As negotiations to end the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war begin in earnest, President Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy are still trying to get on the same page.
Zelenskyy postponed a visit to Saudi Arabia on Feb. 19, in order to draw a greater distinction between his travel and talks between U.S. and Russian delegates in Riyadh the day before. Though Kyiv has insisted on no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine, none of their representatives were present for the Feb. 18 Riyadh meeting.
While the Ukrainian president might’ve held back in the initial flurry of talks between Washington and Moscow, he spoke out after Trump called his approval ratings into question and pressed for Ukraine to hold new elections.
Under normal circumstances, Zelenskyy would’ve been up for reelection last spring, but Ukrainian law does not allow elections during a state of martial law, as the country has been under for nearly three years.
At a Wednesday press conference, Zelenskyy said Trump’s comments about his approval ratings may have been shaped by Russian disinformation narratives. Further, he warned against comments that could undermine his government and legitimize Moscow.
“I would like Trump’s team to have more truth because all of this certainly does not benefit Ukraine,” Zelenskyy told reporters.
Trump fired back in a Feb. 19 social media post, saying Zelenskyy—whom he described as “modestly successful comedian"—had talked the United States into spending billions of dollars to sustain Ukraine in a war it couldn’t win … and cannot settle without U.S. support.
“A Dictator without Elections, Zelenskyy better move fast or he is not going to have a Country left,” Trump’s post continued.
The comments came on the same day Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special presidential envoy on Russia and Ukraine, visited Kyiv to discuss the path forward on peace talks.
As Trump and Zelenskyy’s breakdown became increasingly visible on Wednesday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) accused the Trump team of “openly aligning themselves with Putin and his Russian oligarchs.”
“This Putin-Trump alliance means abandoning our allies, supporting authoritarianism and undermining our democratic traditions,” Sanders added.
Vice President JD Vance defended Trump’s negotiating stance, in an interview with The Daily Mail. Vance said Trump isn’t being taken by Russian disinformation, but is instead advancing his previously stated objective to rapidly negotiate an end to the conflict.
“The idea that Zelenskyy is going to change the president’s mind by badmouthing him in public media … everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration,” Vance added.
—Ryan Morgan
BOOKMARKS
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. began his new role as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) by spearheading a project touted by Donald Trump while he was still on the campaign trail. The newly-formed Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission will focus on ending “the childhood chronic disease crisis.”
Trump has only been in office for 30 days, but it’s fair to say they have been jam-packed with activity. The Epoch Times’ Joseph Lord and Jacob Burg offer you a snapshot of the first month of his return to the Oval Office.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has dealt a blow to a plan by New York City to charge drivers a toll when entering Manhattan below 60th street. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy called the tolling plan “a slap in the face to working-class Americans and small business owners,” noting that there was no toll-free alternative for drivers travelling through the area.
Trump on Feb. 19 said he endorses a single budget reconciliation bill proposed in the House of Representatives, over a two-bill plan proposed in the Senate. The reconciliation bill allows Republicans to bypass a Senate filibuster, passing funding legislation with a simple majority.
The U.S. Department of State officially declared several Mexican Drug Cartels terrorist organizations on Feb. 19, paving the way for the government to go after their finances, and prosecute parties who aid them. “All options will be on the table if we’re dealing with what are designated to be foreign terrorist organizations who are specifically targeting Americans on our border,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
—Stacy Robinson
