Trump to discuss Ukraine ceasefire with Putin as global tensions rise

President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin today, urging an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

(NBC)-President Donald Trump is set to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin today, urging an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine. “We’re going to see if we can work a peace agreement, a ceasefire and peace, and I think we’ll be able to do it,” Trump said ahead of the call. As the conflict rages on, Trump is hoping to persuade Putin to accept a 30-day ceasefire—an agreement Ukraine approved last week. “We’re getting down to a very critical stage, and we want to get the whole Russia-Ukraine thing done,” Trump added.

Tensions are escalating in the Middle East, where Israel launched heavy airstrikes overnight against Hamas targets in Gaza, killing more than 250 people, according to health officials in the Hamas-controlled territory. The Israeli government accuses Hamas of failing to return hostages under a fragile ceasefire agreement and has vowed to respond with increasing military force. “Israel will not stop until all of our hostages are back home,” Israeli diplomat Danny Danon wrote on social media. The White House confirmed that Israeli officials consulted Trump administration officials before launching the attacks.

In Washington, the Trump administration is facing criticism over the deportation of more than 130 alleged Venezuelan gang members to a prison in El Salvador. The move was carried out under a rarely used 1798 statute that allows deportations without due process during wartime. A federal judge ordered the deportation flights to stop, but White House officials claim the ruling came after the planes had already left U.S. airspace. During a tense hearing on Monday, the judge pressed the Justice Department for answers, but government lawyers refused to provide details, citing national security concerns. Despite the legal battle, Trump officials insist the deportations will continue. The federal judge has given the Trump administration until noon today to clarify when the deportation flights took off in relation to the court order—or to provide an official explanation for their refusal to answer.