The U.S. pressured Ukraine to accept a peace proposal
President Trump lashed out yesterday at President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine after he rejected a U.S. plan to end the war with Russia. “He can have Peace or, he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump wrote on social media.
Vice President JD Vance outlined the U.S. proposal, which closely aligns with Russia’s goals. It includes a “freeze” of territorial lines in the three-year war, acceptance of the Russian annexation of Crimea and a promise that Ukraine will not join NATO.
It was the first time a U.S. official had publicly laid out a peace plan that favors Russia in such stark terms. Vance said the U.S. would “walk away” from the diplomatic effort if both Ukraine and Russia refused to accept the terms. But Zelensky was clearly the target.
Hours earlier, Zelensky said his country would never accept Russia’s 2014 occupation of Crimea as legal. “There is nothing to talk about,” he said. “This violates our Constitution. This is our territory, the territory of the people of Ukraine.”
Crimea: Trump accused Zelensky of making “inflammatory” statements. “If he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” Trump wrote. “The statement made by Zelenskyy today will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!”
Context: Russia currently occupies close to 20 percent of Ukraine. A freeze would essentially force Ukraine to surrender huge swaths of land to Russia.
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Syria’s new leader seeks allies
Christina Goldbaum, our Syria bureau chief, sat down this month with Syrian President Ahmed al-Shara, who came to power after his rebel forces toppled the Assad regime in December.
In the wide-ranging interview, al-Shara urged the U.S. to lift sanctions against his country and alluded to possible future military support from Russia and Turkey as he navigates a delicate balancing act with Israel.
“The fall of the regime and the new state in which Syria found itself paved the way for an entirely new set of security relations in the region,” he said. “That’s why many nations, whether regional or European, have a great interest in the stability of Syria.”
Read the full interview and here are the key takeaways.
Pope Francis’ body lay in state
Thousands of mourners lined up for hours yesterday to pay their respects to Pope Francis, whose coffin was moved from his residence to St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis’ body is lying in state there for three days to allow the faithful to bid farewell. The coffin will be closed Friday night, and the funeral will take place on Saturday.
Legacy: Francis, who died at 88, was a pope of great, often outsize, expectations. Some Catholic liberals expected a revolution, but analysts agree that there was a lot that Francis did do.
In film: “Conclave” saw a huge jump in views after Francis’ death.
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| A park in Istanbul where residents gathered after the earthquake hit yesterday. Yasin Akgul/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images |
| Turkey: A powerful quake shook Istanbul, sending residents into the streets. Many people jumped off their balconies, the local governor’s office said, injuring dozens. No deaths were reported.India: The government took a series of punitive actions against Pakistan after militants killed 26 people in a tourist group in Kashmir. Victims and witnesses of the attack described scenes of chaos and horror. E.U.: Apple and Meta were fined hundreds of millions of euros for violating a new law intended to increase competition in the digital economy. |
| U.K.: Britain will not rush into a trade deal with the U.S. or change food or car safety standards, the chancellor of the Exchequer said. Jordan: The authorities said that they would enforce a ban on the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood a week after the arrest of 16 people accused of plotting security threats. Spain: After years of resistance, the country announced it would increase military spending this year to meet NATO guidelines. Tech: Elon Musk said that China’s halt on exports of certain magnets was affecting his plans to build humanoid robots. Canada: Soaring housing costs, with many homes nearing $1 million, have set off an exodus from major cities and put pressure on the next prime minister. Crime: New York prosecutors began their opening statements in the sex-crime retrial of the fallen movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. Automation: Enormous investments in factory equipment and A.I. are giving China an edge in manufacturing. Art: A New York judge found that a drawing by Egon Schiele must be returned to the heirs of an Austrian Jew who was murdered in a Nazi concentration camp in 1941. |
| SPORTS NEWS |
| Track and field: Faith Kipyegon of Kenya will try in June to become the first woman to run a mile in under four minutes. Tennis: For much of the past 18 months, Ethan Quinn has been feeling as if he had made a terrible mistake. Soccer: How Nabil Bentaleb made an incredible comeback after suffering a cardiac arrest. |
| MORNING READ |
A physicist and two students used fluid dynamics to answer a brewing question: What makes the perfect pour-over cup of coffee? Their science-backed advice: Pour high, slowly and with a steady stream of water to enhance the coffee’s flavor.
| ARTS AND IDEAS |
Mexico’s outlawed odes to crime
Hours before a show this month, Luis Conriquez, a Mexican singer, announced that he would not perform several of his signature songs. Instead, he was joining a movement across Mexico to phase out narcocorridos, ballads that celebrate the drug trade.
Many fans booed, but critics say the genre glorifies cartels and violence. A growing number of municipalities and states have banned narcocorridos. The fierce debate has become a test of free speech in Mexico.
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Cook: This chopped salad is fresh and festive.
