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Aug 18, 2025 - World

President Donald Trump has evolved on his demand for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, and MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace thinks she knows why. Wallace began with the Oval Office meeting on Monday between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. "Trump largely behaved himself. That counts as news," she said. When it comes to the ceasefire, however, Trump has been all over the place since Friday. "He did, though, either wittingly or unwittingly, make some news," Wallace continued. "It had to do with the necessity for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. Listen to what Trump had to say on the topic throughout last week. And now something seemingly changed on that topic this afternoon."She played several clips of Trump promising a ceasefire. "It could be a good meeting, and we'll go a step further. We'll get it done," Trump promised on Aug. 11. "I'd like to see a ceasefire very, very quickly.""I want to see a ceasefire rapidly," Trump said on Friday. "I don't know if it's going to be today. But I'm not going to be happy if it's not today.""So, uh, we'll see what happens," Trump told Fox News, also on Friday. "I won't be happy without some form of a ceasefire." But things changed Monday afternoon. Wallace remarked that it was after he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I don't think you need a ceasefire, you know? If you look at the deals that I settled this year, they were all at war, I didn't do any ceasefires," said Trump. "And, uh, I know that it might be good to have, but I can also understand strategically, well, one country or the other wouldn't want it. You have a ceasefire and they rebuild, and rebuild, and rebuild, and, you know. Maybe they don't want that. But if you look at the six deals that we made, peace and, you know, long-term, long-running wars, I didn't do any ceasefires."Wallace said Russia doesn't want a ceasefire. "So all of a sudden a ceasefire — I don't do ceasefires. We don't need those. Then, about an hour ago, Donald Trump shared this news on a key piece of any negotiations, security guarantees for Ukraine."See the clip below or at the link here. - YouTube www.youtube.com

Aug 18, 2025 - World

Republican leadership in Texas refused to let Democratic state Rep. Nicole Collier leave the House chamber after she refused to agree to a 24/7 police "escort."For the first time in days on Monday, the Texas House of Representatives achieved a quorum following Democratic lawmakers' decision to return to the state despite an ongoing redistricting battle that could award five or more seats to Republicans.House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R) said that Democrats who left the state would only be allowed to leave the chamber on Monday if they signed an agreement to be accompanied by an escort from the Texas Department of Public Safety. NBC News correspondent Ryan Chandler reported that Collier was "locked into the House chamber" because she refused to sign the document."Members are really not happy with the individual DPS escorts," Chandler noted. "Say they are not free to move on their own.""In my heart I don't feel compelled to sign it," Collier told Chandler. "I'll just sit here, I don't know… I guess I'll wait til Wednesday."

Aug 18, 2025 - World

President Donald Trump flubbed the introduction of Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Monday during the meeting with European leaders who support Ukraine. Trump was announcing each leader, who then would make a comment or thank him for the invitation. He gave each official a little compliment. As he announced Stubb, however, he appeared not to realize that the Finnish president was sitting right in front of him. "President Stubb of Finland. And he's somebody that — we're all here, we're, we're," he looked around the room, seemingly confused."I'm right here," said Stubb."Oh, you look better than I've ever seen. You look — but you've done a great job, and we wanted to have you here because you're somebody that we all respect," Trump continued. Journalist Aaron Rupar posted a screen capture of Stubb's position sitting before Trump to illustrate the unusual nature of the moment. "It seems Trump almost forgot about Finnish President Alexander Stubb, launching into folksy talk about the White House before throwing it to Stubb, who began by justifying Finland’s seat at the table. He implies that Finland’s history of dealing with Moscow will bear fruit in Ukraine," commented Kevin Rothrock, the English-language managing editor for the Russian news site Meduza.See the moment below or at the link here. - YouTube youtu.be

Aug 18, 2025 - World

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in the White House on Monday, where the conversation was more subdued than their previous Oval Office encounter. CNN's Kristen Holmes said that it appeared to her as if both leaders were trying to be "on their best behavior.""But what we saw was really a transformation of Zelensky from that last time when things had gone off the rails," she noted. "Not only did he say that he was grateful to President Trump at one point, he also said that he was grateful for the new NATO program, in which weapons are bought from the U.S. and then sent to Ukraine. He clearly heard that message loud and clear."One of the more notable moments, Holmes pointed out, is that neither side "took the bait from reporters in the room."Trump was asked about previous statements in which he claimed it was Zelensky's war to end, when Zelensky said that it was Putin's war to end. The men were asked, "Which is it?""They both danced around that question," observed Holmes. "Another point, he was asked specifically who holds the cards? President Trump, remember, this was something he kept shouting at Zelensky during that Oval Office meeting in February. 'You don't hold the cards.' He demurred on that answer, saying it was not something that he wanted to talk about. He didn't want to say." Meanwhile, Holmes noted that Zelensky was asked a very loaded question that essentially said, "Are you willing to let Ukrainian troops continue to die? Or will you redraw the maps?" And he said, "I believe there is a diplomatic resolution that we could have to this war."See the clip below or at the link here. - YouTube youtu.be

Aug 18, 2025 - World

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mocked Real America's Voice reporter Brian Glenn for wearing the "same suit" as he wore during the foreign leader's last Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump.During a meeting at the White House on Monday, Glenn noted that Zelenskyy looked "fabulous" because he was wearing a jacket instead of military garb. Earlier this year, Glenn had questioned Zelenskyy in the Oval Office."You're at the highest level in this country's office, and you refuse to wear a suit," the reporter said at the time.On Monday, Trump told Zelenskyy that Glenn, who is dating Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), was "the one that attacked you last time.""I remember that," the Ukrainian leader said. "I apologize to you," Glenn volunteered.Zelenskyy pointed out that the reporter was wearing "the same suit.""I changed," he added to laughs. In a Monday post on X, Greene praised her boyfriend for criticizing Zelenskyy's wardrobe."I'd like to recognize @brianglenntv for his success in upholding the proper White House wardrobe attire," she wrote. "If Brian had never asked Zelenskyy the question, 'why don't you wear a suit, do you own a suit?' I'm not sure he would have ever worn one to visit our great and respected President!!"Watch the video below from Fox News.