Will the U.S. government shut down, and if so, how will American activities overseas be affected? Turkey is making inroads in the Balkans as Russia seems preoccupied with Ukraine. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says the leaders of Ukraine and Russia should be “prepared to make a deal” to end the brutal conflict that has consumed Ukraine since 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin held his annual press conference on Thursday, answering dozens of questions on home and international affairs.