Monday morning news: June 17, 2024

Ukraine » Peace in Ukraine can only come when Russia respects Ukraine’s borders.

Leaders from almost 80 countries reached that consensus at a peace summit in Switzerland over the weekend. Vice President Kamala Harris:

HARRIS: It is in our interest to uphold international rules and norms, such as sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the international system we helped create following World War II, which bolsters America's security and prosperity.

The leaders signed a document declaring that the territorial integrity of Ukraine must be the basis for any peace agreement to end Russia's two-year war.

The vice president also announced that the United States will provide more than 1.5 billion dollars in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

It follows last week’s announcement by G7 leaders of a $50 billion loan package for Kyiv that will leverage interest and income on a quarter of a trillion dollars in frozen Russian assets. U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen:

YELLEN: The Russian assets remain in this institution. They've been impounded. Um, the investments that Russia had have matured. So Russia's funds are sitting in cash, but they're generating income for the institution, which Russia has no claim on.

Ukraine Rejects Putin ultimatum » Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the summit said he was confident that the peace effort would continue, but he said the so-called peace offer extended by Vladimir Putin last week was not a serious one.

ZELENSKYY:  Putin is trying to expand the war and make it more bloody, but together with America and all our partners, we protect the lives of our people.

Putin offered to order an immediate cease-fire in Ukraine. But many said his offer sounded more like terms of a Ukrainian surrender. Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna:

KHANNA: Putin's peace deal on the table. He wants one fifth of all of Ukraine. He wants more territory of Ukraine than he's currently occupied.

Putin wants Ukrainian troops to start withdrawing from the four regions Russia began occupying in 2022.

Garland contempt reaction/Republicans on DOJ weaponization » Republicans are sounding off on the announcement by the Department of Justice that it would not prosecute Attorney General Merrick Garland for contempt of Congress.

Sen. Ted Cruz charged that the Justice Dept. under Garland exists to do two things:

CRUZ: Attack the Democrats enemies and protect the Democrats friends. The degree to which DOJ has been weaponized trying to stop the voters from electing Donald Trump is ridiculous.

House Republicans voted last week to hold Garland in contempt of Congress and to recommend criminal charges over his refusal to comply with a House subpoena. GOP members demanded that Garland hand over a recording of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur related to Biden’s handling of classified documents.

Garland accuses Republicans of abusing the authority of Congress for political ends.

U.S. terror concerns » Fears are growing of a possible terrorist attack on U.S. soil. Authorities last week arrested eight Tajikistan nationals with possible ties to ISIS after they crossed the U.S. southern border.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner told CBS’ Face the Nation:

TURNER: We have terrorists that are actively working inside the United States that are a threat to Americans.

He said even some Biden administration officials have come forward to the committee to share their concerns.

FBI Director Chrisopher Wray has openly warned that many with terrorist ties have crossed the southern border.

Congressman Jim Himes is the top-ranking Democrat on the Intel Committee.

HIMES:  The fact that there are lots of people who, uh, uh, who are here on an undocumented basis is a threat, and the FBI director is right about that, and the FBI director and the chiefs of all of the intelligence community are very, very focused.

Turner is calling on the Biden administration to declassify information related to terror threats.

Trump Michigan campaigning/immigration » Former President Trump continues to hammer border and immigration issues on the campaign trail. He stumped in the key swing state of Michigan over the weekend.

TRUMP:  The choice for every voter this November is clear. You can have a president who lets thousands of radical Islamic terrorists into our country.

Or, he said, you can have a president who secures the border.

His appearance came as authorities in Maryland charged an illegal immigrant from El Salvador with rape and murder in the death of a mother of five. And authorities in New York City arrested a pair of Venezuelan migrants for allegedly carjacking an off-duty NYPD officer.

Trump spoke at a conservative forum and at a traditionally black church in Detroit.

TRUMP: The black community is being hurt more by the illegal aliens, 16, 17 million. They're taking your jobs. You were, you're down six, 7 percent from where you were just three years ago with me.

Biden star-studded fundraiser » Meantime, President Biden attended a glitzy fundraiser for the president surrounded by Hollywood star power. George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Barbara Streisand were among those who took the stage at the Peacock theater over the weekend.

The fundraiser reportedly raked in almost $30 million dollars.

I’m Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: The Supreme Court checks a government agency’s authority. That’s ahead on Legal Docket. Plus, the Monday Moneybeat.

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