U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff misunderstood a Ukrainian land swap proposal during a meeting with Putin, leading to surprise among European leaders; the proposal involved Ukraine ceding territory, which Ukraine's president Zelensky firmly rejects, while peace talks remain stalled amid ongoing conflict and Russian aggression.
The article details the confusion and challenges surrounding Trump's recent efforts to broker peace in Ukraine, including a misinterpreted Russian offer for territorial concessions, reliance on informal advisers, and the lack of clear progress despite high-level meetings with Putin, highlighting the complexities and uncertainties in U.S.-Russia-Ukraine diplomacy.
The article details Trump's frantic efforts to broker peace in Ukraine through a proposed land swap with Russia, which ultimately failed to materialize, highlighting his unconventional diplomatic approach and the ongoing conflict without a clear resolution.
Vladimir Putin's proposed 'land swap' aims to acquire Ukraine's western Donetsk region, not just for territorial gain but to dismantle Ukraine's strategic 'fortress belt' that protects its other regions, leveraging diplomatic pressure through Western allies like the US and Trump.
President Trump is hosting Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at the White House to discuss security guarantees and land issues, with European leaders joining to ensure a balanced approach amid shifting US positions on the Ukraine conflict and peace negotiations.
US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated that establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank is no longer a US policy goal and suggested that Muslim neighboring countries could potentially cede land, including possibly from Saudi Arabia, to create one, a stance likely to increase regional tensions.
Minnesota's Largest Candy Store, located near Jordan, is set to move to a new location due to a new interchange at Highway 169 and Delaware Avenue closing access to the current store. The new store will be two and a half times the size of the current one and will still be a big yellow barn. The relocation will take about 3 years, and the current building will be demolished to convert the property back into wetlands.
Minnesota's Largest Candy Store, a landmark near Jordan for nearly 50 years, is set to move to a new location due to a new interchange at Highway 169 and Delaware Avenue that would have hindered access to the store. The owner, Robert Wagner, will be relocating the store to a new site across Highway 169, which will be 2.5 times larger and connected to city services. The current store will remain open during the construction of the new one, which is expected to take about 3 years.
Texas Parks and Wildlife commissioners are considering a land swap with SpaceX, where SpaceX would receive 43 acres from Boca Chica State Park in exchange for 477 acres nearby. The proposal aims to increase public access and protect grasslands and wetlands, but faces opposition from environmental groups and community members concerned about the impact on the local area and wildlife. The vote on the proposal is expected on March 28, with concerns raised about the potential harm to endangered species and the impact on the local community.
The Biden administration has reversed a Trump-era land swap deal that would have facilitated the construction of a road in an Alaska wilderness area opposed by environmental groups. The proposed road would have cut through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, threatening the wilderness and wildlife habitat of the refuge. Proponents of the project argued it was required to ensure mostly-Indigenous residents have greater access to emergency services. The Department of the Interior withdrew the land exchange, citing procedural flaws and inconsistency with agency policy, and will initiate another environmental analysis of the proposal as part of President Biden’s conservation agenda.
The Biden administration has withdrawn a land swap deal that would have allowed for the construction of a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, reversing the Trump administration's position. The move is a significant victory for environmental groups, but leaves the door open for a road with more restricted use. The land swap was approved under the Trump administration to link King Cove with an airport in nearby Cold Bay, but 11 miles of the road would run through the wildlife refuge, which includes extensive wetlands that are a prime stopover territory for geese and other migrating birds.
The Biden administration has withdrawn a land-swap deal that would have allowed a road through the Izembek National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, originally protected under President Jimmy Carter. The move helps preserve Carter's environmental legacy, but stops short of the complete rejection of a road sought by some environmentalists and Carter himself. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland outlined her position in a legal brief filed Tuesday in the litigation over Izembek in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.