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Key developments on Feb. 28:
- Zelensky, Trump get into heated argument while speaking with journalists in Oval Office
- US terminates support for Ukraine's energy grid restoration, NBC reports
- Trump may halt all military aid to Ukraine following Oval Office clash, WP reports
- Kremlin officials tout Zelensky-Trump clash as 'historic'
- Italy calls for 'immediate' summit between US, Europe following Zelensky-Trump clash
- European leaders reaffirm support for Ukraine after Zelensky-Trump clash
- Ukraine repelled Russian attempt to cross into Sumy Oblast on Feb. 25, fighting continues, military says
President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump held a 45-minute-long press briefing in the Oval Office that ended in a heated argument about American aid to Ukraine, and the canceling of the planned signing of the U.S.-Ukraine mineral agreement.
In a post on Truth Social after the meeting, Trump said that Zelensky "disrespected the United States of America in the cherished Oval Office."
"He can come back when he is ready for peace," he added.
Zelensky met Trump in Washington on Feb. 28 as the two leaders were expected to sign a framework deal on Ukraine's natural resources.
But during a press conference, a scuffle began following Zelensky's answer to U.S. Vice President JD Vance's comments.
In response to a journalist’s question that Trump and his administration were aligning themselves with President Vladimir Putin and Russia, Vance interjected, saying that former President Joe Biden had done nothing to end the war in Ukraine through diplomatic means.
"The path to peace and the path to prosperity is engaging in diplomacy. What makes America is a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That is what President Trump is doing," Vance said.
Zelensky responded by explaining the history of Russian aggression against Ukraine that began in 2014 with Russia’s invasion in the east and the annexation of Crimea, noting that Moscow had broken a ceasefire deal negotiated in 2019 through diplomatic efforts with France and Germany.
"What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are speaking about?" Zelensky asked. "What do you mean?"
"I’m talking about the kind of diplomacy that’s going to end the destruction of your country," Vance said in response.
The Kyiv Independent
It was at that point that Vance became noticeably irritated and began chastising Zelensky.
"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," Vance said.
"Right now, you guys are going around and forcing conscripts to the front lines because you have manpower problems. You should be thanking the President for trying to bring an end to this conflict."
Zelensky asked Vance if he'd been to Ukraine himself to see the problems the country faced.
"I've been... I've actually seen and watched the stories," Vance said.
At one point when Zelensky began to respond, Trump said: "You've done a lot of talking. Your country is in big trouble. You're not winning this."
"We are staying, Mr. President, we are staying in our country, staying strong. From the very beginning of the war, we've been alone. And we are thankful. I said thanks in this Cabinet," Zelensky responded.
"You are not in a good position. You don't have the right cards right now," Trump said.
"I'm not playing cards," Zelensky responded.
"You're gambling with World War III. You're gambling with World War III! And what you're doing is very disrespectful to the country, this country. It's back to you," Trump said.
Trump also said Ukraine had not been alone because "stupid" former President Biden gave Kyiv military aid.
"If you didn't have our military equipment, this war would have been over in two weeks. Okay?" Trump added.
"You've gotta be more thankful" -- remarkable scenes out of the White House as Trump and JD Vance team up to do Putin's bidding and demean Zelenskyy pic.twitter.com/wjp8UfqN0G
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) February 28, 2025
Trump said it was going to be a "very hard thing to do business like this" before Vance falsely suggested Zelensky had never thanked the U.S. for aid.
Zelensky once again said he was thankful before Trump accused him of not being serious about wanting a ceasefire.
"You’re buried there. You’re … people are dying. You're running low on soldiers," he said.
"Of course, we want to stop the war," Zelensky replied.
"But you're saying you don't want a ceasefire? I want a ceasefire. Because you’ll get a ceasefire faster than an agreement," Trump said.
"It’s going to make great television," Trump said after the argument. The press briefing ended shortly after.
In one of the videos posted online, Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova is seen shaking her head in disbelief.
The reaction of Ukraine’s Ambassador to the US, Oksana Markarova, during the heated exchange between Trump and Zelenskiy. pic.twitter.com/OA8UJlEHRc
— annmarie hordern (@annmarie) February 28, 2025
According to CNN, Zelensky left the White House shortly after, and the planned signing of the mineral deal and a planned press conference were both canceled.
Zelensky's visit was preceded by weeks of tense negotiations as Ukraine rejected the initial two draft mineral deal proposals, presenting them as one-sided obligations for Ukraine without any security commitments on Washington's side.
The long-debated agreement would have established a fund to which Ukraine would contribute 50% of proceeds from the future monetization of state-owned mineral resources, including oil, gas, and logistics infrastructure.
Chris York
US terminates support for Ukraine's energy grid restoration, NBC reports
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) was instructed by the State Department to terminate initiatives set to help restore Ukraine's energy grid, NBC News reported, citing two USAID officials working on the matter.
The termination was finalized prior to Zelensky's visit to Washington.
“It significantly undercuts this administration’s abilities to negotiate on the ceasefire, and it’d signal to Russia that we don’t care about Ukraine or our past investments,” a USAID official told NBC News.
Russia has launched more than 30 mass strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure over the three years of its full-scale invasion, Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said on Feb. 24.
"Each large-scale attack on the energy sector involves 100-200, and now 3,000 different munitions that simultaneously hit power generation facilities, substations, power lines, and gas infrastructure," Halushchenko wrote on Facebook.
Russia continues to target Ukrainian energy infrastructure, testing Ukraine's resolve as the country endures another winter.
Material losses from Russian attacks have amounted to "billions of dollars," according to the minister.
USAID has funded a wide range of initiatives in Ukraine, from energy security to civil society development. Trump ordered a 90-day freeze on all foreign assistance upon taking office, effectively halting USAID-funded programs worldwide.
Ukraine is working to secure alternative funding sources for critical programs previously supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and has already reached preliminary agreements on some, Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Olha Stefanishyna said on Feb. 7.
"The negotiations are ongoing. Ministers in the Ukrainian government have held meetings on critical programs — Energy, Infrastructure, Digital Transformation, and Justice Ministries," she said at a conference attended by the Kyiv Independent.
Stefanishyna emphasized that urgent funding has already been identified for recovery efforts, energy resilience, and cyber defense projects.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
Trump may halt all military aid to Ukraine following Oval Office clash, WP reports
President Donald Trump is considering ending ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine following a heated exchange in the White House between Trump and Zelensky, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Feb. 28, citing a senior Trump administration official.
Zelensky has repeatedly urged the U.S. to continue shipping arms to Ukraine as a security guarantee that would strengthen Kyiv's position in future peace negotiations with Russia.
After taking office on Jan. 20, the Trump administration was initially inclined to stop all aid to Ukraine, but has since continued to send weapons to the embattled nation. The Trump administration has said it would not support additional weapons shipments, but has not halted weapons shipments that were started under the previous Biden administration.
Trump signed an executive order on the first day of his term freezing foreign aid funding for 90 days.
Reuters reported in early February that opposing factions within the administration had been debating whether the U.S. should continue providing weapons.
The U.S. has provided Ukraine with $65.9 billion in military aid since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Kremlin officials tout Zelensky-Trump clash as 'historic'
Russian officials commented on the heated exchange between Zelensky and Trump at the White House on Feb. 28, calling the clash "historic" and "a livid reprimand from the Oval Office."
Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev called the argument "historic" in a post on X.
Dmitriev serves as special envoy to Russian President Vladimir Putin and took part in the recent direct talks between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia.
Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised Trump for telling "the truth," calling the argument "a livid reprimand" delivered to an "ungrateful" Zelensky.
Medvedev, currently a deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, has made numerous inflammatory statements on social media platforms and has openly challenged Ukraine's right to exist as an independent nation.
Italy calls for 'immediate' summit between US, Europe following Zelensky-Trump clash
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called on Feb. 28 for an "immediate" summit between the United States, EU, and Western allies to discuss Ukraine amid ongoing peace talks.
Meloni's call for the summit follows a heated meeting between Zelensky and Trump in the White House on Feb. 28 that culminated in the Ukrainian delegation being ordered to leave the White House.
The meeting ended without an agreement on a mineral deal after a 45-minute press briefing escalated into a heated exchange over U.S. aid to Ukraine and the conditions of a potential peace deal with Russia.
Meloni called for the summit to "talk frankly about how we intend to deal with the great challenges of today, starting with Ukraine, which together we have defended in recent years, and those that we will be called upon to face in the future," according to a statement.
"Any division of the West makes us all weaker and favors those who would like to see the decline of our civilization. A decline not of its power or influence, but of the principles that founded it, first and foremost freedom. A division would not benefit anyone," the statement continued.
Italy will be communicating with allies to propose the meeting "in the coming hours."
Meloni's proposal comes as a number of European leaders on Feb. 28 reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, following his tense meeting.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that "Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader," following the exchange.
The proposed summit follows one that French President Emmanuel Macron convened in Paris on Feb. 17, that brought together leaders from Europe's largest nations and Britain, as well as NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and top EU officials.
European allies have become increasingly concerned that they will not have a role in negotiations between the U.S. and Russia's about ending the war — talks that Kyiv has also been sidelined from.
Dmytro Basmat
European leaders reaffirm support for Ukraine after Zelensky-Trump clash
A number of European leaders on Feb. 28 reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and Zelensky, following his tense meeting with Trump at the White House.
"Dear Volodymyr Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X.
Zelensky met with Trump in the Oval Office, where they were expected to finalize a framework deal on Ukraine's natural resources.
The meeting ended without an agreement after a 45-minute press briefing escalated into a heated exchange over U.S. aid to Ukraine and the conditions of a potential peace deal with Russia.
Zelensky left the White House early without signing the minerals deal, which had been the focus of weeks of negotiations between Washington and Kyiv.
Thank you America, thank you for your support, thank you for this visit. Thank you @POTUS, Congress, and the American people.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 28, 2025
Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that.
In response to the meeting, French President Emmanuel Macron reiterated that Russia is the aggressor in its war against Ukraine.
"There is an aggressor, which is Russia, and an attacked people, which is Ukraine," Macron told reporters in Portugal.
"We must thank all those who helped, and we must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning."
According to Christopher Miller, the Financial Times' chief correspondent in Kyiv, Zelensky spoke by phone with Macron and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte following the clash with Trump.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting Ukraine.
"Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President Volodymyr Zelensky," she posted.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the EU's commitment to stepping up assistance to Ukraine, enabling the country to continue resisting the aggressor.
"Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It's up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge," Kallas posted on X.
Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people.
— António Costa (@eucopresident) February 28, 2025
Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone, dear President @ZelenskyyUa.
We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.
Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), echoed similar sentiments, saying, "We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war."
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized that Germany, along with its European allies, remains firmly on Ukraine's side against Russian aggression.
Moldovan President Maia Sandu underscored Ukraine's broader role in defending freedom.
"The truth is simple. Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia is the aggressor," she wrote on X.
Czech President Petr Pavel expressed strong support for Ukraine, saying that the country stands with Ukraine more than ever.
"Time for Europe to step up its efforts," he said.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala also voiced support, writing, "We stand with Ukraine and on the side of the free world."
Officials from Spain, Lithuania, Latvia, Norway, and the Netherlands also issued statements reaffirming their commitment to Ukraine in the wake of the White House meeting.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
Ukraine repelled Russian attempt to cross into Sumy Oblast on Feb. 25, fighting continues, military says
Russian forces attempted to cross the Russia-Ukraine border in Sumy Oblast near the village of Novenke on Feb. 25 but were repelled, Dmytro Lyhkovii, a spokesperson for Ukraine's General Staff, told the Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Feb. 28.
Moscow's troops have since then continued in attempts to carry out attacks in the area, Lykhovii said amid recent reports on Russian forces attempting to storm the border.
The spokesperson's comments follow the DeepState monitoring group marking Novenke as a contested area, suggesting that Russian forces crossed the border into Sumy Oblast. The village of Novenke lies just across the border, some 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the regional center, Sumy.
Northeastern Sumy Oblast borders Russia's Kursk Oblast, where Ukrainian forces launched an incursion last summer to draw away Moscow's troops from Donbas and disrupt Russian plans for an offensive from the north.
"On Feb. 25, (Russia) stormed this section of the border (at Novenke) with forces of up to two mechanized units, crossed the state border of Ukraine, but was blocked and thrown back to the territory of the Russian Federation," Lykhovii told Interfax-Ukraine.
"Subsequently, Russian troops continue to attempt assault actions, now with infantry groups."
Andrii Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation, said that Russia has been carrying out infantry assaults near Novenke for several days, leading to localized skirmishes at the border.
Kovalenko denied that the attacks would mark the start of a new offensive as Russia does not have "neither the strength nor the means for this."
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Kursk Oblast in August 2024. After six months of fighting in the region, Russian troops have regained control of about 64% of the territory in the region, the Russian military claimed.
Russian casualties have reached nearly 40,000 in Kursk Oblast, including over 16,000 killed, Ukraine's General Staff reported on Feb. 6. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said last November that the incursion thwarted Russia's plans to invade Sumy Oblast in an attempt to create a "buffer zone" in the region.
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