President Trump's letter to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was delivered on Wednesday by a senior adviser to the President of the United Arab Emirates, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman told Axios.
Why it matters: Trump said on Thursday that he sent a letter to Khamenei the day before, proposing direct negotiations between the countries on a new nuclear deal.
Iran said for several days that they haven't received such a letter.
Behind the scenes: According to a source familiar, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff visited Abu Dhabi on Tuesday and met with Emirati President Mohammed Bin Zayed.
The source said Witkoff gave the letter to the Emiratis so they could deliver it to the Iranians.
An Emirati official declined to comment. The White House and the State Department didn't immediately respond to questions.
What they are saying: Emirati diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi this afternoon, Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Baghaei said.
Gargash carried the letter from Trump to Khamenei.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information.
CIA director John Ratcliffe spoke by phone Tuesday with the head of the Russian foreign intelligence agency (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin, a source familiar with the call confirmed to Axios.
The source said the purpose of the call was to establish a line of communication between Ratcliffe and Naryshkin.
It is also part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to engage with Russia and improve relations with Moscow.
The big picture: The call was one of several conversations between U.S. and Russian officials expected to take place over the next few days.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. would brief Russia on Wednesday about the talks with the Ukrainians and the ceasefire proposal. "If they say 'no' it will tell us a lot," Rubio said.
Rubio was speaking on a his flight to a G7 meeting in Canada from Saudi Arabia, where he and national security adviser Mike Waltz met with Ukrainian officials on Tuesday.
Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The other side: The Kremlin stressed on Wednesday it wants to hear directly from the U.S. before commenting on whether it agrees to the ceasefire.
The Kremlin said it expects Rubio and Waltz to brief their Russian counterparts, and didn't rule out a Trump-Putin call.
The latest: Russian news agencies first reported on Wedneday's call between the spy chiefs, quoting a statement from the SVR.
According to the statement, Naryshkin and Ratcliffe discussed cooperation between the two intelligence services "in areas of common interest and the resolution of crisis situations."
The SVR said the two spy chiefs agreed "to maintain regular contacts...with the aim of helping to ensure international stability and security, as well as reducing confrontation in relations between Moscow and Washington."
The CIA has not commented on the call.
State of play: The Trump administration restored arms shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv endorsed the ceasefire proposal.
Ukrainian President Zelensky said on Wednesday he wants to use the 30-day ceasefire to draft a peace agreement.
After weeks of pressuring Ukraine, U.S. officials now say the ball is now in Russia's court.
Ukraine "expressed readiness to accept" a U.S. proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia, the two countries said in a joint statement after a key meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia.
Why it matters: A ceasefire, if implemented, would be a major diplomatic breakthrough in the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine. But the Kremlin has yet to weigh in on the U.S. proposal.
"The ball is now in their court. We hope the Russians will reciprocate," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a press conference after the meeting.
The latest: A source close to the Ukrainian government told Axios U.S. military assistance resumed on Tuesday. Intelligence sharing with the U.S. was fully restored.
Driving the news: During the meeting — which lasted more than five hours — the U.S. agreed to lift its suspension on intelligence sharing with Ukraine and resume weapons shipments to the country, which were paused eight days ago.
President Trump told reporters at the White House that he hopes Russia will agree to the ceasefire, and said he would invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky back to the White House.
National security adviser Mike Waltz said Ukraine not only accepted the U.S. proposal but also presented its principles for a comprehensive peace deal including the security guarantees that it requires.
Key points: Waltz also said Trump made it clear to his team — and through them to the Ukrainians — that all fighting needs to stop, not just air and missile strikes. Zelensky confirmed in a statement after the meeting that the ceasefire would be comprehensive, including the front lines.
The U.S.-Ukraine statement says the ceasefire is subject to agreement from Russia and could be extended beyond 30 days "by mutual agreement" between Kyiv and Moscow.
Per the joint statement, the U.S. committed to raising proposals discussed with Ukraine with the Russians, while the Ukrainian side "reiterated that European partners shall be involved in the peace process."
"Before you negotiate, you need to stop shooting at each other. That's what the president wanted to see," Rubio said.
Zoom in: The U.S. delegation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was led by Rubio and Waltz, while the Ukrainian delegation was led by Zelensky's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak. Ukraine's foreign and defense ministers also participated.
What to watch: According to the joint statement, the U.S. and Ukraine also agreed to conclude as soon as possible "a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine's critical mineral resources."
An initial agreement was already negotiated, but President Trump canceled the signing ceremony last month after his Oval Office argument with Zelensky.
Rubio said both presidents would instruct their teams to bring the deal to conclusion.
What's next: The State Department said both delegations agreed to name their negotiating teams and start talks immediately on a peace agreement with Russia.
Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow on Thursday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss the 30-day ceasefire proposal.
Waltz said he will speak to his Russian counterpart in the next few days while Rubio will meet his G7 counterparts soon and discuss the path forward.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include details of the U.S. resuming military aid to Ukraine, along with intelligence sharing. It has been corrected to reflect that Trump froze arms and intelligence sharing with Ukraine eight (not 10) days ago.
White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is planning to travel to Moscow later this week for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a source with direct knowledge confirmed.
Why it matters: The meeting with Putin is planned to take place several days after a key meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that will focus on a possible ceasefire in the war with Russia.
Witkoff was supposed to participate in the meeting with Ukrainian officials, but at the moment it looks like he is going to be the main channel of communication with Russia as part of the division of labor inside of President Trump's foreign policy and national security team.
Flashback: This will be Witkoff's second meeting with Putin.
Trump's envoy traveled to Moscow in mid-February as part of a deal to release U.S. citizen Marc Fogel, who was then detained in Russian prison. Witkoff met Putin for three hours on that trip.
Driving the news: Witkoff left Miami on Monday en route Abu Dhabi. He is expected to meet with UAE president Mohammed Bin Zayed on Tuesday, according to three sources with knowledge.
On Tuesday evening, Witkoff will travel to Doha to join Qatari and Egyptian mediators in negotiations over the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal, two sources said. On Wednesday, Witkoff will meet with the prime minister of Qatar.
On Thursday, Witkoff plans to travel to Moscow but, according to a source familiar with the knowledge, the plan could change based on the situation with negotiations in Qatar and Putin's schedule.
Bloomberg first reported Witkoff's planned trip to Moscow.
State of play: Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House National Security Adviser Mike Waltz arrived in Jedda, Saudi Arabia's largest city, on Monday ahead of their meeting with senior Ukrainian officials.
Rubio and Waltz met on Monday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MBS) and discussed efforts to reach a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, the State Department said.
MBS met later on Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited the kingdom.
"The Ukrainian delegation remains in Jeddah to work with the U.S. team on Tuesday and we hope for practical outcomes. Ukraine's position in these talks will be fully constructive," Zelensky said after the meeting.
Why it matters: Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Axios on Monday that President Trump "fully backs and supports" the talks his hostage envoy Adam Boehler held with Hamas. But the administration is also signaling it doesn't want those talks — and Israel's anger over them — to block other paths to a Gaza deal.
Behind the scenes: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined to pick a public fight with Trump since Axios revealed the U.S.-Hamas talks last Wednesday, but Israeli officials have expressed their anger in private, Israeli officials say.
Driving the news: Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Monday while traveling to Saudi Arabia that the Hamas talks were a "one-off" that "hasn't borne fruit."
Rubio said the primary channel for negotiations on a new Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal was being led by White House Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, through the Qatari mediators.
Witkoff is expected to join the indirect Israel-Hamas talks tomorrow in the Qatari capital.
Phase one of the Gaza ceasefire expired on March 1. While fighting has not resumed, Israel has cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza to pressure Hamas to make a deal.
The other side: Ron Dermer, Netanyahu's closest adviser, said during a security cabinet meeting on Sunday that Boehler's talks with Hamas didn't represent the Trump administration's position, an Israeli official briefed on the meeting said.
Dermer also told the ministers that Israel received assurances from the Trump administration that "it won"t happen again" and that Witkoff will be the only channel for the negotiations over the hostages.
However, Dermer's claim that Boehler was freelancing is at odds with Leavitt's comments that Trump personally supports Boehler's efforts. Trump also personally defended the talks last week and said they were aimed at helping Israel free its hostages.
What they're saying: Boehler confirmed that in an interview with Israel's Channel 13, one of several interviews he did on Sunday.
"I don't really care about that that much, no offense to Dermer," he said. "If it was a big deal every time Dermer got a little bit upset Ron would have a lot of big deals every day."
Boehler also confirmed during his media appearances that the talks weren't just about freeing an American hostage — part of his mandate as hostage envoy — but also about a broader deal to release all hostages and reach a multi-year truce.
Boehler told CNN he understood Israeli concerns about his talks but emphasized the U.S. is "not an agent of Israel" with "specific interests at play."
State of play: Boehler held at least two rounds of talks with Hamas officials in Doha, including with the head of the group's negotiations team Khalil al-Hayya.
News of the talks sparked immediate backlash on the right in Israel and, to a lesser degree, in the U.S.
But some of Trump's critics actually praised him for circumventing Netanyahu to try to reach a deal directly with Hamas — something the Biden administration declined to do.
This was the first major clash with Israel since Trump returned to the White House.
What's next: An Israeli delegation traveled to Doha on Monday for the primary track of negotiations, which Witkoff is expected to join Tuesday.
In an interview with Fox News on Monday before traveling to the region, Witkoff said there needs to be "a deadline" for the negotiations with Hamas.
"A starter is Hamas demilitarizing, not rearming, leaving all their arms on the ground and leaving Gaza. I believe they have no alternative other than to leave. If they leave, everything is on the table," he said.
What to watch: "Witkoff told us that if things [get] serious he is willing to spend 3 or 4 days and try to reach a deal," an Israeli official told Axios.
At least initially, Witkoff is expected to be working through the Qatari mediators, not meeting directly with Hamas.
Witkoff told the Israelis he wouldn't meet with Hamas unless the group made tangible concessions, according to the Israeli official.
President Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday that the U.S. is close to lifting the pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
Why it matters: The pause that mostly focused on intelligence sharing regarding offensive operations against Russia created significant difficulties for the Ukrainian military.
It was a key factor in Ukrainian President Zelensky's decision to publish a statement expressing regret for his public spat with Trump at the White House and stressing his willingness to engage in peace talks with Russia.
Driving the news: A reporter aboard Air Force One on Sunday asked the president if he would consider lifting the intel block on Ukraine.
"We just about have, we really just about have," Trump replied.
What to watch: Trump said he thinks Ukraine will sign a minerals deal with the U.S., but stressed he wants Ukraine "to want peace … and right now they haven't shown it to the extent that they should. But I think they will be, and I think it's going to become evident over the next two or three days."
Trump's remarks came ahead of a key meeting between senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday that will focus on a possible ceasefire in the three-year war.
Trump said on Sunday he hopes to make progress this week on the issue and stressed he think the meeting in Saudi Arabia will produce good results.
Yes, but: Trump didn't say whether the U.S. will lift the suspension on weapons shipments to Ukraine, which was imposed a week ago.
Editor's note: This article has been updated with further comment from President Trump.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha on Tuesday evening in an effort to broker a new hostage-release and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, two U.S. officials said.
Why it matters: The talks would be the first since President Trump took office and since the original agreement between Israel and Hamas that established a 42-day ceasefire in Gaza in exchange for the release of 33 hostages in its first phase, which ended one week ago.
Witkoff is expected to join Qatari and Egyptian mediators and negotiators from Israel and Hamas who will begin talks on Monday.
The Trump administration is pushing for a deal that would lead to the release of all remaining hostages, extend the ceasefire until after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover and possibly lead to a long-term truce that would end the war.
Hamas is still holding 59 hostages in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed 35 are dead. Israeli intelligence believes 22 are still alive and the status of two others is unknown.
Among the remaining hostages are five Americans, including 21-year-old Edan Alexander who is believed to be alive.
Driving the news: Axios reported earlier this week that Trump's envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler has been holding direct talks with Hamas officials. Their last meeting took place last Tuesday.
During the talks, Boehler discussed the possible release of Alexander and the remains of four other American hostages as a way to launch a broader deal on the release of all remaining hostages and a long term truce.
State of play: Witkoff is expected to travel to Doha after participating in a meeting between U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
It is unclear if he is going to meet with Hamas officials or only with Israeli negotiators and Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
A senior Israeli official said Witkoff wanted to get all the parties in one place for several days of intense negotiations in an effort to reach a deal.
A Hamas delegation held talks in Cairo on Saturday with the director of the Egyptian intelligence service about the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
Hamas said in a statement it urges all parties to implement their commitment to the original deal and begin negotiations over its second phase immediately. Israel has so far refused to seriously discuss the second phase of the deal.
Hamas also said it stressed to the Egyptian officials that it is ready to form a committee of "national independent personalities" to govern Gaza until elections are held. Such a step would mean Hamas would give up its control over the civilian governance in Gaza.
What to watch: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with a group of senior ministers and the heads of the security services on Saturday to discuss the next steps in the Gaza deal.
"Israel has accepted the invitation of the mediators backed by the U.S., and will send a delegation to Doha on Monday in an effort to advance the negotiations," the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement at the end of the meeting.
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that his country will not accept the demands of "bullying countries".
Why it matters: Khamenei's comment seemed to refer to President Trump's claim he sent a letter to the Iranian leader about a possible nuclear deal.
Khamenei didn't mention Trump by name and didn't confirm he received a letter from the U.S. president.
What they are saying: "Some bullying countries insist on talks not to resolve issues but to impose their demands...we will certainly not accept their demands", the Iranian leader said in a meeting with senior officials.
Khamenei said Iran will not accept demands to cap Iran's defensive capabilities by limiting the production of weapons or its missiles' range.
He also said Iran won't agree to demands to cut ties with other groups in the region.
Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi told reporters on the sidelines of the event with Khamenei that Iran hasn't received Trump's letter yet.
The latest: Iran's mission to the UN wrote on X Sunday that it hasn't ruled out negotiations between Iran and the U.S. over the nuclear program.
"If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-à-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," the statement said.
However, if the aim of the talks is "the dismantlement of Iran's peaceful nuclear program to claim that what Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished, such negotiations will never take place," the statement continued.
Driving the news:President Trump said in an interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that will air in full on Sunday that he sent a letter on Wednesday to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei and stressed that he wants to reach a deal on the country's nuclear program.
The president told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that the coming days "will be interesting" when it comes to Iran.
"We are down to final strokes with Iran. We are down to the final moments. We can't let them have a nuclear weapon. Something is going to happen very soon. I would rather have a peace deal than the other option but the other option will solve the problem," he said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional statements.
President Trump on Friday threatened new sanctions and tariffs on Russia as he ramped up pressure on the Kremlin to agree to a ceasefire and peace settlement with Ukraine.
A senior White House official said "Trump's rage has been intensifying" in recent days due to Russia's behavior and its escalation of strikes on Ukraine at the same time that he's been pushing for a ceasefire.
Trump's pressure led Ukraine to agree to the idea of a ceasefire and to express willingness to engage in peace talks with Russia.
Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials will meet next week in Saudi Arabia to discuss a possible ceasefire and a framework for a peace agreement with Russia.
The meeting comes several weeks after a high-level meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia.
What he's saying: "Based on the fact that Russia is absolutely 'pounding' Ukraine on the battlefield right now, I am strongly considering large scale Banking Sanctions, Sanctions, and Tariffs on Russia until a Cease Fire and FINAL SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ON PEACE IS REACHED. To Russia and Ukraine, get to the table right now, before it is too late. Thank you!!!" Trump posted on Truth Social.
The latest: Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that he still believes Putin wants to get a peace deal, but that it is "more difficult to deal with Ukraine" than with Russia.
Trump warned that the Russians can't continue escalating their strikes in Ukraine. "We are trying to help [Ukraine]," he said. At the same time, the president said he can understand why Putin is "hitting them harder."
When asked why he stopped weapons supply to Ukraine when Russia is escalating, Trump told reporters: "I have to know that they want to settle. If they don't want to settle, we are out of there."
Reality check: Tariffs would likely have little impact, given that the U.S. only imported about $3 billion worth of goods from Russia in fiscal 2024, per the Census Bureau.
President Trump said he sent a letter on Wednesday to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei and stressed that he wants to reach a deal on the country's nuclear program.
Why it matters: Trump's letter to Khamenei, which the president revealed in an interview with Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo that will air in full on Sunday, is the first significant engagement between the U.S. and Iran since the new administration took office.
Iran's mission to the UN said no letter from Trump had been received.
What he's saying: Trump reiterated in the interview that he wants to negotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran.
"The other alternative is you have to do something because Iran can't have a nuclear weapon," Trump said in the interview.
Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that the coming days "will be interesting" when it comes to Iran.
"We are down to final strokes with Iran. We are down to the final moments. We can't let them have a nuclear weapon. Something is going to happen very soon. I would rather have a peace deal than the other option but the other option will solve the problem," he said.
Catch up quick:Khamenei said recently that he doesn't support direct talks with the Trump administration because he doesn't trust the U.S.
Iran's president Masoud Pezeshkian said last week that he supports a dialogue with the U.S. but will follow Khamenei's advice.
Flashback: Trump's move follows a similar step by former President Barack Obama who sent a letter to Khamenei in 2009 proposing negotiations on a nuclear deal.
Trump sharply criticized Obama for the nuclear deal after it came together in his second term.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to reflect that the letter was sent Wednesday (not Thursday). It was later updated to reflect President Trump's remarks in the Oval Office.
Israel's concerns over the Trump administration's secret negotiations with Hamas erupted in a contentious call Tuesday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-hand man and the U.S. official leading the talks, an Israeli official and a source with knowledge of the call tell Axios.
Why it matters: When Trump aides sounded out Israeli officials in early February about the possibility of engaging directly with Hamas, the Israelis advised them not to do it — particularly not without preconditions. Israel found out through other channels that the U.S. was moving ahead anyway.
Driving the news: Netanyahu has avoided publicly criticizing President Trump since Axios revealed the unprecedented U.S.-Hamas talks on Wednesday, saying only that Israel had made its opinion clear to the U.S.
But Netanyahu's closest confidant, Ron Dermer, was much less restrained a day earlier in a call with U.S. hostage envoy Adam Boehler, the sources say.
The sources declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
Behind the scenes: The call happened several hours after Boehler met in Doha with Khalil al-Hayya, one of Hamas' most senior political officials and the head of its negotiating team.
Boehler's negotiations in the Qatari capital began the week prior, with a meeting with lower-level Hamas officials.
The talks were centered on bringing home American hostage Edan Alexander, 21, and the bodies of four deceased American hostages — part of Boehler's mandate as hostage envoy.
But the U.S. message was that such a deal would go a long way with Trump — who would then press for a broader deal that could involve a long-term truce, safe passage out of Gaza for Hamas leaders, the release of all remaining hostages, and the effective end of the war.
The alternative was a renewed Israeli military campaign to destroy the group.
Trump and his advisers hoped for a breakthrough prior to his address to Congress on Tuesday, but found Hamas' response insufficient.
Friction point: The talks also touched on specifics — like the number of Palestinian prisoners who would be released from Israeli jails in exchange for Alexander's safe return — that Israel hadn't agreed to.
While Netanyahu was initially dismissive of the idea the U.S. would actually sit down with Hamas, he and his advisers grew more and more concerned after the idea became reality, according to a source familiar with his thinking.
Zoom in: In what both sources described as a "difficult" call, Dermer objected to Boehler making such proposals without Israel's consent.
Boehler assured Dermer he wasn't close to a deal with Hamas and that he understood Israel's parameters, a source with direct knowledge said.
One Israeli official claimed Dermer's intense call with Boehler led the White House to reevaluate its approach. Dermer declined to comment.
Flashback: The families of American hostages lobbied the Biden administration for months to talk directly with Hamas to get a separate deal to free their loved ones, three hostage family members tell Axios.
The Biden administration didn't think such talks would yield results and worried about legitimizing Hamas, which the U.S. considers a terror group, a former official tells Axios.
The official, who was directly involved in Biden's Gaza negotiations, told Axios the White House did have "track 1.5 talks," with a former U.S. official close to the administration speaking to Hamas officials about the possibility of a deal for the American hostages.
"These talks went nowhere because what Hamas wanted was a ceasefire and prisoners, and it was in Israel's hands, not ours," the former Biden adviser said, arguing direct U.S.-Hamas talks would have only further complicated the main track of negotiations.
When Trump envoy Steve Witkoff joined the efforts toward a Gaza deal in the closing days of the Biden administration, he proposed meeting directly with Hamas to speed up the talks, but that didn't ultimately happen at the time, an Israeli official and a former U.S. official said.
State of play: Trump and his advisers had a long meeting Wednesday about the talks with Hamas and decided they needed to send a strong public message.
The idea was to both put pressure on Hamas to make concessions and to clarify that the U.S. position on the group had not changed, a U.S. official said.
On Wednesday evening, shortly after he met with a group of freed hostages, Trump issued a new public ultimatum for Hamas to release all remaining hostages. "This is your last warning!" he wrote on Truth Social.
Trump defended the talks with Hamas on Thursday as helpful to Israel because "we are talking about Israeli hostages."
What's next: Witkoff, who is scheduled to travel to the region early next week, said Thursday that Alexander's release is the administration's "top priority," and mentioned he is injured.
He said "good humanitarian action by Hamas" regarding Alexander would "get them a lot of political capital," and emphasized that there was a "deadline" for Hamas to agree to a deal.
Trump's envoy said that if Hamas doesn't take a more "reasonable" approach, "there is going to be some action taken" by Israel.
Senior U.S. and Ukrainian officials are expected to meet in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday to discuss efforts to reach a ceasefire in the war with Russia, two sources with knowledge of the meeting said.
Why it matters: It will be the first high-level meeting between the countries since the public spat between President Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.
The clash led to an unprecedented crisis between the U.S. and Ukraine and to the suspension of U.S. weapons shipments and intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
The latest: Saudi Arabia on Friday confirmed the meeting between the U.S. and Ukraine will take place next week in Jeddah.
Driving the news: The meeting in Saudi Arabia comes after a similar meeting U.S. officials had with their Russian counterparts in Riyadh two weeks ago.
That meeting created anxiety and anger among Ukrainian leaders who were upset they weren't invited to participate and heard about the meeting from media reports.
Behind the scenes: The upcomingmeeting was scheduled on Wednesday during a phone call between White House national security adviser Mike Waltz and Zelensky's chief of staff Andriy Yermak, one source said.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are expected to join Waltz for the meeting, the two sources said. Yermak will lead the Ukrainian delegation.
Zelensky is expected to visit Saudi Arabia next Monday and Tuesday and meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, according to a Ukrainian official.
The latest: Witkoff confirmed in a briefing with reporters at the White House on Thursday that the meeting will take place in Saudi Arabia and said it will focus on getting an initial ceasefire and a framework for a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine.
Witkoff said Trump saw Zelensky's letter "as a good first step — there was an apology and acknowledgment that the U.S. has done so much for Ukraine and a sense of gratitude."
"I think it [will] be a good meeting. Hopefully it would be a good signal to the Russians," he said.
What they're saying: Zelensky said on Thursday in Brussels that Ukraine and the U.S. "have resumed work" and expressed hope that "a meaningful meeting will take place next week."
The White House and Yermak's office didn't comment.
What to watch: Ukrainian officials say they are still ready to sign the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal that Zelensky and Trump were supposed to sign on Friday but was put on hold after their meeting in the Oval Office.
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details.
President Trump told Hamas he will greenlight additional Israeli military strikes on Gaza unless the group releases its remaining hostages.
Why it matters: Trump's ultimatum comes during direct negotiations in Doha between his envoy for hostages affairs Adam Boehler and Hamas officials in an effort to reach a new Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal.
Trump issued the ultimatum after a meeting with six hostages who were released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire deal.
Hamas is still holding 59 hostages in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed 35 are dead. Israeli intelligence believes 22 are still alive, and the status of two others is unknown.
Among the remaining hostages are five Americans, including 21-year-old Edan Alexander who is believed to be alive.
What they are saying: "'Shalom Hamas' means Hello and Goodbye - You can choose. Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
He called on Hamas to also return the bodies of dead hostages it is holding. "Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!" he wrote.
Trump told Hamas leaders in Gaza to leave the enclave "while they still have a chance and "not a single Hamas member will be safe" if the group doesn't release the hostages. "This is your last warning!" he said.
"To the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!" Trump wrote.
Yes, but: Trump has issued several ultimatums to Hamas since he won the election. His most recent was last month when he demanded that Hamas release all hostages "by noon Saturday" or the ceasefire is over.
The 42-day ceasefire that was part of the first phase of the Gaza deal expired on Saturday after the parties couldn't reach an agreement on an extension.
The Trump administration has been holding direct talks with Hamas over the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza and the possibility of a broader deal to end the war, two sources with direct knowledge of the discussionstell Axios.
Why it matters: The talks — held by U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler — are unprecedented. The U.S. had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a terrorist organization in 1997.
Behind the scenes: The meetings between Boehler and Hamas officials took place in Doha in recent weeks.
While the Trump administration consulted with Israel about the possibility of engaging with Hamas, Israel learned about aspects of the talks through other channels, one source said.
The sources spoke with Axios on the condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to discuss the sensitive meetings.
Zoom in: The talks have focused in part on the release of U.S. hostages, which is within Boehler's remit as hostage envoy.
But they have also included discussions of a broader deal to release all remaining hostages and reach a long-term truce, the sources say. No deal has yet been reached.
White House envoy Steve Witkoff also planned to travel to Doha this week to meet the prime minister of Qatar about the ceasefire negotiations but canceled the trip on Tuesday night after he saw there was no progress from Hamas' side, a U.S. official said.
Between the lines: Trump's approach to the conflict has differed sharply from President Biden's, including repeatedly threatening "hell to pay" for Hamas and proposing a U.S. "takeover" of Gaza.
Directly negotiating with Hamas — particularly without buy-in from Israel — is another step previous administrations have not taken.
State of play: 59 hostages are still held by Hamas in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces have confirmed 35 of them are dead. Israeli intelligence believes 22 hostages are still alive, and the status of two others is unknown.
Among the remaining hostages are five Americans including one, 21-year-old Edan Alexander, who is believed to be alive.
The 42-day ceasefire that was part of the first phase of the Gaza deal expired on Saturday after the parties couldn't reach an agreement on extending it.
The fighting hasn't resumed, but Israel halted all humanitarian aid delivery to Gaza where an estimated 1.9 million Palestinians — 90% of the population — have been displaced by the war, and famine looms.
Update: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Wednesday afternoon that the U.S. was holding direct talks with Hamas, and said Israel had been consulted.
She said Trump believes "it is the right thing for the American people" and added "there are American lives on the line"
The Israeli Prime Minister's office said in a statement: "During talks with the U.S., Israel expressed its opinion about the issue of direct talks with Hamas"
The White House and the Israeli Prime Minister's Office did not offer comment prior to publication.
The U.S. will continue to suspend weapon supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine until a date for peace talks with Russia is set, White House national security adviser Mike Waltz said on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The U.S. decision to pause military aid is increasing pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to agree to move toward negotiations with Russia to end the war.
Behind the scenes: One U.S. source with knowledge of the details said the suspension of intelligence sharing mostly focuses on information that could help Ukraine conduct attacks inside Russian territory.
A second source close to the Ukrainian government said the intelligence-sharing pause was the key issue that convinced Zelensky to put out a statement on Tuesday expressing regret for his public spat with President Trump and committing to peace talks.
The source said that while Ukraine could have managed for quite some time without U.S. weapons, the suspension of intelligence sharing has immediate negative effect on the Ukrainian army's operations.
What they're saying: CIA director John Ratcliffe confirmed in an interview on Fox Business that Trump ordered a pause on intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
"President Trump had a real question about whether President Zelensky is committed to a peace process. He said let's pause. I want to give you a chance to think about this, and you saw the response, President Zelensky put out a statement saying I am ready for peace," Ratcliffe said.
He added that the pause on weapons supply and intelligence "will go away and we will work with Ukraine shoulder to shoulder as we have to push back on the aggression that is there but to put the world at a better place for this peace negotiations to move forward."
The other side: Zelensky's chief of staff Andrei Yermak wrote on X that he had a phone call with Waltz.
"We discussed the next steps towards a just and lasting peace. We also exchanged views on security issues and the alignment of positions within the framework of bilateral relations between Ukraine and the United States. We have scheduled a meeting for our teams in the near future to continue this important work," he wrote.
What to watch: Waltz said in his interview on Fox and Friends that he spoke on Wednesday morning with his Ukrainian counterpart about possible dates and locations for talks between Ukraine and Russia and about appointing negotiation teams.
"If we can nail down these negotiations and move towards these negotiations and put confidence building measures on the table, the President will take a hard look at lifting this pause ... Yesterday and today [were] a positive step forward," Waltz said.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.
Pakistan recently acted on CIA intelligence and detained a senior ISIS commander who the U.S. claims plotted the deadly Abbey Gate bombing during the U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the issue. President Trump revealed the arrest in his address to Congress on Tuesday night.
Why it matters: Mohammad Sharifullah, one of the leaders of anISIS branch in Afghanistan and Pakistan, is believed to have devised and coordinated the attack that killed 13 U.S. service members and about 170 Afghan citizens, one official said.
The latest: CIA director John Ratcliffe said in an interview with Fox Business on Wednesday that Sharifullah arrived in Washington, DC on Tuesday night and is now in U.S. custody.
White House national security adviser Michael Waltz told Fox and Friends that Sharifullah confessed about his role in the Abbey Gate bombing.
Driving the news: "I am pleased to announce that we have just apprehended the top terrorist responsible for that atrocity," Trump said in his address on Tuesday. He also thanked the Pakistani government for helping to arrest Sharifullah, who he said was at the time being brought to the U.S.
One U.S. official with direct knowledge said Sharifullah, who is also known as "Jafar,"was detained by the Pakistani Intelligence Service.
An indictment against him is expected to be unsealed on Wednesday, the U.S. official said.
A second U.S. official claimed Sharifullah is "the mastermind" behind the attack that took place outside Kabul's international airport on Aug. 26, 2021, and that he planned and oversaw the execution of the bombing.
"Because of his role, he has been a high value target of the U.S. intelligence community for several years," the official said.
Flashback: In April 2023, the Taliban killed another senior ISIS-K leader who the U.S. intelligence community believes authorized the Abbey Gate attack. The Biden administration announced his death but didn't provide details about his identity.
Behind the scenes: After CIA director John Ratcliffe was confirmed by Congress in January, Trump instructed him to prioritize capturing the perpetrators of the Abbey Gate attack, the U.S. officials said.
In his first days in office, Ratcliffe told CIA counterterrorism officials to make it a top priority for the agency.
One U.S. official said the CIA director on his second day in office raised the issue during his first call with his Pakistani counterpart, Lt. Gen. Asim Malik. Ratcliffe reiterated this message during his meeting with the Pakistani spy chief on the sidelines of the Munich security conference in mid-February.
A spokesperson for the Pakistani embassy in D.C. did not provide a comment prior to publication.
The CIA has been monitoring Sharifullah for some time but in recent days it received specific intelligence about his location. The CIA provided the information to the Pakistaniintelligence agency, which sent an elite unit that captured him near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, the officials said.
Ten days ago, after the U.S. was notified of Sharifullah's capture, Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel held a call with the Pakistani intelligence chief from CIA headquarters in Langley.
Since then the CIA, the Department of Justice and the FBI worked together on his extradition, with Ratcliffe, Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi personally involved, one of the U.S. officials said.
The big picture: The cooperation between the CIA and the Pakistani Intelligence Services over Sharifullah's capture happened after several years of strained relations between U.S. and Pakistani intelligence services.
A U.S. official said these tensions negatively affected counterterrorism operations with the Pakistanis.
Both sources said the U.S. sees Sharifullah's detainment as a signal that the Pakistanis want to reengage with the Trump administration on intelligence and counterterrorism.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from the Trump administration.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday expressed regret for his Oval Office spat with President Trump last week and said he's ready to sign a U.S. minerals deal "any time and in any convenient format."
Why it matters: Zelensky's statement, a day after Trump suspended all U.S. military aid to Ukraine, was an attempt to adhere to the conditions laid out by the White House for ending the diplomatic crisis.
Trump officials had demanded that Zelensky publicly apologize, express a desire to negotiate for peace, and sign the minerals deal in order to get the U.S.-Ukraine relationship back on track.
Zelensky previously said he did not see any reason to apologize after the stunning confrontation with Trump and Vice President Vance in the Oval Office last Friday.
What they're saying: "Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right. We would like future cooperation and communication to be constructive," Zelensky wrote on X.
He reiterated that Ukraine is committed to ending the war and is "ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer."
"Nobody wants peace more than Ukrainians. My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to get a peace that lasts. We are ready to work fast to end the war," Zelensky added.
Zelensky also wrote that Ukrainians "really value how much America has done to help Ukraine maintain its sovereignty and independence," and explicitly thanked Trump for providing Ukraine with Javelin weapon systems in his first term.
What to watch: As part of the "first stages" of a deal, Zelensky proposed moving forward with the release of prisoners by both Russia and Ukraine, a "truce in the sky" that will freeze missile and long-range drone attacks, and no strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure. He said the initial deal could also include a "truce in the sea."
"Then we want to move very fast through all next stages and to work with the U.S. to agree a strong final deal," Zelensky said.
On the minerals deal, Zelensky said he sees the agreement "as a step toward greater security and solid security guarantees, and I truly hope it will work effectively."
The State Department is waiving $95 million in military assistance to the Lebanese armed forces amid the Trump administration's nearly 90-day foreign-aid freeze, two U.S. officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The waiver suggests the Trump administration intends to try to strengthen Lebanon's military and the new government that took office in January.
The aid is partof a broader Trump administration strategy to try to continue weakening Hezbollah, decreasing its influence in Lebanon and making sure the ceasefire with Israel holds, U.S. officials said.
"The Department approved an exception to expend the $95 million of foreign military funding recently reprogrammed to Lebanon. We are working with our Department of Defense colleagues to move forward with the implementation of these funds," a State Department spokesperson told Axios.
Driving the news: Hezbollah's influence in the country appears to be weakening over the last several weeks while the Lebanese army has gained a stronger foothold.
In February, security officials at the Beirut international airport didn't allow several commercial flights from Iran to land out of concern they were transferring millions of dollars in case to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah sent its supporters to block the roads to the airport. The Lebanese army fired tear gas at the protestors in order to force the blockade open.
"This was a big test for the Lebanese army," a U.S. official said.
Between the lines: Lebanon's new president Gen. Joseph Aoun was until recently the commander of the Lebanese army.
Aoun is a key U.S. ally and the Trump administration sees supporting the Lebanese army as a way to strengthen Aoun.
"Aoun presidency is a historic opportunity to change the reality in Lebanon for the better," a U.S. official told Axios.
The new Lebanese government platform stated for the first time in years that only the Lebanese state and its armed forces are responsible for defending the country.
It is a marked change from the previous governments, which said the state and "the resistance" — synonymous with Hezbollah — are responsible for defensing the country.
State of play: As part of the ceasefire agreement with Israel, the Lebanese armed forces have been deployed to southern Lebanon, especially to areas where Hezbollah militants were positioned before the war.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has almost entirelypulled out from southern Lebanon. Israeli soldiers stayed in five positions several hundreds meters inside Lebanese territory. The Lebanese government officially said it opposes the IDF remaining in these positions.
But U.S. and Israeli officials said there is a quiet understanding between the three countries that the IDF presence will continues for several weeks or months until the Lebanese army stabilizes the situation in southern Lebanon and ensuresHezbollah is no longer a threat.
Behind the scenes: U.S. and Israeli officials said the U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring mechanism is working well.
For the first time in years, the Lebanese army entered areas in southern Lebanon that used to be controlled by Hezbollah, destroyed military infrastructure and confiscated some of the group's ammunition caches, the officials said.
"A year ago nobody would believe this is possible. It is major progress," a U.S. official said.
President Trump decided to pause and review all military aid to Ukraine days after the public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office, two White House officials told Axios.
Why it matters: The decision that was taken after a meeting on Monday between Trump and his senior adviser would increase pressure on Zelensky and create more difficulties for Ukraine's military.
What they're saying: "President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace," one White House official said.
"We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."
Zoom out: The previous administration sent some $65.9 billion in military assistance to the country since Russia's invasion in February 2022, per the State Department.
Trump had not announced any additional aid since taking office.
Editor's note: Read the latest on Trump's decision to pause all U.S. military aid to Ukraine here.
President Trump will hold a meeting Monday afternoon on the next steps regarding the crisis with Ukraine, including a possible suspension of U.S. military aid, a U.S. official and a source with knowledge of the meeting told Axios.
Why it matters: Trump and his allies have been piling pressure on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after their disastrous Oval Office meeting last week. Suspending military aid would damage Ukraine's ability to defend itself against Russia's invasion and further weaken Ukraine's leverage as Trump pushes for peace talks.
The latest: Trump responded on Truth Social to an AP report that Zelensky had said the end of the war was "still very, very far away," writing: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!"
"It is what I was saying, this guy doesn't want there to be Peace as long as he has America's backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S.," Trump continued.
"Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking?"
The other side: Zelensky wrote on X that "it is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible."
"We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns. We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security.
"We are working together with America and our European partners and very much hope on US support on the path to peace. Peace is needed as soon as possible."
Driving the news: That exchange seems to set the tone for Monday's meeting.
Along with Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, National security adviser Mike Waltz and other senior officials are expected to participate, the sources said.
The White House didn't immediately respond to questions.
The New York Times first reported about the meeting.
What they are saying: Waltz told Fox News on Monday that time is not on Zelensky's side.
"The American people's patience is not unlimited, their wallets are not unlimited, and our stockpiles and munitions are not unlimited," Waltz said. "So the time to talk is now."
Trump's national security adviser added that in order to fix the crisis, Zelensky needs to express regret for his public spat with the president in the Oval Office last Friday, say he is ready to sign the minerals deal and that he is ready to engage in peace talks with Russia.
Friction point: Trump has been calling for a ceasefire in Ukraine, to be followed by negotiation. But Zelensky is resistant to the idea of an unconditional ceasefire.
The Trump-Zelensky meeting became particularly contentious after Zelensky claimed Putin had violated previous agreements and could not be trusted.
Russia has also not advocated for a ceasefire, but Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday that Trump's "rapidly changing" foreign policy "largely coincides with our vision."
Update: Trump told reporters Monday that he "hasn't even talked" until now about suspending military assistance to Ukraine. He added that Zelensky "needs to be more appreciative" towards the U.S. in order to solve the current crisis.
Editor's note: This story was updated with the comments from Trump and Zelensky.
