Morning Rundown: Biden and McCarthy to meet, GOP presidential primary clash, Zelenskyy compares Bakhmut’s devastation to Hiroshima

Biden and McCarthy to meet for debt ceiling negotiations as default looms. The Republican 2024 presidential primary looks set to heat up this week. And meet the Ukrainian team making sure no soldier gets left behind.

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Biden and McCarthy to revive debt ceiling talks as Yellen warns of default

President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed over the phone to meet this afternoon to try to continue the negotiations aimed at averting a default on the nation’s debt.

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The call between the two came shortly after Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that early June is a “hard deadline” for the federal government to raise the debt ceiling and warned that bills will go unpaid if Congress fails to reach a deal before the U.S. runs out of money.

McCarthy said after the call that “I think we can solve some of these problems if [Biden] understands what we’re looking at.” The speaker added, “But I’ve been very clear to him from the very beginning. We have to spend less money than we spent last year.”

Part of the stall in negotiations is that House Republicans want to force major spending cuts that would be dead on arrival in the Democratic-controlled Senate. McCarthy said both sides are "still apart," but they decided during their call to get their negotiators back together.

Zelenskyy compares Bakhmut devastation to Hiroshima after World War II

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy completed his visit to the G7 Summit by stopping at Hiroshima’s atomic bomb museum, saying that he saw echoes of Bakhmut’s pain in images of the 1945 destruction. The Ukrainian city has become a symbol of defiance against Russia during the war.

While speaking in Hiroshima, which hosted the three day summit for the leaders of the world’s seven largest economies, he said photos of the city during World War II “absolutely remind me of Bakhmut.”

He said there was “absolutely, nothing alive there, all buildings are destroyed, there is even no understanding where a street is and where a building is. Absolute total destruction. Nothing left, no people left.”

The comments came after Russian forces claimed they finally captured the city, but Zelenskyy has disputed those claims, insisting that his forces were “holding on” and “fighting thanks to courage of our people and warriors, and thanks to our intelligence.”

GOP presidential primary might heat up this week

The race for the next Republican presidential nominee will gain momentum this week as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to finally launch his campaign. But what has been framed as a duel between former President Donald Trump and DeSantis is set to expand into a crowded competition.

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina is set to announce his candidacy today after months of positioning himself for a run. A half-dozen or more other competitors could soon join in. Political reporters Henry Gomez and Allan Smith explore what the path for a 2024 nominee might look like.

Meet the Ukrainian unit tasked with finding fallen soldiers

A unit known as “On the Shield” searches for deceased soldiers that remain unaccounted for among Ukraine’s battlefields. The team’s task, while grim, allows for some closure for the relatives and friends of the dead — whether they are Russian or Ukranian.

The search has now become more difficult as the warmer weather covers up clues that could assist the unit. As a result, many of the bodies they find are “skeletonized,” according to one team leader, adding “any signs such as tattoos or other markings are no longer visible.”

“On the Shield” is made up of all volunteers. Ellison Barber reports that their main goal is to fulfill one of the oldest military mantras — leave no man behind.

▼ Today’s Talker

The NAACP issued a travel advisory for...

… Florida over Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ “aggressive attempts to erase Black history” in the state’s schools, according to the organization’s statement. The NAACP warned that the state is “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.” The advisory comes after DeSantis’ administration blocked an Advanced Placement course in African American Studies from being offered in Florida high schools.

▼ Politics in Brief

Abortion rights: An anti-abortion group is trying to ban abortion in rural areas of states that allow the procedure, turning small towns into battlegrounds.

G7 Summit: The United States and its allies at the Group of 7 Summit focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but close behind was how to approach China, with allies still divided on how to balance economic cooperation with the powerhouse.

▼ Staff Pick

Uvalde families left to piece together what happened

Uvalde, Texas, has been hurting for a year. Last May 24, families lost 19 children and two teachers when a gunman entered their school and began firing. It’s not just the grief of loss, but the pain of wondering, could at least some have been saved? For more than 70 minutes, law enforcement waited before finally stopping the shooter. And after 52 weeks, the families still don’t have an answer to the wrenching question: Why? — Mary Carter, breaking news editor

▼ In Case You Missed It

• An 8-year-old girl who died last week in Border Patrol custody sought help at least three separate times on the day of her death.

• A mass shooting at a Missouri nightclub left three people dead and one in critical condition.

• Meta has been fined a record $1.3 billion by European privacy regulators over the transfer of European Union user data to the U.S.

• A 2-year-old Florida girl who fell asleep in her car seat died after she allegedly was left in a hot car on purpose by her parents, authorities said.

• A comedian better known for mocking attempts by Western chefs at Asian cooking has had his Chinese social media account suspended after making jokes about China.

▼ Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Looking for early Memorial Day discounts? Many sales are now in full swing, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of this week’s pre-holiday deals. Whether you’re looking to replace an old mattress or stock up on some patio essentials ahead of summer, here’s a list of some of Select’s favorite sales happening now.

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This article was originally published on NBCNews.com