Alperen Aktas
20 March 2025•Update: 20 March 2025
ISTANBUL
Here’s a rundown of all the news you need to start your Thursday with, including US President Donald Trump reportedly setting a two-month deadline for a new nuclear deal in a letter to Iran, Trump saying that Ukraine peace talks were "very much on track" after a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and US special envoy Steve Witkoff saying that a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire may be achieved in weeks.
TOP STORIES
- Trump’s letter to Iran sets 2-month deadline for new nuclear deal: Report
US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei included a two-month deadline to reach a new nuclear deal, according to a report by Axios.
A US official and two sources briefed on the letter confirmed the timeline, though it remains unclear whether the clock starts from the letter’s delivery or the beginning of negotiations.
The letter was delivered to Khamenei via a diplomatic chain involving Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and United Arab Emirates President Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Witkoff handed the letter to Sheikh Mohammed during a meeting in Abu Dhabi, after which UAE envoy Anwar Gargash traveled to Tehran to deliver it to Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
- Trump says Ukraine peace talks 'very much on track' after call with Zelenskyy
US President Donald Trump said negotiations on ending Russia's war against Ukraine are "very much on track" after he concluded a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Trump said the conversation was "very good" and lasted for about an hour.
"Much of the discussion was based on the call made yesterday with (Russian) President (Vladimir) Putin in order to align both Russia and Ukraine in terms of their requests and needs,” the president said on his proprietary social media website.
- Russia-Ukraine ceasefire may be achieved in weeks: US envoy
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said that a full ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine can be achieved within weeks.
“We are well on the way to getting a deal on Russia and Ukraine,” Witkoff said in a television program, adding that easing anti-Russian sanctions would follow a ceasefire agreement.
He also confirmed that upcoming meetings on Ukraine in Saudi Arabia will take place on Monday and Tuesday.
NEWS IN BRIEF
- Canada strongly condemned China's execution orders on Canadian nationals earlier this year.
- Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Israel has rejected all of Lebanon's proposals to withdraw from five Lebanese hills and continues to hold several prisoners.
- The White House sharply condemned a dramatic uptick in violent attacks on Tesla, maintaining that the assaults on vehicles made by Elon Musk, a top political ally of President Donald Trump, are "despicable."
- A US Space Force general said that China was observed carrying out coordinated maneuvers with satellites, describing it as “dogfighting in space.”
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy lent his support to a partial ceasefire that prohibits the targeting of energy sites, two of US President Donald Trump's senior officials said.
- An emergency Arab League meeting in Cairo called on the US to pressure Israel into halting its violations of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
- At least 10 Palestinians were killed and more than 15 injured when an Israeli airstrike hit a funeral tent in northern Gaza.
- US President Donald Trump said Iran must completely halt any assistance it is allegedly supplying to Yemen's Houthi rebel group, vowing to destroy it.
- US and Russian security advisors discussed efforts to end the war in Ukraine following a call between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
- Billionaire Elon Musk claimed “they basically want to kill me, I guess they are bad people,” amid growing controversy over his team’s US government reform work, which Musk said is meant to cut costs but his critics say is reckless destruction with no idea of how government works.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that Venezuela would face "severe and escalating" sanctions if it refuses to accept citizens being repatriated from the US.
- Filmmaker Carl Erik Rinsch has been charged with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with an $11 million scheme to defraud Netflix.
- Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan declared his readiness to sign the draft of a peace deal agreed upon between his country and neighboring Azerbaijan.
- Russia accused Ukraine of sabotaging a 30-day ceasefire on strikes against energy facilities as Moscow and Kyiv traded accusations of overnight attacks.
- A boat carrying irregular migrants attempting to cross from Africa to Europe capsized off Lampione Island in the Mediterranean, leaving at least six people dead and 40 missing.
- China has been seeking unity and cooperation to build healthy and stable relations with the EU, according to Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
- A Chinese researcher has been sentenced to death for providing state secrets to "foreign spy agencies," state media reported.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- Fed keeps interest rate constant, in line with forecasts
The US Federal Reserve kept its federal funds rate unchanged in the 4.25%-4.50% range, as widely expected.
"The Committee seeks to achieve maximum employment and inflation at the rate of 2 percent over the longer run," it said in a statement.
"Uncertainty around the economic outlook has increased" added the Fed.
