Saturday, March 1
Russia’s war against Ukraine
_US President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, February 28, 2025. (Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images) _
Zelensky ‘not ready for peace,’ Trump says after heated Oval Office clash. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace,” U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump says he’s ‘for both Ukraine and Russia.’ Talking about his role in negotiations to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump said he was “in the middle.”
Ukraine’s security guarantees are Europe’s responsibility, Trump tells Zelensky. U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to finalize the peace deal first, adding that security guarantees accounted for only a small part of the issue.
Zelensky thanks US after tense meeting with Trump. “Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you POTUS, Congress, and the American people. Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.”
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Ukrainian forces destroy Russian thermobaric munitions depot in Donetsk Oblast, General Staff reports. A video of the strike shows an initial explosion is followed by a spectacular series of much larger subsequent explosions.
Starmer invites Zelensky, other leaders to summit on Ukraine, security on March 2. Among those invited to the summit are leaders from all over Europe, including France, Germany, Denmark, and Italy, as well as Turkey, NATO, and the European Union.
Russia interested in lifting US sanctions against oligarchs, energy exports, Zelensky’s adviser says. “Our understanding is that they are most concerned about two things. The first thing is those oligarchs who are under U.S., EU, and U.K. sanctions because this is a real problem for them. And the second thing is what prevents Russia from making money — energy (sanctions),” said Vladyslav Vlasiuk, the president’s commissioner for sanctions.
Russia proposes resuming direct flights with US during talks in Turkey, Reuters reports. Russia has suggested resuming direct air travel with the United States during diplomatic talks in Istanbul, Reuters reported, citing the Russian Foreign Ministry.
White House standoff
Zelensky, Trump get into heated argument while speaking with journalists in Oval Office. President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office that ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine.
Zelensky ordered to leave White House without signing minerals deal after Oval Office clash with Trump. President Volodymyr Zelensky left the White House early without signing a mineral deal with the United States following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump on Feb. 28.
Trump may halt all military aid to Ukraine following Oval Office clash, WP reports. U.S. President Donald Trump is considering ending ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine following a heated exchange in the White House between Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Feb. 28, citing a senior Trump administration official.
‘We’re looking for peace, we’re not looking to go into a 10-year-war,’ Trump says. “He (Zelensky) overplayed his hand (…) we are not looking to go into a 10-year-war and play games, we want peace. He’s going to have to make peace. He’s got to stop the fighting, he’s got to stop the death,” Donald Trump said.
‘This kind of spat is not good for both sides,’ Zelensky says following Oval Office clash with Trump. “We want peace… that’s why I visited President Trump,” Zelensky said following a heated exchange in the White House, adding that he hopes that Trump would show stronger support for Ukraine rather than positioning himself as a mediator in the war.
‘He should apologize’ — Rubio slams Zelensky after tense White House meeting. In an interview with CNN, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Volodymyr Zelensky should apologize for how the meeting with Donald Trump unfolded, questioning whether the Ukrainian leader was truly committed to peace.
Read our exclusives
Ukraine war latest: Italy calls for summit between US, Europe following Zelensky-Trump clash
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Feb. 28 for an “immediate” summit between the United States, EU, and Western allies to discuss Ukraine amid ongoing peace talks. Meloni’s call for the summit follows a heated meeting between Zelensky and Trump.
Photo: Thierry Monasse/Getty Images
Zelensky, Trump get into heated argument while speaking with journalists in Oval Office
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office that ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine, and the canceling of the planned signing of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement.
Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Europe is sitting on Russia’s $198 billion Giving it all to Ukraine is tricky
Europe has been left scrambling to find ways to boost defense spending and continue the flow of support to Ukraine after U.S. President Donald Trump made clear the continent won’t be able to rely on Washington for its long-term security needs.
Photo: Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images
Human cost of Russia’s war
7 injured in Russian drone attack on Kharkiv medical facility. Regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov said that all the strikes targeted central districts of the city, with emergency crews responding at multiple locations.
Opinions and insights
Editorial: A president just disrespected America in the Oval Office. It wasn’t Zelensky
In the past several weeks, the U.S. leadership has demonstrated explicit hostility towards Ukraine and aligned its rhetoric and policy with Russia.
Photo: Saul Loeb / AFP via Getty Images
We asked Americans about Trump’s policy on Ukraine. Here’s what they said
In less than a day, we received over 400 emails, expressing views that ranged from cautious skepticism to outright condemnation of Trump’s statements.
Photo: Beata Zawrzel / NurPhoto via Getty Images
International response
Italy calls for ’immediate’ summit between US, Europe following Zelensky-Trump clash. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Feb. 28 for an “immediate” summit between the United States, EU, and Western allies to discuss Ukraine amid ongoing peace talks.
‘There is an aggressor, which is Russia,’ says Macron after Zelensky-Trump clash. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Russia is the aggressor in its war against Ukraine following a heated exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 28.
European leaders reaffirm support for Ukraine after Zelensky-Trump clash. A number of European leaders on Feb. 28 reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, following his tense meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House.
Kremlin officials tout Zelensky-Trump clash as ‘historic.’ Kirill Dmitriev, special envoy to Vladimir Putin, and former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev applauded the tense Oval Office meeting, calling it “historic.”
US terminates support for Ukraine’s energy grid restoration, NBC reports. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was instructed by the State Department to terminate initiatives set to help restore Ukraine’s energy grid, NBC News reported citing two USAID officials working on the matter.
Varying reactions from US officials, lawmakers emerge following Zelensky-Trump clash. U.S. lawmakers and officials voiced mixed reaction following a heated exchange between President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump on Feb. 28, that culminated in the Ukrainian delegation being ordered to leave the White House.
Zelensky thanks America for four minutes straight
In other news
Klitschko announces dismissals of top Kyiv administration officials amid corruption probe. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Feb. 28 that Petro Olenych, the deputy head of the Kyiv City Administration, and several other officials embroiled in a corruption probe would be dismissed.
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