News
Group Recognizes Russian Poets Arrested For Anti-War Verses As Political Prisoners
The Moscow-based human rights group Support Of Political Prisoners. Memorial has recognized Russian poets Artyom Kamardin, Nikolai Daineko, and Yegor Shtovba as political prisoners. The three were arrested in September on a charge of inciting hatred after they presented verses critical of the Kremlin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Kamardin’s girlfriend said earlier that police raped the poet with a dumbbell during the arrest. Last month, a court sent Kamardin to a psychiatric clinic for a 30-day forced evaluation. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.
More News
- By RFE/RL
Kurdish PKK Militants Declare Cease-Fire To End 40-Year Conflict
Kurdish militants who have been fighting in Turkey for 40 years have announced a cease-fire, two days after their imprisoned leader said that the group should put down their weapons.
The Firat News Agency, a media outlet affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, published a statement saying, "We declare a cease-fire effective today to pave the way for the implementation of Leader Apo's Call for Peace and Democratic Society," a reference to Abdullah Ocalan, who has been detained by Turkey since 1999.
The group added that, "None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked."
Kurdish militants have fought for some 40 years for an independent state or autonomy, mainly in the east of Turkey.
On February 27, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his militant group to lay down its arms, a plea that was welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the start of a new phase in Ankara’s campaign to create a "terror-free" nation.
The Kurdish YPG, which leads U.S.-backed SDF fighters against the Islamic State extremist group in Syria, said Ocalan’s message did not apply to them. Turkey accuses the YPG of being linked to the PKK.
With several of its mayors ousted and replaced by government appointees in recent months, the cease-fire came as pressure mounted on Turkey's main pro-Kurdish political party.
Ocalan established the PKK in 1978 and launched an armed struggle in 1984, often from hiding places inside Turkey and in Syria, where he took refuge before being forced out in 1998.
He fled to Russia, Italy, and Greece before he was arrested in 1999 after being tricked into entering a vehicle by Turkish security forces outside the Greek Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
An estimated 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict -- some through PKK attacks on military and civilian targets, and others in Turkish military operations against the group and communities where it found support.
In the PKK's statement, the group also called for Ocalan to be released from prison.
With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and dpa
- By Todd Prince
EU Support Pours In For Zelenskyy After Fiery Meeting With Trump
WASHINGTON — It was the White House clash watched around the world.
What many Americans and Europeans hoped would be a meeting demonstrating strong U.S. support for Ukraine at a critical time in its more than three-year-old war with Russia, turned into a debacle no one expected.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before domestic and international media as an ungrateful “tough guy” not interested in peace before cutting the meeting short.
As video of the astonishing tense exchange between what were considered two allies made its way around the world, European leaders, concerned about Trump’s outreach to Russia behind their backs, rushed to express support for Ukraine and its leader.
“We will continue our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor,” Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said in a post on X.
“Today it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge,” she added.
Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the chancellor of Germany and recently raised concerns about the political trajectory of the United States, also rushed to say his country stands united with Ukraine.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose government has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in the war, told Zelenskyy and his "dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone."
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
Zelenskyy's early departure followed a meeting in which he pressed for U.S. security commitments and said there should be "no compromises with a killer," a clear reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin,.
Trump, meanwhile, said Ukraine would need to make concessions and that Kyiv should be more grateful for U.S. support.
After shaking hands as they met on February 28 for the first time since Trump took office last month, the two leaders appeared at ease as they talked.
But then the exchange turned icy right in front of the cameras, raising their voices and reviving a dispute that Trump launched a week ago when he falsely blamed Ukraine for the war and called Zelenskyy a "dictator."
"You're not acting at all thankful. It's not a nice thing," said Trump, who has had a difficult relationship with Zelenskyy since the latter was elected in 2019.
"It's going to be very hard to do business like this," he added.
"You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump said.
"You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to...this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”
With the cameras running inside the Oval Office, Trump and Zelenskyy continued to interrupt each other with the U.S. president telling his visitor "your country's in big trouble. You're not winning.... You have a damn good chance of getting out of this OK because of us.... You don't have the cards."
The meeting was being closely watched for signs of whether the United States would commit to providing further aid to Kyiv or promise any specific security guarantees against further Russian aggression as part of any cease-fire or peace deal.
The two had been expected to sign a framework agreement on U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The agreement, now in at least its third version, was a source of contention between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this month as they disagreed over the value of the deal and the absence of concrete security guarantees.
Before the clash, Zelenskyy told reporters inside the White House that he hoped the minerals deal would be a step forward for Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss in more detail with Trump what the United States is ready to do for his country.
Trump said the agreement with Kyiv would be "very fair" and that a truce in Russia's war against Ukraine is "fairly close." He said Ukraine would have to make compromises.
As he rejected Trump's call for compromise, Zelenskyy showed the U.S. president pictures of alleged Russian atrocities.
Zelenskyy's visit to Washington was aimed at shoring up U.S. support to repel Russia's assault at a time when Trump has shifted the White House's policy stance to end more than three years of isolation sparked by the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion.
Beyond his meeting with the president, Zelenskyy engaged with key U.S. lawmakers, influential religious figures, and a think tank to bolster support for Ukraine, especially within Trump's Republican Party.
Prior to arriving at the White House, Zelenskyy met with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys strong support, to press for continued military aid. He also met with Franklin Graham, an evangelical leader who has sway within the Republican party.
However, following the tense White House encounter, a discussion scheduled with Zelenskyy at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, was canceled. CNN reported that it was Zelenskyy who had called off the session.
'What Diplomacy?'
The clash began as the meeting with reporters present was about to wrap up, when Vice President JD Vance answered a question from a reporter who said Trump’s outreach to Putin unnerved Europeans. Vance said former President Joe Biden “talked tough” about Putin but didn’t stop the Russian leader.
“The path to peace, the path to prosperity, is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance said. “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”
Zelenskyy then responded to Vance, saying he and European leaders had negotiated with Putin and agreed to a cease-fire in 2019, when Trump was president, but that Russia had violated it.
“He broke the cease-fire," Zelenskyy said of Putin. "He killed our people…. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are talking about? What do you mean?”
Vance responded with apparent anger.
“I think it is disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” the vice president said. Trump then spoke sternly, telling Zelenskyy he holds no cards.
It was the second time in two weeks that the two leaders got into a fiery exchange, the first time a long-distance war of words. After Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, Zelenskyy said the U.S. president was being fed Russian propaganda.
Trump responded angerly in a February 19 social media post, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" who risks losing his country if he doesn't act fast to accept a peace deal.
Trump played down the comments and struck a far softer tone at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the eve of Zelenskyy's visit, saying, "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."
Trump also said he had a "lot of respect" for Zelenskyy, adding that Ukrainians "have fought very bravely."
Ukrainian analyst Serhiy Harmash told Current Time he believes Trump stepped back from his earlier comments because meeting with a leader he had disparaged "would be a blow to his credibility."
"And he's interested in meeting [Zelenskyy] because he needs to sign this minerals framework agreement" to notch a diplomatic achievement and bolster his image as a dealmaker," said Harmash, who was in previous negotiations with Russia.
Nonetheless, Trump and Zelenskyy seemed at odds on some issues as they spoke to reporters before their White House meeting.
Besides disagreeing with Zelenskyy on the need to compromise with Putin, Trump warned the Ukrainian leader that he was "gambling with World War III" and "should be grateful" to the United States.
Minerals Deal
The main purpose of the meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House was to sign a framework agreement on the development of Ukrainian mineral deposits, including rare earth metals and fossil fuels.
Trump says the deal will allow the United States to recoup some of the aid it has sent to Ukraine over the past three years while also stimulating Ukrainian economic growth.
“It is like a huge economic development project. So it'll be good for both countries,” the U.S. president said. He said the United States working on mineral extraction in Ukraine would amount to “automatic security because nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there.”
The text of the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by RFE/RL, says the United States “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace” and has “a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.”
But Washington has not promised concrete security guarantees, something Zelenskyy says is an absolute necessity if there is a cease-fire or peace deal due to concerns that Russia, which has been on the offensive since seizing Crimea in 2014 and holds about 20 percent of Ukraine, could build up its army and attack again.
"I’m not going to make security guarantees...very much,” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “We’re going to have Europe do that.”
What Did Starmer and Macron Hope To Achieve With Trump?
The meeting of Trump and Zelenskyy comes during a week of lightning diplomacy between Europe and the United States.
Meeting with Trump at the White House in a bid to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade, Starmer urged the U.S. president to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end the fighting.
Trump, who took office a month ago, has moved aggressively to end the war in Ukraine, holding a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and sending his national security team to Saudi Arabia to meet their Russian counterparts.
After a meeting of U.S. and Russian officials in Istanbul on February 27, aimed at resolving disputes over their respective diplomatic missions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the United States had given Moscow its blessing to appoint a new ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiyev.
The outreach to the Kremlin turned the U.S. policy with Russia on its head and shocked European leaders, who feared Trump would cut a deal with Moscow behind their backs that could hurt Ukraine and weaken their own security.
Now, European leaders are traveling to Washington promising to step up their role in any settlement to steer the U.S. president away from what they worry could be an agreement that concedes too much to Russia and leaves them vulnerable.
At a White House news conference with Trump following their bilateral meeting, Starmer reiterated that Britain is ready to step up and contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a deal is reached.
“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,” Starmer said.
He cautioned against rushing to end the war at any cost.
“We have to get it right. We have to win the peace. It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor. History must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,” Starmer said.
Trump did not commit to backstopping a European troop presence, a key ask of Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who traveled to Washington on February 24.
Starmer said he and Trump discussed a peace plan that "Ukraine will help shape" and that is "backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more."
He added that teams from the United States and the U.K. "are going to be talking about how we make sure that deal sticks, is lasting, and enforced."
U.K. media said Starmer is seeking U.S. guarantees of air, intelligence, logistics, and communications support for a European peacekeeping force.
When asked about U.S. security guarantees, Trump said it was too early to discuss as a cease-fire had yet to be reached. Prior to his meeting with Starmer, Trump indicated a U.S. backstop wouldn’t be necessary because Putin could be trusted not to violate a peace deal.
That is not a view shared by European leaders or Zelenskyy. At his news conference with Trump, Macron said Putin had violated previous agreements with Ukraine, underscoring why strong deterrence that included a U.S. backstop was necessary.
Taliban Declares End To Doha Agreement With The United States
Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers say they no longer consider the Doha agreement -- a peace deal with the United States that paved the way for the withdrawal of Western forces from the country -- to be valid.
Speaking on February 28, the fifth anniversary of the agreement, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the accord was limited to a particular time frame, which has now expired.
“The Islamic Emirate has its own governance system, and now we are no longer moving forward based on that agreement,” he told the state TV.
Mujahid said that the Taliban had fulfilled its key obligation under the agreement by preventing Afghanistan from becoming a launchpad for terrorist attacks against Washington and its allies.
He called on Washington to “take positive steps to engage with Afghanistan” and help in removing the Taliban leaders from international sanctions lists.
The Doha agreement paved the way for the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban’s counterterrorism guarantees.
However, crucial parts of the agreement requiring talks among Afghans to form a new transitional government were never fully implemented.
Some U.S. officials have blamed the Doha agreement for prompting the collapse of the pro-Western Afghan republic ahead of the final U.S. military withdrawal on August 31, 2021.
The agreement was negotiated and concluded by the first administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a September presidential election campaign debate, he defended the deal as "a very good agreement" and blamed his successor, President Joe Biden, for the death of soldiers during the withdrawal, as well as for leaving behind weapons and failing to enforce the terms of the agreement.
Today, Afghans have mixed views about the agreement.
“The Doha agreement was a positive development because it ended the four-decades-long war in Afghanistan,” Anwar, a resident of the central Ghazni Province, told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi.
One Kabul resident said negotiations among Afghans would have produced a better outcome for their country.
While the Taliban seized power in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, no country has yet formally recognized its government.
Inside Afghanistan, the Taliban has established a government led by its clerical leadership.
It has implemented harsh bans on the education, employment, mobility and public role of Afghan women, which has turned it into an international pariah.
Deadly Blast Rocks Pro-Taliban Seminary In Pakistan
A powerful explosion at a seminary in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least seven people, including a top cleric.
The Jamia Haqqania seminary in Akkora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, is renowned for training key Taliban figures.
Local officials said that those killed in the blast on February 28 include Hamid ul-Haq Haqqani, a Pakistani politician and deputy head of the seminary.
Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed told reporters that initial evidence suggests the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber specifically targeting Haqqani.
The Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, said in a statement that it "strongly condemns" the attack on the religious school
No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.
Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for the local emergency services, told RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal that least 20 people were injured in the explosion.
- By Todd Prince
Zelenskyy Says Relations With U.S. Salvageable Despite Heated Exchange In White House
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes relations with the White House can be salvaged despite a highly unusual public clash with U.S. President Donald Trump that derailed talks toward ending Russia's war against Ukraine.
The meeting with Trump on February 28 ended in acrimony after a very tense exchange in the Oval Office, with Zelenskyy leaving hastily and Trump saying the Ukrainian leader was disrespectful and could "come back when he is ready for peace."
Zelenskyy, who is set over the weekend to meet with European leaders in London -– where he likely expects a better reception -- departed the White House without signing a minerals deal with Trump that had been the main purpose of the meeting, and a joint press conference was canceled.
In his first public comments just hours after the fiery exchange, Zelenskyy told Fox News in an interview that he respects Trump and "of course" believes the relationship can be fixed as Ukraine does not want to lose its partner.
Ukraine Invasion: News & Analysis
RFE/RL's Ukraine Live Briefing gives you the latest developments on Russia's invasion, Western military aid, the plight of civilians, and territorial control maps. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later added on to the administration’s admonitions of Zelenskyy, calling on the Ukrainian leader to apologize for turning the White House meeting into a "fiasco."
Rubio said on CNN that Zelenskyy should "apologize for wasting our time for a meeting that was going to end the way it did.” Zelenskyy earlier said in his Fox News interview that he didn’t feel he had anything to apologize for in the meeting.
The remarkable developments raised new questions about further U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion.
"We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.
“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations."
"I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
Zelenskyy told Fox News that it would be difficult for Ukraine to hold off the Kremlin's military might without U.S. support but said Kyiv would not enter peace talks with Moscow until it receives security guarantees against another Russian military offensive.
"Ukraine wants peace, and we will have peace," he said, adding, however, that it must be a "just and lasting peace" and that "we have to be in a strong position" to negotiate.
In comments to reporters as he left the White House for his estate in Florida, Trump said Zelenskyy did not appear to be a man who wanted peace and that he had "overplayed his hand" in their White House meeting.
"I want a cease-fire now ... immediately," Trump said as he left the White House for his Florida estate.
"He's looking to go on and fight, fight, fight," Trump said of Zelenskyy.
When asked by reporters if he was considering cutting off military aid to Ukraine, Trump said only that it "doesn't matter what I'm considering."
During the meeting, Zelenskyy pressed for U.S. security commitments and said there should be "no compromises with a killer," clearly referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Trump said Ukraine would need to make concessions and that Kyiv should be more grateful for U.S. support.
After shaking hands as they met for the first time since Trump took office on January 20, the two leaders had an icy exchange before the cameras, raising their voices and reviving a dispute that Trump launched a week ago when he falsely blamed Ukraine for the war and called Zelenskyy a "dictator."
"You're not acting at all thankful. It's not a nice thing," said Trump, who has had a difficult relationship with Zelenskyy since the latter was elected in 2019. "It's going to be very hard to do business like this."
"You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump said. "You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to...this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”
In video footage from the Oval Office, Trump and Zelenskyy interrupted each other and the U.S. president told his visitor, "Your country's in big trouble. You're not winning.... You have a damn good chance of getting out of this OK because of us.... You don't have the cards."
The meeting had been closely watched for signs of whether the United States would commit to providing further aid to Kyiv or promise any specific security guarantees against further Russian aggression as part of any cease-fire or peace deal.
The two had been expected to sign a framework agreement on U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The agreement, now in at least its third version, was a source of contention between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this month as they disagreed over the value of the deal and the absence of concrete security guarantees.
Before the clash, Zelenskyy told reporters inside the White House that he hoped the minerals deal would be a step forward for Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss in more detail with Trump what the United States is ready to do for his country.
Trump said the agreement with Kyiv would be "very fair" and that a truce in Russia's war against Ukraine is "fairly close." He said Kyiv would have to make compromises.
As he rejected Trump's call for compromise, Zelenskyy showed the U.S. president pictures of alleged Russian atrocities.
Beyond his meeting with the president, Zelenskyy engaged with key U.S. lawmakers, influential religious figures, and a think tank to bolster support for Ukraine, especially within Trump's Republican Party.
Zelenskyy met with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys strong support, to press for continued military aid. He also met with Franklin Graham, an evangelical leader who has sway within the Republican party.
Biden 'Talked Tough' But...
The clash began as the meeting with reporters present was about to wrap up, when Vice President JD Vance answered a question from a reporter who said Trump’s outreach to Putin unnerved Europeans. Vance said former President Joe Biden “talked tough” about Putin but didn’t stop the Russian leader.
“The path to peace, the path to prosperity, is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance said. “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”
Zelenskyy responded to Vance, saying he and European leaders had negotiated with Putin and agreed to a cease-fire in 2019, when Trump was president, but that Russia had violated it.
“He broke the cease-fire," Zelenskyy said of Putin. "He killed our people…. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are talking about? What do you mean?”
Vance responded with apparent anger.
“I think it is disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” the vice president said. Trump then spoke sternly, telling Zelenskyy he holds no cards.
It was the second time in two weeks that Trump and Zelenskyy got into a heated exchange, the first time a long-distance war of words. After Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, Zelenskyy said the U.S. president was being fed Russian propaganda. Trump responded angrily in a February 19 social media post, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" who risks losing his country if he doesn't act fast to accept a peace deal.
Trump played down the comments and struck a far softer tone at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the eve of Zelenskyy's visit, saying, "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."
Trump also said he had a "lot of respect" for Zelenskyy, adding that Ukrainians "have fought very bravely."
Ukrainian analyst Serhiy Harmash told Current Time he believes Trump stepped back from his earlier comments because meeting with a leader he had disparaged "would be a blow to his credibility."
"And he's interested in meeting [Zelenskyy] because he needs to sign this minerals framework agreement" to notch a diplomatic achievement and bolster his image as a dealmaker," said Harmash, who was in previous negotiations with Russia.
Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian deputy and the chair of the parliamentary committee on foreign policy, told an RFE/RL program that Zelenskyy "did not insult Trump, he defended Ukraine."
However, Andriy Veselovskiy, Ukraine's former representative to the European Union, told RFE/RL that "raising your voice in the Oval Office at the vice president and the president, and interrupting both, does not serve the interests of Ukraine. It's not about two or three people. It's about the interests of Ukraine."
Global Diplomacy
The talks between Trump and Zelenskyy came during a week of lightning diplomacy between Europe and the United States.
Meeting with Trump at the White House in a bid to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade, Starmer urged the U.S. president to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end the fighting.
Zelenskyy is next due to travel to London, where Starmer is scheduled to host a meeting of European leaders on March 2 to discuss Ukraine and overall security matters for the Continent.
Following Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump, Downing Street said Starmer spoke by phone individually with both leaders.
Starmer "retains unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine," a statement said.
"The prime minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on [March 2] including President Zelenskyy," it added.
- By Todd Prince
Starmer Tells Trump U.K. Ready To 'Put Boots On Ground' On Eve Of Zelenskyy Visit
WASHINGTON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the historically close U.S.-U.K. relationship at a White House meeting with President Donald Trump as he sought to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade.
Starmer traveled to Washington on February 27 to urge Trump to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, now in its fourth year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump in Washington on February 28.
Trump, who took office a month ago, has moved aggressively to end the war in Ukraine, holding a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and sending his national security team to Saudi Arabia to meet their Russian counterparts.
Trump told reporters February 27 that Washington and Moscow have made "a lot of progress" toward a cease-fire.
The outreach to the Kremlin turned the United States's Russia policy of the past three years on its head and shocked European leaders, who feared Trump would cut a deal behind their backs that hurt Ukraine and weakened their own security.
Now, European leaders are traveling to Washington promising to step up their role in any settlement to steer the U.S. president away from what they worry could be an agreement that concedes too much to Russia and leaves them vulnerable.
At a White House news conference with Trump following their bilateral meeting, Starmer reiterated that Britain is ready to step up and contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a deal is reached.
“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,” Starmer said.
He cautioned against rushing to end the war at any cost.
“We have to get it right. We have to win the peace. It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor. History must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,” Starmer said.
Trump did not commit to backstopping a European troop presence, a key ask of Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who traveled to Washington on February 24.
Starmer said he and Trump discussed a peace plan that "Ukraine will help shape" and that is "backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more."
He added that teams from the United States and the U.K. "are going to be talking about how we make sure that deal sticks, is lasting, and enforced."
U.K. media said Starmer is seeking U.S. guarantees of air, intelligence, logistics, and communications support for a European peacekeeping force.
When asked about U.S. security guarantees, Trump said it was too early to discuss as a cease-fire had yet to be reached. Prior to his meeting with Starmer, Trump indicated a U.S. backstop wouldn’t be necessary because Putin could be trusted not to violate a peace deal.
That is not a view shared by European leaders or Zelenskyy. At his news conference with Trump, Macron said Putin had violated previous agreements with Ukraine, underscoring why strong deterrence that included a U.S. backstop was necessary.
Softer Language
In what perhaps is a positive sign for Kyiv, Trump noticeably softened his language on Ukraine during the news conference. He praised the country’s tenacity in defending its land and avoided criticizing the country or its leader when offered that chance by reporters.
Last week, Trump got into a spat with Zelenskyy, falsely blaming Ukraine for the war and calling the Ukrainian leader a “dictator” who doesn’t hold elections.
"I have a lot of respect for him. We've given him a lot of equipment and a lot of money, but they have fought very bravely," Trump said.
Trump is due to meet Zelenskyy at the White House to sign a framework agreement on the development of mineral deposits, including rare earth metals and fossil fuels.
Trump says the deal will allow the United States to recoup some of the aid it has sent to Ukraine over the past three years while also stimulating Ukrainian economic growth.
“"It is like a huge economic development project. So it'll be good for both countries,” the U.S. president said.
Zelenskyy is also expected to ask Trump to continue sending weapons to Ukraine while the fighting continues and offering his country a security guarantee once it ends.
'Unprecedented' Invite
As he reached out to Russia earlier this month, Trump slammed his European allies, accusing them of unfair trade practices and underinvesting in their own security.
His vice president, JD Vance, lectured Europe about democracy and free speech during his address at the Munich Security Conference, alarming European officials.
Starmer is seeking to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and Trump, leveraging the U.S.-U.K. "special relationship" that goes back decades.
"We're the closest of nations," Starmer said during the news conference.
"In a moment of real danger around the world, the relationship matters more than ever," he said, recalling how the United States and U.K. stood "side by side" during previous wars and should do so now in Ukraine.
In an attempt to bolster ties at a difficult time for transatlantic relations, Starmer handed Trump an invite from King Charles to a state visit. It would be Trump's second state visit to the U.K., which Starmer stressed was "unprecedented."
- By RFE/RL
Kurdish Rebel Leader Ocalan Calls On PKK To Lay Down Arms, Disband
Imprisoned Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his rebel militant group lay down its arms and disband in a momentous announcement that could bring an end to a bloody decades-long conflict with the Turkish government.
Ocalan, writing from his prison cell on an island off of Istanbul, said the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) -- which has been designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States, and EU -- should hold a congress with the aim of dissolving the organization.
“Convene your congress and make a decision. All groups must lay their arms and the PKK must dissolve itself,” Ocalan said.
The message was read in Kurdish and Turkish by pro-Kurdish party politicians who had visited the 75-year-old Ocalan earlier in the day.
Ocalan also called on the Turkish government to increase democratization and to ensure human rights in the country
Ocalan has been imprisoned on Imrali Island since 1999 after he was captured, tried, and convicted of treason.
Even from his cell, he holds massive influence over his supporters and the PKK. Many observers expect the group’s leaders will accept Ocalan’s call, although some splinter groups could resist.
Ankara late last year offered an olive branch to Ocalan, whose PKK has conducted a long insurgency against the Turkish state that has cost tens of thousands of lives. The group sought independence or autonomy for Kurds, who make up about 15 percent of Turkey's population.
“Today is a holy day, a blessed day," Emine Atac, 45, told AFP in Kurdish in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, considered to be the center of Turkey’s Kurdish community.
"We are very happy. We want peace and freedom," she said.
The White House welcomed Ocalan’s call for the PKK to set down its weapons.
"It’s a significant development and we hope that it will help assuage our Turkish allies about U.S. counter-ISIS partners in northeast Syria,” said Brian Hughes, spokesman for the White House National Security Council.
“We believe it will help bring peace to this troubled region."
In Germany, which has a large Turkish population, the Foreign Ministry said, "This is a historic opportunity to break the decades-long spiral of terror, violence and retaliation that has cost tens of thousands of lives."
"Above all, this includes respecting and guaranteeing the cultural and democratic rights of Kurds in Turkey," a spokesman said.
A UN spokesman said Secretary-General Antonio Gutteres "welcomes" Ocalan’s announcement, calling it a "glimmer of hope."
Ocalan became a left-wing activist while a university student in Ankara and was first jailed in 1972.
He established the PKK in 1978 and launched an arm struggle in 1984, mainly from hiding places inside Turkey and in Syria, where he took refuge before being forced out in 1998.
He fled to Russia, Italy, and Greece before he was arrested in 1999 after being tricked into entering a vehicle by Turkish security forces outside the Greek Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
An estimated 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict – some through PKK attacks on military and civilian targets, and others in Turkish military operations against the group and communities where it found support.
With reporting by AP, dpa, Reuters, and AFP
Victims Recoil As Andrew Tate Arrives In U.S. Hours After Romania Lifts Travel Ban
Controversial Internet influencer Andrew Tate and his brother arrived in Florida after leaving Romania, where they have been embroiled in a legal case alleging human trafficking and sexual misconduct, after authorities lifted a travel ban on them.
The brothers touched down at Fort Lauderdale airport in a private jet on February 27 just hours after the dual British-U.S. citizens, who had been under house arrest because they were suspects in a criminal case, were told they were free to travel abroad.
NGOs and some of those involved in the cases expressed outrage over the removal of the travel ban, casting doubt over whether the brothers, who attracted millions of fans online through their promotion of an ultra-masculine lifestyle that detractors say belittles women, would return to Romania around the end of March when their next court hearing is expected.
After the two landed in Florida, James Uthmeier, the state attorney general, said his office would launch a “preliminary inquiry” into the brothers' situation.
“Florida has zero tolerance for human trafficking and violence against women. If any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable,” Uthmeier said.
Romania's anti-organized crime prosecuting unit DIICOT gave no details on the reasoning behind dropping the travel ban but it comes after Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said the case had been brought up by Richard Grenell, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy, earlier this month.
Both Hurezeanu and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu have said, however, that there was no pressure from U.S. officials to release the brothers.
Officials and prosecutors said that, while the Tate brothers were free to travel, "all of the other obligations have been maintained, including the requirement to check in with judicial authorities every time they are called."
Tate said in a brief statement at the airport that the charges against him and his brother were a conspiracy and that "we have no criminal record anywhere on the planet, ever."
Reporters at the airport shouted questions about why the brothers chose to come to Florida, or whether Trump had been involved in their case, but neither commented.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said he knew nothing about the case.
What Are The Charges Against Andrew Tate?
DIICOT filed charges against Tate, his brother, Tristan Tate, and two Romanian women after they were arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking.
The four suspects were formally indicted last year and the Bucharest Tribunal ruled last year that a trial could start but did not set a date. All four deny the charges.
5 Things To Know About The Tate Brothers
Case In Romania: Andrew Tate, 38, and his brother Tristan, 36, are dual U.S.-U.K. citizens. They were arrested in December 2022 and indicted with two Romanian women on charges that include human trafficking and sexual misconduct. In December, a Bucharest court ruled the case couldn’t proceed due to legal and procedural irregularities but it remained open, alongside a separate case against them.
Infamy And Fame: Former kickboxers turned influencers, the brothers gained notoriety for Andrew’s controversial views and self-proclaimed misogyny. He has 10.7 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) but was banned from platforms like Facebook and TikTok for hate speech.
Support For Trump: During the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the Tates endorsed Donald Trump, and they have ties to his administration. One of Andrew’s lawyers, Paul Ingrassia, was recently appointed White House liaison for the Department of Justice.
A Sudden Departure: The Tates left Romania after Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu’s said that a U.S. official in Trump’s administration showed interest in their case at the Munich Security Conference. He denied any political pressure. The Tates have rejected all the charges they are facing, with Andrew claiming a political conspiracy against him.
Charges In Britain: Pending the resolution of their Romanian case, Britain is also seeking the extradition of the Tates in connection with rape and human trafficking allegations. Andrew also faces a civil lawsuit from four British women alleging sexual violence.
However, the Bucharest Court of Appeals said on December 19 that it found "irregularities" in the indictment issued by the Prosecutor-General's Office and sent the case back to prosecutors.
The court said prosecutors can now bring forth new evidence to back up their charges or amend the existing ones.
Andrew Tate, 38, has amassed more than 10 million followers on the social media platform X but has been kicked off other platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, over accusations of posting hate speech and misogynistic comments.
He has complained bitterly about the case, accusing prosecutors of trying to "target everyone I know, and even subpoena the mother of my child," while still having "nothing."
Andrew Tate in August was placed under house arrest and Tristan Tate under judicial control for 30 days after they were interrogated by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new allegations against them.
During the criminal investigation, prosecutors said they identified seven women who were sexually exploited "forcibly, in order to obtain significant financial benefits" for the defendants from people who accessed content on social media.
Prosecutors accused the Tate brothers of recruiting their victims using the so-called "lover boy" method -- seducing them and claiming to want a relationship or marriage.
The victims were then taken to properties outside Bucharest, where they were sexually exploited through physical violence and psychological intimidation as they were forced to produce pornographic content, the prosecutors said.
Romanian investigators carried out the interrogations and fresh searches at the brothers’ residences as part of the investigation into the new charges.
DIICOT said at the time that the new accusations included charges of forming an organized crime group, trafficking of minors, a sexual act with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering.
They had been barred from leaving Romania as the proceedings against them continued but were set to be extradited to Britain once their case in Romania concludes.
They face further allegations of rape and human trafficking in Britain, where a court ruled on December 18 that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes.
Also on February 18, four British women who allege they were victims of sexual violence by Andrew Tate and filed a civil suit against him, urged the United States not to intervene in legal proceedings, saying, “We hope that the Romanian and the U.K. authorities will be left alone to do their jobs.”
“We are in disbelief and traumatized by the news [of Tate leaving Romania],” the women said in a statement -- obtained by RFE/RL's Romanian service -- through their law firm, McCue Jury & Partners.
"We can only hope that the British authorities finally take action and do something about this terrifying unfolding situation to ensure he faces justice in the UK."
In an open letter to DIICOT, the VIF Network, an NGO dedicated to preventing and combating violence against women, demanded the publication of reasons why the travel ban was lifted "so that any doubt about the independence and impartiality of the Romanian judicial system is removed."
VIF added that it feared the removal of the travel ban could "undermine the trust in the judicial system of victims of crimes of sexual violence and human trafficking."
The Tate brothers have stated previously that they did not want to be extradited from Romania, which they said they consider their home.
- By Ray Furlong,
- Neil Bowdler and
- Current Time
Exclusive: Boris Nemtsov’s Mother Shares Memories, 10 Years After His Killing
The family of Boris Nemtsov, a Russian opposition leader gunned down in Moscow 10 years ago, has shared with Current Time an intimate video in which his mother shares memories of her son.
The video was recorded by Nemtsov’s daughter, Zhanna, in 2023, in the final months of his mother’s life. It provides a unique insight into a man who rose close to the summit of Russian politics under Boris Yeltsin, before becoming a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin.
'The Important One'
“The teachers at school loved him. The girls called him ‘the important one,’” Dina Nemtsova says in the video. She herself died aged 96 in February 2024.
She paints a picture of a talented boy who rose from humble beginnings.
“It was very hard for him to work at home. He had a small place in the kitchen, but someone would always interrupt his work. Sometimes, when he needed to find space to work, he would lock himself in the bathroom.”
Nemtsov was raised in Gorky, which was renamed Nizhny Novogorod after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and studied physics at the city’s university.
“He was critical about what was happening in the country,” Dina says. “It was during [Soviet leader Leonid] Brezhnev's time when Boris was already aware that things were happening.”
But it was under a later Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, that Nemtsov became politically active. Gorbachev’s policies of glasnost (openness) and perestroika (restructuring) changed the political climate in the country, making it easier to speak out.
Political Awakening
“We started following politics when perestroika started. I can say it was that moment when he entered politics.”
Nemtsov had a successful career in the chaotic conditions of 1990s post-Soviet Russia, eventually rising to be deputy prime minister under Yeltsin.
Boris Nemtsov: A Life And Death In Pictures
But when Yeltsin appointed Putin as his successor, Nemtsov became a regular face at street protests against the Kremlin’s new, authoritarian turn.
“Putin is a KGB man full of Soviet manners,” he said in one interview.
Nemtsov was a major figure who gave Russia’s increasingly beleaguered opposition a face with global recognition and respect. In Western capitals, he was associated with the brief promise of a new, democratic Russia after decades of communism.
When he was gunned down in 2015, it was widely seen as a political assassination. Five Chechens were convicted for a contract killing, but Russian law enforcement never prosecuted anyone for ordering it.
In 2016, his mother wrote that she had last seen him in December 2014.
“He looked thin and distracted….” she said. “It just never occurred to me that everything was so dangerous.”
- By RFE/RL
North Korea Has Sent More Troops To Russia, Says South Korean Intelligence
North Korea has sent more soldiers to Russia and redeployed several to the front line in the Kursk region bordering Ukraine, Seoul's intelligence agency said on February 27.
The scale of the contingent was not immediately known, South Korea's YTN television reported, citing the intelligence agency.
South Korean and Western intelligence agencies have said that about 11,000 North Korean soldiers were sent to Russia last year to help it fight a Ukrainian offensive into the Kursk border region.
Seoul said earlier this month that North Korean soldiers previously fighting alongside Russia forces on the Kursk front line had not been in combat since mid-January. Ukraine said they had been withdrawn following heavy losses.
An official from Seoul's National Intelligence Agency was quoted by AFP as saying that said they had been "redeployed" to the region.
"Some additional troop deployments" appear to have taken place, the official added. "The exact scale is still being assessed."
Neither Moscow nor Pyongyang have confirmed the deployment.
But the two countries signed an agreement, including a mutual defense clause, when Russian President Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to North Korea last year.
Some intelligence sources have said many of the troops that arrived in Kursk last year have been rotated out of the front lines after suffering horrific losses in fighting against Ukrainian forces.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on February 8 vowed to maintain his country's support for Russia in the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on the same day that Russia's "cooperation with North Korea will continue to expand."
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
Putin 'Hopes' Meeting Between U.S., Russian Officials Helps Thaw Relations
Diplomats from Russia and the United States have ended their talks on resolving disputes over their respective diplomatic missions in Washington and Moscow that Russian President Vladimir Putin said "inspire certain hopes."
The two sides held more than six hours of discussions in Istanbul on February 27 focused on mending diplomatic ties that coincide with recent bilateral talks to end the Ukraine war. Those talks have raised fears the two countries may reach a peace deal without the involvement of Kyiv or Brussels.
"I note that the first contacts with the new American administration inspire certain hopes," Putin said at a meeting he was attending at the Federal Security Service (FSB).
"There is a reciprocal mood to work to restore intergovernmental ties and to gradually resolve the huge number of systemic and strategic problems that have built up in the world's security architecture."
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova added that Moscow hopes the meeting will be the first in a series of expert consultations "to bring the U.S. side and us closer to settling differences, building confidence."
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, a State Department spokesperson told reporters that there were "no political or security issues on the agenda" and Ukraine, too, was not on the agenda.
Following the meeting, the State Department said U.S. representatives "raised concerns regarding access to banking and contracted services as well as the need to ensure stable and sustainable staffing levels at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow."
The statement added that Deputy Assistant Secretary Sonata Coulter and Russia's ambassador to the Washington, Aleksandr Darchiyev, agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in the near term, "with the date, location, and representation to be determined."
Five weeks after assuming office, U.S. President Donald Trump has upended his predecessor Joe Biden’s policy, which was aimed at isolating Moscow internationally for invading Ukraine three years ago.
The Istanbul discussions are part of an understanding between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. On February 18 delegations led by the two agreed in Saudi Arabia to begin discussions on diplomatic missions.
The Riyadh meeting followed a phone call between Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Trump described the call as “highly productive” and announced the beginning of talks to end the war “immediately.”
Rubio said on Fox News that the U.S. delegation which went to Riyadh asked the Russians whether they wanted to end the war or continue fighting, and they agreed to a follow-up involving teams of diplomats to talk about what it would take the end the war.
“If what they insist on is unrealistic, then we know they’re not real about it. But we have to test that proposition,” Rubio said.
“We need to know, and the president wants to know early in his presidency, are the Russians interested in ending this war or are they not,” Rubio said. “President Trump has made deals his entire life. He’s not going to get suckered into a bad deal.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated a Russian position that Kyiv has said is unacceptable, suggesting that Moscow would demand that Ukraine cede its Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson regions in their entirety, including substantial parts that remain under Kyiv's control.
"The territories which have become subjects of the Russian Federation, which are inscribed in our country's constitution, are an inseparable part of our country," Peskov told reporters on February 27, referring to the regions that Russia baselessly claimed as its own in 2022. "This is undeniable and non-negotiable."
Earlier, Lavrov said the talks would focus on creating better conditions for Russian diplomats in the United States and their U.S. counterparts in Russia. The two countries have expelled diplomats and limited the appointment of new staff at each other's missions in a series of tit-for-tat measures since the war began three years ago.
The State Department spokesperson said the embassies and Russian consulates in New York and Houston would be discussed, but not Russia's mission to the United Nations.
The issues on the agenda include staffing levels, visas, diplomatic banking, and other operational issues, the spokesperson said.
Lavrov said the outcome of the talks "will show how quickly and effectively we can move."
The Istanbul talks took place a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is due in Washington to sign an agreement on rare earth minerals.
Under the deal, Kyiv would hand some revenue from its mineral resources to a fund jointly controlled by the United States.
The agreement is central to Ukrainian attempts to win strong support from Trump as he seeks a quick end to Russia's war. Trump said Zelenskyy would sign the agreement on rare earths and other topics during his visit.
With reporting by Reuters, AP, Interfax
Romanian Police Take Far-Right Presidential Frontrunner In For Questioning
Romanian far-right politician Calin Georgescu has been taken in by police for questioning as part of an investigation surrounding last November's presidential election, which was annulled by the Constitutional Court after he won the first round of voting.
Georgescu, who is critical of NATO and opposes Romanian support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, was stopped and taken in for questioning by police while driving on February 26, his communications team said in a post on Facebook.
Hundreds of supporters greeted Georgescu with cheers and applause as he left the Prosecutor-General’s Office after hours of questioning. Addressing the crowd, Georgescu reaffirmed his intention to run in the upcoming presidential elections in May.
Although prosecutors did not detain him, they placed Georgescu under judicial supervision for 60 days. His restrictions include a travel ban preventing him from leaving Romania, a prohibition on using the Internet to post hate content, a ban on carrying weapons, and a requirement to report regularly to the police and appear before a judge when summoned.
The General Prosecutor’s Office said it charged Georgescu with six offenses, including "founding or supporting fascist, racist, xenophobic, or anti-Semitic organizations, as well as publicly promoting war criminals and extremist ideologies."
Georgescu and his supporters claim the prosecution is attempting to block his candidacy, which he planned to officially register on February 26.
The first round of the presidential election was canceled by the Constitutional Court on December 6 after Romanian intelligence reports said foreign actors had manipulated social-media platforms, especially TikTok, to benefit Georgescu, a far-right, pro-Russian candidate.
Prosecutors reportedly carried out 47 searches in five Romanian districts on February 26 with regard to the case, which prosecutors say involves crimes against the constitutional order, false information about the sources of campaign financing, and public incitement to commit a crime.
“Calin Georgescu was going to file his new candidacy for the presidency. About 30 minutes ago, the system stopped him in traffic […] Where is democracy, where are the partners who must defend democracy?” the statement on Facebook said.
Romanian news channel Digi24 reported that the prosecution has issued a warrant for Georgescu's arrest and started searching the premises of his aides, including his personal bodyguard, ex-mercenary Horatiu Potra.
Georgescu claimed the searches were aimed to block his new presidential candidacy.
The court ruling was followed by an announcement by Romanian prosecutors that an investigation into alleged computer-related crimes had been launched amid allegations of Russian influence on the election results.
Georgescu was a little-known figure in Romania until he unexpectedly won the first round of the presidential election on November 24 with about 22 percent of the vote.
The 62 year-old was to face pro-European centrist candidate Elena Lasconi in a runoff, which had been seen as a referendum on the future course of Romania, a member of NATO and the European Union.
While the annulment of the vote has exacerbated deep divisions in Romanian politics and sparked international concern, a new presidential election is scheduled for May 4, with a possible runoff on May 18.
Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who supported the Constitutional Court's decision to annul the election, said the authorities have the right to present the public with extremely solid evidence in the investigation, "which involves a potential candidate in the May elections."
Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on February 10 said he was resigning from his post amid an effort by the opposition to have him impeached after he stayed in power following the Constitutional Court's election annulment.
On February 14, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, U.S. Vice President JD Vance criticized Romania for canceling the election, saying the decision was based on the "flimsy suspicions of an intelligence agency.”
"You can believe it’s wrong for Russia to buy social-media advertisements to influence your elections. We certainly do. You can condemn it on the world stage, even," Vance said.
"But if your democracy can be destroyed with a few hundred thousand dollars of digital advertising from a foreign country, then it wasn’t very strong to begin with.
Just days before the vote, Georgescu launched a TikTok campaign calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, apparently striking a chord with voters. He has also sounded a skeptical note on Romania's NATO membership.
His anti-Western messaging is routinely amplified on Russian, state-run media and Kremlin-friendly social media.
His other stances included supporting Romanian farmers, reducing dependency on imports, and ramping up energy and food production.
With reporting by AP and Agerpres
Bosnian Serb Leader Dodik Sentenced To Prison, Banned From Politics
SARAJEVO/BANJA LUKA -- A court in Sarajevo sentenced Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to a year in prison and banned him from politics for six years for his defiance of an international peace envoy's orders, a ruling Dodik warned would radicalize the situation in the country.
Bosnia's top court in Sarajevo handed down the sentence on February 26 in a trial that began just over a year ago.
Dodik, who rejected the charges, was accused of failing to execute the decisions of the High Representative to Bosnia-Herzegovina Christian Schmidt in 2023.
"They say I am guilty, but now people here will say why I am not guilty," Dodik told a crowd that had gathered in Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska.
"There is no reason to worry. I have learned to deal with tougher situations. It is important that you are here."
The indictment said Dodik, who has close relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, signed decrees on laws that had been annulled by Schmidt "even though he was aware that the decisions of [Schmidt] are legally binding."
Dodik's defense said that the evidence of the Prosecutor-General's Office wasn't "based on facts."
The court had guidelines to sentence Dodik to between six months and five years in prison, as well as implementing a ban on public duties. Dodik can appeal the court's February 26 ruling.
Dodik said the Bosnian Serb parliament will ban the operations of the state prosecutor, the state court, and the intelligence agency in the Serb area of Bosnia in response to the case.
The legislature has already instructed Serb representatives in state institutions to block decision-making and law reforms crucial for Bosnia's EU integration.
However, Dodik's stance did not receive the expected support from the opposition, which openly criticized him during an assembly session, highlighting tensions and divisions within the political landscape of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Dodik is under U.S. and U.K. sanctions for actions that Western governments say are aimed at the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia. He has denied that the Serb entity of Bosnia has ever pursued a policy of secession.
Bosnia has been governed under a power-sharing system established by the Dayton agreement, which ended the 1992-95 Bosnian War. It consists of a Bosniak-Croat Federation and the predominantly Serb Republika Srpska.
The country is overseen by a civilian high representative with UN backing and sweeping powers. That position is currently held by Schmidt.
Bosnia was given the status of candidate for European Union membership in December 2022 but has not fulfilled the criteria necessary to start accession talks.
- By RFE/RL
U.S. To Sell 'Gold Card' Visas For $5 Million
U.S. President Donald Trump on February 25 unveiled plans to sell "gold card" residency permits for $5 million each and said Russian oligarchs may be eligible.
Trump announced the program at the White House, saying the “gold cards” will be available in about two weeks.
"You have a green card; this is a gold card. We're going to be putting a price on that card of about $5 million," Trump said.
Proceeds from sales will be used to reduce the deficit, Trump said. The program will be aimed at “people with money” who will create jobs, the president said.
"They’ll be wealthy and they’ll be successful, and they’ll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it’s going to be extremely successful,” Trump said.
Applicants for the new gold cards would be carefully vetted and it may be possible for wealthy Russians to apply.
"I know some Russian oligarchs that are very nice people. It's possible," Trump said. "They're not as wealthy as they used to be. I think they can. I think they can afford $5 million."
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters that the “Trump Gold Card” would replace the EB-5 Immigration Investor Program, which was created by Congress in 1990 to generate foreign investment. EB-5 visas are available to people who spend about $1 million on a company that employs at least 10 people.
Lutnick said the new "gold card" would raise the price to $5 million and do away with fraud in the EB-5 program. He emphasized that money from the sale of the new cards will be used to reduce the deficit.
The Congressional Research Service reported in 2023 that some members of Congress and other observers have long expressed concerns about fraud in the EB-5 program. It said this occurs when applicants misrepresent their wealth, lie about their identity, or fail to make the required investments.
More than half of the EB-5 visas approved in 2022 went to citizens of China, according to the report.
Trump, who has made the deportation of undocumented migrants a priority, said the new card would be a route to U.S. citizenship.
"A lot of people are going to want to be in this country, and they'll be able to work and provide jobs and build companies," Trump said. "It'll be people with money."
Trump estimated that the United States would be able to “sell maybe a million of these cards.”
About 8,000 people obtained investor visas through the EB-5 program in the 12-month period ending September 30, 2022, according to the Homeland Security Department's most recent Yearbook of Immigration Statistics.
With reporting by Reuters and AFP
- By RFE/RL
U.K.'s Starmer Announces Defense Spending Boost Ahead Of Trump Meeting
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged the "biggest sustained increase" in defense spending since the end of the Cold War as he readies to meet NATO-skeptic U.S. President Donald Trump later this week in Washington.
Starmer, speaking before parliament on February 25, said defense spending would rise to 2.5 percent of economic output by 2027 from 2.3 percent this year, funding the increase with cuts in international aid.
European countries have ramped up defense budgets since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And many leaders have said the increased spending must continue to counter the growing military threat from Moscow.
"We must go further still. I have long argued that...all European allies must step up and do more for our own defense," he said, adding the UK should aim for 3 percent by the end of the decade.
Starmer is on the eve of departing for Washington where he is set to meet Trump on February 27 to discuss ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, becoming the second major European leader to travel to Washington this week.
Trump met French President Emmanuel Macron on February 24 to discuss the same issue.
Since taking office a little over a month ago, Trump has aggressively pursued negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, starting his European allies by opening direct talks with Moscow and accusing Ukraine of starting the war.
European leaders are now scrambling to get a seat at the negotiating table to influence a deal that will directly impact European security.
Macron organized an emergency meeting with his European counterparts on February 17 -- the eve of the first official U.S.-Russia meeting in years -- before agreeing to fly to Washington a week later to meet Trump.
Trump, who has berated European allies for not spending enough on their own defense, shaking the foundations of the 75-year-old NATO alliance, has said he will not supply U.S. troops for any peacekeeping mission in Ukraine.
“We must reject any false choice between our allies. Between one side of the Atlantic or the other. That is against our history, country and party,” Starmer said, calling Britain’s relationship with America his country’s “most important bilateral alliance.”
“This week when I meet President Trump, I will be clear: I want this relationship to go from strength to strength.”
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who spoke with British Defense Minister John Healey on February 25, reacted positively to the announcement, saying in a post on X that it was "a strong step from an enduring partner."
Ukraine has demanded Western security guarantees be part of any negotiated settlement to deter Russia from invading again. Macron told Trump at their White House meeting that European leaders are willing to put peacekeeping troops in Ukraine as part of the security guarantee.
Starmer may seek to leverage his commitment to boost defense funding and deploy peacekeeping forces to Ukraine to convince Trump to backstop European security guarantees for Kyiv.
With reporting by Reuters
Serbian Police Raids Target NGOs Supported By USAID
Serbian police raided the offices of several NGOs after prosecutors opened an investigation into their usage of funds from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
The Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade said police on February 25 "began collecting information" regarding the work of four NGOs -- the Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), Civic Initiatives, the Center for Practical Politics, and the Trag Foundation.
Chief Public Prosecutor Nenad Stefanovic said there were orders that "for the time being, all documentation related to USAID donations be removed from these four organizations, as well as that interviews be conducted with the responsible persons."
CRTA and Civic Initiatives confirmed that police entered their premises on the morning of February 25. The Center for Practical Politics reportedly doesn't currently receive money from USAID.
"This is a serious attack on basic civil rights and the continuation of illegal pressure on civil society in Serbia. The ruling structures are trying to implement mechanisms of intimidation and persecution," Civic Initiatives said in a statement.
The raids came after U.S. President Donald Trump curtailed the work of USAID work when he ordered a 90-day spending freeze on January 24.
On February 3, employees were locked out of USAID's offices in Washington and many staff have been pulled from overseas deployments.
The administration is conducting a review of the agency, which was founded in the early 1960s to coordinate U.S. aid abroad.
Since Trump's return to the White House, his administration and people close to it have repeatedly called USAID a "criminal organization."
A day before the raids, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Serbia "will assist" the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in its investigation into the financing of Serbian NGOs by USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
"There is no doubt, we will cooperate very closely with the FBI on this issue," Vucic told Happy Television, adding that the FBI will receive any information it requests from Serbia.
Since 2000, USAID has invested more than $1 billion in Serbia, according to data from the U.S. State Department and USAID's website on foreign assistance.
In order to assist economic and democratic development, the agency cooperated primarily with state institutions in Serbia, as well as the private sector, civil society organizations, and the media.
Hope And Fear In Iran As Russia's Lavrov Visits Tehran
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, said Tehran would not bow to pressure from the United States, a day after Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran's oil industry.
Lavrov's one-day trip to Tehran on February 25 comes a week after the first high-level talks between Moscow and Washington in three years.
The talks in Saudi Arabia on February 18 have raised hopes of a reset between Russia and the United States after tensions soared following the Kremlin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Analysts said the meeting in Tehran could be the Kremlin checking in to make sure Iran's stance on key issues is in line with Moscow -- especially regarding relations with Washington -- or that Lavrov could be delivering a message from the Saudi Arabian talks.
The potential rapprochement has fueled concerns in Iran that Moscow could abandon Tehran, an ally, to revive relations with Washington. Others in the Islamic republic hope Moscow can mediate an end to the standoff between Iran and the United States.
“They tend to send some diplomats to Iran at least assuage concerns because as you know there is a long-standing apprehension in Iran that the Russians may potentially sell out Iran to the United States,” Nicole Grajewski, a fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Nuclear Policy Program, told Radio Farda.
Lavrov's visit came a day after Washington imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iran's oil industry, the main source of the country's income.
Earlier this month, Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, saying Tehran was "too close" to weaponizing its nuclear program.
In 2018, during his first term in office, Trump pulled the United States out of an agreement between Tehran and world powers that placed limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of international sanctions. Since then, the Islamic republic has ramped up its uranium enrichment, raising fears that it is close to developing a nuclear warhead.
"There is no possibility of direct negotiations with the U.S. as long as maximum pressure is being applied in this way," Araghchi said at a joint news conference with Lavrov
Lavrov said diplomatic measures were still on the table for resolving issues around Iran's nuclear program.
The prospect of improved relations between Washington and Moscow have raised concern among some in Tehran who feel it could impact Iran.
Iran's conservative daily Jomhuri Eslami on February 25 warned of a "grand bargain" between Washington and Moscow that could result in Russia "turning a blind eye" to any potential U.S. military action against Iran.
The daily Etemad suggested this week that Lavrov could carry a message from Washington that includes proposals for reducing tensions between Iran and the United States and paving the way for a new round of talks between the two countries.
The daily also said the aim of Lavrov's trip to Iran could be to become acquainted with Tehran's positions before a potential meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the future.
"What Putin is pursuing is not a deal regarding Iran but merely the national interests of Russia," Hossein Shalevarzi, a former head of Iran's Chamber of Commerce, said on X last week.
Despite deep mistrust, Tehran and Moscow have grown closer and enhanced military cooperation since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and Moscow was hit by a slew of Western sanctions.
Iran has provided Russia with cheap but deadly drones that have been used against Ukraine, though both Tehran and Moscow deny it.
“The aim of the trip is to put pressure on Tehran to be in line with Moscow,” Damon Golriz, a lecturer at the Hague University of Applied Sciences, told Radio Farda.
Other Iranian observers say a potential U.S.-Russia reset could be an opportunity for Tehran.
Tehran-based analyst Abdolreza Farajirad said in an interview with Etemad that Lavrov's trip to Iran comes amid "a deadlock" between Tehran and Washington and a worsening economy that has turned into a major challenge for the Islamic republic.
"If Russia can act as a mediator between Tehran and Washington, it can be considered a positive development," Farajirad said.
Ukraine's Lawmakers Back Zelenskyy After Trump 'Dictator' Barbs
Ukraine's parliament, in a symbolic show of support, has approved a resolution reconfirming President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's legitimacy as the country's leader amid questions from the United States and Russia over his legal standing.
The resolution highlights tensions between Washington and Kyiv after U.S. President Donald Trump last week called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" for failing to hold a vote during wartime while also falsely accusing Kyiv of starting the war.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also widely claimed there can't be peace talks with Ukraine because Zelenskyy is not the country's legitimate leader because his term was originally supposed to end in May 2024.
However, under the constitution, Zelenskyy is bound to remain in office as the country is under martial law because of Russia's full-scale invasion, a point Ukrainian lawmakers underlined in approving the resolution at a meeting of parliament, called the Verkohona Rada, in Kyiv on February 25.
"Martial law in Ukraine, introduced in response to Russia's full-scale invasion, does not allow for elections by Ukraine's constitution. At the same time, the Ukrainian people are united in the opinion that such elections should be held after the war's end," the resolution says.
Martial law was imposed by Kyiv just a day after the Kremlin launched its all-out war in February 2022.
Ukrainian officials have repeatedly noted that practical considerations, along with legal ones, make it impossible to hold elections.
They point to major security concerns saying packed polling stations would make tempting targets for a Russian military that has repeatedly struck civilian targets including schools, hospitals, and apartment buildings over the past three years.
In addition, millions of Ukrainians have fled the country because of the war and their participation must be accounted for, officials say.
Those concerns have been backed by dozens of civic groups, which last week issued issued a joint statement declaring the impossibility of holding elections under current circumstances.
"Only after the end of the war and the achievement of a stable peace…will it be possible to organize elections freely, fairly, democratically, and accessibly," they wrote.
Zelenskyy, who has not said whether he would run in a vote, has said elections could take place this year if martial law is lifted -- something that would be possible after a deal to stop the fighting.
Talk of a peace settlement has intensified in recent weeks, though how it will be achieved is unclear.
Top U.S. and Russian officials held talks last week in Saudi Arabia on ending the war -- the first formal high-level talks between Washington and Moscow since before the February 2022 invasion.
Despite some assurances, and calls from European leaders, to make sure Ukrainian officials are involved in the negotiations, Ukraine was pointedly been left out of those talks.
French President Emmanuel Macron on February 24, speaking to Fox News after meeting with Trump earlier in the day, said a truce between Ukraine and Russia could be agreed "in the weeks to come."
"After speaking with President Trump, I fully believe there is a path forward," Macron said.
Ukraine Scores Diplomatic Win With Passage Of Resolutions At UN
The United States on February 24 split with its European allies at the United Nations by rejecting wording that blamed Russia for its invasion of Ukraine in resolutions seeking an end to the war.
In a major shift of its position on the conflict, the United States joined Russia and Belarus in the UN General Assembly in voting against a Europe-backed Ukrainian resolution that calls out Moscow's aggression. The vote was 93-18 with 65 abstentions.
The United States then abstained from voting on its own competing resolution after language was added making clear that Russia had invaded its smaller neighbor in violation of the UN Charter. The vote on that resolution in the 193-nation world body was 93-8 with 73 abstentions. Ukraine voted yes and Russia voted no.
The United States sided with Russia a second time when it pushed for a vote on its original draft resolution in the UN Security Council. The vote in the 15-member council was 10-0 with five European countries -- Britain, France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia -- abstaining.
Senator John Curtis (Republican-Utah) said he was "deeply troubled" by the U.S. vote that "put us on the same side" as Russia and North Korea.
"These are not our friends. This posture is a dramatic shift from American ideals of freedom and democracy," Curtis said on X. "We all want an end to the war, but it must be achieved on terms that ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security and that deter [President Vladimir] Putin from pursuing further territorial ambitions."
Resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not legally binding but are a closely watched way to gauge world opinion. Those passed by the UN Security Council are legally binding.
The divide represented a dramatic shift in transatlantic relations under President Donald Trump and follows his decision to open direct negotiations with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine without representatives of Ukraine and Europe at the table.
The votes also reflect tensions between Washington and Kyiv after Trump last week called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “dictator" for not holding elections during wartime and falsely accused Kyiv of starting the war.
The U.S.-drafted resolution acknowledged "the tragic loss of life throughout the Russia-Ukraine conflict" and called for "a swift end to the conflict and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia" but didn’t mention Moscow's aggression.
In a surprise move, France, on behalf of European states, proposed three amendments which added references to Moscow's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the need for a "just, lasting and comprehensive peace" between Ukraine and the Russian Federation in line with the Charter of the United Nations.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, a strong ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, apologized on February 25 for his country's support for a resolution reaffirming support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity, saying the vote cast was a "mistake."
He told Happy Television that Serbia should have exercised restraint by abstaining from the vote, as it did with the U.S.-backed proposal.
"I think Serbia made a mistake, I apologize to the citizens for that and I bear the blame for it myself," Vucic said.
In the Security Council, Russia used its veto to prevent any changes to the U.S. resolution.
Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa said her country is exercising its "inherent right to self-defense" following Russia's invasion. She told the General Assembly that the way Russian aggression is answered "will define the future of Ukraine…Europe and our common future."
As Ukraine marked the anniversary of the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Kyiv called on all nations "to stand firm and to take…the side of the Charter, the side of humanity, and the side of just and lasting peace, peace through strength," she said.
U.S. Deputy Ambassador Dorothy Shea said multiple UN resolutions condemning Russia and demanding the withdrawal of Russian troops "have failed to stop the war" that "has now dragged on for far too long and at far too terrible a cost to the people in Ukraine and Russia and beyond."
"What we need is a resolution marking the commitment from all UN member states to bring a durable end to the war," Shea said.
Shea called it "a first step, but a crucial one," saying it "puts us on the path to peace."
- By RFE/RL
Macron Says Russia-Ukraine Truce Could Be Weeks Away, After Talks With Trump
French President Emmanuel Macron on February 24 said a truce between Ukraine and Russia could be agreed "in the weeks to come" but also warned that peace cannot mean the "surrender" of Ukraine.
Macron spoke in an interview with U.S. broadcaster Fox News following a meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion.
Trump said earlier in the Oval Office that the war could end soon.
"I think we could end it within weeks if we're smart. If we're not smart, it will keep going," Trump said alongside Macron after welcoming him to the White House.
Macron said he had spoken with European leaders and many of them are ready to provide security guarantees, a key demand of Ukraine in any peace deal.
Both Macron and Trump said there had been progress on the idea of sending peacekeepers to Ukraine, although Macron insisted the United States join Europe in the pledge, saying it would be critical for Washington to offer "backup" for any European peacekeeping force.
Trump claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to "accept" European troops deployed in Ukraine as guarantors of a deal to end fighting.
"I have specifically asked him that question. He has no problem it," Trump said when asked by a reporter about Putin's position on the matter.
The French leader said any European forces sent to Ukraine would be there to "maintain peace" and would not be placed along the front lines or become part of the conflict.
Macron said he would work with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is scheduled to visit the White House on February 27, on a proposal to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a deal.
"After speaking with President Trump, I fully believe there is a path forward," Macron said.
Macron told journalists that the war had cost a lot of money and that it was the "responsibility of Russia because the aggressor is Russia." The statement contrasted with Trump's comment last week in which he suggested Ukraine started the war.
Trump said he expected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House in the next two weeks to sign a deal granting Washington access to Ukraine's rare minerals.
In response to a reporter's question, the American president declined to call Putin a dictator despite using the word to describe Zelenskyy last week.
Zelenskyy, who has said he would step down in exchange for peace with a guarantee that Ukraine could join NATO, called on February 24 for a "real, lasting peace" this year.
Putin on February 24 indicated a shift in his stance, saying in an interview with state television that European countries can "participate" in talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine. He also said that U.S. and Russian companies were "in touch" on joint economic projects -- including strategic minerals in occupied Ukraine.
Trump said his team is "constantly" speaking with the Russians, including about potential U.S.-Russian business deals, representing a shocking change in U.S. policy.
"My administration is making a decisive break with the foreign policy values of the past administration, and frankly the past," said Trump, who has demanded the United States be paid back for the billions of dollars in aid it has given Kyiv.
The Biden administration's strategy was to isolate Russia politically and economically, disengaging from communication and imposing sweeping sanctions on the country following its invasion of Ukraine.
- By RFE/RL
Trump Says Putin Ready To Accept European Peacekeepers
U.S. President Donald Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin is willing to accept European peacekeepers ahead of talks with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, on ways to end the war in Ukraine.
"I have specifically asked him that question. He has no problem it," Trump said, when asked by a reporter about Putin's position on the matter.
Macron said European countries "are ready and willing to provide" Ukraine with security guarantees "which could perhaps include troops."
The French leader said any European forces sent to Ukraine would be there to "maintain peace" and would not be placed along the front lines or become part of the conflict.
Trump said his team is “constantly” speaking with the Russians, including about potential U.S.-Russian business deals, representing a shocking change in U.S. policy. The Biden administration sought to isolate Russia politically and economically, disengaging from communication and imposing sweeping sanctions on the country, following its invasion of Ukraine.
“My administration is making a decisive break with the foreign policy values of the past administration, and frankly the past,” Trump said.
He said the two sides were close to signing a deal on Ukrainian mineral resources.
"Once it is signed, Russia will go back to its business and Ukraine with Europe will go to their business. Things will be very good," Trump said after welcoming Macron to the White House.
Macron's visit to Washington comes on the third anniversary of the war sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion. He and Trump attended a virtual meeting with fellow leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) economies to discuss the war in Ukraine prior to holding one-on-one talks.
The trip to Washington comes on a day of high-stakes diplomacy, where Macron's visit, along with a summit in Kyiv and a showdown over diplomatic language at the United Nations over how to refer to the war have laid bare Western divisions over how to end it.
Ahead of his trip, Macron said he would present a European action plan to help achieve a durable peace deal with solid security guarantees for Ukraine.
During a press conference streamed on social media before departing for Washington, he said he would also present the case to Trump that how he handles Putin in Ukraine will either dissuade or embolden China, the United States' largest geopolitical competitor.
"You can't be weak in the face of President Putin. It's not you, it's not your trademark, it's not in your interest," Macron said, outlining the argument he planned to make to the U.S. president. "How can you then be credible in the face of China if you're weak in the face of Putin?"
Addressing G7 leaders virtually, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he hoped to finish the war "this year" as he appealed to Trump for continued U.S. support and argued for allowing Ukraine to join NATO, which the Trump administration opposes.
“If Ukraine remains outside NATO, it will be a much more expensive and complicated path for everyone because NATO provides the simplest and most cost-effective security guarantees," the Ukrainian president said.
Zelenskyy added that Kyiv is working "productively" on an economic deal with Washington amid ongoing tense talks on access to Ukrainian mineral resources in exchange for continued aid.
Trump has roiled America's traditional allies in Europe with his readiness to restart diplomatic ties with Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, raising concerns that Europe -- and even Kyiv itself -- will be sidelined in the process.
Macron's trip comes after Zelenskyy met with at least 13 foreign officials in Kyiv on February 24 -- with another two dozen or more joining online -- to discuss support for Ukraine in the face of questions over U.S. assistance.
Those concerns -- which have expanded since U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia last week -- were borne out in comments from European governments at a summit in Kyiv where leaders looked to reaffirm their support for Ukraine.
"It is Russia that started this war," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said via video link. "Russia may have gained an open ear in the White House but they have not gained an inch of legitimacy."
During the summit in Kyiv, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen vowed to "speed up the delivery of weapons and ammunition" to Ukraine and announced 3.5 billion euros in new aid. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez also promised 1 billion euros in new military support and equipment, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Ottawa would contribute new military support and donate frozen Russian funds to Kyiv.
The European Union also announced a new sanctions package against Russia and von der Leyen said Ukraine could join the bloc before 2030 if the country continues its reforms at their current speed and quality.
"President Trump has changed the global conversation over the last few weeks, and it has created an opportunity," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told world leaders over video connection. "If we want peace to endure, Ukraine must have a seat at the table, and any settlement must be based on a sovereign Ukraine backed up with strong security guarantees."
The prospect of a normalization of ties between Russia and the United States, Trump's stated desire to quickly end the war, and a public war of words between the U.S. president and Zelenskyy have worried European leaders and launched a wave of outreach to Washington.
"If you look at the messages that come from the U.S., then it's clear that the Russian narrative is there, very strongly represented," Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, told reporters in Brussels. She is scheduled to travel to Washington on February 25 and meet with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Kallas will follow Macron in visiting Washington, and Starmer is also set to meet with Trump on February 27 at the White House.
Polish President Andrzej Duda also met with Trump over the weekend.
During a trip to Turkey on the war's anniversary, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow remains open to negotiations but its military campaign will only stop if the outcome is satisfactory to Russia.
Lavrov added he believes many countries have become more "realistic" in their position around the war and that the recent meeting in Saudi Arabia raised hopes of having normal dialogue between Moscow and Washington.
Alongside Lavrov, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey -- a NATO member that has previously helped broker agreements between Moscow and Kyiv -- was ready to host future peace talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
In addition to unfolding Western divisions at the G7, a diplomatic battle over Ukraine took place at the United Nations in New York City, where the United States proposed a draft resolution that uses less critical language of Russia's full-scale invasion than a draft resolution put forward by the EU and Ukraine.
The United States abstained during a vote at 193-member UN General Assembly on February 24, allowing the body to reaffirm Ukraine's territorial integrity and adopt a strongly worded resolution condemning Russia's invasion.
But Washington also joined Russia in voting against a UN resolution proposed by Ukraine and European countries that refers to "the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation" and demands that Russia immediately withdraw its forces.
The U.S. then abstained from voting on its own resolution after three amendments proposed by France passed. One of the amendments added that the conflict was the result of a “full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation." Another reaffirmed the assembly’s commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity, and the third called for peace that respects the UN Charter.
All the amendments were approved and the resolution passed 93-8 with 73 abstentions. Ukraine voted yes, the U.S. abstained, and Russia voted no.
The UN Security Council later approved the original U.S.-sponsored resolution. The vote in the 15-member council was 10-0 with five countries abstaining. In order to be adopted, a council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by permanent members Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States.
In contrast, the General Assembly has no vetoes and despite being a closely watched way to gauge world opinion, its resolutions are legally nonbinding unlike those adopted by the Security Council.
Grief, Anger, And Pride As Ukraine Marks Third Anniversary Of Russia's Full-Scale Invasion
- By RFE/RL
Germany's Merz 'Hopeful' On U.S. Ties Despite Recent Trump Moves
Friedrich Merz, the presumptive next German chancellor and a longtime supporter of transatlantic ties, said he now seeks security "independence" from the United States and expressed doubts about the future of NATO, the alliance that has underpinned Western defense interests since World War II.
The 69-year-old, who faces tough coalition talks after his party's first-place finish in Germany's parliamentary elections over the weekend, said on February 24 that the country can't afford political paralysis at a time when Washington's foreign policy is shifting and the German economy is slumping.
"For me, the absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA" in defense matters, Merz said.
Merz, leader of the center-right CDU/CSU alliance, said he had "no illusions at all about what is coming out of America."
"After Donald Trump's statements in the last week, it is clear that the Americans are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe," he said in a televised postelection discussion with other party leaders, a traditional event following German elections.
"I'm very curious to see how we head toward the NATO summit at the end of June -- whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly," Merz added.
In one of Germany's most important elections in the post-World War II era, the CDU/CSU finished on top with 28.5 percent of the vote, according to official figures, which isn't enough to form a government alone.
However, in what likely caused a major sigh of relief in many EU capitals as well as inside Germany, the results will likely allow mainstream parties to keep the far-right AfD party out of government.
Coalition partner candidates are the center-left SPD of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which lost nearly 10 percentage points compared with four years ago, receiving 16.4 percent, and the Greens, who finished fourth with 11.6 percent. AfD was second with 20.8 percent.
Scholz will likely remain in place as a caretaker chancellor until a new government is formed.
Despite the recent tensions within the transatlantic alliance, Trump hailed the results, posting on his social media platform that the conservatives' victory was "a great day for Germany."
"Much like the USA, the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration," Trump wrote.
Left-leaning British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and centrist French President Emmanuel Macron, both key NATO allies, congratulated Merz on his party's victory and also underlined the need for enhanced European security efforts.
"I look forward to working with the new government to deepen our already strong relationship, enhance our joint security, and deliver growth for both our countries," Starmer posted on X.
Macron, who is due to meet Trump in Washington on February 24, said, "We are more determined than ever to achieve great things together for France and for Germany and to work for a strong and sovereign Europe."
"In this period of uncertainty, we are united to face the great challenges of the world and of our continent."
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also congratulated Merz, writing on social media that "Europe must be able to defend itself, develop its industries, and achieve the necessary results."
"Europe needs shared successes, and those success will bring even greater unity to Europe," he wrote.
Zelenskyy on February 23 also said he was ready to give up his position as president to bring peace, saying it could be in exchange for his country joining NATO.
"If there is peace for Ukraine, if you really need me to leave my post, I am ready.... I can exchange it for NATO," Zelenskyy told a news conference in Kyiv, adding he would depart "immediately" if necessary.
Following recent speculation about sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine following a truce deal, Merz said it was too early to discuss such efforts.
"I see it the same way as the chancellor [Scholz]. This is not a question at all at the moment," said Merz, who has regularly backed continued aid for Kyiv.
Scholz on February 18 said discussions over sending peacekeepers were "completely premature" and "highly inappropriate" while the war is ongoing.
Trump has roiled America's traditional allies in Europe with his readiness to restart diplomatic ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine, raising concerns that Europe -- or even Kyiv itself -- will be sidelined in the process.
Trump has also long complained that European nations are not paying enough for their own defense and has often questioned the long-term viability of NATO itself.
Against the backdrop of Russia's war against Ukraine, Merz will also have to balance relations between Berlin and Moscow amid an environment of shifting geopolitical winds brought about by the new administration in the White House.
"Each time [there's a new government] we want to hope for a more sober approach to reality, for a more sober approach to what could be issues of mutual interest [between Russia and Germany], mutual benefits," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on February 24.
"But let's see how it will be in reality."
In his postelection remarks, Merz said, "The interventions from Washington were no less dramatic and drastic and ultimately outrageous than the interventions we have seen from Moscow," referring to Trump ally Elon Musk’s remarks ahead of the vote in favor of the far-right AfD.
"We are under so much pressure from two sides that my absolute priority now really is to create unity in Europe," Merz added.
With reporting by Reuters and dpa
German Election Results Match Poll Predictions, Handing Victory To CDU/CSU
PRAGUE -- The headlines indicate that the far-right AfD party had its best-ever result in the German parliamentary elections, finishing second with some 20 percent of the vote, nearly doubling the result they got four years ago.
But there will be a sigh of relief in many EU capitals, governed by centrists, as well as inside Germany itself, that the vote results matched what polls had long predicted.
Despite vocal endorsements from the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, as well as far-right populist leaders, from both the United States and Europe, the AfD came in a distant second behind the establishment center-right CDU/CSU party.
The CDU/CSU finished top with 28.5 percent of the vote and Merz has indicated that he would prefer to have just one coalition partner, avoiding the unwieldy three-party set-up of the previous German government that was marred by infighting, which eventually led to snap elections.
As long predicted, it will be up to Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, to try to piece together a government.
And the only thing that is more or less sure is that the AfD -- which received 20.8 percent -- won’t be part of those talks, shunned as they are by the other major political parties in Germany.
The question is if Merz will get his way. The numbers indicate he might have to take in at least two parties to get a parliamentary majority, although seat allocations could differ slightly from the overall vote total.
The two prime candidates are the center-left SPD, led by current Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which lost nearly 10 percentage points compared to four years ago, getting just 16.4 percent and the Greens, who finished fourth with 11.6 percent.
However, some initial seat estimates indicate the CDU/CSU and the SPD together could manage a slight majority by the two groups and form a so-called "grand coalition."
Before the election, Merz said he wanted to have a new government in place by Easter, April 20.
Following the vote, he said that “we have nearly eight weeks until Easter now and I think that should be enough time — the maximum time — to form a government in Germany.”
The key thing to look out for is if the liberal FDP and Sahra Wagenknecht and her far-left BSW party clear the required 5 percent threshold to enter parliament. If both parties manage that, Merz will likely be forced to look for more than one coalition partner.
The big issue is now how long it will take to form a new government with Merz indicating that he wants it all done and dusted by the latter half of April, at the very latest.
The faster he manages, the better, given that there is a bulging in-tray waiting for the government. The German economy has endured two consecutive years of recession and many voters will expect immigration rules to be tightened, with several deadly attacks by immigrants linked to radical Islam capturing the headlines in recent months.
But the biggest immediate challenge will be how to deal with the new U.S. administration in and making sure that Europe has a say in any potential deal made between the United States and Russia over Ukraine. Merz does share certain traits with U.S. President Donald Trump: they both cut their teeth in business and are keen golfers for example, but will that be enough?
Following the release of exit polls, Trump hailed the results, posting on his social media platform that the conservatives' victory was "great day for Germany."
""Much like the USA, the people of Germany got tired of the no common sense agenda, especially on energy and immigration," Trump wrote.
A likely, impending transatlantic trade war will hit the export-oriented German economy hard, with Trump saying he will soon impose steep tariffs on German cars and most German political parties, including CDU/CSU, are adamant that they want to continue to support Ukraine both economically and politically.
Many challenges will face the new German chancellor. And Europe will be looking to Germany to take the lead on many issues. For example, other European countries will be looking to Germany to see if it is willing to send troops to oversee a potential cease-fire in Ukraine. And they will also be looking to see whether Germany is willing to drop its traditional opposition to borrowing, so that EU bonds can be issued by the union as a whole, in order to allow the continent to quickly increase its defense spending.
Following the election, Merz said it was too early to discuss the potential deployment of peacekeeping troops to Ukraine.
"I see it the same way as the chancellor (Scholz). This is not a question at all at the moment," said.
Scholz on February 18 said discussions over sending peacekeepers were "completely premature" and "highly inappropriate" while the war is ongoing.
Merz also expressed concerns about the future of the transatlantic alliance in the face of consistent remarks by Trump over the viability of NATO -- "or if we need to develop independent European defense capabilities much faster."
"That is my absolute priority, and I have absolutely no illusions about what is happening in America," said Merz, who has long favored strong U.S. ties.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Merz on his party's victory, writing on social media that "a clear voice from the voters, and we see how important this is for Europe."
"Europe must be able to defend itself, develop its industries, and achieve the necessary results. Europe needs shared successes, and those success will bring even greater unity to Europe," he wrote.
With reporting by
Polish President Duda Meets With Trump, Discusses Ukraine, Security Cooperation
Polish President Andrzej Duda held a private discussion with U.S. President Donald Trump during which they addressed several key topics, including the ongoing war in Ukraine.
According to the Polish president’s office, Duda and Trump met on February 22 in Washington to discuss Polish-American relations, security cooperation, and the U.S. military and economic presence in Poland.
Regarding Ukraine, Duda stated that Trump shared his concise plan for resolving the conflict, emphasizing the need for negotiations as the only viable path to ending the war.
"I had a private conversation with President Donald Trump, during which he briefly outlined his plan. He said negotiations are necessary, as that is the only way to end the war," Duda's office reported.
The meeting comes against increasing tension between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who recently exchanged sharp criticism. Trump called Zelenskyy a "dictator" and suggested Ukraine bears responsibility for starting the war with Russia -- remarks that sparked concern in Kyiv, European capitals, and among some high-ranking Republican lawmakers in the United States.
Speaking to journalists, Duda emphasized Trump's interest in strengthening Ukraine, including through economic ties. He noted that the U.S. economic presence in Ukraine could serve as a form of security guarantee, ensuring Ukraine remains stable and protected.
Duda's visit to the United States followed a conversation with Zelenskyy on February 21. The Polish leader described the talk as "frank" and urged Zelenskyy to maintain a calm and constructive approach to relations with Trump amid recent diplomatic tensions.
Zelenskyy previously said Trump had been influenced by Russian disinformation and allowed the United States to help Russia escape years of international isolation by engaging in high-level diplomatic talks in Riyadh on February 18.
As Ukraine continues to defend itself against Russia's military aggression, the diplomatic landscape is becoming increasingly complex. Trump's statements and shifting U.S. policy stances have raised concerns in Kyiv and across Europe about the future of Western support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, efforts by Poland, the United Kingdom, and the EU signal ongoing international backing for Ukraine, even as diplomatic challenges persist.
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
Exclusive: Russian Defector Leaks Files Revealing Shocking Scale of War Casualties
2Inside The Ukraine-U.S. Minerals Deal (It’s Not What You Might Think)
3After 1,700 Reported Desertions, New Ukrainian Brigade Now Fighting On The Front Line
4Exclusive: RFE/RL Obtains Copy Of U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal
5Can Ukraine's Scandal-Hit 155th Brigade Redeem Itself?
6Belarus Selling Rapeseed Oil Sourced From Occupied Ukraine To The EU, RFE/RL Finds
7Zelenskyy Says Relations With U.S. Salvageable Despite Heated Exchange In White House
8Don't Expect Quick Ukraine Deal, Says Russian Expert Back From Moscow
9Ukraine, U.S. Reach Deal On Rare Earth Minerals, No Security Guarantees
10Russia 'Reactivates' Secret Soviet-Era Submarine Base In Occupied Ukraine
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
