Pushback On Trump's Russia Policy, Competitive Midterm Races, DOJ Noncitizen Voting

Steve Inskeep (0:02)

A bipartisan group of lawmakers pushes back on President Trump's overtures to Russia.

A Martínez (0:07)

Ukraine's president brought his concerns to some of those members of Congress. He told them the Pentagon is delaying already paid for missile shipments.

Steve Inskeep (0:14)

I'm Steve Inskeep with A Martinez, and this is Up First from NPR News.

For two weeks until election day, Republicans are pouring money into races in Kansas, Mississippi, and other places they've rarely had to fight for. Democrats are spending there too, so where is each party deciding to go all in?

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The Justice Department is escalating its fight with California over allegations of non-citizens voting. Last week, it sued the state to stop thousands of ballots. How is that connected to a series of new criminal cases? Stay with us, we've got the news you need to start your day.

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A Martínez (1:59)

Democrats and Republicans are opposed to President Trump's friendlier stance toward Russia.

Steve Inskeep (2:04)

Senators from both parties are criticizing Trump's decision to lift diesel sanctions on Russia. That was his attempt to head off high energy prices ahead of the midterm elections. Senators also want to know about a pause in sharing military intelligence with Ukraine.

A Martínez (2:19)

NPR's Emily Fang is with us this morning. Emily, so first run through what President Trump has done to roll back pressure on Russia.

Emily Fang (2:26)

Okay, here's just a brief list. He's had the Treasury Department lift sanctions on Russian diesel. He's effectively suspended a sanctions bill he just signed into law that was named in honor of the late Senator Lindsey Graham. He said yesterday he was willing to sit down with China's Xi Jinping and Russia's Vladimir Putin to talk about the war on Ukraine even if Ukraine's leader is not there.

Then he cited a Ukrainian woman he heard speak about the loss of lives as a reason to end the war.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy (2:52)

She blames Zelenskyy. She said he's killing our men.

Bill Taylor (2:56)

The fact is, she said, and it was very poignant. She said, our men are dying. Our men have no legs.

Emily Fang (3:03)

Also last week, Ukrainian officials say they lost connectivity for a few days to Starshield and Starlink. These are satellite services which Ukraine uses for battlefield communications.

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says, he thinks the US was behind that. And he also made the extraordinary move of lobbying a bipartisan group of senators and house members about this Starlink issue this week.

A Martínez (3:25)

Emily, do you have any sense why Trump, who really has faced repeated accusations of favoring Russia, is now seemingly courting Russia again?

Emily Fang (3:35)

Trump clearly wants a deal. He wants a foreign policy win in Ukraine. And he told reporters yesterday, he's negotiating with Russia on energy, on US hostages in Russia, and he wants to keep Russia from helping Iran. So he said he just doesn't want to drive Russia away from the bargaining table.

I spoke to Bill Taylor about this. He was a former US ambassador to Ukraine until 2009 And Taylor notes the US no longer gives much direct financial and military assistance to Ukraine.

Bill Taylor (4:05)

I mean, it's down 95%.

The only thing we continue to provide, which is very valuable, it's come up in the last couple of days, is this military intelligence. And the ability for the Europeans to buy weapons from the United States. And Elon Musk to be able to provide Starlink.

Emily Fang (4:20)

But now the US has shown Ukraine cannot rely on the US for that intelligence. And in a video meeting with members of Congress on Monday, Zelenskyy came straight out and he said the US administration is holding up weapons for his country.