The News Agents

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Tuesday, 18 March 2025 - 37 minutes

Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke for an hour and a half today - could they bring the Ukraine conflict and closer to a sustainable peace? Or is the Russian president only interested in carving up Ukraine and taking the West for a ride?

While a ceasefire in Ukraine does appear to be edging ever so slightly closer, the fragile cessation in Gaza collapsed overnight. More than 400 Gazans were killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, as Israel launched a series of airstrikes on the strip. The White House confirmed that Washington had been consulted on the offensive. Trump's press secretary told reporters that: "All those who seek to terrorise not just Israel but the US, will see a price to pay, and all hell will break loose." Is Trump giving Benjamin Netanyahu licence to act with impunity in Gaza? And why is the British government contradicting itself on whether Israel is committing war crimes?

Later, Labour MPs have spent the afternoon voicing their unease at the welfare changes outline today by work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall. How much trouble is actually building on the backbenches?

Editor: Tom Hughes

Executive Producer: Louis Degenhardt

Producer: Natalie Indge

Digital Editor: Michaela Walters

Social Media Editor: Georgia Foxwell

Video Production: Rory Symon, Shane Fennelly & Arvind Badewal

Digital Journalist: Michael Baggs

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The News Agents is brought to you by HSBC UK - https://www.hsbc.co.uk/

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