Zelenskiy Plans to Meet Trump Soon; US Strikes ISIS Targets in Nigeria

Bloomberg Audio Studios, Podcasts, radio News.
Good morning.
I'm John Tucker and I'm Karen Moscow. Here are the
stories we're following today.
And Karen, let's start with the latest on the war
in Ukraine. President Vladimir Zelenski says he plans to meet
with President Trump in the coming days, signaling optimism about
reaching a peace deal to in Rush's almost four year war.
This is a post on x Zelensky writing quote A
lot could be decided before the new year. The Key
Post reported earlier that Zelenski is expected to travel to Florida,
where President Trump is spending the Christmas break, as soon
as Sunday. Keev and Washington are seeking to align on
a twenty point piece plan to present a Russian President
Vladimir Putin, including the provision of strong security guarantees modeled
on NATO's Article five in a global post war development
program for Ukraine.
Well, let's stay with geopolitics here, John, The US launched
a military strike in Nigeria against Islamic state targets in
a security and intelligence collaboration with the African Nations government,
which has been struggling to contain increasing levels of terrorist
attacks in parts of the country. President Trump said he
directed American forces to carry out a powerful and deadly
strike against ISIS. Nigeria's Foreign Affairs ministry confirmed the precision
hits on terrorist targets and said it remains engaged with
international partners, including the US, to address the quote persistent
threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
And sanctioned to oil tanker pursued by US forces turned
away from Venezuela and retreated out into the Atlantic as
the Trump administration continues a blockade, pilot pressure and Crocus
sources are telling Bloomberg the Coastguard encountered the ship Bella
I amid bad weather near Barbados on Sunday and then
instructed the tanker to move to calmer waters for safe boarding.
The ship said sailed toward the Atlantic Ocean on tanker
was not hauling oil at the time it turned away
from Venezuela.
Well on that news here. John Oil is headed for
the biggest weekly gain since late October. A global benchmark
Brent trading above sixty two dollars a barrel, more than
three percent higher this week. West Texas Intermediate is fifty
eight dollars forty nine cents a barrel, and with.
Thos escalating geopolitical tensions, Karen gold and silver jumped to
all time highs. Platinum also hit a record spot goal,
rose as much as one point two percent to peak
above four thousand, five hundred and thirty dollars an ounce
a spot. Silver advanced for a fifth straight session, climbing
as much as four point six percent to cross seventy
five dollars an ounce for the first time. The white
metal's recent advance has been buoyed by speculative inflows and
lingering supply dislocations across major trading hubs, following in historic
short squeeze in October and the Bloomberg Dollars Spot Index.
This's a key gauge of the US currency strength that
was down eight tenths of a percent for the week,
its biggest drop since June.
Meanwhile, John China criticized the US for what has said
was trying to herd Beijing's ties with India, calling its
approach quote irresponsible. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lynn Jane said a
recent report by the Pentagon distorarts China's defense policy shows
discord between China and other countries and aims to find
a pretext for the US to perpetuate its own military imagine.
Lynn made the remarks when asked about the report which
said China may use an easing of tensions with India
to block improved ties between Washington and New Delhi and
meanwhile caring.
Japan's industry ministry is sent to nearly quadruple its budgeted
support for cutting edge semiconductors and artificial intelligence development to
about seven point nine billion dollars. This is for the
fiscal year that starts in April. Overall, the Ministry of Economy, Trade,
and Industry's budget rose by about fifty percent from the
previous year, and this is all largely due to the
jump in CHIPS and AI spending. The jump in chips
and AI spending comes at a time when Japan is
trying to strengthen its capacities in frontier technology as the
US and China race ahead. As the world's two largest
economies continued or remain on tense terms despite a lull
in the trade war, Japan is also trying to secure
better supply chain access for key technologies well.
John US immigration and customs enforcements summoned Afghans residing in
the US to present their documents during the holiday season,
marking the latest effort by the Trump administration to crackdown
on migrants from the Asian nation. Sources tell Bloomberg that
ICE is seeking appointments for a scheduled report check in,
with one requesting such a meeting on Christmas Day and
another asking for one on New Year's Day. The Immigration
agency has arrested migrants who appear at its offices in
response to such formal requests, including those attending interviews for
their green cards.
And Turning to the markets, stocks extended the year in
rally in thin trading, was driven by optimism over economic
growth and expectations were improved corporate earnings. Robert Teeter, the
chief investment strategist as silver Cross Asset Management, is looking
ahead to twenty twenty six.
So one of the themes that we've seen has been
that companies have been very slow to hire. You've had
a relatively soft labor market. That's not great from a
consumer standpoint, but so far it seems to be pretty
great from an earning standpoint, and that is a sign
that some of these AI benefits are coming into play.
You're hearing more and more CEOs talking about keeping headcoump
flat while revenues are rising, and so that's good for
the earnings picture. Again, not so great for the consumer picture,
although payrolls are still expanding, albeit slowly, and wages are
still expanding also albeit slowly, so we're not in a
spot where we're fearful of a recession.
That's Robert Teeter, the chief investment strategist at Silvercrest Asset Management. Overseas,
the MSCI All Country World Index that edge to hire
an Asian trading set for a seventh day of gains,
with the regional gauge climbing two tenths of a percent. Australia,
Hong Kong, and several other regional markets for Maine chef
for the holidays. At Bloomberg's index of the dollar held
near the lowest since October.
Let's go to company news here. John and Vidia agreed
to see a licensing deal with artificial intelligence startup Grock,
furthering its investments and companies connected to the AI boom
and getting the right to add a new type of
technology to its products. The world's largest publicly traded company
is paid for the right to use Rock's technology and
will integrate its chip design into future products. Some of
the startups executives are leaving to join in Vidia to
help with that effort, the company said, and Grock will
continue as an independent company with a new chief executive.
And Karen Goldman Sachs is warning clients about an outside
law firm data breach. Let's get more on this story
this morning from Bloomberg's Erica Herskowitz.
The banking giant says the data of some investors may
have been exposed in a breach at one of the
bank's law firms. Goldman was informed of the cybersecurity incident
by Freed Frank Harris Schreiver and Jacobsen, which serves as
outside council to many of its alternative funds. The law
firm says its network is now secure, the vulnerability has
been corrected, and any exposed data is unlikely to be
used improperly. Goldman says its own systems were not impacted
by the breach. Erka Herskowitz Bloomberg Radio.
Erica Thank You. Hundreds of flights have been canceled at
New York's major airports as a winter storm descends on
the city and neighboring regions. At least four hundred international
and domestic flights have been canceled and many delayed, according
to flight Aware, an airline tracking service. New York's LaGuardia
and John F. Kennedy airports, as well as nearby Newark,
were among the hardest hit, and we give more details
with Bloomberg meteorologist Craig Allen.
It looks like the heaviest snowfall is going to come
on down through central New York State, cut across Interstate
I eighty one and across eighty seven, come down to
about I eighty, which runs through the northeast section of
Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey and over towards New York City.
Even New Jersey right along the coast and portions of
Long Island could wind up with more than half a
foot of snow.
And Bloomberg meteorologist Craig Allen says heavy snow is expected
to start falling in New York City and across Long
Island this afternoon right through tomorrow.
Time.
Now for look at some of the other stories making
news in New York and around the world, and for
that we're joined by Bloomberg's Michael Barr Michael.
Good morning, Good morning Karen. In southern California, another powerful
storm system could cause more flooding and mud slides. Officials
issued evacuation mornings in mountain towns. The region experience one
of the wettest Christmases in years, increasing the risk of
debris flows in areas scorched by wildfires. In January, Governor
Gavenusom has declared a state of emergency in six counties.
Firefighters in Ventura County had to lift someone out of
the water from the bridge over the Ventura River. Captain
Anthony McHale is with the Ventura County Fire Department. We'll
do what's called a flying Stokes operation. Lifted the victim
up off the river bottom and onto the roadway.
It was a very successful operation and fortunately was a
good outcome.
He's uninjured. Heavy rain and gusty winds were blamed for
at least two deaths on Christmas Eve, including a Sacramento
Sheriff's deputy who died in what appeared to be a
weather related crash. There's more fallout from pgn's city wide
holiday outages. San Francisco Mayor Daniel luriy is calling on
the utility to lower its rates.
We need more from PGNE. We need to make sure
that there are no future blackouts.
We need to know that their infrastructure is sound.
Mayor Luriy says many residents lost food and freezers when
the power went out. The one time girlfriend of Jeffrey Epstein,
Gallainne Maxwell, is back in the spotlight with a public
release of investigative records that led to her twenty twenty
one sex trafficking conviction. Among items unsealed are the grand
jury transcripts of testimony that led to her indictment. Two
weeks ago, she asked a federal judge to free her
from prison, claiming she was unjustly convicted. The public release
of investigative materials brings fresh light to the evidence against you.
Pope Leo gave his first Christmas Day message.
Merry Christmas with the peace of Christ, run in your hearts,
sending your families.
The Paul Birds the faithful to shed indifferences toward those
who are suffering. In New York City. Timothy Cardinal Dolan,
who is retiring, presided over his last Christmas service after
sixteen years of service to the largest Catholic guardsdiasis in America.
Global news twenty four hours a day and whenever you
want it with Bloomberg News. Now. I'm Michael Barr, and
this is Bloomberg Karen.
All right, Michael Barr, thank you. Time now for a
Bloomberg sports update. Here's Dan Schwartzman.
Three NFL games on the Christmas schedules. The lines were
officially eliminated from plaif contention belong to the Vikings twenty
three to ten. Broncos stained contention when the AFC West,
with a twenty to thirteen win O of the Chiefs
Aboys knock off the Commanders thirty to twenty three. NBA
with five marquee matchups on Christmas, the Thunder loss their
fifth game of the season, falling to this Person one
seventeen to one oh two. Nick's a come back win
over the Cavs one twenty six to one twenty four.
The Rockets dominate the Lakers one seventeen to ninety six.
Warriors knockoff the Mavericks one twenty six to one sixteen,
while the Nuggets get a monster triple double from Nikola
Jokich fifty six points, sixteen rebounds, and fifteen assists in
a one forty two to one thirty eight overtime Winnow
the Timberwolves. That's your Bloomberg Sports update.
Stay with us. More from Bloomberg day Break coming up
after this.
Coast to coast on Bloomberg Radio, nationwide on Sirius XM,
and around the world on Bloomberg dot Com and the
Bloomberg Business app. This is Bloomberg Daybreak.
Yeah, it's now fine fourteen of well spread. Good morning.
I'm John Tucker. This is Bloomberg Daybreak. Just to recap
our top story Ukenian. Ukrainian President Voladimir Zelenski says he
plans to meet with President Donald Trump in quote the
coming days. Let's go into more depth on this story
this morning. We're joined by Bloomberg's Roz Krasny Ross. Thanks
for being with us this morning. Does this signal any
significant degree of optimism into ending the war?
Well, it's always hard to tell as we approach the
four year mark of this Russian Ukraine war, but it
does seem like there's some new urgency on the part
of Zelensky and certainly on the part of the US
negotiators to get something done. Zelensky talked today about potential
for big movement before the new year, So that is
certainly a little bit optimistic looking. And the word that
we're getting from our sources in Ukraine from other people
is that Zelensky could meet with Trump as soon as Sunday.
So we know that Donald Trump certainly likes to make
announcements around signature Day, so something before the end of
the year would certainly be a possibility. But the big
X factor in this, of course, is what will Russia
to how will they respond if at all?
Well, Zelenski met with Steve Whitkoff and Jared Kushner I
think was what it was yesterday, Christmas Day. What came
out of that with the two US envoys.
Yeah, so he spoke with Witkoff and Kushna for almost
an hour. He said, everybody's well, he's in Kiev, but
the whole US negotiating team is down in Florida. They
spoke for an hour and he came out just sounding optimistic.
I don't think we have any specific details on that,
but all the US and Ukrainian negotiators are kind of
coalescing around what's been described as a twenty point plan
that includes post war security guarantees for Ukraine. An economic
redevelopment plan, even how the big Ukrainian nuclear power plant
may be run after hostilities end. So there's certainly a
lot to talk about and movement in the right direction,
it would seem, are.
The territorial concessions at the key sticking point right now
for Ukraine.
I would say so, I mean, I think as each
of these twenty points is debated, you know, Zelenski will
be under a lot of pressure internally not to give
up territory, not to give up land. But it seems
like there's a plan somewhat at foot to have some
kind of demilitarized zone in Ukraine's east, and maybe that
could be a compromise that that could ultimately be acceptable.
You know, these lands in the east, in eastern Ukraine previously,
you know, before the war, were really the nation's industrial powerhouse.
And it's a lot to give up. But you know,
I think something's going to give, or something needs to give,
and that may be sort of the last and best
on negotiating ships that Zelensky has.
Let's take a deeper dive into one of the top
stories this morning. Ukrainian President vladimurn Zelenski is seeing a
meeting with President Trump will happen quote in the near future.
This announcement comes after he hand what he describes as
a good conversation with the US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff
and Trump's son in law Jared Kushner. We're joined now
by Stephen Carroll, the co host of Bloomberg Daybreak. Here. Stephen,
good morning to you. Is this a particularly hopeful sign?
John, Good morning again.
Look, this seems to be a sort of string of
positivity we've had out in the past couple of days,
and not just those most recent comments from Ukraine's President
Zelenski that he's expecting that meeting with Donald Trump at
a couple of days and that a lot can be
achieved before the new year. But it comes, as you mentioned,
after that phone call yesterday with the envoys Steve Witkoff
and Jared Kushner, and also some commentary we had out
of the Ukrainian president just a couple of days ago
as well. Now he's talked about there's still being sensitive
issues that need to be worked on, but was very
key in his own Christmas message that he was working
with the American team to understand how everything can be
put in place, he talked about the weeks ahead being
intensive and he thanked America for its efforts as well.
So the signals are all coming are quite positive. Remember
this is after months of negotiations over these issues as well,
So the fact that we're coming towards the end of
the year may actually see some movement towards refining that
police plan, which the US of course drew up and
Ukraine has been trying to refine since then as well.
It started its life as a twenty eight point piece plan.
It's now down to twenty but it's not entirely something
that Ukraine is satisfied with either.
Yeah, how conflicted are the goals of Moscow and Kiev?
Well, I mean between Moscow and Kiev, the gap is
very far apart what we know about the US and
Ukraine talks because the choreography of this as we know
it is that the US and Ukraine are trying to
agree on a plan that then they'll present to Vladimir
Putin as well. So the key issues that are still
need to be worked out between the Ukrainian and American
negotiators are things particularly around territory, the territorial concessions in
the easton eastern region of Dounyetsk as well. This is
something that Vladimir Putin has been continually pushing for as well. Ukraine,
they're opposed the idea of giving up this territory as well,
fearing that it could leave them vulnerable if they had
this sort of state in place to something that could
be more I suppose, open up to a further conflict
in the future. The US has talked about this being
designated as a free economic or demilitarized zone, and that
is really where it was the point of differences over
that issue as well. Now Ukraine has said that giving
up any territory wouldn't require them to hold a referendums.
That potentially complicates issues a little bit further as well.
And of course they have moved progress on some of
the other key issues like the security guarantees at wanting
something modeled on NATO's Article five Common Defense Provision as well.
So let's progress on other issues.
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