European leaders flamed for ‘creepy’ pro-Zelenskyy posts that read exactly the same
A handful of European leaders are coming under the microscope of critics on social media for issuing pro-Ukraine messages with the exact same wording following Ukraine President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy’s fiery meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday. “Your dignity honours the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President @ZelenskyyUa. We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace,” read verbatim social media posts from at least five different European leaders since Friday. The president of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, European Parliament member Manfred Weber, and European Council President António Costa all posted the same exact social media message on Friday, a review of X shows. DNI GABBARD SOUNDS OFF ON EUROPE’S ‘DIVERGENCE’ FROM U.S. VALUES AFTER TENSE TRUMP-ZELENSKYY MEETING Fox Digital reached out to the European Parliament and European Commission on Sunday afternoon regarding the posts but did not immediately receive replies. WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT Social media users quickly caught on that the messages were exactly the same, criticizing them as “kinda creepy” and asking tongue-in-cheek questions such as, “has the EU been bots this whole time?” JD VANCE STEPS INTO SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY Trump asked Zelenskyy to leave the White House on Friday following a fiery meeting in the Oval Office, with Zelenskyy heading to Europe shortly afterward. Trump said Zelenskyy could return to the White House “when he is ready for peace.” Zelenskyy met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday, with the pair spotted on camera embracing upon Zelenskyy’s arrival. “We stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take,” Starmer said on Saturday while offering the UK’s “unwavering” support for Ukraine. TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE A group of European leaders met in London on Sunday after Starmer told local media that he had spoken with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the UK and France taking the reins on crafting a plan for peace that will eventually be presented to the U.S. The UK leader vowed in comments on Sunday that the nation is “ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air” to support Ukraine against Russia and ultimately reach a peace deal. “We discussed a plan today to reach a peace that is tough and fair, that Ukraine will help shape, that’s backed by strength, to stop Putin coming back for more,” Starmer said on Sunday. “I’m working closely with other European leaders on this, and I’m clear that the U.K. is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last.” TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard joined “Fox News Sunday” ahead of the London meeting, slamming some European nations for breaking with the U.S. on the value of freedom and reaching peace in Eastern Europe after criticizing Trump’s meeting with Zelenskyy. “I think those who are criticizing [Trump’s] efforts in this way are showing that they are not committed to peace, and in the case of many of those European countries, that they’re not committed to the cause and values of freedom, even though they speak of this,” Gabbard told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Sunday morning when asked about Democrat U.S. politicians criticizing the meeting at the White House and Russia celebrating Trump’s tense meeting with Zelenskyy. “We heard very clearly, during Vice President Vance’s speech in Munich, different examples of how these European partners and longtime allies, in many cases, are actually implementing policies that undermine democracy that shows that they don’t actually believe in the voices of the people being heard, and implementing anti-freedom policies. We’re seeing this in the United Kingdom. We’re seeing this in Germany. We saw it with the tossing out of the elections in Romania,” she continued.
Dems claim Trump killed immigration bill but his success on the border proves he had the right idea: Expert
The rapid reduction of illegal crossings at the U.S. southern border calls into question a key Democratic talking point during the 2024 campaign, when party leaders blamed then-former President Donald Trump for helping kill bipartisan border legislation that they argued was the only way to secure the border. “President Trump’s fast and successful border security proves Biden’s false claim of needing the Senate’s border insecurity bill was nothing more than Biden’s attempted power grab to codify his open border tools and hamstring a future president who wanted to enforce the law,” Lora Ries, director of the Heritage Foundation’s Border Security and Immigration Center, told Fox News Digital. The comments come as evidence continues to mount that Trump’s policies have rapidly improved the situation at the southern border, including news last week that single-day border apprehensions had hit a 15-year low, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents encountering only 200 aliens at the border on February 22. “President Trump and Secretary Noem have sent a clear message to illegal aliens: Do not come to our country. You will not be allowed in. And if you get in, we will hunt you down and deport you,” a DHS spokesperson said in a release at the time. TRUMP REPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AT HISTORIC LOWS DURING FIRST FULL MONTH IN OFFICE That news came just days after Border Patrol Chief Mike Banks told CBS News in an interview that southern border crossings were down 94% from the same period last year, a staggering number he credited to the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown. While Trump has managed to reduce the numbers through his executive authority, many Democrats spent 2024 arguing that the continued crisis at the border was the result of Trump and his allies in the GOP tying the president’s hands by resisting a bipartisan border bill that was working its way through the Senate early in the year and was favored by former President Joe Biden. “Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said in February after the bill failed to pass. “Frankly, I would have preferred to address this issue through bipartisan legislation, because that’s the only way to actually get the kind of system we have now that’s broken, fixed. To hire more Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, more judges. But, Republicans left me no choice,” Biden said in June while announcing new executive actions on border security Republicans argued didn’t go far enough to alleviate the crisis. That blame game continued throughout the 2024 campaign, with top Democratic leaders piling on Trump for helping kill the legislation they claimed was vital to ending the crisis. ‘HE IS DELIVERING’: TRUMP’S FIRST MONTH FLIPS SCRIPT ON RADICAL BIDEN-HARRIS BORDER POLICIES “If my Republican colleagues truly believe the system is broken, why did they vote against a bill that would have provided more immigration judges, more asylum officers, and had the support of the very conservative Border Patrol Union?” then-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Shumer asked in a May press release on border security. “When Americans ask this year who is to blame for the continued mess at the border, they should listen to the words that came from Donald Trump himself,” Schumer added. Former Vice President Kamala Harris took the torch and continued to blame Republicans for the crisis after rising to the top of the Democratic ticket, arguing that the legislation would have fixed the issues at the border if not for Trump’s intervention. “Donald Trump got word of this bill that would have contributed to securing our border,” Harris said during an August interview. “He preferred to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem,” Harris said during a September debate with Trump. “Because he believed that it would not have helped him politically, he told his folks in Congress, ‘Don’t put it forward.’” “He killed the bill, a border security bill that would have put 1,500 more agents on the border,” she added. But Ries argued that not only did Trump’s executive actions help alleviate the crisis once he took office, but Democrats had another legislative option all along in border security legislation that had already passed through the Republican-controlled House. “The Senate could’ve passed HR-2, the Secure the Border Act … the House had already passed it, and it was collecting dust on the Senate’s desk,” Ries said.
Grenell lights up Susan Rice for years of failed Dem foreign polices that led to war: ‘We see you’
Ric Grenell, the Trump administration’s special presidential envoy for special missions, slammed Obama and Biden-era diplomat Susan Rice for the Democratic Party’s years of foreign policies that he said landed the U.S. in two different wars under the Biden administration alone. “Your guy couldn’t even talk to Putin. For 3.5 years! Your policies helped usher in a war in Ukraine, Gaza…and Rwanda if you remember,” Grenell posted to X on Saturday afternoon. “And then you lied about Libya – it wasn’t caused by a video,” he continued, referring to claims in 2012 that an anti-Islam video led to the Benghazi terror attack on U.S. government facilities in the Libyan city. “You made that up…. Donald Trump handed you peace in the Middle East and Europe – you handed us two wars. We see you,” he added. Grenell was responding to a post from Susan Rice, who served as an Obama administration national security advisor and U.N. ambassador, that claimed conservatives “are up to the same old tired crap” following President Donald Trump’s tense meeting with Ukraine President Volodomyr Zelenskyy on Friday. SUSAN RICE STEPPING DOWN AS BIDEN’S DOMESTIC POLICY ADVISER TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway had posted to X speculating that Rice and other Democrats may have “personally” advised Zelenskyy on acting “hostile and to try to goad Trump into blowing up” during the meeting, sparking Rice to weigh in. “You clowns are up to the same old tired crap,” Rice posted to X. “When your guy screws up and royally embarrasses himself and the U.S., you try to change the subject and lie about a favorite target to distract and deflect. For the record, I have never met Zelenskyy and never spoken to him. Ever. Or advised him or anybody around him. It’s a shame that you contend that it is in the U.S. national interest to sell out Ukraine and suck up to Putin.” TRUMP ISN’T THE FIRST US COMMANDER IN CHIEF TO LOSE PATIENCE WITH ZELENSKYY: RESURFACED 2022 REPORT Hemingway shot back, “Thank you for your response. Where would we place this denial, compared to your oft-repeated lie that the Benghazi debacle was due to a YouTube video, and your lie that you ‘knew nothing’ about the unmasking of Trump officials before being forced to admit you did it widely?” Last week, Rice joined MSNBC and declared “there’s no question” that the Trump-Vance meeting with Zelenskyy “was a setup.” “It’s a very sad day and an embarrassment for the United States on the world stage. But let’s step back and analyze what’s happened here. I think there’s no question that this was a setup,” she said on MSNBC. “Soon after [Zelenskyy] got there, the vice president of the United States lit into him and started a confrontation. Now, I’ve been in countless Oval Office meetings with heads of state, presidents and vice presidents, as national security advisor, as U.N. ambassador, and in other roles. I can tell you that the vice president or the secretary of state or anybody else, they don’t jump in, hijack a conversation without the express blessing of the president of the United States. So JD Vance did that deliberately. Donald Trump knew what he was going to do,” she continued. TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE Ahead of his meeting with Trump, Zelenskyy also met with a group of bipartisan Senate lawmakers, including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. Zelenskyy reportedly told the group that he would not “support a fake peace agreement” during that meeting. “Just finished a meeting with President Zelensky (sic) here in Washington. He confirmed that the Ukrainian people will not support a fake peace agreement where Putin gets everything he wants and there are no security arrangements for Ukraine,” Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., posted to X on Friday morning. Zelenskyy joined Trump and his team in the Oval Office shortly after the Senate meeting, where political fireworks were on full display following Zelenskyy taking issue with Vice President JD Vance arguing the path to securing peace between Russia and Ukraine was through the U.S. engaging in diplomacy. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” Trump said at one point during the meeting. “You’re gambling with World War III. You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country.” Vance also interjected, asking Zelenskyy whether he had “said thank you once this entire meeting.” Congress has appropriated $175 billion since 2022 for aid to Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, though exact monetary figures on how much the U.S. has provided to Ukraine vary based on what is considered aid. Total European assistance to Ukraine between January 2022 and December 2024 totals $138.7 billion, according to German think tank the Kiel Institute. The U.S. contributed $119.7 billion during that same timeframe, Fox Digital previously reported. TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “Your people are very brave,” Trump continued in the meeting. “But you’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing.” ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUST-UP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’ Zelenskyy traveled to the U.K. over the weekend, meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who told local media that he had spoken with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the U.K. and France taking the reins on crafting a plan for peace that will eventually be presented
Rubio signs declaration to expedite $4B in arms to Israel ‘wrongly withheld’ by Biden
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Saturday that he has signed a declaration to expedite the delivery of nearly $4 billion in military aid to Israel, reversing a partial arms blockage imposed during the Biden administration. “The decision to reverse the Biden Administration’s partial arms embargo, which wrongly withheld a number of weapons and ammunition from Israel, is yet another sign that Israel has no greater ally in the White House than President Trump,” Rubio said in a statement. The announcement comes as solutions to achieve a permanent cease-fire between longtime American ally Israel and Palestinian terrorist group Hamas remain unclear. Since taking office, the Trump administration has approved nearly $12 billion in major foreign military sales to Israel, Rubio said. ISRAEL BLOCKS HUMANITARIAN AID INTO GAZA AFTER HAMAS REJECTS CEASEFIRE EXTENSION PROPOSAL “This important decision coincides with President Trump’s repeal of a Biden-era memorandum which had imposed baseless and politicized conditions on military assistance to Israel at a time when our close ally was fighting a war of survival on multiple fronts against Iran and terror proxies,” Rubio continued. Saturday’s announcement comes two days after the State Department said it has approved the potential sale of nearly $3 billion in bombs, demolition kits and other weaponry to Israel, according to the Associated Press. HAMAS RELEASES MORE HOSTAGES IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE THAN 600 PALESTINIAN PRISONERS AS PART OF CEASEFIRE DEAL The sales include approximately 40,000 defense items, including 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs as well as 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion. The weaponry is expected to be delivered in 2026. However, some items may be ready for immediate shipment due to the possibility that “a portion of this procurement will come from U.S. stock,” according to the Associated Press, citing the Pentagon. Fox News Digital reached out to the Department of State for more information but did not immediately receive a response. Rubio also approved a second package of munitions sales to Israel valued at $675 million for 2028, the Department of Defense reportedly stated. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP “The Trump Administration will continue to use all available tools to fulfill America’s long-standing commitment to Israel’s security, including means to counter security threats,” Rubio said in Saturday’s statement. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Top diplomat responds to Trump’s comment that EU formed to ‘screw’ US
Chief European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas rejected President Donald Trump’s claim that the European Union was made to “screw” the United States on Sunday. Kallas made the comment while speaking to CBS News’ “Face the Nation,” arguing the EU is fundamentally about maintaining peace. “Europe is a peace project. You know, it was created so that we wouldn’t have wars between the members of the European Union, and we haven’t had any. And, of course, also to do things together, cooperate more,” Kallas said. “You know, coming from a country that joined the European Union 20 years ago. Then, we were actually, you know, pushed by the Americans, you know, [saying] you will not get into NATO, but Europe, the European Union, is something that you should join because it’s, it’s a good project also for transatlantic relations. So I was quite surprised to hear a comment like that,” she added. ZELENSKYY SPEAKS OUT AFTER PUBLIC SPAT WITH TRUMP, VANCE, SAYS DUSTUP ‘BAD FOR BOTH SIDES’ Kallas went on to affirm the wide base of support for Ukraine in Europe, and that she has been coordinating with French President Emanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “The fight that Ukraine is having is not only about Ukraine sovereignty, but it’s much, much broader. It’s about freedom of the free world, really. It is about the world where international law applies and the world where might does not make right,” she said. The official went on to argue that the U.S. and Europe could grind the Russian war machine to a halt via economic pressure. “We shouldn’t overestimate the power of Russia and underestimate our own power,” she argued. “We know that their economy is not doing well. I mean, their inflation is over 20%, their National Fund is almost completely depleted.” TRUMP SAYS UKRAINE RARE EARTH MINERALS DEAL WILL LEAD TO ‘SUSTAINABLE’ FUTURE BETWEEN US, UKRAINE “They don’t have the same revenues from gas and oil that they used to to fund the war machine. So actually, if we concentrate our efforts, we can put the pressure so that they would stop the war,” she continued. Kallas’ comments come after Trump blasted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a White House meeting on Friday. He insisted that Ukraine doesn’t “have the cards” and must sue for peace rather than relying on an indefinite flow of aid from the U.S.
Top Canadian official slams Trump for tariff plan as Trudeau leaves office: ‘You lose prosperity’
A top Canadian diplomat is sounding the alarm about President Donald Trump’s plan to follow through on levying tariffs on Canadian imports, arguing that the move will cause both countries to lose. “If you put too many barriers in front of trade, if you put too many taxes and tariffs in front of trade, you slow everything down, you lay people off, you lose jobs, you lose prosperity,” Bob Rae, Canada’s permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, said during an appearance on MSNBC Sunday. The comments come after Trump confirmed on Thursday that his 25% tariff would go into effect on March 4, reasoning that dangerous drugs such as fentanyl were still spilling over the U.S. border with Canada at an alarming rate. MIKE ROWE SAYS TRUMP POLICIES WILL LEAD TO SHORT-TERM PAIN, BUT LONG-TERM GAIN “The proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled. China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date. The April Second Reciprocal Tariff date will remain in full force and effect,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Trump had initially agreed to a 30-day pause on the tariff plan to allow time for negotiations between Canada and the U.S. on how to better secure the border, though the president argued Thursday that not enough had been done in order to stop the flow within the 30-day window. “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA,” Trump said. The trade war between the two countries comes as Canada will also be transitioning to new leadership in the coming months after current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in January that he would step down and end his nine-year run leading the country. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE NOM INEE DEFENDS TRUMP TARIFFS IN COMMITTEE HEARING Trudeau said that he would remain in office until the Liberal Party can choose a new leader, while parliament would be suspended until March 24. Whoever emerges as Canada’s new leader will have to resume negotiations with Trump over tariffs, something Rae said the Canadian side doesn’t see the logic of. “This is something we will weather through. We’ll have to deal with it. It is going to cost jobs on both sides of the border, and I think that’s something that everybody has to understand,” Rae said during his appearance on MSNBC. “What’s the logic of increasing the price for everyone? We don’t see the logic of it, and that’s why we’re continuing to try to persuade the American government that they should think again and reflect hard on what the costs and benefits of this trade are and also what the cost of benefits, and lack of benefits of increasing tariffs is going to be.” The White House did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
DNI Gabbard sounds off on Europe’s ‘divergence’ from U.S. values after tense Trump-Zelenskyy meeting
The tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy puts the spotlight on some European nations’ “divergence” from promoting freedom and reaching peace in Eastern Europe, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I think those who are criticizing [Trump’s] efforts in this way are showing that they are not committed to peace, and in the case of many of those European countries, that they’re not committed to the cause and values of freedom, even though they speak of this,” Gabbard told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on Sunday morning when asked about Democrat U.S. politicians criticizing the meeting at the White House and Russia celebrating Trump’s tense meeting with Zelenskyy. “We heard very clearly during Vice President Vance’s speech in Munich, different examples of how these European partners and longtime allies, in many cases, are actually implementing policies that undermine democracy that shows that they don’t actually believe in the voices of the people being heard, and implementing anti-freedom policies. We’re seeing this in the United Kingdom. We’re seeing this in Germany. We saw it with the tossing out of the elections in Romania,” she continued. Zelenskyy traveled to the UK over the weekend, following his meeting with Trump and Vance, which culminated in Trump telling the Ukraine leader to leave the White House, while adding in a social media post that Zelenskyy can come back for another meeting “when he is ready for Peace.” WORLD LEADERS BACK ZELENSKYY FOLLOWING TRUMP, VANCE OVAL OFFICE SPAT On Saturday, Zelenskyy met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was seen hugging him and told local media on Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the UK and France taking the reins on crafting a plan for peace that will eventually be presented to the U.S. European leaders are meeting in London on Sunday to further discuss a peace plan. Gabbard argued in her interview that “there’s something fundamentally deeper here that shows a huge difference and divergence between” U.S. values and national security versus European countries offering continued support for the war. JD VANCE STEPS INTO SPOTLIGHT DEFENDING TRUMP’S FOREIGN POLICY IN OVAL OFFICE DUSTUP WITH ZELENSKYY “There’s something fundamentally deeper here that shows a huge difference and divergence between the values that President Trump and Vice President Vance are fighting for, the values that are enshrined in our Constitution, the interests of the American people in our peace and freedom and national security, versus those of many of these European countries who are coming to Zelenskyy’s side as he walked out of the White House, saying basically, that they are going to support him in continuing this war, and that they don’t stand with us around these fundamental values of freedom,” she said. Bream followed-up by asking Gabbard whether she would identify Russia as a country that celebrates freedom similarly to the U.S., which Gabbard denied, adding “that’s not really what we’re talking about here.” “I would not make that claim, and it’s clear that that’s not the case, nor does President Trump. But that’s not really what we’re talking about here. We’re talking about many of these European countries and Zelenskyy himself, who claim to be standing and fighting for the cause of freedom and democracy, when we actually look at what’s happening in reality in these countries, as well as with the Zelenskyy’s government in Ukraine, is the exact opposite.” “You have the canceling of elections in Ukraine. You have political parties being silenced or even criminalized or thrown in prison. You have the freedom of religion, churches being shut down, you have political opposition being silenced, you have total government control of the media.” TRUMP SAYS ZELENSKYY CAN ‘COME BACK WHEN HE IS READY FOR PEACE’ AFTER FIERY WHITE HOUSE EXCHANGE “It really begs the question,” she continued. “As Vice President Vance said again in Munich, it’s clear that they’re standing against Putin. Obviously, that’s clear. But what are they actually really fighting for, and are they aligned with the values that they claim to hold in agreement with us? The values that President Trump and Vice President Vance are standing for, and those are the values of freedom, of peace and true security.” Zelenskyy’s White House visit was cut short on Friday following the heated exchange, which included Vance asking the Ukraine leader about his gratitude for the U.S.’s assistance across the years, and Trump telling Zelenskyy that Ukraine will either make a deal with the U.S. or battle the war on their own. “You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out. And if we’re out, you’ll fight it out. I don’t think it’s going to be pretty, but you’ll fight it out. But you don’t have the cards. But once we sign that deal, you’re in a much better position. But you’re not acting at all thankful. And that’s not a nice thing. I’ll be honest. That’s not a nice thing,” Trump said on Friday. As part of the peace deal, the Trump administration was also working to ink an agreement with Ukraine that would allow the U.S. access to Ukraine’s minerals in exchange for support that the U.S. has offered the nation since war broke out in 2022. TRUMP, VANCE AND ZELENSKYY SPAR OVER RUSSIAN WAR IN TENSE EXCHANGE: ‘VERY DISRESPECTFUL’ Zelenskyy did join Fox News’ Bret Baier for an exclusive interview on Friday evening, where he was pressed on whether he would apologize to Trump over the meeting. The Ukraine president, however, did not offer an apology but did say that he respects Trump and the U.S. “I’m very thankful to Americans for all your support. You did a lot. I’m thankful to President Trump and to Congress for bipartisan support,” he responded when asked about an apology. “You helped us a lot from the very beginning, during three years of full-scale invasion, you helped us to survive.” “No, I respect the president, and I respect American people
Trump’s attempt to topple Zelenskyy through elections could be catastrophic
On February 28, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a long-awaited meeting with US President Donald Trump in an attempt to persuade him to continue US support for Ukraine. The encounter was likely not what the Ukrainian head of state had expected. Trump and US Vice President JD Vance chastised Zelenskyy in front of TV cameras for being “disrespectful” and for refusing to embrace their initiative for a ceasefire with Russia. It is evident that Zelenskyy will not make a return to Washington during Trump’s presidency. It is also evident that US pressure on Ukraine will significantly escalate in the following weeks and months, as Trump presses Kyiv to make significant concessions to Russia in return for peace. Even before the showdown at the White House, the Trump administration was questioning Zelenskyy’s legitimacy and pushing for presidential elections to be held. Holding a rushed election with the sole purpose of eliminating the incumbent, however, could spell disaster for the country. Advertisement Before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, approval ratings for Zelenskyy’s presidency were as low as 28 percent and 11 percent for his party. Russia’s full-scale invasion sent Ukrainians rallying behind the president and his popularity reached record highs. However, over the past two years, his approval ratings have been on a consistent decline. According to polls, trust in Zelenskyy fell from 54 percent in April 2024 to 49 percent in January – not as low as Trump has claimed, but a far cry from his 90 percent rating in May 2022. Multiple factors have contributed to Zelenskyy’s declining popularity, including rampant corruption under his administration and the growing fatigue from the ongoing war. The Ukrainian president – well aware of his vulnerability – has made clear that he is not comfortable with competition. For him, the stakes are high because if he were to lose a re-election bid, he could face prosecution for corruption or various forms of retribution from his rivals. The polls are already showing that if elections were to be held immediately, he would lose. A formidable challenger to Zelenskyy has already emerged: Valerii Zaluzhnyi, a four-star general who served as commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces until February 2024. Polls show that Zaluzhnyi – if he were to run in a presidential vote – would defeat Zelenskyy. Public trust in him is among the highest and stood at 72 percent in January. Although Zaluzhnyi was dismissed by the president on the heels of the failed Ukrainian counteroffensive in 2023, there have been speculations that his popularity in Ukraine may have also been a factor. The general was sent abroad to serve as the Ukrainian ambassador to the United Kingdom – a position he still occupies. Advertisement So far, Zaluzhnyi has not declared an intention to run, although there are no guarantees he would not change his mind. If he stays out, other military figures, such as Kyrylo Budanov, may step in. Budanov, Ukraine’s intelligence chief, has a public trust rating of 62 percent. He recently disappeared from the public eye after a year of high-profile media appearances. Rumours have spread that Zelenskyy’s office planned to remove him, resulting in his sudden retreat. But he may well reappear once the campaign begins. Boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk could become a potential dark horse. In a country where a former comedian became president, a victorious athlete doesn’t seem like an unlikely contender. Although he has not made any political ambitions public, he has started appearing in polls and his rating currently stands at 60 percent. Then there is former President Petro Poroshenko, who has low approval ratings, but remains a dangerous rival to Zelenskyy. Since 2019, more than 130 criminal cases have been launched against him – including one accusing him of treason for approving a coal-supplying scheme from the Russian-occupied Donbas region. Poroshenko is an outspoken critic of Zelenskyy and is not hiding his political ambitions. He has travelled to the US and met with Trump’s team. In February, when he tried to go to the Munich Security Conference, he was not allowed. He now faces state-imposed sanctions on “national security grounds”, which include an asset freeze. The message of the sanctions is clear: Poroshenko will be eliminated from the presidential race before it even begins. In this context of perceived political persecution, other potential challengers have not come forward, being too afraid to run. Advertisement There has been growing concern over Zelenskyy’s handling of opposition figures, but so far, no strong public rebuke has emerged from his allies. After the confrontation at the White House, European leaders expressed support for him. This has given Zelenskyy a temporary boost at home, but it is unclear how long it could hold. Apart from the bitter political rivalries and retribution, the Ukrainian political scene is also marked by continuing divisions within society. The war has intensified emotions and split the country right down the middle, creating a volatile situation. The ultranationalists not only hold sway among certain parts of the population but also are empowered as active participants in the war. There is also still a portion of society that leans pro-Russian and does not want the conflict to continue. If an election is imposed from abroad in this volatile situation, it could prove more catastrophic than Russia’s invasion or the loss of Ukraine’s industrial heartlands. The danger isn’t just that a third of the population would be unable to vote and the election’s legitimacy may be in question. The real threat is that the vote could ignite a fight of all against all before a single ballot is cast. An incumbent who fears losing a re-election bid and political rivals who are hellbent on regaining relevance may resort to exploiting societal divisions. The military and security agencies could be forced to act, which adds to a potentially explosive mix. If presidential elections can dangerously polarise societies at peace – as we have seen in the United States – they can do much worse in times of war. A rushed
India avalanche rescue operation ends as eighth and final body found
More than 50 workers submerged under snow and debris after an avalanche hit a construction camp in Uttarakhand state. Rescuers recovered the eighth and final body from the site of an avalanche in a remote area of northern India, the army has said, marking the end of a marathon operation in subzero temperatures. More than 50 workers were submerged under snow and debris after the avalanche hit a construction camp on Friday near Mana village on the border with Tibet in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Authorities had revised down the number of workers on site at the time of the avalanche from 55 to 54 after one worker, previously believed to be buried, was found to have safely made his way home before the avalanche hit. By Saturday, rescuers had managed to pull out 50 people, but four later succumbed to their injuries, according to an Indian army statement. By Sunday, rescue teams had recovered the remaining bodies, the army said, adding that they had used a drone-based detection system and a rescue dog to assist in its search operations. Many of those trapped were migrant labourers working on a highway expansion project covering a 50km (31-mile) stretch from Mana, the last Indian village before the China border, to Mana Pass. Advertisement They were living on site in steel containers considered stronger than tents and capable of withstanding harsh weather. As the ground beneath them shook, the container that construction worker Anil and his colleagues were in began to slide down. “At first we did not understand what was happening, but when we looked out of the window of the containers, we saw piles of snow all around,” Anil, 20, told the AFP news agency. He said that the roofs of the containers began bending inwards. “The way we were engulfed in snow, we had no hope of surviving,” he said, adding that being alive felt “like a dream”. His colleague Vipan Kumar thought “this was the end” when he found himself unable to move as he struggled for air under the thick layer of snow. “I heard a loud roar, like thunder … before I could react, everything went dark,” he told the Times of India newspaper. The ecologically fragile Himalayan region, increasingly affected by global warming, is prone to avalanches and flash floods. In 2021, nearly 100 people died in Uttarakhand when a huge chunk of a glacier fell into a river, triggering flash floods. Devastating monsoon floods and landslides in 2013 killed 6,000 people and led to calls for a review of development projects in the state. In 2022, an avalanche also killed 27 trainee mountaineers in Uttarakhand, while a glacier that burst in 2021 triggered a flash flood and left more than 200 people dead. Adblock test (Why?)
US firm Firefly achieves its first moon landing with Blue Ghost spacecraft
Firefly says it is the first private company to make a ‘fully successful’ soft landing on the moon. Firefly Aerospace, a United States-based private space company, has successfully landed its Blue Ghost spacecraft on the moon for a two-week research mission amid a race between a handful of private firms. The touchdown took place at 3:35am US East Coast time (08:35 GMT) on Sunday in the Mare Crisium region, a prominent lunar basin visible from Earth. Firefly becomes the second private firm to achieve a moon landing with the company declaring itself the first to make a “fully successful” soft landing. Houston-based Intuitive Machines had a lopsided hard landing last year with its Odysseus lunar lander, which came out mostly intact but many of its onboard instruments were damaged. The Firefly mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services programme, which seeks to leverage private industry to support the agency’s return to the moon. Blue Ghost carried 10 scientific and technological payloads, including NASA instruments designed to study lunar dust, radiation and surface materials. Advertisement Key instruments on board will measure the moon’s internal heat flow and prevent lunar dust accumulation on equipment and include a retroreflector for laser-ranging experiments. The spacecraft was launched on board a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on January 15. Firefly plans to follow up with two additional Blue Ghost missions in 2026 and 2028, both of which are expected to deliver more scientific payloads and support NASA’s long-term lunar objectives. Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro said at Firefly’s landing event on Sunday that the moon remains part of the US goal to “dominate” space. The success underscores the growing role of private companies in space exploration as NASA and other agencies increasingly rely on commercial partners to achieve scientific and technological breakthroughs. A host of other countries are also advancing their own lunar efforts, including China with its robotic Chang’e programme and plans to put Chinese astronauts on the moon’s surface by 2030. Adblock test (Why?)