Zelenskyy and Peace Promises, Abrego Garcia Release, Indiana Rejects Redistricting

Summary

---

NPR Up First – Episode Summary

Episode Title: Zelenskyy and Peace Promises, Abrego Garcia Release, Indiana Rejects Redistricting
Date: December 12, 2025
Hosts: Michele Martin, Steve Inskeep
Correspondents: Joanna Kakissis, Ximena Bustillo, Ben Thorpe

---

Overview

This episode of Up First covers three major stories:

• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's response to U.S. (Trump administration) pressure over peace with Russia, including the prospect of elections and territorial concessions.
• The release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a man deported unlawfully under the Trump administration, and what his case signals about ongoing battles over immigration enforcement.
• Indiana's rejection of a Republican-backed redistricting proposal despite national party pressures, contrasting with successful GOP efforts in other states.

---

1. Ukraine: Zelenskyy, Elections, and Peace Talks

[02:19–05:42]

Key Points

• U.S. Pressure for Territorial Concessions: The Trump administration has urged Ukraine to consider ceding territory to Russia as part of peace talks; Zelenskyy says any such move would require Ukrainian voter approval via a referendum ([02:21–02:41]).
• European Mediation: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposes a ceasefire with security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe, indicating Europe’s interest in shaping any deal ([02:50–03:23]).
• Domestic and Legal Challenges: Ukraine is under martial law, which constitutionally prohibits elections or referendums, making the prospect highly complex ([04:32–04:48]).
• Security Concerns: Holding elections is widely viewed as unsafe due to a likely risk of Russian attacks on polling places ([04:55–05:12]).
• Ukrainian Public Opinion: Polls indicate most Ukrainians are against holding elections now, fearing for both security and legitimacy ([05:12]).

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On European stance:
  "It would be a mistake to force the Ukrainian president into a peace that his people will not accept after four years of suffering and death." – Joanna Kakissis, citing German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ([03:13])
• On practical obstacles:
  "During the martial law, it is prohibited to change the constitution. It's just like purely stated in law and in the constitution." – Ivana Klimposhten Sada, Ukrainian MP ([04:39])
• On danger to voters:
  "It's very possible that they attack, because they attack us every day. We have to gather many people in one place. It's dangerous." – Yulia Khrip, Kyiv resident ([05:12])

---

2. Immigration: Kilmar Abrego Garcia Released

[05:51–09:30]

Key Points

• Background: Abrego Garcia, unlawfully deported by the Trump administration, was ordered released after Judge Paula Xinis called the government's rationale “troubling” and lacking any valid removal order ([05:58–06:23]).
• Legal and Political Battle: The White House pledged to appeal the decision; Garcia’s lawyers celebrated it as a due-process victory ([07:20]).
• Executive-Judicial Conflicts: The case exemplifies tension between the Trump administration and federal courts. Democrats criticize the administration for overreach, while Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labels the court's action “naked judicial activism” ([07:36]).
• Broader Immigration Enforcement: Democrats pressed the administration on compliance with court orders and use of discretionary removal powers, with several cases (including an Irish detainee) spotlighted as evidence of excessive enforcement ([08:30]).

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the judge’s decision:
  "The government's arguments to keep him detained were, quote, troubling, and he had no current pending removal order to justify keeping him detained." – Ximena Bustillo ([06:23])
• Homeland Security Secretary’s stance:
  "The Department of Homeland Security and this administration complies with all federal court orders. We always have and we always—" – Kristi Noem ([08:13]) – interrupted by Ximena Bustillo: "Not true." ([08:16])
• Democratic critique:
  "Abrego Garcia has become one of the symbols of the Trump administration's fight with the judicial branch of government." – Ximena Bustillo ([07:36])

---

3. U.S. Politics: Indiana Rejects Partisan Redistricting

[09:40–13:11]

Key Points

• National Push, Local Rebellion: While Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina GOP-dominated legislatures followed President Trump's call for election-skewing redistricting, Indiana’s Republican-majority Senate rebuffed the move ([09:40–10:21]).
• Vote Breakdown: The Indiana Senate, despite a heavy GOP majority, rejected the bill 31-19; notably, 21 Republicans sided with Democrats ([10:32]).
• Resistance to Pressure: Despite visits and threats from Trump, VP Vance, Gov. Mike Braun, and Donald Trump Jr., many Indiana Republicans resisted, citing integrity and constitutional principles ([11:06]).
• Arguments Against: Opponents highlighted that the plan would disenfranchise minority voters by diluting their urban votes ([12:15–12:42]).
• Wider Picture: Other states have tilted seats toward their parties through redistricting; California has pursued similar tactics for Democrats. Attention now turns to possible GOP moves in Florida and Kansas ([12:46]).

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Senator’s stand:
  "I see no justification that outweighs the harms it would inflict upon the people's faith in the integrity of our elections and our system of government." – State Senator Spencer Deery ([11:06])
• On party pressure:
  "Trump and Republican Governor Mike Braun here threatened to back primary challenges against senators who didn't get on board. And the President's son, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted yesterday that he would come campaign here against them." – Ben Thorpe ([11:31])

---

Timeline of Major Segments

| Time | Segment | Description | |-----------|--------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | 02:19 | Ukraine, U.S. pressure, European response | Zelenskyy’s answer to U.S., German mediation | | 04:32 | Obstacles to elections in Ukraine | Legal, logistical, security challenges | | 05:51 | Abrego Garcia release | Immigration case, court decision | | 08:30 | Immigration enforcement, Congressional Q&A | Hearing on administration’s conduct | | 09:40 | Indiana rejects GOP redistricting | Unique state-level GOP dissent | | 11:31 | Trump White House pressure on Indiana | Details of national GOP efforts | | 12:46 | National redistricting trends | Comparison to other states |

---

Quotable Highlights

• On Ukraine's negotiating position:
  "Zelensky has been walking something of a tightrope, but he is engaging with even the most painful proposals by the Trump administration to show that Ukraine is negotiating in good faith." – Joanna Kakissis ([03:26])
• On Indiana's political climate:
  "It was very suspenseful. There were protesters against redistricting in the Capitol, and... the outcome, I think, was really unknown. In the end, the redistricting bill failed by a vote of only 19 in favor and 31 opposed." – Ben Thorpe ([10:32])

---

Conclusion

In this episode:

• The uncertainty and complexity of possible Ukrainian elections and peace negotiations underline a shifting diplomatic landscape, challenged by external pressures and internal constraints.
• The Abrego Garcia immigration case highlights intense executive-judicial conflict over the reach of presidential authority.
• Indiana’s rare defiance of party line redistricting reveals unpredictable fractures within the Republican Party and the broader struggle over election rules in America.

This wrap of the day's three biggest stories demonstrates the push and pull of institutional power, political principle, and the human impacts at stake.

---

Transcript

[Michele Martin]

Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he is willing to hold elections.

[Steve Inskeep]

He is also willing to discuss giving up territory to Russia, but only if Ukrainians vote for it. How would that work?

[Michele Martin]

I'm Michele Martin with Steve Inskeep. And this is up first from NPR News.

[Steve Inskeep]

A man illegally deported by the Trump administration in March and eventually returned is now free from immigration custody. The Trump administration says it will appeal. Kilmar Abrego Garcia's court ordered.

[Michele Martin]

Plus, Republicans in Indiana reject a redistricting proposal. President Trump successfully pushed other states to help Republicans win next year's midterm elections. So why did Indiana's Republicans break with the president? Stay with us for the news. You need to start your day.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This message comes from Schwab. Everyone has moments when they could have done better, like cutting their own hair or for getting sunscreen. So now you look like a tomato. Same goes for where you invest. Level up and invest smarter with Schwab. Get market insights, education and human help when you need it. Learn [e-mail] support for NPR and the.

Following message come from GoodRx. The holidays are here, but so is cold and flu season. Find relief for less. With Goodrx, you could save an average of $53 on flu treatments, plus save on cold medications, decongestants and more easily. Compare prescription prices and find discounts up to 80%. GoodRx is not insurance, but works with or without it and could beat your copay price. Save on cold and flu [e-mail] Upfirst this message comes from NPR's sponsor, Odoo Business Management Software. So some say Odoo is like fertilizer because it promotes growth. Others say it's a magic beanstalk scaling with efficiency. Odoo exactly what a business needs. Sign up [e-mail] this message comes from NPR sponsor Shopify. Start selling with Shopify today. Whether you're a garage entrepreneur or IPO ready, Shopify is the only tool you need to start, run and grow your business without the struggle. Go to shopify.com NPR Ukraine's president has.

[Michele Martin]

An answer to pressure from the Trump administration.

[Steve Inskeep]

The US Wants Ukraine to surrender territory as part of a peace deal with Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy says for that to happen, the Ukrainian people would have to speak through a referendum. Zelenskyy and other Europeans are offering answers and alternatives to Trump's bid to end the war. The US Approach seems to favor Russia, although Russia has not accepted that either.

[Michele Martin]

NPR's Joanna Kakisses is in Kyiv as she has been through much of this war, and she's with us now. Good morning, Joanna.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Good morning, Michelle.

[Michele Martin]

Why would Zelensky talk about elections now?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, he is responding to pressure from President Trump, and he's also trying to work with Europeans. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday that they are proposing a ceasefire that would be backed by strong security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe. He also said that Ukraine is willing to discuss territorial concessions, but that Trump must understand that the final decision is up to Ukrainians. Here's Mertzen Presidenten. He's saying it would be a mistake to force the Ukrainian president into a peace that his people will not accept after four years of suffering and death.

[Michele Martin]

And then Zelensky says there would have to be a vote. Why say that?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, Zelensky has been walking something of a tightrope, but he is engaging with even the most painful proposals by the Trump administration to show that Ukraine is negotiating in good faith. At the same time, he knows giving up territory has always been a red line for Ukrainians.

[Michele Martin]

You know, and this is interesting because Trump has been saying that Ukraine should hold elections. How does that fit in?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, Trump said recently that Zelensky's government is using the war to avoid elections. And this echoes what the Kremlin has been saying, which they say Zelensky is not a legitimate president because his term expired last year. But there is also a good reason that there have not been Ukrainian elections. Ukraine is under martial law because of Russia's invasion, and Ukraine's constitution forbids holding elections during wartime. Nevertheless, Zelensky said he is examining the possibility of elections over the next 90 days or even referendum on giving up parts of eastern Ukraine in exchange for ending the war. He's saying if this is something our key partner in Washington wants, we have to look into it.

[Michele Martin]

So could elections in Ukraine be imminent?

[Joanna Kakissis]

Well, there are many obstacles to that. Ivana Klimposhten Sada, she's a member of Ukraine's parliament. She told me about a legal obstacle.

[Ximena Bustillo]

During the martial law, it is prohibited to change the constitution. It's just like purely stated in law and in the constitution.

[Joanna Kakissis]

And then she says there are huge logistical challenges, like how 4 million Ukrainian refugees could vote or how soldiers on the front line could vote.

[Michele Martin]

Right. To that end, imagine security is a major issue.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Yes, absolutely. Public opinion polls show most Ukrainians think holding elections now is actually a terrible idea. Yulia Khrip, who works in customer service here in Kyiv, she told us Russia could attack voting precincts.

[Ximena Bustillo]

It's very possible that they attack because they attack us every day. We have to gather many people in one place. It's dangerous.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Now, Zelenskyy says elections could only happen during a ceasefire and with security guarantees from the West. And Michelle, if elections were held soon, sometime soon, public opinion polls showed that Zelensky would still come in first.

[Michele Martin]

That is NPR's Joanna Kakissis in Kyiv. Joanna, thank you so much.

[Joanna Kakissis]

You're welcome.

[Michele Martin]

Kilmar. Abrego Garcia is walking free. He is the man illegally deported by the Trump administration in March and eventually returned.

[Steve Inskeep]

Abrego Garcia was released on Thursday. A judge ruled the government had not been able to produce a lawful order to remove him from the country. This ruling came just as lawmakers have been pressing the homeland Security secretary about President Trump's compliance with court orders.

[Michele Martin]

NPR's came in. Bustillo has been tracking this, and she is with us now. Good morning, Ximena.

[Ximena Bustillo]

Good morning.

[Michele Martin]

Tell us about how the judge who presided over this case explained her decision.

[Ximena Bustillo]

Judge Paula Zinis of Maryland said that the government's arguments to keep him detained were, quote, troubling and that he had no current pending removal order to justify keeping him detained. Remember, this was a man who'd been living in the US for more than 10 years. In 2019, an immigration judge had ruled that Abrego Garcia could not be removed to El Salvador, where he had argued that he could be tortured or persecuted. Then he was arrested and detained by immigration officers in Maryland earlier this year. But the Trump administration deported him to El Salvador, sending him to a notorious prison there. After months of public outcry, the administration brought Abrego Garcia back and immediately charged him with human smuggling. In a separate case, he has pleaded not guilty to those charges. Now, government lawyers have also tried and failed to convince Xinis that they are trying to deport him to a third country like Uganda or Eswatini, but they haven't done so.

[Michele Martin]

So what's next in his case?

[Ximena Bustillo]

So the White House has said that it will appeal. And lawyers for Abrego Garcia called the order to release him an extraordinary victory for their client and for due process.

[Michele Martin]

You know, Ximena, this seems like a lot of back and forth over one person. So how has the government justified its actions?

[Ximena Bustillo]

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security called the order, quote, naked judicial activism. Abrego Garcia has become one of the symbols of the Trump administration's fight with the judicial branch of government. Democrats say that it's an example of the administration going too far. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, happened to be testifying yesterday at a congressional hearing on worldwide threats. But Democrats took the opportunity to press her on domestic immigration enforcement and the following of court orders. Representative Sheri Thanadar asked if she would comply with court orders, and here's how Noem responded. The Department of Homeland Security and this.

[Joanna Kakissis]

Administration complies with all federal court orders.

[Ximena Bustillo]

We always have and we always not.

[Steve Inskeep]

True.

[Ximena Bustillo]

And we will continue to appeal. The administration has consistently clashed with judges this year, especially on issues related to immigration.

[Michele Martin]

And I understand that lawmakers pressed Noem on other issues as well yesterday. What were they?

[Ximena Bustillo]

Democrats raised numerous examples about how they believe the administration has overstepped its authority. Present in the audience were family members of people who had been deported or put in detention, invited there by Democrats as examples of the impact of immigration enforcement. Noem at one point turned to a man present at the hearing and she said she would look into the case of his wife, an Irish woman who is detained. Democrats argue that she is in the US legally and her only criminal record is writing a $25 bad check 10 years ago. The administration has said it wants to remove anyone with a criminal record. Noem and Republicans doubled down on the administration's policies. Noem said she believed that the biggest threat to national security are the immigrants who entered the US under former President Biden. Her department is reopening the cases of refugees who were admitted under Biden and is calling for review of asylum applic during that time, too. So we're seeing enforcement focus on those here illegally and some legal categories, too.

[Michele Martin]

That is NPR's Jimena Bustillio Ximena. Thank you.

[Ximena Bustillo]

Thank you.

[Michele Martin]

President Trump's nationwide effort to reshape the midterm elections in favor of Republicans has succeeded in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, but not in Indiana.

[Steve Inskeep]

Yeah, Republicans in those other states obeyed the president's order to skew the elections in Republic favor. Republican state senators in my home state decided otherwise. The president and his allies threatened consequences for Indiana if they did not submit. After enough lawmakers ignored him, Trump minimized his defeat. Well, we won every other state. That's the only state. It's funny because I won the I won Indiana all three times by a landslide and I wasn't working on it very hard. Would have been nice. I think we would have picked up two seats if we did that.

[Michele Martin]

For more on this, we're joined by Ben Thorpe of WFYI in Indianapolis. Good morning, Ben.

[Ben Thorpe]

Good morning.

[Michele Martin]

And you were there. So thanks for getting up early, because you were there in the state Capitol pretty late. So tell us about the vote.

[Ben Thorpe]

Yeah, it was very suspenseful. There were protesters against redistricting in the Capitol, and you could kind of hear them as senators debated for over three hours. The outcome, I think, was really unknown. And in the end, the redistricting bill failed by a vote of only 19 in favor and 31 opposed. It's important to mention that the Indiana Senate is heavily Republican. So of those 31 opposed, 21 were Republicans. Here's one of them. This is State Senator Spencer Deary, who said that redistricting, just to get political gain, went against his conservative values.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

I see no justification that outweighs the.

[Ximena Bustillo]

Harms it would inflict upon the people's.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Faith in the integrity of our elections.

[Ximena Bustillo]

And our system of government.

[Ben Thorpe]

He said he'd fight with, quote, his last breath to prevent the federal government from bullying a state. Others just said their constituents did not want this.

[Michele Martin]

So that state senator called it bullying. The Trump administration probably called it trying to be persuasive. So what did they do to try to steer this the President's way?

[Ben Thorpe]

Yeah, so it started months ago. Indiana lawmakers were brought to the White House. Vice President Vance went to Indiana. In fact, during the debate, Vance tweeted that Senate President Pro Tem Roderick Bray was being dishonest in trying to defeat this bill. And Bray did ultimately vote against it. Trump and Republican Governor Mike Braun here threatened to back primary challenges against senators who didn't get on board. And the President's son, Donald Trump Jr. Tweeted yesterday that he would come campaign here against them. You heard some of what Trump said there at the top. He also said he'd support someone to run against Bray. For his part, the Governor Braun warned that, quote, decisions like this are going to carry political consequences.

[Michele Martin]

And what would this redistricting have done?

[Ben Thorpe]

Yeah, the state has seven Republican members of the House and two Democrats. Now, this would have redrawn the lines to help flip those last two seats. Supporters said it was legal, even though redistricting is normally done after the census at the start of the decade. They said Democratic led states have gerrymandered like that in the past. But opponents said it would have divided up minority voters here in Indianapolis and put them in districts where their votes would be outnumbered by suburban and rural voters, basically diluting their vote.

[Michele Martin]

So where does President Trump's redistricting effort stand now?

[Ben Thorpe]

So far, Republicans have been able to tilt a couple more seats their way than Democrats. Texas redistricted to help the GOP win maybe five seats there. Missouri and North Carolina each did one seat. California Democrats have countered by tilting five seats their way. But the question now is whether Republicans in other states where this is being considered, like Florida and Kansas will go ahead with redistricting.

[Michele Martin]

That is Ben Thorpe in Indianapolis. Ben, thank you.

[Ben Thorpe]

Thank you so much.

[Michele Martin]

And that's up first for Friday, December 12th. I'm Michelle Martin.

[Steve Inskeep]

And I'm Steve Inskeep on the radio on Morning Edition. We're interviewing retired U.S. army Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman about Ukraine's position on the battlefield, following up on the story you heard a moment ago.

[Michele Martin]

Also, the topic of this week's Sunday Story is whether a platonic best friend can also be a life partner. Weekend EDITION and Sunday Story host Ayesha Roscoe has something to say about that. This year she bought a house with her bestie and together they are co parenting their five kids.

[Ximena Bustillo]

You know, some people say, is it like the Brady Bunch? Well, a little bit. Cause it really is a blended family.

[Michele Martin]

This weekend on the Sunday story, a conversation between Ayesha and author Reina Cohen about what happens when you put friendship at the center of your life. Listen to THE Sunday STORY right here on NPR's Up first podcast.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

Wow.

[Steve Inskeep]

Wow. I want to hear that. Today's up first was edited by Kate Barton, Anna Yukoninoff, Larry Kaplow, Alice Wolfley and Arzu Rezvani. It was produced by Ziad Bache, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from the ever supportive Stacey Abbott. And our technical director is the very direct Carly Strange. Our executive producer is Jay Shaler. Join us Monday.

[Sponsor/Advertisement Voice]

This message comes from GiveWell. When you give to a nonprofit, how do you measure success? What is the real impact on people's lives? GiveWell researches the highest impact opportunities around the world. Over 150,000 donors have confidently used GiveWell's research, collectively saving an estimated 300,000 lives. Make a tax deductible [e-mail] first time donors can have their donation matched up to $100 as long as matching funds last. Select podcast and NPR at checkout.

This message comes from Mint Mobile. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no. No contracts, no monthly bills, no hidden fees. Plans start at $15 a month. Make the [e-mail] switch. That's mintmobile.com switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month 5GB plan required, equivalent to $15 a month new customer offer for first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. This message comes from Kachava. Indulge in holiday cravings with the nutrition you need from Kachava's all in One Whole Body Shake. It packs 25 grams of protein, 6 grams of fiber, grains and more high quality ingredients with no fillers or nonsense. Try the newest flavor, Limited Edition Chocolate mint. Go to cachava.com and use code NPR for 15% off. That's Kachava. K A C H- A V A.com code NPR.