Government shutdown odds increase. And, Trump shifts stance on Russia-Ukraine war

"President Trump canceled a Thursday meeting with Democratic leaders to discuss a possible government funding deal. This move increases the chances of a government shutdown on Oct. 1. Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries says that the Democrats' position isn't complicated. They want to "cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save health care." The president posted on social media that the Democrats' demands about attaching health care provisions to a funding bill were "unserious" and a meeting wouldn't be productive."

"It seems unlikely that a government shutdown can be avoided at this point, NPR's Deirdre Walsh tells Up First. Congress can sometimes work fast when confronted with a deadline, but there have been no talks so far to help in this process. Republicans say Democrats need to back a seven-week funding bill without other policy demands. Some Republicans believe that Congress should implement a form of health care subsidies, but say that it doesn't need to be connected to the current must-pass funding bill."

"At the United Nations General Assembly, Trump declared that Ukraine could reclaim all the territory it has lost to Russia. He believes this is achievable with support from the European Union and NATO. This is a significant shift from the president's long-held stance that Kyiv would need to concede some territory to Moscow in order to end the war. Part of the reason for the shift is that Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders at the U.N."

President Trump canceled a planned Thursday meeting with Democratic leaders about a government funding deal, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown on Oct. 1. Democrats seek to cancel proposed cuts, lower costs, and protect health care, while the president characterized attached health-care provisions as "unserious." Congressional talks have not begun and the shutdown appears likely without an agreement. Republicans urge a seven-week funding bill without policy riders; some support health-care subsidies but not tied to the must-pass measure. At the U.N., Trump said Ukraine could reclaim all lost territory with EU and NATO support, marking a notable shift after meetings with Ukrainian and European leaders.

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