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Trump, Putin speak as Biden plans to lobby Trump to stick with Ukraine

Zelenskiy said on Thursday he was not aware of any details of Trump’s plan to end the Ukraine war quickly and that he was convinced a rapid end would entail major concessions for Kyiv.

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U.S. President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him not to escalate the Ukraine war, a source familiar with the conversation told Reuters on Sunday, as President Joe Biden plans to urge Trump not to abandon Kyiv, Reuters reported.

Trump and Putin spoke in recent days, said the source. Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday. Trump has criticised the scale of U.S. military and financial support for Kyiv, vowing to end the war quickly, without saying how.

Ukraine’s foreign ministry said it was not informed in advance of the call between Trump and Putin and subsequently could neither endorse or object to it.

“We do not comment on private calls between President Trump and other world leaders,” said Steven Cheung, Trump’s communications director, when asked about the phone call, which was first reported by The Washington Post.

The Russian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Republican Trump will take office on Jan. 20 after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election. Biden has invited Trump to come to the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said.

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday that Biden’s top message will be his commitment to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, and he will also talk to Trump about what’s happening in Europe, in Asia and the Middle East.

“President Biden will have the opportunity over the next 70 days to make the case to the Congress and to the incoming administration that the United States should not walk away from Ukraine, that walking away from Ukraine means more instability in Europe,” Sullivan told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” show.

Sullivan’s comments came as Ukraine attacked Moscow on Sunday with at least 34 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the beginning of the war.

When asked if Biden would ask Congress to pass legislation to authorize more funding for Ukraine, Sullivan deferred.

“I’m not here to put forward a specific legislative proposal. President Biden will make the case that we do need ongoing resources for Ukraine beyond the end of his term,” Sullivan said.

Washington has provided tens of billions of dollars worth of U.S. military and economic aid to Ukraine since it was invaded by Russia in February of 2022, funding that Trump has repeatedly criticized and rallied against with other Republican lawmakers, read the report.

Trump insisted last year that Putin never would have invaded Ukraine if he had been in the White House at the time. He told Reuters Ukraine may have to cede territory to reach a peace agreement, something the Ukrainians reject and Biden has never suggested.

Zelenskiy said on Thursday he was not aware of any details of Trump’s plan to end the Ukraine war quickly and that he was convinced a rapid end would entail major concessions for Kyiv.

According to the Government Accountability Office, Congress appropriated over $174 billion to Ukraine under Biden. The pace of the aid is almost sure to drop under Trump with Republicans set to take control of the U.S. Senate with a 52-seat majority.

Control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the next Congress is not yet clear with some votes still being counted. Republicans have won 213 seats, according to Edison Research, just shy of the 218 needed for a majority. If Republicans win both chambers, it will mean the majority of Trump’s agenda will have a significantly easier time passing through Congress, Reuters reported.

Republican U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty, a Trump ally who is considered a top contender for secretary of state, criticized U.S. funding for Ukraine in a CBS interview.

“The American people want sovereignty protected here in America before we spend our funds and resources protecting the sovereignty of another nation,” Hagerty said.

The 2-1/2-year-old war in Ukraine is entering what some officials say could be its final act after Moscow’s forces advanced at the fastest pace since the early days of the war.

Any fresh attempt to end the war is likely to involve peace talks of some kind, which have not been held since the early months of the war.

Moscow’s forces occupy around a fifth of Ukraine. Russia says the war cannot end until its claimed annexations are recognized. Kyiv demands all of its territory back, a position that has largely been supported by Western allies.

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Trump’s approval rating drops sharply as government shutdown drags on

Trump’s decline in support comes just days after Democrats scored major victories in several state and local elections.

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US President Donald Trump’s approval rating has fallen sharply — even among his own supporters — as the historic government shutdown enters its second month, according to new polling data.

A YouGov/Economist survey found that 84 percent of Trump supporters still approve of his performance, compared to 14 percent who disapprove. While that remains a strong figure, it represents a four-point drop since August, when he enjoyed a +74 approval rating among those who voted for him in 2024.

Across all voters, 39 percent said they approve of the way Trump is handling his job, while 57 percent disapprove. The poll was conducted between October 31 and November 3, as the shutdown became the longest in U.S. history — surpassing a 35-day closure that occurred during Trump’s first term.

The ongoing standoff has left millions of Americans struggling. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) ran out of funds in early November, cutting off benefits for more than 42 million people. A lower court order had temporarily restored the aid, but the Supreme Court paused implementation last week.

The USDA initially said it was working to issue full benefits, but reversed that decision on Sunday, instructing states to halt those payments. Meanwhile, food banks across the country report overwhelming demand as federal workers continue to miss paychecks.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also announced flight reductions at 40 airports beginning Friday, citing staff shortages. Thousands of flights have since been canceled or delayed nationwide.

Trump’s decline in support comes just days after Democrats scored major victories in several state and local elections. A separate Emerson College poll, conducted November 3–4, found 49 percent disapproval of Trump’s performance, compared to 41 percent approval — a near reversal from the start of his presidency, when he held 49 percent approval and 41 percent disapproval.

According to Emerson Polling Director Spencer Kimball, Trump’s support among Republican voters has dropped from 91 percent to 79 percent since he took office.

Trump dismissed the negative polling results earlier this week, calling them “fake” in a post on Truth Social.

“So many Fake Polls are being shown by the Radical Left Media,” he wrote. “In the Fair Polls, and even the Reasonable Polls, I have the Best Numbers I have ever had — and why shouldn’t I?”

The president now faces mounting pressure to end the shutdown as economic disruption grows and public patience wanes.

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Saudi Arabia executes two people for plotting attacks on places of worship

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Saudi Arabia said on Sunday that it had executed two citizens for joining a terrorist group that planned to carry out attacks on places of worship.

The two men also planned attacks against security facilities and personnel, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, citing a statement from the interior ministry.

The statement did not indicate when any of the attacks were planned to have taken place, Reuters reported.

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North Korea threatens ‘offensive action’, condemns US-South Korea security talks

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North Korea’s defence minister No Kwang Chol threatened on Saturday to take “more offensive action” as he condemned U.S. security talks with Seoul and the arrival of a U.S. aircraft carrier in South Korea.

A day earlier, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast, after denouncing on Thursday fresh U.S. sanctions against North Korean individuals and entities that Washington said were involved in cyber-related money-laundering schemes, Reuters reported.

South Korea’s defence ministry on Saturday condemned the missile launch, while saying the North’s criticism of the U.S.-South Korea meeting was regrettable.

No criticised a recent visit by U.S. and South Korean defence chiefs to the border between North and South Korea, as well as their subsequent security talks in Seoul, alleging they were conspiring to step up deterrence efforts towards the North and to integrate their nuclear and conventional forces.

“This is a stark revelation and an unveiled intentional expression of their hostile nature to stand against the DPRK to the end,” No said, referring to the country’s formal name – the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday the core of the alliance with Seoul will remain focused on deterring North Korea, although Washington will look at flexibility for U.S. troops stationed in South Korea to operate against regional threats.

No also said the visit of the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington to South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan this week following U.S.-South Korean joint air drills with Seoul had escalated tensions on the peninsula.

“We will show more offensive action against the enemies’ threat on the principle of ensuring security and defending peace by dint of powerful strength,” No said, according to North Korean state media KCNA.

South Korea’s navy said the carrier’s visit was to replenish supplies and grant leave for the crew.

While visiting South Korea last week, U.S. President Donald Trump repeated his willingness to sit down with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. No meeting took place, but Trump said he was willing to return to the region to meet Kim.

Last week, North Korea also test-fired cruise missiles to the west of the Korean peninsula just as Trump and other leaders were set to gather in South Korea for regional meetings.

Regarding the latest missile launch, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said on Saturday that it “does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies”.

“The missile launch highlights the destabilising impact” of North Korea’s actions, it added.

 

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