Trump expresses optimism on Ukraine deal, Rubio more realistic, House back to work on $150B defense hike, U.S. hit 800 Houthi targets in 45 days.

The United States has been pushing Ukraine to accept a peace plan that seems in part a gift to Moscow. But the short meeting of the leaders, and subsequent comments, appeared to be a change in tone.

President Trump fired off rare public criticism of Russian leader Vladimir Putin and sat for a dramatic one-on-one talk with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Vatican over the weekend,