Ukraine on Tuesday agreed to a preliminary proposal put forward by the Trump administration that called for a 30-day ceasefire contingent on Russia’s acceptance of the terms in a major step toward ending the brutal war.

But even if the Trump administration is able to get Moscow to the negotiating table and end the three-year war under a new treaty, which several security experts say Russian President Vladimir Putin is under no real pressure to do, can the Kremlin chief be trusted?

Russia under Putin has repeatedly violated formal international agreements intended to protect Ukraine’s sovereignty, chiefly from its former Soviet overlord.

These agreements include the 1994 Budapest Memorandum, in which Ukraine agreed to relinquish its nuclear arsenal in exchange for assurances over its territorial integrity after its 1991 withdrawal from the Soviet Union, as well as the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership by which Moscow and Kyiv agreed to respect one another’s existing borders. Both deals were first violated in 2014 when Putin seized Crimea and backed Russian separatist forces in the Donbas region. 

The 2014-2015 Minsk Agreements, though criticized as ‘weak,’ attempted to end Russia’s aggression in eastern Ukraine, an agreement that was never fully achieved and was again violated by Putin’s 2022 invasion. 

Some world leaders and security officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, have cautioned that a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine is unlikely to be achieved in the near term and against Putin’s reliability in adhering to any international agreement without serious security commitments from the West.

‘The problem here is that the Russians only understand win-lose outcomes, which means that to prevent them from ever attacking Ukraine again, they must see themselves to be the losers in the war just as they did at the end of the Cold War,’ Michael Ryan, former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy and former acting assistant secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, told Fox News Digital.

Security officials interviewed by Fox News Digital argued that securing Ukraine’s future is not about ‘trusting’ Putin. It’s about actually putting Russia in a position where any future violations would hinder Moscow more than it could be enticed by unchecked opportunity.

‘Even if a deal is concluded, Russia will continue clandestine operations across the world to expand its footprint in terms of geopolitical influence,’ Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer, told Fox News Digital, noting the former KGB operative can be counted on to ‘continue election interference campaigns, cyber warfare, espionage and destabilization operations across the globe.

‘There’s no such thing as peace in Russia’s strategic military thinking. You are in a constant confrontation.’

Ryan argued a Trump-brokered peace deal needs to reflect on the lessons learned from previously failed agreements, like the post-WWI Treaty of Versailles, which arguably led to the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.

‘How to solve this conundrum? Just as we did after World War II … reconstruction of Ukraine must include economic reconciliation with Russia,’ Ryan said. ‘The Russians saw how we rebuilt the losing side in World War II Germany and Japan. They expected us to do the same for Russia after the Cold War, but we did not.  

‘We can’t make that same mistake if we want lasting peace for Ukraine and if we want to split Russia from China,’ he added, noting other adversaries are watching how the West handles this geopolitical hurdle.

There are numerous obstacles when it comes to the Trump administration’s attempt to negotiate with Putin, including arguments over occupied territory, international recognition of occupied lands, international aid and support for Ukraine, international confiscation of frozen Russian assets, Zelenskyy’s standing at home, the return of prisoners of war and the return of abducted Ukrainian children, according to Peter Rough, senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute.

‘Putin has officially annexed four Ukrainian oblasts as well as Crimea. But Moscow has yet to conquer any of the four entirely,’ Rough told Fox News Digital while traveling to Ukraine. ‘I can’t imagine that Ukraine will withdraw from the areas they control, having fought tooth and nail to defend those regions. 

‘I also doubt that the West will offer de jure recognition to the areas Moscow controls,’ he added. ‘So, Putin would have to swallow all of that in a peace deal.’

Each issue alone is a massive undertaking to negotiate, and while Ukraine this week may be outlining concessions it could make to secure a deal coordinated by the U.S., Putin is unlikely to do the same, according to Koffler, who briefed NATO years ahead of the 2022 invasion on Putin’s plans.

‘Putin is unlikely to make any concessions as he believes he is in a strong position,’ Koffler told Fox News Digital. ‘The disparity in combat potential dramatically favors Russia over Ukraine, which is out-manned and outgunned because Putin transitioned the Russian military and economy on a wartime footing seven years prior to the invasion of Ukraine.’

‘Putin believes he has prepared Russia to fight till the last Ukrainian and till the last missile in NATO’s arsenal,’ she added, echoing a January warning issued by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, who said Russia’s defense industry output over a three-month period equates to what all of NATO produces an entire year.

‘Putin is highly unlikely to agree to a ceasefire because he doesn’t want to give a strategic pause to Ukraine, the U.S., and NATO to re-arm,’ Koffler said. ‘He doesn’t trust Washington. He doesn’t trust President Trump any more than we trust Putin. 

‘He trusts Trump even less than Biden because he could read Biden and predict his behavior. He cannot read Trump because Trump is unpredictable.’

The experts argued there are too many variables that could play out during negotiations that will determine whether Putin can be adequately held accountable or ‘trusted’ regarding future agreements.

Ultimately, Koffler said, Putin will not leave eastern Ukraine.

‘Ukraine has always been a red line for Putin, in terms of who has geopolitical control of it, Russia or the West. And he will continue to enforce this red line,’ she said. ‘The only way to ensure that Putin doesn’t invade another country is to make NATO strong again, beef up force posture, increase defense spending, secure its command-and-control networks and develop actual deterrence and counter-strategy that addresses every prong of Putin’s strategy.’ 

While issues at NASA grew under former President Joe Biden, the space agency prioritized embedding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives into its workforce, according to a new report from watchdog group OpenTheBooks.

Amid preparations for its Starliner capsule mission — which ultimately went awry, leaving two astronauts stranded in space — NASA spent more than $13 million on related efforts between 2021 and 2024. During the ongoing Starliner spaceship debacle, an Inspector General report highlighted even further shortcomings by the agency, particularly related to quality control around NASA’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon.

Simultaneously, while NASA was facing these mission-critical deficiencies, it was also reportedly taking substantial steps to embed DEI into agency practices through a variety of avenues, including grants, contracts, employee guidance, agency-wide strategic equity commitments, book talks and more.

During President Donald Trump’s first term, he sought to root out DEI programs in the federal government, similar to his efforts today. Before ending his first term, in September 2020, Trump signed an executive order to combat race and sex stereotyping within federal government programs. His order was rescinded just a few months later by the Biden administration. During former President Joe Biden’s first few days in office, he signed several executive orders aimed at embedding the equity considerations Trump sought to get rid of in federal government programs.

Following Biden’s directives, NASA went full force at embedding these principles into its day-to-day operations, OpenTheBooks’ report illustrates. At the same time, NASA was preparing its Starliner capsule to transport two astronauts to the International Space Station for what was intended to be a week-long mission. Instead, due to multiple malfunctions with the rocket that carried them there, the astronauts were stranded in space for months. Elon Musk’s SpaceX was ultimately tapped to help bring the astronauts home, and they are expected to return sometime this month.

In 2021, the same year NASA’s Starliner capsule was undergoing test flights, NASA employees were engaged in a book talk about ‘open[ing] the lines of communication on anti-racism,’ alongside author Uju Asika. Asika, who was also invited back the following year, spoke to parents at NASA about her book, ‘Bringing Up Race: How to Raise a Kind Child in a Prejudiced World,’ in which she laments her ‘Eurocentric’ education in the U.K., ‘colonialism,’ and the results of the 2016 election. An earlier book talk at the space agency in 2020 included talks by infamous anti-racist scholar Ibram X. Kendi. 

Around the same time as Asika’s talks to NASA employees, the agency also unveiled its 2022-2026 ‘Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity Inclusion & Accessibility.’ Major goals of the plan included race and sex-based hiring and promotion initiatives. The same year, NASA unveiled its 2022 Equity Action Plan, which included new DEI-related contractor policies. Those policies, among other things, included ‘a requirement for contractors to provide a DEIA plan upon award to demonstrate commitment to diversifying their workforce.’ The Equity Action Plan also retooled NASA’s grant and procurement process, aimed at encouraging grant proposers to consider DEI principles, even when seemingly unrelated.

In 2022, employees were also provided guidance ‘for Supporting Gender Transition/Affirmation in the Workplace.’ The guidance encouraged employees to ‘be willing and available to collaborate with the transitioning employee on the development, implementation, and evolution of a Workplace Gender.’ It added that any ‘transitioning employees’ should be allowed to use the restroom, locker room, or other facility of their choice, and not compelled to use one that does not align with their choice.

In total, NASA spent at least $13 million on DEI-related programs under Biden, according to OpenTheBooks. One contract uncovered by the organization provided more than $2.3 million for a consulting group to help ‘incorporate and deeply engrain diversity, inclusion, equity, and accessibility in the culture and business’ at NASA. 

‘NASA’s mission is too risky to get distracted by identity politics,’ John Hart, CEO at OpenTheBooks, said. 

‘Newtonian physics and atmospheric reentry do not care about antiracism talks and gender ‘affirmation’ policies,’ Hart added. ‘NASA has an opportunity to take one small step toward fiscal responsibility and one giant leap toward common sense.’

Beyond the Starliner mission debacle that left two astronauts stranded in space, a report from the Inspector General last year detailed widespread quality control issues in NASA and contractor Boeing’s efforts to return astronauts to the moon. The report pointed out that workers on NASA’s Space Launch System program lacked sufficient experience, among other issues.

This week, the Trump administration began a ‘phased reduction in force’ at NASA, which included shuttering the agency’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility branch in the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.

Acting NASA administrator Janet Petro said in a memo to employees at NASA this week that while the force reduction, which includes the closure of multiple offices, will mean ‘difficult adjustments,’ the agency is viewing it as an opportunity to ‘reshape’ its workforce and ensure it is ‘doing what is statutorily required … while also providing American citizens with an efficient and effective agency.’ 

‘NASA is committed to engaging the best talent to drive innovation and achieve our mission for the benefit of all,’ Cheryl Warner, a NASA spokesperson, told Fox News Digital when reached for comment. ‘As new guidance comes in, we’re working to adhere to new requirements in a timely manner. Our agency has complied with the requirements of executive orders and additional guidance from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.’

The Environmental Protection Agency is terminating $20 billion in grants awarded by the Biden administration for climate and clean-energy projects, Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Tuesday.

In a video posted to X, Zeldin said $20 billion in U.S. tax dollars were ‘parked at an outside financial institution in a deliberate effort to limit government oversight, doling out your money through just eight pass-through, politically connected, unqualified, and in some cases brand-new NGOs.’

The money has since been frozen, he said, noting that the Department of Justice and FBI are investigating.

The program, approved by Congress under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, was formerly known as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund but is more commonly referred to as the green bank. Two initiatives, worth $14 billion and $6 billion, respectively, aimed to offer grants to nonprofits, community development banks and other groups for projects focusing on disadvantaged communities.

The eight nonprofits that were awarded the money included the Coalition for Green Capital, Climate United Fund, Power Forward Communities, Opportunity Finance Network, Inclusiv and the Justice Climate Fund. These organizations have partnered with various groups, including Rewiring America, Habitat for Humanity and the Community Preservation Corporation.

The EPA ‘just notified 8 recipients of $20 BILLION in Biden EPA ‘gold bars’ that their grants have been TERMINATED!’ Zeldin wrote on X.

In his video, Zeldin cited reports that Power Forward Communities, a group linked to Democrat Stacey Abrams, received $2 billion after reporting just $100 in total revenue the year before.

He also said the founding director of the EPA’s program allocated $5 billion to his former employer after working on the legislation that created the program from his role in the White House.

‘These two examples have only been the tip of the iceberg,’ Zeldin said. ‘I’m here to report back to the American people that, as of today, I have officially terminated these grant agreements entirely. Not only does the EPA have full authority to take this action, but frankly, we were left with no other option.’

‘This termination is based on substantial concerns regarding program integrity, objections to the award process, programmatic fraud, waste and abuse and misalignment with the agency’s priorities, which collectively undermine the fundamental goals and statutory objectives of the awards,’ he continued.

Zeldin said the ‘only way’ to reduce waste, increase oversight and meet the intent of the law as it was written is by terminating the grants. He said it is his ‘unwavering commitment’ to President Donald Trump, Congress and the American people.

‘The EPA will once again be an exceptional steward of your tax dollars. I will have it no other way,’ Zeldin said.

Rosie O’Donnell has been sparring with President Trump since 2006, and now the frequent Trump critic has confirmed she fled the country after his return to the Oval Office. 

The comedian said she is living in Ireland and is in the process of applying for Irish citizenship.

‘It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say,’ the 62-year-old said in a video on TikTok. ‘And the people have been so loving, so kind and so welcoming. And I’m very grateful.’ 

O’Donnell said she left the country Jan. 15, five days before President Trump’s inauguration. 

‘Although I was someone who never thought I would move to another country, that’s what I decided would be the best for myself and my 12-year-old child,’ she explained. 

O’Donnell disagrees with Trump not only politically. The two have also been involved in a feud since 2006 after she criticized him on ‘The View’ about his decision to be lenient toward a Miss USA winner who had been accused of drug use and other bad behavior. 

Trump responded to the criticism by calling O’Donnell a ‘real loser.’ 

At the time, he said of Miss USA Tara Conner that he is a ‘believer in second chances. Tara is a good person. Tara has tried hard. Tara is going to be given a second chance.’ 

The pair continued to spar back and forth, with O’Donnell telling People magazine in 2014 their feud involved the ‘most bullying I ever experienced in my life.’

O’Donnell stepped up her Trump critiques during his first presidential run and win, jokingly telling Seth Meyers in 2017 that she spends ‘about 90% of my working hours tweeting hatred toward this administration.’

The actress even came up in a 2015 Republican primary debate when Trump was asked about having called women disparaging names like ‘fat pigs’ and ‘slob,’ and he answered, ‘Only Rosie O’Donnell,’ to laughter. 

‘I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country, and when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back.’

— Rosie O’Donnell

Trump also brought up O’Donnell during last year’s election when he told a crowd at the October Al Smith dinner that ‘The View’ had gotten ‘so bad’ that showrunners ‘really need to bring Rosie O’Donnell back.’ 

The ‘Now and Then’ star stayed engaged during the election, frequently posting videos on TikTok, including an especially fiery one on Thanksgiving when she warned people, ‘You can’t forget what he’s capable of. … This is not a sane person. This is a madman. You gotta get ready for what’s coming.

‘When democracy falls, fascism takes its place.’ 

Aside from all of her political reasons for leaving the U.S., O’Donnell says she and her daughter are ‘happy’ in Ireland and enjoy exploring the country. 

‘I miss my other kids,’ she added of her five grown children. ‘I miss my friends. I miss many things about life there at home. And I’m trying to find a home here in this beautiful country. And when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America, that’s when we will consider coming back.’

The ‘A League of Their Own’ star added that it’s ‘heartbreaking to see what’s happening politically and hard for me personally as well. The personal is political, as we all know.’

She added that she was ‘sorry’ to her fans who were worried about her and missed her. 

‘I just felt like we needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through and now, as we’re getting settled, I was ready to post this and tell everybody what’s going on.’ 

‘The Flintstones’ star said she encourages everyone to ‘stand up, to use their voice, to protest, to demand that we follow the Constitution in our country and not a king, not a man and we don’t have cruelty as part of our governing style.

‘Protect your sanity as much as you can and try not to swim in the chaos if possible, but I know it’s nearly impossible when you’re there in the middle of it.’

The comedian said she thinks about the U.S. every day, and ‘I am hoping that we can turn things around. I’m counting on you, all of you, to do what’s right. And I think deep down inside we all know what that is.’