On May 8, 2025, President Donald Trump made headlines with a series of significant actions. He called for an immediate 30-day unconditional ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, warning of additional sanctions if the ceasefire is not upheld. Ukraine promptly agreed to the U.S. proposal, while Russia countered with a limited three-day ceasefire to align with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two. Trump emphasized on social media that non-compliance would trigger further penalties and expressed willingness to facilitate negotiations in pursuit of a broader peace agreement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed Ukraine’s readiness to begin the ceasefire “starting this minute,” urging Russia to show commitment to ending the war. Kyiv criticized Russia’s three-day proposal as ineffective, citing repeated violations just hours after implementation. Moscow, however, accused Ukraine of continuing combat operations. The conflict traces back to Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, which followed the annexation of Crimea in 2014. reuters.com
In addition to his foreign policy initiatives, President Trump announced a comprehensive trade agreement with the United Kingdom, describing it as "a very big deal." He emphasized that the deal would solidify the longstanding relationship between the two nations and highlighted the historical alliance shared by the countries. This announcement marked the first formal trade deal under his administration, with several other deals currently under advanced negotiations. The trade deal comes as Trump’s administration navigates complex global trade dynamics, including planned talks with China to de-escalate a brewing trade war. This war has led to market volatility and global economic concerns, prompting the IMF to lower growth forecasts for several countries. While Britain was spared recent U.S. tariffs due to its import-export balance with the U.S., analysts warn the broader impact of Trump's tariffs could harm British manufacturers integrated into European and global supply chains. reuters.com