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Adrian Olivier,
Sunday 23 February – Sunday 2 March:
On Sunday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, Moscow’s point man for relations with the U.S., said that a meeting at the level of departmental heads would take place at the end of the week. “We are open to contacts with the American side, in particular, on irritants in bilateral relations,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying by state news agency TASS. “We are waiting for real progress when the meeting scheduled for the end of the coming week takes place.”
On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron met with President Donald Trump in the White House. During their meeting, Trump expressed confidence the war could end “within weeks,” but warned that, without an agreement, the fighting could spiral into “World War III.” Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin was ready to accept European peacekeepers in Ukraine in a potential breakthrough that could help end the war. “He will accept that. I have asked him that question,” Trump said of Putin, when asked directly about the deployment of European troops. “Look, if we do this deal, he’s not looking for more war … I’ve specifically asked him that question. He has no problem with it.”
On Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not rule out sending Canadian troops to Ukraine as part of a possible ceasefire deal as he joined European leaders in Kyiv to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. “We will work with our neighbours on it, but everything is on the table,” Trudeau said at a joint media conference with other leaders, when asked about the prospect of Canadian soldiers on the ground. Pushed later to expand on his comment about troops, Trudeau said the “first priority is to make sure that there is a ceasefire and that we set up the conditions for a lasting peace.” “When we establish the way we’re going to keep a lasting peace … Canada will be involved, but we’re not at that position yet,” Trudeau told reporters.
On Tuesday, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol defended his martial law decree in a final statement at his impeachment trial. He vowed to push for political reform if reinstated. The court is expected to rule by mid-March on whether to remove Yoon from office or reinstate his presidential powers. He has been separately arrested and indicted on rebellion charges in connection with his decree. If convicted, he would face the death penalty or life imprisonment. Yoon has denied any wrongdoing and blamed the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, which obstructed his agenda, impeached many senior officials and slashed key parts of the government’s budget bill, for the political crisis. During his marital law announcement, Yoon called the assembly “a den of criminals” and “anti-state forces.” “The reason why I declared martial law was because of desperation as I could no longer neglect a do-or-die crisis facing this country,” Yoon said. “I tried to inform the people of these anti-state acts of wickedness by the mammoth opposition party and appealed to the people to stop it with intense surveillance and criticism.”
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy would visit the White House on Friday to sign a minerals deal that will closely tie the two countries together for years to come. Trump made the announcement at the start of the first Cabinet meeting of his second term, hailing the deal as “a very big agreement.” “The previous administration put us in a very bad position, but we’ve been able to make a deal where we’re going to get the money back and a lot of money in the future,” Trump said. Zelenskyy said at a news conference in Kyiv that a framework of an economic deal had been reached, but that it did not yet include U.S. security guarantees, which his country sees as vital.
On Thursday, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with President Trump at the White House. Part-way through their opening remarks, the prime minister reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out an official letter from King Charles III – an invitation for a second state visit. After taking a minute to read the letter, Trump said he accepted the invitation and that it would be an “honour” to visit the “fantastic” country. He added that King Charles was a “beautiful man, a wonderful man”. It proved the ultimate icebreaker. From then on, Trump and Starmer were all smiles and handshakes. Starmer left with the promise of a potential trade deal and was even hailed by Trump as a formidable negotiator. “The prime minister and I have gotten off to an outstanding start,” Trump later said.
On Friday, sparks flew in a meeting between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy who had arrived at the White House to sign a minerals deal. The leaders became combative over how to negotiate a settlement for the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. After the reporters cleared out of the Oval Office, Zelenskyy was asked to leave the White House. The mineral deal was not signed and the scheduled press conference did not occur. The abrupt end of the meeting left unclear how much military and political support the Trump administration is prepared to provide to Kyiv in coming months.. “He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office,” Trump wrote on social media. “He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”
On Saturday, Zelenskyy enjoyed a much warmer welcome from UK Prime Minister Starmer in London ahead of a European summit. Britain announced an agreement to accelerate $2.8 billion worth of loans to Ukraine. The first tranche of funding is expected to be disbursed next week, according to the UK government. NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he had to “find a way to restore his relationship with the American president.” Rutte told the BBC on Saturday that he told Zelenskyy that “he really had to respect what President Trump has done so far for Ukraine.” He was referring to the first Trump administration’s decision in 2019 to supply Ukraine with Javelin antitank missiles that Ukraine used to deadly effect against Russian tanks in the first wave of the 2022 invasion.
On Sunday, Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer told European leaders the West is at a “crossroads in history,” at a summit in London. “This is not a moment for more talk. It’s time to act,” Starmer said after a day of diplomacy in London, which saw leaders on the continent attempt to forge a path towards a ceasefire in Ukraine. Zelensky and an ensemble of European leaders were in attendance, at a moment of intense anxiety in the conflict. Starmer told reporters he was working with France and a small number of other nations to craft a plan to stop the fighting, which would then be presented to the US. French President Emmanuel Macron outlined the plan in an interview with Le Figaro, saying that France and the United Kingdom have proposed a month-long limited ceasefire in Ukraine, involving a “truce in the air, on the seas and energy infrastructures”. The second phase, he said, would involve troops on the ground. Starmer reiterated at a press conference that the plan would still require American support and insisted the US was “not an unreliable ally” after Trump’s extraordinary argument with Zelensky deeply spooked Europe.
The standoff between Pretoria and Washington continues, while representatives of pressure groups AfriForum and Solidarity appear to have been warmly received at the White House. Ernst Roets was interviewed by former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.
The Trump administration has now cut off all aid, including humanitarian support which will have a serious impact on the country’s ability to dispense retrovirals to HIV sufferers.
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