Trump and Zelensky meet in Washington
US President Donald Trump called Monday a "big day" as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European allies arrived in the US capital for a crucial meeting on ending Russia's war in Ukraine.
These talks in Washington come after a summit that Trump held with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday.
After meeting with Putin, Trump announced that negotiations for a possible ceasefire have been put aside in favor of seeking a quick peace deal, as Russia's war continues into its fourth year.
However, this has raised concerns about possible concessions by Ukraine to Russia, which is believed to have reiterated its maximum demands, including full control over four Ukrainian regions (Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson), as well as retention of annexed Crimea.
Hamas accepts latest Gaza ceasefire proposal
On Monday, Hamas informed mediators that it agreed to the latest proposal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, according to international and Israeli sources citing Hamas officials.
Officials did not provide further details at this time.
Israeli media reports that the proposal was presented to the militant group a day earlier and constitutes a revised version of Hamas's latest response, which includes a framework agreement for a 60-day ceasefire and a two-stage process for the release of hostages still in Hamas hands.
Meanwhile, Egyptian and Qatari mediators are continuing efforts to broker a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
European leaders express hope after meeting with Trump
After talks at the White House, European leaders expressed optimism that US President Donald Trump may be gaining ground in fulfilling his election promise to end the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The leaders of France, Germany, Finland, Italy and the United Kingdom, as well as European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, attended the meeting. They presented a united front in discussions with Trump and the Ukrainian president.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said after the meeting that there was "real progress" and a "real sense of unity".
European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen stressed that all parties are working together for "a sustainable and long-term peace."
Spain sends 500 extra troops to fight forest fires amid record heatwave
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced that 500 more soldiers will be on standby to help fight fires that have engulfed dry forest areas due to the extreme heat wave that has swept across Europe.
The decision to increase military forces brings the total number of troops engaged in fighting the fires to over 1,400, particularly in the northwestern region of Galicia, where authorities are awaiting help from firefighting aircraft promised by other European countries.
According to the president of the regional government of Galicia, Alfonso Rueda, they are currently facing 12 dangerous fire outbreaks in the province of Ourense.
Temperatures in Spain could reach up to 45°C in some areas on Sunday, according to the national weather agency, AEMET. On Saturday, the highest temperature recorded was 44.7°C in the southern city of Cordoba.
