Wednesday morning news: February 19, 2025

U.S.-Russia talks » Top U.S. officials say they’re feeling encouraged after sitting down at a conference table with Russian leaders on Tuesday. The talks centered on restoring diplomacy between the two countries and launching talks to end the war in Ukraine.

The meeting took place in Saudi Arabia, so Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff was there.

WITKOFF: We discussed it afterwards. We couldn’t have imagined a better result after this session. It was very, very solid.

Both sides agreed to restore staffing levels at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, and they discussed appointing new ambassadors.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also called the meeting productive.

LAVROV (translated):  The conversation was, I think, very useful, and we did not just listen, but heard each other.

The decline in diplomatic ties began in 2014 with Russia’s annexation of Crimea and worsened after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

Diplomatic ties » With regard to the war in Ukraine, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said both sides agreed to work toward the same goal:

RUBIO: The goal is to bring an end to this conflict in a way that's fair, enduring, sustainable, and acceptable to all parties involved.

What will that look like? Rubio says that’s what the negotiations will be all about. And no one thinks it will be easy.

But President Trump said last night that both sides will have to make concessions, and that something has to give.

TRUMP:  Both Russia and Ukraine, they're losing thousands and thousands of soldiers and … I think people are going to be surprised at how many people, not only soldiers, have been killed in Ukraine.

The Kremlin will insist that Ukraine never be allowed to join NATO. It will push for recognized control of Crimea and possibly other annexed parts of Ukraine.

All of that will be a tough sell in Kyiv where Ukrainian leaders will also want security guarantees. That will likely necessitate a peacekeeping force on the ground. But Russia will insist on no NATO troops in Ukraine.

Lutnick confirmed as Commerce Secretary » The Senate has approved another of President Trump’s cabinet nominees. Howard Lutnick will lead the Commerce Department after a party line vote on Tuesday.

AUDIO: On this vote, the yeas are 51. The nays are 45, and the nomination is confirmed.

Lutnick is former CEO of investment firm Cantor Fitzgerald. He has strongly supported President Trump’s use of tariffs. Democrats objected to that. They also raised concerns about his business ties and what they see as potential conflicts of interest.

DOGE legal battle » A legal win for the Trump administration and DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency.

A number of Democrat-led states sued to stop DOGE from facilitating jobs cuts in the federal workforce. But  U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkin said the states failed to convince her that the government efficiency efforts posed any imminent harm to the states.

White House Press Secretary Karline Leavitt pushed back Tuesday on Democrats’ claims that DOGE represents a takeover of the government by Elon Musk, who is leading DOGE.

LEAVITT:  Just like everybody else across the federal government, works at the direction of President Trump. Elon Musk is a special government employee, as I have told you before, he serves as a senior advisor of the president, if you will, within the executive office of the president.

Democrats have called DOGE a “government coup” and a “threat to democracy.”

Border numbers » New numbers suggest that illegal immigration is down sharply.

Border officials arrested just over 61,000 migrants along the southern border in January. That’s the lowest monthly number since May of 2020.

And the Department of Homeland Security is rolling out a new ad campaign aimed at deterring migrants from entering the country illegally.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem heard here in a new ad:

NOEM:  Under President Trump, we are defending American families and restoring their safety. If you try to enter illegally, you will be caught. You will be removed. And you will never return.

But Noem says individuals who leave voluntarily may be able to return to the country after going through the proper channels.

The ads will run online and on traditional airwaves both at home and internationally.

Israel latest » In Israel:

SOUND: [Family celebrates]

The family of Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov cheered and danced yesterday, after receiving word that he is among six hostages Hamas plans to release on Saturday.

But another family received devastating news.

HAMAS SPOKESMAN: [Speaking Arabic]

A Hamas spokesman said the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages will be released tomorrow...and they include members of the Bibas family.

Yarden Bibas was one of the hostages freed earlier this month, but until now the status of his wife and two young children, who were also kidnapped, has not been known.

Herut Nimrodi is the mother of another hostage still held by Hamas:

NIMRODI: We knew there was a possibility that they didn't make it, but to finalize everything and to realize that this is really the end for this woman and two children, it's devastating. There's no words I can say to make them feel any better.

The Bibas family issued a statement yesterday saying that until they have definite proof that their family members are dead...they will continue to fight for their release.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: Republicans work on passing a budget. Plus, a former abortionist comes to terms with her past.

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