Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Russia Lists Demands For Ceasefire As Drone Attacks Fly Between Them And Ukraine
U.S. and Russian officials are continuing discussions aimed at ending the invasion of Ukraine, even as hostilities continue between the two countries. Russia’s Foreign Ministry released a transcript of an interview with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday, where the minister lists demands the Russian government has for a peace deal. During the interview, Lavrov reportedly said that Moscow’s demands include Ukraine’s non-admission to NATO, future non-aligned status, and international recognition of Russian control of all Ukrainian regions claimed by the Kremlin, including some that are only partially occupied. Russia also wants the "demilitarization" of Ukraine as well, which would leave it defenseless. The Kremlin has announced a three-day ceasefire from May 8th to the 10th during Victory Day celebrations, which Lavrov described as the "beginning of direct negotiations, without preconditions." However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has dismissed the proposed truce as insufficient, emphasizing that a complete and unconditional ceasefire is necessary before any meaningful peace talks can proceed and that there’s no need to wait until next week to halt the fighting.
2 President Trump To Offer Automakers Tariff Relief
Some good news for automakers yesterday. President Trump announced yesterday that he’s giving U.S. carmakers a break on his 25-percent tariffs. After major automakers like GM and Ford warned that the tariffs on vehicles from Mexico and Canada could hurt American factories, Trump agreed to give rebates on those fees for two years through partial rebates. The amended executive order provides a rebate for one year of 3.75-percent relative to the sales prices of a domestically assembled vehicles. A 25-percent import tax will be enforced on parts that make up 15% of a vehicle’s sales price, and for the second year the rebate would equal 2.5-percent of a vehicle’s sales price, as it would apply to a smaller share of the vehicle’s parts. Administration officials say the idea is to give the companies time to move production back to the U.S. Trump is still pushing a tough trade stance, including a possible 200-percent tariff on Chinese-made cars built in Mexico, though there's no proof those factories even exist. Some small businesses are already feeling the sting of rising import costs, and consumer confidence is starting to dip. But for now, Detroit’s Big Three are getting some breathing room.
3 Amazon Reverses Course On Listing Tariff Charges On Haul Site
Amazon confirmed yesterday that it will not display tariff charges on its site after backlash from the White House. The company had reportedly considered listing import fees on certain products to provide transparency about price increases due to new tariffs. However, Jeff Bezos told President Trump yesterday that this idea was never approved and will not be implemented. Amazon clarified that the idea was only considered for its Haul platform, which competes with low-cost retailers like Temu and Shein, and was never intended for its main site. The company emphasized that no changes have been made to any of its platforms regarding tariff charges.