☕ Leaders meet to end Russia's Ukraine war

It’s Tuesday.

There has been yet another airline incident, with a Delta jet carrying 80 passengers crashing upon landing, injuring at least 18. We’ve got the latest details below.

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Some headlines from this morning:

At least 18 people have been injured after a passenger plane flipped upside down at Toronto Airport. The Delta flight was carrying 80 people when it touched down in heavy wind and snow, lost control on the icy runway and overturned. A statement from Delta Airlines said: “Initial reports indicate there are no fatalities and 18 customers with injuries have been transported to [hospital]. Our primary focus is taking care of those impacted.” The Meteorological Service of Canada recorded -8 degree temperatures and 60km/h winds at Toronto Pearson International Airport around the time of the incident. Delta said it’s cancelled flights to and from the airport for the rest of the day. The crash punctuates a rocky start to 2025 for commercial airlines - it is the fourth airplane incident to occur since the fatal crash outside of Washington’s Ronald Reagan Airport.

European leaders met in Paris to discuss the Russia-Ukraine war and the redefined US-EU relationship after Trump officials rebuked EU leaders for over-reliance on the US. As US officials met Russians in Riyadh, EU leaders backed Ukraine and demanded a seat at peace talks. However, they struggled to agree on support levels and whether to provide a peacekeeping force post-deal. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed willingness to send a peacekeeping force, but demanded they be supported by other EU nations.

The Internal Revenue Service, the body responsible for collecting federal taxes, is considering giving DOGE, an Elon Musk run department in charge of streamlining government, broad access to their systems following receipt of a memorandum which has the strong support of the White House. The memorandum details that a DOGE software engineer will work in the IRS for 120 days with an option to extend. Critics are worried as he will have access to highly personal information including bank account details. Some believe there is a need for reform, highlighting that the IRS software runs on code from the 1960s.

Israel will not withdraw troops from five key locations in Lebanon contravening a key condition of the ceasefire deal. The announcement today was followed by confirmation that an Israeli drone strike had killed a Hezbollah leader in the south of Lebanon. Palestinian and Lebanese authorities have condemned the attacks and called for the ceasefire to be obeyed. Israeli officials said the five locations are close to villages in Northern Israel and military presence is necessary for their protection. The announcement comes as authorities try to extend a fragile peace in the region.

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Trump officials appear to be extending a ban on Associated Press (AP) journalists' access to White House events to include Air Force One, renewing debate on press freedom.

This follows last week’s clash between the White House and AP over how to refer to the Gulf of Mexico/America, which saw AP journalists banned from entering White House events. Here’s what we know.

Background - Gulf of America vs Gulf of Mexico 

President Trump signed an executive order on his first day renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

The body of water borders Mexico, Cuba, and the US. While the change faces strong international resistance, many American companies have adjusted.

Google and Apple Maps now label it the Gulf of America for US users.

AP, citing their global audience, refused to adopt the change.

Last Tuesday, AP journalists were barred from an Oval Office event after refusing a direct White House request to use the new name.

The White House then restricted AP from certain events, including a press conference with India’s Prime Minister Modi, though AP reporters retained their access to the White House.

AP condemned the move as a restriction of free speech.

Air Force One

President Trump’s deputy chief of staff called ignoring a lawful renaming irresponsible and appeared to extend the ban to Air Force One, stating: “Their right to irresponsible, dishonest reporting is protected by the First Amendment, but not … unfettered access to … the Oval Office and Air Force One.”

White House officials haven’t confirmed if the ban includes Air Force One, but reportedly, journalists and photographers from the organization will now be barred from certain White House events, previously limited to AP journalists.

What’s next?

The Associated Press will continue to have access to the White House but what events they can attend is uncertain.

This highlights the changes carried out by Press Secretary Karoline Levitt, who has repeatedly said the Trump presidency will not favor legacy media.

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European leaders have gathered for an emergency meeting in Paris to reinforce support for Ukraine, as talks about how to end Russia’s war ramp up.

Meanwhile, American and Russian officials are due to hold peace talks in Saudi Arabia in the coming days, leaving Ukraine out of the high-level discussions.

The Trump administration has signalled it will not support some of Ukraine’s war-ending conditions, which include eventual NATO membership and restoring control of Crimea, a peninsula illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.

War

Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 22 February 2022.

It now controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.

Around 12,500 civilians are estimated to have been killed in Ukraine during the war, according to the latest UN data. Neither side publishes data on soldier deaths and injuries.

Over the past year, there has been little movement on the frontlines, except for a Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory on the northern border.

Trump

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump held separate phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

It marked the first official contact between a U.S. President and Putin since the war began.

The calls followed an announcement from newly-appointed U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, confirming the Trump administration would not support Ukraine’s bid for NATO membership.

On Friday (local time), U.S. Vice President JD Vance met with Zelenskyy at a conference in Munich, Germany.

Vance said America’s goal was to achieve a “durable, lasting peace” between the two countries.

Zelenskyy said he wanted “real security guarantees” from the U.S.

On Saturday, a U.S. official at the conference suggested European leaders wouldn’t play an active role in settling the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

European meeting

France’s President Emmanuel Macron called an emergency meeting of European leaders following the Munich conference.

The “consultation talks” were held in Paris earlier today.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen posted on social media saying the leaders had “reaffirmed that Ukraine deserves peace through strength.”

Macron said he spoke with Trump and Zelenskyy following the meeting.

The French President said all three leaders “seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine.”

“We will work on this together with all Europeans, Americans, and Ukrainians. This is the key.”

U.S. and Russia

Meanwhile, U.S. and Russian foreign affairs officials are set to meet today in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

It follows a call between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov earlier this week.

The pair discussed efforts towards “finding an end to the conflict in Ukraine.”

Ukrainian officials will not be in attendance in Riyadh.

Zelenskyy told Ukrainian media that he was unaware of the details of the Russia-U.S. meeting.

He reiterated Ukraine would not accept “any agreements about us without us.”

On social media, Zelenskyy restated his position on “ensuring a robust and lasting peace.”

“Any other decision without such guarantees – such as a fragile ceasefire – would only serve as another deception by Russia and a prelude to a new Russian war against Ukraine or other European nations.”