The United States may withdraw from the negotiations if Russia and Ukraine do not make significant progress soon. The decision to continue the negotiations will be made by Trump, and in the absence of results, the States will have no choice but to stop participating in them. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stressed that the United States is aiming for a «complete and long-term cease-fire and an end to the conflict,» rather than a temporary truce.
Tariffs have a negative impact on China’s economy: export orders dropped sharply in April. High U.S. duties have begun to have a significant impact on production, and new export orders have fallen to their lowest levels since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dropped to 49, indicating a contraction in the manufacturing sector and is the worst reading since December 2022.
Trump imposed duties to reduce the US trade deficit, but brought it to a record level over the past 30 years. In March, the United States imported $162 billion more goods than it exported. This is a record since the 1990s and 75% more year-on-year, the U.S. Census Bureau reported. The main reason for this growth was a sharp increase in import purchases by companies before the tariffs came into force, which particularly affected goods with a long shelf life.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that India is allegedly planning a military strike on Pakistan within 24-36 hours. He noted that the incident in Pahalgam would be the reason for a possible attack. Tarar added that «any act of aggression will be met with a strong response, and India will bear full responsibility for the serious consequences in the region.»
Trump said he understands economics better than Powell. During a rally marking the first 100 days of his presidency, Trump promised to make a «fair deal» with China and noted that the world needs a «revolution of common sense» and the United States needs low interest rates.
