouTuber Nick Shirley's reporting on Somali fraud in Minnesota calling it "far more useful journalism than 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners" as FBI Director Kash Patel declared the Minnesota fraud scheme a "top FBI priority." The ongoing fraud scandal involves allegations of daycare fraud schemes, with independent journalist Nick Shirley's video work exposing questionable activities drawing widespread attention and prompting investigation. Gov. Tim Walz has pushed back on the fraud allegations while House Majority Whip says Walz is "singing a false song" over his response to the Minnesota fraud scandal, with Rep. Ilhan Omar's husband's firm reportedly erasing names as the case heats up.

🌍 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country is engaged in a "total war" with the US, Israel and Europe in an interview, declaring "they want to bring our country to its knees." Iran denounced reports about potential Israeli strikes as a "psychological operation" against Tehran and warned renewed aggression would "result in harsher consequences" for Israel.

🎭 Trump Kennedy Center filed a $1 million lawsuit against musician Chuck Redd who canceled his Christmas show as political protest over the name change, according to Trump advisor Ric Grenell who called the cancellation "classic intolerance." Redd, who hosted holiday Jazz Jams at the Kennedy Center since 2006, called off his Christmas Eve performance after Trump's name was added to the building, telling the AP "when I saw the name change on Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert."

📺 Nancy Pelosi said she had "no intention" of tearing up Trump's State of the Union speech in a recent interview, despite the viral moment from Trump's first term becoming one of the most memorable images of opposition to his presidency. Pelosi appeared to walk back or downplay the dramatic gesture where she ripped up her copy of Trump's speech on camera immediately after he finished delivering it, an action that drew widespread attention and became a defining moment of resistance to Trump's policies.

God bless,

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