INTERNACIONAL
US officials tout progress in talks to reach ‘lasting and durable peace’ between Ukraine, Russia
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President Donald Trump has directed U.S. officials to help to facilitate a «lasting and durable peace» between Ukraine and Russia, with officials touting the «very, very strong» package presented for negotiations in Berlin over the weekend.
Fox News Digital participated in a briefing with U.S. officials Monday morning to discuss ongoing discussions in Berlin with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his team, and European security officials.
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U.S. officials met with Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation Sunday for nearly six hours, and spent more than two hours with them Monday.
U.S. officials met with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation Sunday for nearly six hours, and spent more than two hours with them Monday. (Pavlo Bahmut/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Officials said Trump’s goal is to «stop the Russians from moving west.»
«President Trump’s very focused on reaching a conclusion to this conflict that really stops the Russians from from moving west,» one official said. «Under President Bush, Russia moved west. Under President Obama, Russia moved west. Under President Biden, Russia move west. President Trump really wants to see this as an agreement that ends that, for good.»
Officials also discussed the economic situation for Ukraine, noting that asset manager BlackRock has assembled a team, pro bono, to begin working on the matter, in coordination with the World Bank.
«We went extensively through all the different financial borders that Ukraine currently faces,» an official said. «What President Trump is trying to do is to save Ukraine as a country and make sure that they then have the ability to be, from a military perspective, security perspective, and then make sure that they can become viable.»
The official said the Europeans involved in discussions expressed «several times that they see Ukraine as critical for their security,» and that they «need Ukraine to be financially viable and strong in order for it to be a good partner.»
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. (Vyacheslav Prokofyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
But the officials said that «security guarantees were the major focus of the discussions.»
«It was a very specific, palpable conversation around how to deter any further incursions and to punish — or address — any further incursions,» an official said. «I think Ukrainians would tell you, as will the Europeans, that this is the most robust set of security protocols they have ever seen.»
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The official touted the current package as «very, very strong.»
«Hopefully the Russians are going to look at it and say to themselves, that’s okay, because we have no intention of violating it,» the official continued. «But violations are going to be addressed with this security package.»
The official added: «The Europeans now know that we mean business, and the Ukrainians know it too.»
The package will ensure «oversight» and «deconfliction,» along with «anything that will make the Ukrainian people feel safe.»
«It’s just that strong,» the official said.
Officials said that the basis of the agreement is to have «really, really strong Article Five guarantees.»
Officials said that President Donald Trump has been «very, very clear» that he is «not looking to put pressure on Ukraine.» (Al Drago/Reuters)
«We believe the Russians, in a final deal, will accept all these things which will allow for a strong and free Ukraine,» an official said. «Russia has indicated they would be open to Ukraine joining the E.U., which would be, I think, the biggest expansion of the Euro-free zone since the Berlin Wall — this would be two huge wins for them.»
Officials said that Trump has been «very, very clear» that he is «not looking to put pressure on Ukraine.»
«He has done his best to help define these issues and whatever decision they ultimately make on their territorial issues around these other outstanding issues will be up to them,» the official said.
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Meanwhile, the officials touted the conversations with the European community, specifically the Germans, the English, and the French.
«I can’t say enough good things about them,» one official said. «Everyone has been dug in to end this conflict. Hopefully we are on the path to peace.»
Another official said this is a «full U.S.-European effort to try to come up with the strongest package possible in order to see if we can go back to Russia with something that can close this out.»
The official added that President Donald Trump’s focus on the deal has been to ensure «robust security so that this war really ends and that this will not happen again.» (Yuri Gripas/Abaca/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The official added that Trump’s focus on the deal has been to ensure «robust security so that this war really ends and that this will not happen again» and to reach an agreement to deal with «all of the economic issues for Ukraine so that they have a bright and prosperous future.»
The official also said Trump hopes that Russia can «get back into the global economy so that they have incentive not to go back to war in the future.»
The U.S. officials said Monday conversations are ongoing, but touted the «multiple different solutions» they have presented that can «bridge the gap between the parties.»
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«We have moved considerably closer in narrowing the issues between the Ukrainians and the Russians,» one official said. «It is a really good faith effort.»
«Are we prepared to go to Russia if needed? Absolutely. Are we prepared to go to Ukraine if needed? Absolutely,» the official said.
«We are under instructions to do what it takes to help facilitate, on behalf of President Trump, a lasting and durable peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation,» the official continued. «And we intend to do our best.»
ukraine,russia,national security
INTERNACIONAL
How did Jeffrey Epstein get rich? Meet Les Wexner, the ex-Victoria’s Secret CEO who once worked with him
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An 88-year-old billionaire businessman and former Victoria’s Secret chief is the latest person to fall within the House Oversight Committee’s investigative crosshairs in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as he is scheduled to appear before the panel in Ohio on Wednesday morning.
The crimes of the late accused sex trafficker Epstein are well-known, having gained new media attention in recent months after Congress forced the Department of Justice (DOJ) to disclose millions of pages of documents.
But less is known about the figures who operated within Epstein’s orbit and how they helped him get the vast international sphere of influence he enjoyed before finding himself in a Manhattan jail awaiting trial, where he killed himself in 2019.
Les Wexner, founder of L Brands, the former chief of Victoria’s Secret, is one of those figures, having been named a co-conspirator of Epstein in a recently uncovered FBI document from 2019.
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Leslie Wexner, former CEO of Victoria’s Secret and other fashion brands, is named numerous times in the DOJ files on Jeffrey Epstein. (Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images for Fragrance Foundation; Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Victoria’s Secret; Neil Rasmus/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images)
Wexner is the founder of L Brands, formerly known as The Limited, which included Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Pink. He also helped found Abercrombie & Fitch, a clothing brand that was once popular among teens in the U.S.
Wexner has never been charged with crimes related to the late financier, and a spokesperson for the mogul told Fox News Digital that the «Assistant U.S. Attorney told Mr. Wexner’s legal counsel in 2019 that Mr. Wexner was neither a co-conspirator nor target in any respect.»
But documents released by the DOJ allege that Wexner was one of the key players in how Epstein built his wealth and later ran his illicit empire.
One file from 2013 that appears to have been in the possession of the Southern District of New York (SDNY) titled «Jeffrey Epstein Source of Wealth,» said Wexner «became a well-known client» of Epstein’s financial management firm in 1987.
At the time, Wexner was identified as the founder and chairman of the Ohio-based women’s clothing brand The Limited.
«Since all but one of his financial clients are anonymous, it has been speculated that much of Epstein’s lavish lifestyle was once financed by Wexner,» reads the document, which appears to be an email. Wexner’s spokesperson declined to comment on the allegations.
That paper also noted that Wexner sold his massive Manhattan townhouse — reported to be the largest private residence in the New York City borough — to Epstein.
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A 2019 FBI witness statement from a man who purported to be Wexner’s bodyguard from 1991 to 1992 said Wexner «sold his mansion in New York to Epstein for $20.»
The same witness statement alleged that «Epstein got all of his money from Wexner.»
A 1998 document obtained by Fox News Digital, however, shows Wexner sold his home to Epstein for a $20 million price tag. Half was paid via cashier’s check, while the other half was covered by a promissory note, the record shows.
Epstein’s Manhattan mansion was raided by the FBI in July 2019 as part of the federal sex trafficking investigation. There, law enforcement officials found vast troves of evidence, including photos of partially or fully nude women and girls, including ones who appeared to be minors.
A residence belonging to Jeffrey Epstein at East 71st Street is seen on the Upper East Side of Manhattan on July 8, 2019, in New York City. (Kevin Hagen/Getty Images)
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The DOJ’s unsealed indictment against Epstein also said it was one of the places where he «enticed and recruited, and caused to be enticed and recruited, dozens of minor girls… to engage in sex acts with him, after which he would give the victims hundreds of dollars in cash.»
Wexner reportedly bought the mansion in 1989 for $13.2 million before selling it to a corporation partially controlled by Epstein for an «undisclosed amount,» according to Business Insider. It was then reportedly transferred to a U.S. Virgin Islands-based company controlled by Epstein for $0 in 2011.
The home was reportedly valued at $77 million at the time of the raid, making it a massive portion of Epstein’s wealth.
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A heavily redacted email chain from July 2025 that appears to show witness statement summaries, with the subject line, «RE: Epstein – Cellmate Interview,» also said, «Steve Scully stated Wexner was #1 on Epstein’s speed dial.»
Steve Scully appears to be a reference to a former IT contractor who lived and worked on Epstein’s private island of Little St. James from 1999 through 2005. Wexner’s spokesperson declined to comment on Scully’s claim.
Wexner even signed a document in 1991 giving Epstein vast control over his finances via power of attorney, according to the New York Times. That document gave Epstein the power to sign checks, borrow money, and buy or sell real estate on Wexner’s behalf, the report said.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., speaks to reporters after a closed-door deposition with Ghislaine Maxwell, the former girlfriend and confidante of accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, at the Capitol in Washington, Feb. 9, 2026. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo)
A letter Wexner wrote to his nonprofit, the Wexner Foundation, in August 2019 said that while he did give power of attorney to Epstein, their relationship ended soon after the 2007 federal investigation first began into the late financier in Florida.
«[B]y early fall 2007, it was agreed that he should step back from the management of our personal finances. In that process, we discovered that he had misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family. This was, frankly, a tremendous shock, even though it clearly pales in comparison to the unthinkable allegations against him now,» the letter said.
«With his credibility and our trust in him destroyed, we immediately severed ties with him. We were able to recover some of the funds. The widely reported payments Mr. Epstein made to the charitable fund represented a portion of the returned monies. All of that money — every dollar of it — was originally Wexner family money.»
But other documents released by the DOJ allege that Epstein and Wexner’s relationship went further than financial management.
An FBI witness statement by Robert Morosky, a former executive for Wexner’s fashion brand, said, «He had information regarding the use of ‘Limited’ brand aircraft used in the 1990s to transport young girls from Mexico to the U.S.»
«Morosky did not wish to give any additional information at that time; however if someone would like to pursue this information he could be reached on his personal cellular phone,’» the statement said.
It’s unclear if the lead was ever pursued, but a spokesperson for Wexner told Fox News Digital, «The allegation is false. Mr. Morosky was terminated from the company in 1987 and therefore in no position to know anything about the use of Limited planes in the 1990s.»
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A witness statement from 2020, with the identity of the female witness redacted, said she claimed to have «often» seen Epstein and Wexner together.
She «stated that often Wexner would have models who could not have been over 18 years old do private viewings for him and Epstein. She said the models would be wearing [swimsuits] and some were in lingerie,» the document read.
Wexner’s spokesperson declined to comment on those claims and called her account of seeing the pair together «vague.»
Attorney General Pam Bondi conducts a news conference at the Department of Justice on December 4, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
The female witness said she «would help with getting people to work at parties at Wexner’s compound in catering and other positions,» and that «anyone who went to work there had to have a full background check and there were certain areas of the house where they could not go without an approved escort.»
However, there was no indication of what years or period of time her claims are focused on.
A source with knowledge of company procedures argued the situation could not have happened, however. Model fittings always involved teams of 15 to 20 professionals and Epstein was never a part of that, the source maintained.
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Wexner is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee in Ohio on Wednesday morning.
Fox News Digital reached out to Wexner’s attorney for comment on the deposition and on the aforementioned claims.
politics,house of representatives politics,jeffrey epstein
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The Vatican will not join President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, its top diplomatic official said Tuesday, signaling reluctance from the Holy See to take part in the post-war initiative.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See «will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,» the Vatican’s official news outlet reported.
The Board of Peace, which was chartered in January and includes nearly 20 countries, is tasked with managing recovery efforts in the Gaza Strip after the Israel-Hamas war.
While responding to questions about Italy declining to join the board, Parolin said «there are points that leave us somewhat perplexed,» adding that «there are some critical points that would need to find explanations.»
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The Vatican announced it will not participate in President Trump’s Gaza recovery board. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
«The important thing is that an attempt is being made to provide a response,» he said. «However, for us there are certain critical issues that should be resolved.»
Parolin continued, «One concern is that, at the international level it should above all be the UN that manages these crisis situations. This is one of the points on which we have insisted.»
Pope Leo, the first U.S. pope, received an invitation to join the peace board in January.
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The Vatican declined to join a U.S.-backed board tasked with overseeing post-war efforts in Gaza. (Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP via Getty Images)
Leaders from 17 countries participated in the initial charter signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, including presidents and other senior government officials from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Central and Southeast Asia.
Israel formally joined the board last week ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Trump at the White House.
Several other countries were also invited by the White House, including Russia, Belarus, France, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Greece and China.
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President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace will move forward without Vatican participation. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Poland and Italy on Wednesday said they would not join.
Trump announced Sunday that board members have pledged more than $5 billion in aid for Gaza.
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The president said the funding would be formally pledged during a meeting Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
vatican,israel,benjamin netanyahu,white house,donald trump
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