"What was supposed to be a triumphant White House visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to mark the signing of a mineral rights deal between the United States and Ukraine devolved into an Oval Office shouting match between Zelensky, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday after the
American vice president began lecturing Zelensky for what he called a lack of open gratitude towards the United States for the aid his country has received to combat Russia’s invading forces.
As reporters watched, the two men spoke about the mineral deal that Zelensky’s government has been discussing with Trump administration officials for several weeks, with Trump saying it was “an honor” to have Zelensky at the White House — his first visit to Washington since the change of administration — and describing the work to reach a deal as “very hard” while saying it was going “very well.”
But the conversation took a turn after roughly 30 minutes of questions from reporters as the subject turned to whether the agreement between the U.S. and Ukraine would include any security guarantees from the American side.
When Trump was asked by a reporter from Polish radio about concerns that he is “aligned” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump replied that he was “not aligned with anybody” save for “the United States of America, and for the good of the world.”
He also accused Zelensky of harboring “tremendous hatred” for Putin and said that made it harder to “make a deal” to end the war.
Vance asserting a forceful stance on diplomacy. “I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country,” he declared, cutting off Zelensky’s attempt to interject. When Zelensky tried to respond, Vance admonished him sharply: “Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect, I think it’s disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.”
“Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems,” he said. “You should be thanking the president for trying to bring it into this conference.” Zelensky fired back, questioning Vance’s firsthand knowledge: “Have you ever been to Ukraine that you say what problems we have?”
The vice president, undeterred, pressed his point. “I have been to Ukraine once. I have actually,” he replied. “I’ve actually watched and seen the stories. And I know what happens — you bring people, you bring them on a propaganda tour.”
He then challenged Zelensky directly: “Mr. President, do you disagree that you’ve had problems bringing people into your military? And do you think that it’s respectful to come to the Oval Office of the United States of America and attack the administration that is trying to prevent the destruction of your country?”
Zelensky, visibly exasperated, responded, “A lot of questions. Let’s start from the beginning.”
As the exchange unfolded, Trump joined the fray, which amplified the tension. When Zelensky suggested that the U.S. might not yet feel the war’s impact, saying, “First of all, during the war, everybody has problems, even you. But you have nice ocean and don’t feel now, but you will feel it in the future. God bless,” Trump snapped, “You don’t know that.”
Zelensky’s repeated “God bless” did little to calm the president, who shot back, “Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel. We’re trying to solve a problem. Don’t tell us what we’re going to feel.”
Zelensky warned, “You will feel influence,” which prompted Trump to double down.
Trump’s intensity grew as he accused Zelensky of reckless leadership. “You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people,” he charged. “You’re gambling with World War III.” Moments later, he reiterated, “You’re gambling with World War III. And what you’re doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country, far more than a lot of people said they should have.”
Vance circled back to a theme of ingratitude, pointedly asking, “Have you said thank you once?” Zelensky insisted he had, replying, “A lot of times. Even today. Even today.”
Vance wasn’t satisfied.
“You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October," Vance pointed out. "Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who’s trying to save your country.”
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump said: “I have determined that President Zelensky 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.” MS
"A grand deal involving Turkey, Syria, and the Kurds is in the works, and on Thursday a
historic announcement was made by the leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).
Abdullah Ocalan, speaking from a Turkish prison, has called on the group that he founded to lay down its arms and disband. This is the result of years of running Turkish -PKK battles as well as fragile negotiations. The PKK has long been in an official state of war with the Turkish government, which considers it a terrorist organization.
"Convene your congress and make a decision," Ocalan said in the statement, read aloud both in Kurdish and in Turkish . "All groups must lay down their arms and the P.K.K. must dissolve itself." ZH
"Russian law enforcement operatives have thwarted a terrorist attack against Crimean Metropolitan Tikhon of the Russian Orthodox Church which was ordered by Ukrainian military intelligence, the Federal Security Service (FSB) has said. One of the suspects was Tikhon’s aide, who received threats that his family would be killed if he refused to cooperate." RT
"Ukrainian forces engaged in 128 battles with Russian troops, according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.The Russian military targeted several regions with airstrikes, including Krasnopillia in the Sumy region, Halahanivka in the Chernihiv region, Riasne, Slatyne, and Doroshivka in the Kharkiv region, Siversk, Kramatorsk, Kostiantynivka, Oleksiivka, Pokrovsk, Udachne, Zvirove, Oleksandro-Kalynove, Hrodivka, Nadiivka, Horikhove, and Novopil in the Donetsk region, Kamianske, Mali Shcherbaky, Zaliznychne, Huliaipole and Novodarivka in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Tiahynka, Prydniprovske, Tarasivka, and Inhulets in the Kherson region.
In the Lyman sector, six Russian assaults near Yampolivka, Torske, Zelena Dolyna, and Kolodiazi were unsuccessful.
In the Siversk sector, two Russian attacks near Bilohorivka were repelled.
In the Kramatorsk sector, Russian troops launched two assaults near Vasiukivka and Predtechyne.
In the Toretsk sector, 11 Russian attacks near Krymske and Toretsk were stopped.
The most intense fighting was recorded in the Pokrovsk sector, with 49 Russian assaults repelled in multiple settlements, including Pokrovsk, Beresivka, Lysivka, and Uspenivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, 16 Russian attacks were stopped near Kostiantynopil, Novopil, and Burlatske.
In the Huliaipole sector, six Russian assaults near Charivne were repelled.
In the Orikhiv sector, nine Russian attacks near Stepove, Piatykhatky, and Kamianske were stopped.
No signs of Russian offensive formations were detected in the Volyn and Polissia sectors. The Kupiansk and Dnipro River sectors also saw no offensive actions.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces continue operations in Russia's Kursk region. The enemy launched 16 airstrikes, dropping 28 guided bombs, and carried out 405 shelling attacks, including 15 with MLRS. Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled 11 Russian assaults." Ukrin
"Ukraine's defense forces shot down 107 Russian drones, while another 97 disappeared from radar tracking. Russians attacked Ukraine with 208 Shahed-type attack UAVs and various types of decoy drones launched from the following areas: Orel, Bryansk, Kursk, Millerovo, Shatalovo, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk." Ukrin
"Ukrainians recently lost a critical air defense system in the Sumy region, which protected the airspace over the area facing the Kursk region.Footage has surfaced online from a Russian drone showing elements of the Ukrainian S-300 air defense system battery in the Sumy region. It appears that either an Iskander-M ballistic missile or a Tornado-S system missile with a cluster warhead struck the S-300P system launcher. This is suggested by the large explosion in the air that preceded explosions on the ground. The Ukrainian launcher was completely destroyed, as indicated by the explosion of transported rockets and dense white smoke.
Although Ukrainians received an S-300P system battery from Slovakia and missiles for refurbishment from Bulgaria, these supplies are limited. The only other option would be Greece, which has repeatedly refused to transfer its stockpiles or manufacture new missiles with help from Western partners." MS
"North Korea has sent additional troops to Russia’s Kursk Oblast. The exact number of military personnel remains unknown." Pravada
"Taiwan’s Defense Ministry scrambled land, air, and sea forces on Wednesday after Chinese ships launched a live-fire exercise near the Taiwanese coast without warning.
“This move not only poses a high risk to the navigation safety of international flights and ships at sea, but is also a blatant provocation to regional security and stability,” the Taiwanese Defense Ministry said in a statement." Breitbart
"South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attacked U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday in an article in which he criticized the U.S. for its sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), and also viciously attacked Israel.Trump restored sanctions on the ICC earlier this month, which had been reversed by President Joe Biden. Trump had sanctioned the ICC in his first term for “illegitimate assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of the United States and certain of its allies.”
Biden revoked Trump’s sanctions while stating that the U.S. “continues to object to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) assertions of jurisdiction over personnel of such non-States Parties as the United States and its allies.”
Trump slapped the sanctions back into place earlier this month, citing “illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel.”
South African leaders had been scrambling for a way to respond to Trump’s criticisms, with several delegations to the U.S. already under way.
Ramaphosa appears to have decided on confrontation with Trump, rather than compromise." Breitbart
"U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that Ukraine should abandon its aspirations to join NATO, acknowledging this as a possible reason behind the conflict with Russia. Moscow has consistently opposed the US-led bloc’s eastward expansion, viewing it as a threat to its national security." RT
"U.S. President Donald Trump has said he wants Ukraine to regain as much territory “as possible” under a potential peace deal with Russia. He claimed that Moscow will have to make concessions, but that the agreement should ultimately represent the best possible outcome for both parties if finalized." RT
"Over the past day 110 combat engagements took place at the frontline,
In the Kharkiv sector, the enemy attempted to break through Ukrainian defenses five times towards Vovchansk, Stroyivka and Dvorichna.Five militants' attacks took place in the Kupiansk sector yesterday. Defense forces repelled enemy assaults near Petropavlivka and Zahryzove.
In the Lyman sector, the invaders attacked five times. They tried to break in near Kolodyazy, Novolyubivka, Hrekivka and Zelena Dolyna.
In the Siversky sector, Ukrainian troops successfully repelled an enemy attack near Hryhorivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the militants attacked five times in the areas of Chasiv Yar, Novomarkove, Vasyukivka and Stupochky.
In the Toretsk sector, the enemy carried out ten attacks in the areas of Toretsk and Krymske.
In the Pokrovsk sector, the Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped 33 aggressor's assault actions towards the settlements of Tarasivka, Novotoretske, Myrolyubivka, Promin, Leontovychi, Kotlynne, Udachne, Nadiivka and Uspenivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the enemy made 19 attacks in the direction of Kostiantynopil, Rozdolne, Shevchenko and Burlatske during the day." Ukrin
"U.S. Secretary of State Marko Rubio has dismissed calls by Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky for a nuclear capability, labeling the idea unrealistic. He emphasized that Washington is seeking global nuclear reduction." RT
"Ukraine's defense forces shot down 110 Russian drones, while another 66 disappeared from radar tracking. As of 09:00 on Wednesday, February 26, 110 other types of drones were confirmed downed in the Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, Kyiv, Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Mykolaiv, Kherson, and Dnipropetrovsk regions." Ukrin
"A total of 98 combat engagements occurred along the front lines over the past 24 hours.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Ukrainian forces repelled six enemy attacks near Vovchansk and Dvorichna.
In the Kupiansk sector, the Russian forces launched five attacks near Petropavlivka and Zahryzove, all of which failed.In the Lyman sector, the enemy launched nine attacks near Nadiya, Novoliubivka, Zelena Dolyna, Torske, and Yampolivka.
In the Siversk sector, the Russian invaders carried out seven offensive actions in the directions of Bilohorivka, Ivano-Dariivka, and Verkhniokamianske.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the Russian forces attacked once near Chasiv Yar.
In the Toretsk sector, the Ukrainian forces repelled seven attacks near Toretsk and Krymske.
On the Pokrovsk front, the Ukrainian defenders stopped 25 enemy attacks in the areas of Promin, Tarasivka, Kotlyne, Pishchane, Nadiivka, Preobrazhenka, and Andriivka.
In the Novopavlivka sector, the Ukrainian forces repelled 11 attacks near Kostiantynopil, Novoocheretuvate, and Burlatske.
In the Orikhiv sector, the Ukrainian troops halted five enemy attempts to advance in the areas of Mali Shcherbaky, Kamianske, and towards Novoandriivka.
Once, the enemy unsuccessfully attacked the Ukrainian positions in the Prydniprovske sector.
In the Huliaipole sector, the enemy did not launch any offensive actions over the past day.
The Ukrainian forces continue operations in Russia’s Kursk region. Over the past 24 hours, the Russian forces launched 16 airstrikes, dropped 26 glide bombs, and carried out 469 artillery shellings.The Ukrainian troops repelled 16 Russian assaults.
No signs of enemy offensive group formations were detected in the Volyn and Polissia sectors of the front." Ukrin
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