Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefire

Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefire

In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin needed to see "certain dynamics" on the battlefield before agreeing to an extended ceasefire, insisting arms deliveries from Ukraine's allies must stop before there can be a pause in hostilities. "Otherwise, it will be advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilization, bringing new troops to front line. Ukraine will use this period to train new military personnel and to give a rest to their existing ones," Peskov told ABC News' Chief Global Affairs Correspondent and "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz. "So why should we grant such an advantage to Ukraine?" Peskov also asserted that Ukraine is "not ready for immediate negotiations," denying that Putin was the one dragging his feet. "President Putin is doing whatever is possible to solve the problem, to achieve a settlement through peaceful and diplomatic means. But having no peaceful and democratic means at hand, we have to continue military operation," he said. MORE: Putin's 3-day ceasefire goes into effect ahead of Victory Day celebrations Peskov also told Raddatz the Kremlin was hoping that President Donald Trump would be able to help Moscow "bring a little bit more flexibility and a little more political will" to Kyiv's position. Peskov's statements come as Ukraine and the Trump administration are pushing for a 30-day truce. Kyiv has been advocating a monthlong ceasefire for many weeks, while Trump voiced his support for the proposal on Thursday. "U.S. calls for, ideally, a 30-day unconditional ceasefire. Hopefully, an acceptable ceasefire will be observed, and both Countries will be held accountable for respecting the sanctity of these direct negotiations," Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. The president also threatened to impose further sanctions if that ceasefire was not respected and vowed he would "stay committed to securing Peace between Russia and Ukraine" -- an apparent turnaround from his previous threats to abandon the peace process unless progress was made. On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance said during the Munich Leaders Meeting in Washington, D.C., that Russia is insisting on a "certain set of concessions in order to end the conflict" that the Trump administration believes is "asking for too much." So far, Russia has only expressed support for much shorter truces -- declaring a unilateral three-day ceasefire that coincided with the country's commemoration of Victory Day, a celebration marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied forces' defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. MORE: Is Trump's Ukraine peace effort stalled amid Putin's relentless strikes?: ANALYSIS Putin marked the holiday on Friday with a massive military parade through Moscow's Red Square, a display featuring 11,000 Russian troops, fighter jets, and tanks meant to showcase the modern power of the country's fighting forces. During a public address, Putin praised members of the Russian military fighting in Ukraine, which he called a "special operation." "We are proud of their courage and determination, their spiritual force that always has brought us victory," Putin said. However, the festivities were clouded by fear in Moscow that Victory Day could become a target for Ukrainian drone attacks, a possible motivating factor behind Putin's three-day truce proposal. Despite security concerns, the event drew the attendance of more than two dozen world leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, who sat next to Putin during the festivities. Troops from 13 foreign countries also participated in the parade, including China. Although Russian state media reported earlier in the month that a high-level representative from the Trump administration would attend the celebrations, the United States was not represented. However, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov said Trump and Putin "exchanged congratulations on the occasion of our common holiday." In Raddatz's interview with Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson lauded the relationship between the two leaders and said Putin has a lot of respect for Trump. "He considers him a wise man, a brave man," Peskov said. "It doesn't mean that we're going to agree on everything," he added. "We will continue to disagree on lots of things. It's inevitable. Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefireoriginally appeared onabcnews.go.com

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Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefire

Kremlin insists arm deliveries to Ukraine stop before agreeing to ceasefire In an exclusive interview with ABC News, Kremlin press secretary...

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Marjorie Taylor Greene declines to challenge Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate race

Marjorie Taylor Greene declines to challenge Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate race

ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenesaid Friday she won't challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia in next year's midterms, delivering relief for some Republicans who worry she's too divisive to win. In alengthy poston the social media platform X, Greene disputed GOP donors and consultants who fear she would turn off the moderate Republicans and independents needed to beat Ossoff. But Greene said she doesn't want to serve in a Senate that "doesn't work" and that she said is dominated by lawmakers hostile to grassroots Trump supporters and unwilling to shake up the status quo. "If I'm going to fight for a team, it will only be a team willing to lay it all on the line to save this country," she wrote. Ossoff, a first-term senator, won the seat by a slim margin in a state that has historically been a Republican stronghold but has more recently become a battleground. He is a top target for Republicans looking to expand their narrow Senate majority. Popular Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who could be a formidable opponent for Ossoff,opted outof the 2026 race on Monday. His decision leaves a wide-open race for the GOP nomination. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, who represents a district on the Georgia coast, became thefirst major Republican candidate to declareThursday. Six other GOP officeholders besides Greene have acknowledged interest in running to The Associated Press. They include two other Republicans in the U.S. House, Mike Collins andRich McCormick. Also considering the race are Secretary of StateBrad Raffensperger, state Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper, state Insurance Commissioner John King and state Sen. Greg Dolezal. "I expect a competitive primary — Senate seats don't come along that often," said Eric Tanenblatt, a top national GOP fundraiser and Kemp ally who has backed Trump's rivals in presidential primaries. Greene is nationally known and a prolific fundraiser, but she has embraced conspiracy theories and feuded with members of her own party. On Thursday, she noted to reporters that she has more than 11 million social media followers, saying that's because people know where she stands. Greene's appeal would be clear in a GOP primary with many voters fiercely loyal to the president. Her decision not to run came a day after she told reporters she was considering it. "I'm going to give it some thought, talk to my family. I'm honored to have so much support from the great people of Georgia. And I have options," she said Thursday. Greene was first elected to the House in 2020. She initially planned to run in a competitive district in northern Atlanta's suburbs, but relocated into the much more conservative 14th District in Georgia's northwest corner. Greene continued to embrace conspiracies even after 11 House Republicans joined Democrats to remove her committee assignments in February 2021. She embraced people jailed on charges following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol as political prisoners, part of her campaign to reframe the narrative of the attack and cast Democrats, not Republicans, as a party of violence. She was welcomed back into the mainstream of the Republican conference by Kevin McCarthy, who forged an alliance with her. But Greene kept feuding with Republicans and Democrats alike. The House Freedom Caucus expelled Greene in 2023. ___ Cooper repoted from Phoenix.

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Marjorie Taylor Greene declines to challenge Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate race

Marjorie Taylor Greene declines to challenge Jon Ossoff in Georgia Senate race ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenesaid Friday she...

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Columbia suspends over 65 students following pro-Palestinian protest in library

Columbia suspends over 65 students following pro-Palestinian protest in library

NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has suspended dozens of students and barred alums and others who participated in apro-Palestinian demonstrationinside the school's main library earlier this week, a school spokesperson said Friday. The Ivy League institution in Manhattan placed more than 65 students on interim suspension and barred 33 others, including those from affiliated institutions such as Barnard College, from setting foot on campus. Interim suspension generally means that a student cannot come to campus, attend classes or participate in other university activities, according to Columbia's website. The university declined to say how long the disciplinary measures would be in place, saying only that the decisions are pending further investigation. An undisclosed number of alums who also participated in the protest are also now prevented from entering school grounds, according to Columbia. Roughly 80 people were arrested in connection with the Wednesday evening demonstration at the university's Butler Library. Most face trespassing charges, though some may also face disorderly conduct, police have said. The mask-clad protesters pushed their way past campus security officers, raced into the building and hung Palestinian flags and other banners on bookshelves. Some protesters also scrawled phrases on library furniture and picture frames, including "Columbia will burn." New York City police in helmets and other protection broke up the demonstration at the request of university officials, who denounced the protests as an "outrageous" disruption for students studying and preparing for final exams. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said his office will be reviewing the visa status of those who participated in the library takeover for possible deportation. The Trump administration has alreadypulled federal fundinganddetained international studentsat Columbia and other prestigious American universities over their handling of student protests against the war in Gaza.

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Columbia suspends over 65 students following pro-Palestinian protest in library

Columbia suspends over 65 students following pro-Palestinian protest in library NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia University has suspended dozens of ...

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Trump's approval ratings remain under water in first week of May polling

Trump's approval ratings remain under water in first week of May polling

As the first week of May comes to a close, PresidentDonald Trumpis still slogging through low approval ratings. Aseries of pollsreleased last week, coinciding with President Donald Trump'sfirst100 daysin office on April 29, solidified that a growing percentage of Americans were not too pleased with his job performance. His approval numbers reached historic lows not seen by any other president in recent decades, except for Trump himself in 2017. In the past week, there've beenseveralagency shake-ups, a tenseOval Office meetingwith Canada's new leader, social media posts aboutnew holidaysand remarks over possibletax hikes, and ongoingback-and-forthswith several nations and industries over Trump's aggressiveimport tariffs. Over that course of time, the president's approval rating has largely remainedunchanged, give or take a few points, based on averages of multiple polls. According to recent polling data published byRealClearPolitics, Trump's approval rating is 45.2% as of the first week of May. This aggregate does not include a poll released on May 9 by the Associated Press and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which reflects a disapproval rating of 51.1% for the second-term president. Just a week earlier, the aggregate listed a 45% approval number on May 2. Anaggregationfrom The New York Times, which includes the AP-NORC poll and leaves out a recent survey from right-leaning Rasmussen Reports, has a similar average: 44% of Americans are happy with Trump's job performance, while 51% disapprove. It's a two-point uptick in favorability from their average on May 2, which catalogued a 42% aggregate approval and a 52% disapproval. Here's how the latest few polls measured the president's approval among Americans. 41% approve 57% disapprove Conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research,the surveyalso focused on Americans' views on higher education and Trump's recent moves to defund some universities. The results show the public's perception of the president's actions toward higher education is in line with his overall approval rating, with more disapproving than approving. Sixty percent of adults disapprove of Trump's handling of issues related to colleges and universities, the poll results found, with Democrats and independents substantially more displeased with the policies. The survey of 1,175 U.S. adults was conducted May 1-5 and has a margin of error of ±4 percentage points. 42% approve 52% disapprove Pollsters also asked about the economy, with 40% of respondents saying the U.S. is currently in a recession, while 35% say it isn't and 25% say they aren't sure. Thesurveyof 1,850 U.S. adults was conducted May 2-5 and has a margin of error of ±3.5 percentage points. 46% approve 52% disapprove Respondents to the survey expressed disapproval of Trump's trade policies, with pollsters concluding voters are 7 points more likely to disapprove than approve of Trump's handling of trade.Morning Consultsays this marks a record low in trade policy approvals in surveys conducted since Trump took office in January. The survey of  2,263 registered voters was conducted May 2-4 and has a margin of error of ±2 percentage points. Kathryn Palmer is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her atkapalmer@usatoday.comand on X @KathrynPlmr. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump approval ratings remain low in first week of May

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Trump's approval ratings remain under water in first week of May polling

Trump's approval ratings remain under water in first week of May polling As the first week of May comes to a close, PresidentDonald Trum...

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Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at immigration detention center he has been protesting

Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at immigration detention center he has been protesting

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Friday ata new federal immigration detention centerhe has been protesting against and was held in custody for several hours. Baraka was released shortly after 8 p.m. and, after stepping out of an SUV with flashing emergency lights, told waiting supporters: "The reality is this: I didn't do anything wrong." The mayor said he could not speak about his case, citing a promise he made to lawyers and the judge. But he voiced full-throated support for everyone living in his community, immigrants included. "All of us here, every last one of us, I don't care what background you come from, what nationality, what language you speak," Baraka said, "at some point we have to stop these people from causing division between us." Baraka, a Democrat who is running to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy, has embraced the fight with the Trump administration over illegal immigration. He has aggressively pushed back against the construction and opening of the 1,000-bed detention center, arguing that it should not be allowed to open because of building permit issues. Linda Baraka, the mayor's wife, accused the federal government of targeting her husband. "They didn't arrest anyone else. They didn't ask anyone else to leave. They wanted to make an example out of the mayor," she said, adding that she had not been allowed to see him. Alina Habba, interim U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said on the social platform X that Baraka committed trespass and ignored warnings from Homeland Security personnel to leave Delaney Hall, a detention facility run by private prison operator Geo Group. Habba said Baraka had "chosen to disregard the law." Video of the incident showed that Baraka was arrested after returning to the public side of the gate to the facility. Witnesses describe a heated argument Witnesses said the arrest came after Baraka attempted to join three members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, Reps. Robert Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, in attempting to enter the facility. When federal officials blocked his entry, a heated argument broke out, according to Viri Martinez, an activist with the New Jersey Alliance for Immigrant Justice. It continued even after Baraka returned to the public side of the gates. "There was yelling and pushing," Martinez said. "Then the officers swarmed Baraka. They threw one of the organizers to the ground. They put Baraka in handcuffs and put him in an unmarked car." In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security said the lawmakers had not asked for a tour of the facility. The department said further that as a bus carrying detainees was entering, "a group of protestors, including two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, stormed the gate and broke into the detention facility." Homeland Security did not respond to questions about why only the mayor was arrested. Watson Coleman spokesperson Ned Cooper said the lawmakers went to the facility early in the afternoon unannounced because they planned to inspect it, not take a scheduled tour. "They arrived, explained to the guards and the officials at the facility that they were there to exercise their oversight authority," he said, adding that they were allowed to enter and inspect the center sometime between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. DHS, in its statement after Baraka's arrest, said Menendez, Watson Coleman and a number of protesters were "holed up in a guard shack" at the facility. "Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour," McLaughlin said. Watson Coleman said the DHS statement inaccurately characterized the visit. "Contrary to a press statement put out by DHS we did not 'storm' the detention center," she wrote. "The author of that press release was so unfamiliar with the facts on the ground that they didn't even correctly count the number of Representatives present. We were exercising our legal oversight function as we have done at the Elizabeth Detention Center without incident." Video shows the mayor standing on the public side of the gate In video of the altercation shared with The Associated Press, a federal official in a jacket with the logo of the Homeland Security Investigations can be heard telling Baraka he cannot join a tour of the facility because "you are not a congress member." Baraka then left the secure area, rejoining protesters on the public side of the gate. Video showed him speaking through the gate to a man in a suit, who said: "They're talking about coming back to arrest you." "I'm not on their property. They can't come out on the street and arrest me," Baraka replied. Minutes later several ICE agents, some wearing face coverings, surrounded him and others on the public side. As protesters cried out, "Shame," Baraka was dragged back through the gate in handcuffs. "The ICE personnel came out aggressively to arrest him and grab him," said Julie Moreno, a New Jersey state captain of American Families United. "It didn't make any sense why they chose that moment to grab him while he was outside the gates." Several civil rights and immigration reform advocates, as well as government officials, condemned Baraka's arrest. New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, whose office is defending a state law barring private immigration detention facilities, criticized the arrest during a seemingly peaceful protest and said no state or local law enforcement agencies were involved. Rep. Menendez said in a statement that as members of Congress, they have the legal right to carry out oversight at DHS facilities without prior notice and have done so twice already this year. But on Friday, "Throughout every step of this visit, ICE attempted to intimidate everyone involved and impede our ability to conduct oversight." The detention center The two-story building next to a county prison formerly operated as a halfway house. In February, ICE awarded a 15-year contract to The Geo Group Inc. to run the detention center. Geo valued the contract at $1 billion, in an unusually long and large agreement for ICE. The announcement was part of President Donald Trump's plans to sharply increase detention beds nationwide from a budget of about 41,000 beds this year. Baraka sued Geo soon after the deal was announced. Geo touted the Delaney Hall contract during an earnings call with shareholders Wednesday, with CEO David Donahue saying it was expected to generate more than $60 million a year in revenue. He said the facility began the intake process May 1. Hall said the activation of the center and another in Michigan would increase capacity under contract with ICE from around 20,000 beds to around 23,000. DHS said in its statement that the facility has the proper permits and inspections have been cleared. ___ Associated Press writer Rebecca Santana in Washington contributed.

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Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at immigration detention center he has been protesting

Mayor Baraka of Newark, New Jersey, arrested at immigration detention center he has been protesting Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested Fri...

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