❗️The Putin-Trump conversation went "very well", CNN reports, citing "a Russian source with knowledge of the call".

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❗️US administration to soon release a statement following Trump-Putin phone call - White House.

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❗️Yemeni Houthis have reportedly launched a ballistic missile towards Israel.

IDF says sirens sounded in several areas in Israel following a projectile that was launched from Yemen.

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❗️Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump continued their detailed and frank exchange of opinions on the situation around Ukraine in a telephone conversation - Kremlin

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❗️Putin reacted constructively to Trump's idea of implementing an initiative on the safety of navigation in the Black Sea - Kremlin

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❗️Putin and Trump expressed mutual interest in normalizing relations in light of their special responsibility for ensuring security in the world - Kremlin

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❗️Putin reaffirmed his fundamental commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine in talks with Trump - Kremlin

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❗️Putin and Trump discussed a number of ideas aimed at developing mutually beneficial cooperation in the economy and energy sector - Kremlin

The Kremlin following Putin and Trump's conversation: a wide range of areas were considered in which Russia and the United States could establish cooperation.

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⚡️Donald Trump proposed a 30-day mutual ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on attacks on energy infrastructure, and Vladimir Putin responded positively, giving the corresponding order to the Russian military.

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⚡️The Kremlin has named a complete cessation of foreign military aid and the provision of intelligence to Kiev as a key condition for resolving the conflict in Ukraine peacefully.

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❗️Putin and Trump discussed the need to stop the spread of strategic weapons during their phone call — White House

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📞 Highlights of Putin-Trump phone call by Kremlin

🔻Putin announced Russia’s willingness to work with the US on a comprehensive, sustainable long-term solution for the Ukrainian conflict;

🔻Russia voiced its concerns about the prospects of a ceasefire, pointing at the poor track record of the Ukrainian leadership who repeatedly sabotaged and violated prior agreements;

🔻The US was appraised of the barbaric crimes committed by Ukrainian militants against the civilian population of Russia’s Kursk Region;

🔻Russia stressed that cessation of intelligence sharing and foreign military aid for Ukraine is a key prerequisite for preventing further escalation of the Ukrainian conflict and for resolving it through diplomatic means;

🔻Putin informed Trump about a prisoner swap slated to take place between Russia and Ukraine on March 19 where 175 captives from each side are to be exchanged;

🔻Both Trump and Putin reaffirmed their commitment to jointly pursue the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict;

🔻Putin approved of Trump’s initiative to ensure maritime traffic safety in the Black Sea, further negotiations on this subject are expected to take place.

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📞 Key points from the Putin-Trump big call (according to the White House)

🔹Putin and Trump agreed that the Ukrainian conflict “needs to end with a lasting peace.”

🔹The two world leaders “stressed the need for improved bilateral relations between the United States and Russia.”

🔹“The leaders agreed that the movement to peace will begin with an energy and infrastructure ceasefire, as well as technical negotiations on implementation of a maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea, full ceasefire and permanent peace.”

🔹The presidents also discussed matters such as “the need to stop proliferation of strategic weapons and will engage with others to ensure the broadest possible application.”

🔹Putin and Trump concluded that “a future with an improved bilateral relationship between the United States and Russia has huge upside.”

🔹This future “includes enormous economic deals and geopolitical stability when peace has been achieved.”

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🏒 Trump has backed Putin's idea to organize hockey matches in the US and Russia between players playing in the NHL and KHL leagues, the Kremlin said.

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🇫🇷 Clout and money: Primary objectives of Macron’s nuclear posturing

Plans to deploy French nuclear weapons on Germany’s doorstep are meant to “position France as Europe's main defender” before Berlin is able seize that role, international relations and Russian affairs analyst Gilbert Doctorow tells Sputnik.

“Moreover, the French are seeking not just political capital but plain monetary capital: France's nuclear force de frappe is outdated, in need of renewal and in need of great expansion,” he adds.

“All of this will require money that France does not hand. Its sotto voce message to other European states is that they should help co-finance the build-out of the French nuclear force.”

This move is also meant to insulate Europe from the consequences of sabotaging the US peace initiatives in Ukraine, with France providing an alternative to the US nuclear umbrella in case the latter were to be withdrawn.

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❗️On the morning of March 18, the Ukrainian Armed Forces attempted to penetrate into Russian territory in the Belgorod region - Russian Defense Ministry

This comes amid the big Putin-Trump phone call to create a negative background around the conversation between the two leaders.

Ukrainian troops carried out five attacks during the day (the fifth – from 17.30 to 18.45 during the phone call between the US and Russian presidents), involving up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers and 29 units of military equipment.

▪️The provocation involved up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers and 29 units of equipment, including five tanks.

▪️All attacks on the Belgorod region were repelled and no crossing of the Russian state border was allowed.

▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces, which attacked the Belgorod region, lost up to 60 people, one tank, seven combat armored vehicles, and three engineering vehicles.

▪️The Ukrainian Armed Forces, which attacked the Belgorod region, lost up to 60 soldiers, one tank, seven combat armored vehicles, and three engineering vehicles.

▪️They abandoned further attacks on the Belgorod region after their attempts were repelled by the Russian Armed Forces.

▪️Thirty air and missile strikes were carried out on locations where Ukrainian personnel and reserves were concentrated in the Sumy region, as well as using an Iskander strike and a Tornado-S multiple rocket launcher strike.

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🗣 Donald Trump said he had a "very good and productive conversation" with Vladimir Putin

The US president said he had agreed with Putin on immediately halting attacks on energy infrastructure between Russia and Ukraine.

The US and Russia will work quickly to conclude a fully-fledged ceasefire, he added.

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🔎 What may be behind Israel’s NEW GAZA STRIKES and how do the HOUTHIS FACTOR into this?

“Once Israel saw that the US was attacking the Houthis,” the Jewish state saw “the moment opportune to attack Hamas locations in Gaza,” Mehran Kamrava, professor of government at Georgetown University Qatar, suggested in an interview with Sputnik.

The Israelis and the Americans are a victim of their own rhetoric, he explained:

▪️Netanyahu has been wanting to get rid of the head of Shin Bet, the Israeli Domestic Intelligence Agency, and he has also been talking tough. And this only enables him to further engage in his plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians.

▪️The Americans are also a victim of their own tough talk, because they've been wanting to engage in a sharp rhetoric and they have done it against the Houthis.

Plus, the Gaza strikes were “strategically designed” to distract from Netanyahu’s legal challenges, Mehmet Rakipoglu, a Middle East analyst, told Sputnik.

“By emphasizing military action, Netanyahu seeks to consolidate nationalist support and shift focus away from the domestic arena,” Rakipoglu concluded.

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🗣 US and Russia will decide how Ukrainian conflict ends - analyst

The talks between Putin and Trump highlight the fact that the major part of future negotiations about the future of Ukraine and East Europe will be conducted by the US and Russia, political scientist and HSE University professor Dmitry Evstafiev tells Sputnik.

It remains to be seen, however, whether Trump can ensure that Ukraine and the US’ European allies – who clearly have their own agenda - abide by these agreements.

As Russia shows willingness to stop attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and thus pave way for resolving the conflict, the question is, what will the Ukrainian leadership do now, Efstafiev notes.

“What will the European coalition of the willing to fight Russia do?” he inquires.

The Trump administration also begins to realize the extent of problems posed by Ukrainian leadership’s penchant for not abiding by the previously negotiated agreements.

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