Friday evening came with major global and economic updates.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House for high-stakes talks with President Trump as tensions rise over Russia’s latest military moves.
In markets, Ray-Ban maker EssilorLuxottica hit record highs thanks to surging demand for its new AI-powered smart glasses.
Meanwhile, US–China trade diplomacy continues, and former Trump adviser John Bolton faces serious legal trouble over classified documents.
A glance at major developments on Friday.
Zelenskyy arrives at the White House
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived at the White House on Friday for a meeting with US President Donald Trump, and the stakes are high.
Zelenskyy plans to ask for long-range Tomahawk missiles, which could give Ukraine the ability to strike deep inside Russian territory.
The meeting comes right after Trump’s unexpected announcement of a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest, a move that’s already making European leaders nervous about what diplomatic shifts might be coming.
Meanwhile, Putin’s forces have been making gains on the battlefield, and Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy has accused Putin of using the chaos to stall for time, while Moscow appears eager to reopen peace talks, though many see that as a tactic tied to the ongoing missile discussions.
Between Trump’s talks with Putin and his upcoming meeting with Zelenskyy, it’s clear there’s a lot happening behind the scenes.
The mix of trade discussions, military requests, and tense diplomacy is setting the stage for what could be a pivotal moment in the war and in global politics.
Ray-Ban maker soars on AI glasses boom
Shares of EssilorLuxottica, the company behind Ray-Ban, shot up more than 10%, hitting an all-time high after a blockbuster third quarter.
The eyewear giant reported record sales of €6.9 billion (about $8.1 billion), and the big reason? Huge demand for its new Meta AI-powered smart glasses.
These futuristic glasses added more than four percentage points to the company’s overall sales growth, which is a massive boost for a single product line.
The demand’s been so strong that EssilorLuxottica is speeding up production plans ahead of schedule.
Looking ahead, the company expects to sell around 10 million pairs of these smart glasses by the end of 2026. Prices will range from $379 to $799, depending on the model.
Analysts are calling these AI glasses a real game-changer, not just for EssilorLuxottica, but for the entire wearable tech market.
If the momentum keeps up, the brand could be on track to blend fashion, tech, and everyday functionality in a way that truly shakes up the industry.
Bessent to speak with Chinese counterpart
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is set to have a phone call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng on Friday, as the two sides continue working through ongoing trade negotiations.
The timing is tense as China recently imposed new export restrictions on rare-earth minerals, which are vital for both tech and defense industries.
That move rattled Washington, especially as the US, under President Donald Trump, has been pushing to strengthen strategic investments in key sectors to reduce reliance on China.
This upcoming call will be the fifth round of talks between Bessent and He Lifeng, and it’s shaping up to be an important one.
Both sides are looking for ways to cool tensions and avoid another trade flare-up. It’s a reminder that, even with all the rivalry, the world’s two biggest economies still need to keep talking and cooperating to prevent things from spiraling further.
Bolton faces felony charges
Former National Security Adviser John Bolton was back in the spotlight on Friday, this time in a courtroom.
He’s facing 18 felony charges for allegedly mishandling classified documents.
According to prosecutors, Bolton shared more than 1,000 pages of diary-style notes that supposedly contained top-secret information with his family, and also kept sensitive materials improperly stored at his home in Maryland.
To make things worse, investigators say his email account was hacked by operatives linked to Iran, possibly exposing some of those classified details.
Bolton pleaded not guilty and called the charges “politically motivated.”
His lawyer insists that the documents in question weren’t classified at all and that authorities were already aware of them.
The case adds yet another layer to the growing list of legal battles involving critics of President Trump, and it’s sure to spark plenty of debate about politics, security, and how classified information is really handled behind closed doors.
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