Showing posts with label Ukraine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ukraine. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Trump Gives Europe 3 Weeks to Accept Ukraine’s ‘Surrender,’ Says European Lawmaker

KYIV POST: In what would appear to be Trump’s latest ploy to blackmail alliance members into capitulating to Putin, a Finnish lawmaker claims the US president is threatening to pull US troops out of Europe.

US President Donald Trump has reportedly given Europe a three-week deadline to approve terms for Ukraine’s “surrender” to Russia or face a US withdrawal, according to a European Parliament member.

In a post on X shared on Feb. 19, Finnish politician Mika Aaltola of the European People’s Party alleged that the US “has given us three weeks to agree on terms for Ukraine’s surrender,” referring to a proposed peace deal.

“If we don’t, the United States will withdraw from Europe,” Aaltola claimed. “Trump prioritizes Russia’s security concerns now and in the future. Let them own their mess. We have three weeks to grow up.” » | Julia Struck | Friday, February 21, 2025

Finnish President to Trump: If Putin Wins in Ukraine, the US Loses

REUTERS: Stubb says he has 'no concerns' about the strength of NATO alliance / Finland joined NATO in 2023, doubling its border with Russia / Stubb outlines phased peace plan for Ukraine, stresses EU and NATO membership

KYIV, Feb 24 - The United States will lose if Russia wins its war in Ukraine, Finland's president said on Monday, as fears mount in Europe about President Donald Trump's intentions three years after Moscow's invasion.

"The war in Ukraine is not only about Ukrainian independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity - it is about European security, and it is about American leadership," President Alexander Stubb told Reuters in an interview in Ukraine's capital. » | Max Hunder | Monday, February 24, 2025

Russia's War Objectives 'Not Yet Achieved,' Kremlin's Ambassador Says

THE KYIV INDEPENDENT: Russia's stated goals in its war against Ukraine remain unachieved despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to start peace negotiations, Russian Foreign Ministry's Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said on Feb. 25, according to the Russian state-owned news agency TASS.

"The objectives of the Special Military Operation have not yet been achieved," Miroshnik said, using the Kremlin's term for its war against Ukraine.

The objectives include Russia's failure to fully occupy Ukraine's four regions it has illegally annexed and the need to ensure Kyiv no longer "poses a threat" to Moscow.

"The constitutional territories of Russia have not been liberated," he said. » | Tim Zadorozhnyy | Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Trump’s ‘Short-sighted’ Ukraine Plan Thrusts US Leadership into Chaos | Former US Army Secretary

Feb 26, 2025 | “This is a complete reversal of what US leadership in the world has meant since World War II.”

Trump’s 'America first' rhetoric is “very short-sighted” as it forces China and Russia to question US commitments to its allies, says former US secretary of the Army Louis Caldera.



This rare earth minerals deal is as shabby as deals get. Trump should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. Though I realise that such a brazen man knows no shame. As for Ukraine, it is disappointing indeed to learn that Volodymyr Zelenskyy has buckled under to Trump's shabby, unprincipled, strong-arm tactics. Zelenskyy is signing away the riches which would rightfully belong to future generations of Ukraine. Sad! Very sad! – © Mark Alexander

Under Trump, America’s New Friends: Russia, North Korea and Belarus

THE NEW YORK TIMES: When it comes to the war in Ukraine, President Trump finds common cause with the world’s outlier states and stands against traditional U.S. allies like Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Japan and Italy.

If the old saying is true, that you are known by who your friends are, then President Trump may be telling the world something about who he plans to be in this second term.

In a move that redrew the international order, Mr. Trump this week had the United States vote against a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the third anniversary of the war.

Among the countries that Mr. Trump joined in siding with Russia? North Korea, Belarus and Sudan.

Those he stood against? Britain, France, Germany, Canada, Italy, Japan and most of the rest of the world.

It would be hard to think of a starker demonstration of how radically Mr. Trump is recalibrating America’s place in the world after barely a month back in office. He is positioning the United States in the camp of the globe’s chief rogue states in opposition to the countries that have been America’s best friends since World War II or before.

The fracturing of the U.S. bond with its traditional allies carries profound implications for the future of American foreign policy. Even as leaders from Poland, France and Britain are heading to Washington this week to try to lure Mr. Trump back into the fold, they and their compatriots face the reality that he does not share their values or see their priorities being in concert with American interests.


“Trump is transparently and unabashedly doing Russia’s bidding in this and many other ways, aligning the U.S. with our adversaries and against our treaty allies,” said Susan E. Rice, who served as President Barack Obama’s ambassador to the United Nations and later his national security adviser. “We all have to ask ourselves why?” » | Peter Baker | Reporting from the White House | Tuesday, February 25, 2025

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Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Trump and Zelenskyy to Sign “What Could Be Trillion Dollar” Minerals Deal at White House | BBC News

Feb 25, 2025 | BREAKING: President Trump has confirmed that Ukraine and the United States have agreed the terms of “a major minerals deal”. Trump said that Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy will sign the agreement with him at the White House on Friday. Mr Trump said: “It’s a very big deal, it could be a trillion dollar deal”. He said the American people would be very happy with the agreement.

So far there are few details of the deal. It’s not yet clear whether the US will offer Ukraine any security guarantees in return, something that has been a key Ukrainian demand.

Ukraine is rich in oil and gas along with many rare minerals. President Trump had initially demanded a right to $500 billion in revenue from Ukraine’s minerals, in return for what he claimed were the costs to the US of supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia.

That demand was rejected by President Zelenskyy, contributing to a war of words with Mr Trump in recent days, with the US president describing the Ukrainian leader as a “dictator”. Zelensky said nowhere near that much American aid had been provided, and said: "I can't sell our state."

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting from Gary O’Donoghue in Washington and James Waterhouse in Kyiv.


U.S. and Ukraine Agree to Minerals Deal, Officials Say

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past aid, shifting America’s three-year alliance with Ukraine to a mercantile footing.

Ukraine has agreed to turn over the revenue from some of its mineral resources to the United States, an American and a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday, in a deal that follows an intense pressure campaign from President Trump that included insults and threats.

The final terms of the deal were unknown, and it was not immediately clear what, if anything, Ukraine would receive in the end after days of difficult, sometimes tense negotiations. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine had repeatedly pressed for security guarantees for his country in exchange for mineral rights, as Russia’s war has entered its fourth year.

Previous draft agreements reviewed by The New York Times included no such commitment. Mr. Trump had insisted he wanted “payback” for past military aid to Kyiv, shifting America’s alliance with Ukraine to a nakedly mercantile footing. » | Constant Méheut, Andrew E. Kramer and Alan Rappeport | Constant Méheut and Andrew E. Kramer reported from Kyiv, Ukraine, and Alan Rappeport from Washington. | Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Trump’s ‘Strategic Stupidity’ towards Putin Has China Making Dangerous Plans

Feb 25, 2025 | Foreign policy and security analyst Jimmy Rushton tells Times Radio’s Maddie Hale that Donald Trump has operated with “strategic stupidity” towards Vladimir Putin, raising questions over whether China is watching the United States’ “weakness” and making “dangerous” plans

"Shameful" | Senior Obama Defence Official on US Siding with Russia in UN Resolutions on Ukraine

Feb 25, 2025 | Three years to the day since Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US breaks with its Western allies to side with Russia at the United Nations. Political Editor Nick Watt explains what took place with reaction from former Senior Obama defence official Jim Townsend, who called the decision by the US "shameful".

Kremlin Welcomes ‘More Balanced’ US Stance on Ukraine after UN Vote

THE GUARDIAN: Moscow praises Washington for siding with it at UN, as European countries abstain in sign of deepening rift with US

The Kremlin has welcomed what it said was a “much more balanced” US stance on Ukraine after the Trump administration pushed through a UN security council resolution on the war that included no criticism of Russia.

The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, said the move was evidence of Washington’s willingness to try to find a peaceful settlement. Moscow backed the resolution, which was passed late on Monday, although European countries abstained, in a sign of a deepening rift with Washington.

In a simple three-paragraph motion on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion, the US took a neutral position on the war and called for a “swift end” to the conflict and “lasting peace”. It presented a sharply different tone to that of the Biden administration, which had supported Ukraine throughout.

Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, acknowledged what he said were “constructive changes” in the US position on the conflict. US allies in Europe on the 15-member council – France, Britain, Denmark, Greece and Slovenia – abstained from the vote. » | Andrew Roth and Oliver Holmes | Tuesday, February 25, 2025

Article 5 Is Dead, Trump's Killed NATO Defence Deal

Feb 25, 2025 | “There's sufficient doubt about whether the Americans would honour article five. That effectively, collective defence is dead.”

Defence select committee member Mike Martin MP has blamed the US for killing Article 5 of the Nato agreement and that Ukraine, with its million men under arms and world-leading drone technology, should join NATO.


Krieg in der Ukraine: Wie groß ist die Gefahr für Europa? | ZDFheute live

Feb 25, 2025 | Drei Jahre ist es her, dass Russland die Ukraine überfallen hat. Drei Jahre, in denen zehntausende Menschen ihr Leben verloren haben, Millionen ihr Zuhause verlassen mussten und die Ukraine um ihr Überleben kämpft. Unterstützt vom Westen, allen voran den USA – doch diese Zeit ist vorbei.

Während die USA und Russland ohne ukrainische Beteiligung über ein mögliches Kriegsende sprechen, muss sich Europa zunehmend selbst um seine Sicherheit kümmern. Allen voran um die der Ukraine.

Putin werde die Nato testen, erklärt Militärhistoriker Neitzel. Und wenn Europa Friedenstruppen in die Ukraine schicke, sei das Baltikum nicht mehr verteidigungsbereit.


US Breaks with European Allies and Sides with Russia in UN Resolutions on Ukraine | BBC News

Feb 25, 2025 | The US has twice sided with Russia in votes at the United Nations to mark the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, highlighting the Trump administration's change of stance on the war.

First the US opposed a European-drafted resolution which condemned Moscow's actions and supported Ukraine's territorial integrity - voting the same way as Russia and countries including North Korea and Belarus at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Then the US drafted and voted for a resolution at the UN Security Council which called for an end to the conflict but contained no criticism of Russia.

The Security Council passed the resolution but two key US allies, the UK and France, abstained after their attempts to amend the wording were vetoed.

The UN resolutions were tabled as French President Emmanuel Macron visited President Donald Trump at the White House in an attempt to address their different stances over the war.


Trump 'Forced' into Talks with Zelenskyy as Ukraine Dangles Mineral Deal in Front of US

eb 25, 2025 | "Zelenskyy wasn't succeeding in getting into the Oval Office before he linked it to the mineral deal in that way."

Ukraine is using the mineral deal to get Zelenskyy into the Oval Office and "force" a conversation with Trump, says The Times's Catherine Philp.


US Sides with Russia in United Nations Resolution on Ukraine

Feb 25, 2025 | In a dramatic shift under Donald Trump, the United States split with its European allies by refusing to blame Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in votes on three U.N. resolutions Monday seeking an end to the three-year war. Anthony Davis reports.


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Saturday, February 22, 2025

Bill Browder: Putin Can’t Afford to End the War in Ukraine | Superpowers

Feb 22, 2025

M. Gessen: "If Ukraine Falls, All of Europe Could Fall" | Amanpour & Co

Feb 21, 2025 | Jaw-dropping, head-spinning, an earthquake -- all descriptives that have been applied to President Trump's foreign policy. Bringing Russia in from the cold, selling-out Ukraine and strong-arming allies all may be part of Trump's negotiating style. Yet leaders of nations are reeling at what they see as a betrayal of the NATO consensus.

At the same time, observers of American democracy have been stunned by the speed and apparent ease with which Trump and Musk are barrelling through federal institutions and testing the boundaries of executive power.

Journalist Masha Gessen is a vocal critic of both the Kremlin and Trump. Last year, Gessen was convicted in absentia and sentenced by a Moscow court for reporting on the conflict in Ukraine. Gessen's recent reporting explores how authoritarianism can take root in a democracy.

Masha Gessen joins the show to put this critical moment into context.

Originally aired on February 21, 2025


Ret Army General Hodges: A Ukraine Peace Deal Will Take Months | DW News

Feb 22, 2025 | In an extensive interview, former general Ben Hodges discussed with DW’s Bureau Chief Ines Pohl the current geopolitical landscape under the new Trump administration.

Hudges emphasized that the US has undergone a significant shift in its strategic approach to Europe, stating, “The US has taken such a sudden change in our broad strategic approach to Europe.”

Hodges told DW that the shock waves of JD Vance’s speech in Munich were intended. “The Vice President is not going to be a foreign policy guy. The speech that he delivered was a shocking presentation, but I think it was intended to be that.”

About a possible peace deal in Ukraine Hodges said: Ending the war in Ukraine is going to be a long process. This is not going to be achieved in 24 hours, nor is it going to be achieved in 100 days. I think we're talking about many months.

He said that Trump could easily change his approach to Russia: The President wants to be respected. He could turn very quickly when he realizes or begins to believe that the Russians are playing him, that they are, that they are never, ever going to give him the deal that he thinks they should.

If the Russians overplay their hand, I can imagine the president turning on them very quickly. He is asking and other European countries to finally step up: “Germany and other countries should not complain about being left out of these talks, but instead get involved in these talks.”

He also asked the US allies not to lose confidence in America. "We've been through a lot over the 250 years of our history, and we've been through some really bad times. And you know right now people are looking at us and wondering what's going on, I would just say don't give up on us. “

Friday, February 21, 2025

'This Is a Dictator': New York Post Cover Shows Cracks in Right-wing over Trump's Comments

Feb 21, 2025 | ‘Politics Nation’ host Rev. Al Sharpton, host of the ‘Bulwark Podcast’ Tim Miller, and Puck News Senior Political Columnist John Heilemann join Nicolle Wallace to discuss the growing cracks in the Republican coalition as they voice dissent over Trump’s comments calling Ukrainian President Zelenskyy a dictator.

Trump Cozies up to Russia — Why “Nobody Trusts America”

Feb 21, 2025 | As the Russia-Ukraine war stretches into its fourth year, I spoke with former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the conflict’s global stakes. Following the Trump administration’s divisive peace talks with Russia that sidelined Ukraine, McFaul analyzes the geopolitical fallout, NATO’s future, and the shifting role of the U.S. on the world stage. How will Trump’s relationship with Putin reshape international alliances? And what are the risks of abandoning Ukraine? Don’t miss this deep dive into one of the most pressing global crises of our time.