Trump has spoken with Putin about Ukraine invasion — report
US President Donald Trump has conversed with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, about putting an end to the conflict in Ukraine, the New York Post reported.
Aboard Air Force One on Friday, Trump was asked how many times he had conversed with Putin regarding the war.
Trump replied that he had “better not say,” about the number of times he talked with Putin.
The US president told the news outlet that he “always had a good relationship with Putin.”
“I hope it’s fast,” Trump said, in regards to Putin ending the war. “Every day people are dying. The war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this thing.”
Russian launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, infringing on Ukrainian sovereignty and killing Ukrainian civilians.
On Friday, Trump said he would probably meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a location outside Ukraine next week.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qDtI
February 9, 2025
Ishiba: Japan and US could avoid a tit-for-tat tariff war
On Sunday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba voiced optimism thatJapan could avoid increased tariffs on exports to the United States.
Ishiba said he believed that US President Donald Trump “recognized the fact Japan has been the world’s largest investor in the United States for five straight years and is therefore different from other countries.”
“Japan is creating many US jobs,” Ishiba said. “I believe [Washington] won’t go straight to the idea of higher tariffs.”
Tokyo has managed to avoid Trump’s trade war since he returned to the White House.
Trump has slapped a 10% tax on all imported goods from China but held off on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada for 30 days.
Trump pushed Ishiba to reduce Tokyo’s $68.5 billion annual trade surplus with Washington.
After Ishiba’s first meeting with Trump, the Japanese prime minister pledged to raise Japanese investment in the US to $1 trillion.
On Sunday, Ishiba identified liquefied natural gas, steel, AI and autos as potential areas for Japanese investment.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qDnn
Trump revokes security clearances for top Biden administration officials
US President Donald Trump revoked security clearances for former Secretary of State Antony Blinken and former national security adviser Jake Sullivan, among other Biden administration officials, the White House announced on Saturday.
Trump also removed the security clearance for Joe Biden‘s deputy attorney general, Lisa Monaco, who helped coordinate the Department of Justice’ response to Trump supporters who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Officials said Trump also stripped the clearances from New York Attorney General Letitia James and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg — both of whom brought cases against Trump.
The move came a day after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance for Biden, ending his access to daily intelligence briefings.
Former US presidents usually receive these briefings so they can offer guidance on matters of national security and foreign policy.
In 2021, Biden revoked the security clearance for Trump, who was then a former president.
https://p.dw.com/p/4qDna
Welcome to our coverage
This blog will include the latest on today’s events concerning US President Donald Trump‘s second term.
In addition to news, DW will bring you in-depth analysis, reporting and video coverage of how the Trump administration is both impacting the US and the world.
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