We are continuing to follow the scene at the White House. This was just a few moments ago when the prime minister of the UK, Kier Starmer, arrived. Um that is Monica Crowley greeting him.She's the chief of protocol for the White House, a familiar face to many because she was a frequent contributor to Fox News, as were many members of this administration. But he and Trump have a have a warm relationship. He has talked about it.I think they've met at least three times already this year. And of course, there's ...

Joining us now, former adviser to President Zalinski, Igor Novakov. Igor, the president literally rolled out the red carpet for Putin. He's posted criticisms of Zalinski leading up to their sitdown.What is the mood in Ukraine right now looking ahead to this afternoon and the reception that Zalinski might get. >> Well, first of all, the red carpet was a big deal for the Ukrainians. I mean, nobody's taken it well.Um, imagine rolling out the red carpet in October 2001 for Bin Laden, for example. I mean, that w ...

Yeah. I mean, if you think about it, after the Soviet Union collapsed, you had the countries of the former Warsaw Pact, Eastern Europe, and they were kind of in limbo. Many of these countries had been invaded either by the Russian Empire, by the Soviet Union.They didn't really have any place. And so it was the right thing to do was to include them in NATO, to make sure that, I mean, there were territorial disputes between a number of these countries, Romania and Hungary and others, to make sure that they we ...

Geopolitical Developments - Hamas accepts the latest Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal proposal [1]

Geopolitical Strategy & Diplomacy - The White House believes progress was made with Vladimir Putin in figuring out his "price for peace," but it remains to be seen if Zalinski is willing to pay it [2] - European leaders' presence aims to show solidarity with Zalinski, potentially acting as a buffer against pressure from Trump [4][5] - A key objective for European leaders and Zalinski is to avoid a trap set by Putin, such as giving up Ukrainian territory for empty promises of a ceasefire [10] - Mixed messaging from US officials creates confusion and fear of a trap regarding potential deals requiring Ukraine to cede territory [16][17] US-Ukraine Relations - The White House views the previous meeting with Zalinski as the president standing up for American taxpayers [19] - JD Vance, who previously instigated tension, has recently sounded more positive about the Ukrainian cause [21] Russia's Actions & Objectives - Russia feels emboldened, even though no concrete agreements were reached in Alaska [23] - Despite potential agreements, Russia is unlikely to stop attacks on Ukrainian population centers [26][27] - Trump's suggestion that Crimea is lost and Ukraine won't join NATO is seen as a starting point for negotiations, but also a continuation of war [27][28] NATO & European Involvement - NATO has enacted a program committing tens of billions of dollars to weapons deals, which Europeans will remind Trump they agreed to [8]

Geopolitical Assessment - The speaker believes Putin is bluffing to exert pressure before the Alaska meeting, attempting to portray Russia's ability to occupy all of Ukraine [1] - The speaker asserts that sanctions are significantly impacting Russia's war economy [1] - The speaker states Putin is not interested in peace but aims for occupation [2] Call for Action - The speaker emphasizes the need for continued pressure, including both American and European sanctions, to stop the war [2] Diplomatic Expectations - The speaker hopes the Alaska meeting will focus on achieving an immediate ceasefire [2] - The speaker anticipates a follow-up discussion with the US President after the Alaska meeting to determine mutual next steps [3]

Watch live coverage as President Trump holds meetings with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the White House. This comes just days after Trump's meeting with Russian President Putin in Alaska on a potential ceasefire deal for the war in Ukraine. For more context and news coverage of the most important stories of our day, click here: https://www.nbcnews.com » Subscribe to NBC News: http://nbcnews.to/SubscribeToNBC » Watch more NBC video: http://bit.ly/MoreNBCNews NBC News Digital is ...

Forbes Daily: European Allies Join Zelenskyy And Trump To Talk Ceasefirehttps://t.co/t5VCCel9Qw https://t.co/IG2dxZdUsl ...

US Foreign Policy & Geopolitics - The Trump administration is attempting to clarify its stance on the Ukraine conflict, moving from seeking a ceasefire to a broader peace agreement favored by Vladimir Putin [1] - US officials state that severe consequences will be imposed on Russia if it doesn't agree to a peace deal [1] - The administration aims to bring both Ukrainian and Russian leaders together for negotiations [2] - Congressman Adam Smith expresses concerns about Trump potentially pushing for a peace deal where Ukraine cedes unoccupied territory to Russia [4] - There is a concern that Trump's initial approach at the summit set back the peace process [6] - Trump stated it's up to Ukrainian President Zelensky to reach a peace deal, with the US not in a position to accept or reject anything [7] - A united front with Ukraine is crucial to deter Putin from continuing the war [8] - The US should engage in talks with Russia, but not allow Putin to dictate the terms [10] Potential Scenarios & Considerations - It is uncertain whether Trump will show strong support for Ukraine, as it opposes Putin's interests [12] - Trump's motivations are complex, influenced by factors like flattery, political image, and conflicting views within his circle [13][14] - There is hope that European leaders can influence Trump to take the right stance on the issue [15] - Putin reportedly agreed to security protections for Ukraine during talks with Trump, potentially including a NATO-like security agreement [15] - If Putin has relented on his demand for a neutral Ukraine, it would be a significant step [17]

New this morning, after being shut out of Friday's big summit in Alaska, Ukrainian President Womir Zalinsky announced a short time ago that he will be coming to the United States on Monday to meet with President Trump. Zalinsky had a one-on-one call with Trump and then with European leaders as Trump was traveling home from Alaska. Trump also spoke with NATO leaders, according to his press secretary.Zalinski wrote on social media that quote, "Ukraine reaffirms its readiness to work with maximum effort to ach ...