Foreign Pool Report #5 - Waltz phone convo with Russian counterpart

Press secretary Karoline Leavitt answered a few questions a couple of minutes ago.

A few notes on Foreign Policy:

Referring to National Security Advisor Mike Waltz she said "he informed me that he has had a call today with his Russian counterpart, and the President's team continues to be engaged"

Leavitt also confirmed plans for Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to travel to Moscow "later this week", adding: "we urge the Russians to sign on to this plan. This is the closest we have been to peace in this war. We are at the 10th yard line and the President expects the Russians to help us run this into the end zone.

Finally, Leavitt declined to preview tomorrow's meeting between POTUS and the Secretary General of Nato Mark Rutte.

She did however say "I'm quite confident, as he always does when it comes to NATO, he will urge the NATO Secretary the President's belief that NATO countries need to pay their fair share for their own defense."

Leavitt reiterated the President's desire for NATO countries to spend 5% of GDP on defense.

Fouad Youcefi

Swedish Public Broadcaster, SVT

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