World Briefing: February 28, 2025
As Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky makes his way to the White House for a crucial meeting with Donald Trump, many regions of his country were targeted by Russian drones overnight, with some hitting critical infrastructure. That led to UkrEnergo announcing power outages in some area as critical infrastructure was damaged.
Hours earlier, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer courted the Trump White House, lavishing praise on Trump and, on behalf of King Charles, offering a “unprecedented” second state visit to the UK. (I told CNN this morning that perhaps Zelensky could counter with an invitation to Trump to visit the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant - popular tourist site and the location of the 1986 nuclear disaster.) Earlier in the week, French President Emmanuel Macron visited the White House, but both leaders failed to sway Trump on including security guarantees in any Ukraine deal. Trump also repeated the false claim that the U.S. has contributed $350 billion to Ukraine - when the actual figure is less than half that. Starmer and Macron reminded him that much of Europe’s aid has been in grants, not loans, but the former real estate mogul dismissed the point.
When asked yesterday if he would apologize to Zelensky for calling him a dictator, Trump feigned ignorance, joking, “Did I say that?” He added: “We are going to have a very good meeting and I have a lot of respect for him...they (the Ukrainians) have fought very bravely."
A trade deal between the US and UK could happen "very quickly", US President Donald Trump has said, following a meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Trump said he envisaged "a real trade deal", which could see the UK avoid the kind of tariffs the US has been threatening on some of its trading partners — BBC
US and Russian delegations met in Istanbul yesterday to identify initial steps to stabilize operations of their diplomatic missions, said the US State Department. "The United States raised concerns regarding access to banking and contracted services as well as the need to ensure stable and sustainable staffing levels at the US Embassy in Moscow," it said in a statement on Thursday. “Through constructive discussions, both sides identified concrete initial steps to stabilise bilateral mission operations in these areas," it added. The discussions followed a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on February 18, where both sides agreed to initiate talks on issues affecting their respective diplomatic missions. The US delegation was led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Russia and Central Europe Sonata Coulter, while the Russian side was headed by Ambassador Alexander Darchiev, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s North American Department. Coulter and Darchiev agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in the near future, with details on the date, location and representation yet to be determined, according to the State Department - AFP
Egypt has announced that intensive talks have begun in Cairo between the parties involved in the Gaza ceasefire agreement to discuss the next phases amid "ongoing efforts to ensure the implementation of the agreed-upon understandings." The Egyptian State Information Service reported that delegations from Israel and Qatar arrived in Cairo to continue negotiations on the Gaza ceasefire, with the participation of US representatives. In an official statement, the agency noted that "the concerned parties have begun intensive discussions on the next phases of the ceasefire agreement, amid ongoing efforts to ensure the implementation of the agreed-upon understandings." It added:"Mediators are discussing ways to enhance the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza as part of efforts to alleviate the suffering of the population and support stability in the region,” the statement added. - TRT World
Russia’s top security official Sergei Shoigu was in Indonesia for talks this week with President Prabowo Subianto and his defence minister, as Moscow and Jakarta seek to boost defence ties. Indonesia maintains a neutral foreign policy, refusing to take sides in the Ukraine conflict or in great power competition between the United States and China. Shoigu, Russia's former defence minister and now secretary of its Security Council, is seen as influential in the decision to send Russian troops into Ukraine in 2022 and is a staunch ally of President Vladimir Putin. Russian news agency RIA said on Monday that Shoigu would discuss bilateral ties with the "top leadership of Indonesia", including security and defence issues. Recently inaugurated Prabowo has pledged to be bolder on the world stage and visited Moscow in July for talks with Putin. In November, Indonesia and Russia held their first joint naval drills. Jakarta has billion-dollar trade ties with Moscow, yet major arms imports have stalled in recent years after Russia seized Crimea in 2014 and launched its offensive on Ukraine. Still, since becoming defence minister in 2019, Prabowo has kept alive a $1.1 billion Russian fighter jet deal agreed a year earlier, despite the reported threat of US sanctions - Jakarta Post
Clint Eastwood paid tribute to his friend and co-star Gene Hackman in an emotional statement to Variety on Thursday after the actor was found dead at his home in Santa Fe, N.M. Eastwood said Hackman was a “dear friend” whom he would “miss very much.” Retiring as an actor in 2004 after winning two Oscars, Hackman starred alongside Eastwood in the 1992 Western Unforgiven. The film was directed by Eastwood, who commended Hackman’s acting ability, stating, “There was no finer actor than Gene. Intense and instinctive. Never a false note.” The role of Sheriff “Little Bill” Daggett in Unforgiven won Hackman his second Oscar in the Supporting Actor category at the 1993 Oscars. Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, were found dead in separate rooms of their house with the front door left open and pills scattered on the floor in a scene police have labeled “suspicious.” Celebrity tributes have poured in, including from Morgan Freeman, who also starred in Unforgiven. He called working with Hackman one of the “personal highlights” of his career in an Instagram post. - Daily Beast
Controversial influencer Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate have arrived in the U.S., more than two years after they were arrested in Romania on human trafficking charges and forming a criminal group to sexually exploit women. Andrew Tate, 38, is a former professional kickboxer and self-described misogynist who has racked up a massive social media following, particularly among young men and schoolboys, to educators' alarm. He's been described as the "King of Toxic Masculinity" and one of the "internet's most controversial figures." Tristan, 36, is also a former kickboxer and self-described entrepreneur. The two had been under a travel ban — and spent several months under house arrest near Bucharest — since their arrest in December 2022. They remain under criminal investigation in Romania, even as they are permitted to leave the country. Andrew Tate has also been charged with rape. Both men deny the allegations. - NPR
