The main events by the morning: November 8

• Trump has appointed the head of his campaign staff, Susan Wiles, as the head of the White House staff, who will become the first woman in this position. According to CNN, Trump praised her contribution to his winning campaigns in 2016 and 2020, calling Wiles a key element of his success.

• The European Union has changed its mind about imposing sanctions on Russian fertilizers. In return, the EU is considering the introduction of increased export duties on chemical products from Russia. Agricultural products and fish can also be blacklisted.

• Trump may lift some of the sanctions on Russia to weaken its ties with China. For Trump, the main goal is competition with Beijing, not confrontation with Moscow. In this case, the lifting of sanctions could help neutralize China's influence and partially change the vector of Russia's foreign policy cooperation. At the same time, Europe does not pose a serious economic challenge for Trump, which allows him to focus on countering China.

• The tourist demand for Russia is growing. Since the beginning of 2024, the number of trips has tripled compared to last year. Tourists from China stand out especially – their number has increased 7 times. In just nine months, 13 million foreigners visited the country.

• The Trump team is already preparing a plan to freeze the conflict in Ukraine. There are three points in it: the current front line is frozen and a demilitarized zone is declared on it; Ukraine refuses plans to join NATO for at least another 20 years; the United States, if these conditions are met, will continue to supply Ukraine with weapons. The plan was rejected in Kiev and the Kremlin.