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The US has spent another day sending a barrage of insults at Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky as Washington urged Zelensky to accept a rare earth mineral deal.
Today’s extraordinary outburst came from US national security adviser Mike Waltz, who used a Fox News TV interview to warn Zelensky to “tone it down” and agree to the deal.
Mr Trump said he wanted $500bn in rare earth minerals from Kyiv as payback for Washington’s military support of Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
Mr Waltz claimed it would offer the “best security guarantee they could ever hope for” – but Kyiv rejected it and claimed Mr Trump was living in a Russian “disinformation bubble”.
The Ukrainian president said the US had supplied his country with $67bn in weapons and $31.5bn in direct budget support throughout the nearly three-year war with Russia.
“You can’t call this $500bn and ask us to return $500bn in minerals or something else. This is not a serious conversation,” Mr Zelensky said.
Mr Trump responded by hurling insults at Mr Zelensky on Wednesday, accusing him of being a dictator who wanted to keep the “gravy train” of US aid flowing.
Trump lavished with praise by Kremlin after blaming Ukraine for war: ‘He understands our position’
Alexander Butler21 February 2025 06:00
Bully Trump tries to gag Zelensky: ‘Tone it down and take my deal’
Alexander Butler21 February 2025 05:30
Where British troops could be sent as part of Starmer’s ‘peacekeeping force’
Ukraine’s future may well have changed dramatically this week after the US held its first talks on ending the war with Russia.
However, there are concerns that with Kyiv not included in discussions and Donald Trump openly attacking Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, a Washington-Moscow peace deal will only leave the war-torn country disappointed.
As European leaders scramble to secure influence over a potential war settlement – despite being left out of the talks in Riyadh – British prime minister Sir Keir Starmer will reportedly detail a peacekeeping plan involving 30,000 European troops when he visits Mr Trump in Washington next week.
Ukraine has so far refused to agree on giving up any land to the invading Russians. This comes despite US pressure, with defence secretary Pete Hegseth saying earlier this month that Ukraine’s demand for a return to pre-2014 borders is an “unrealistic objective” which will “only prolong the war and cause more suffering”.
Namita Singh21 February 2025 05:29
Elon Musk criticises Zelensky over Vogue photoshoot amid Ukraine war
Elon Musk has condemned Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for participating in a 2022 Vogue photoshoot while the country was at war, saying it was inappropriate given the suffering of Ukrainian soldiers on the battlefield.
The Tesla CEO and senior White House adviser responded to a post on X featuring the Vogue cover, remarking, “He did this while kids are dying in trenches on the war front.”
The photoshoot, conducted by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz, featured Mr Zelensky and First Lady Olena Zelenska as part of a feature titled Portrait of Bravery: Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska.
The piece aimed to highlight Ukrainian resilience but drew criticism, particularly from conservative figures in the US, who questioned its optics amid substantial American aid to Ukraine.
Republican Congresswoman Lauren Boebert previously criticised the shoot, stating, “While we send Ukraine $60 billion in aid, Zelensky is doing photoshoots for Vogue. These people think we are nothing but a bunch of suckers.”
Texas Congresswoman Mayra Flores echoed similar concerns, writing, “Biden: Let’s continue to send billions of dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine, they need it! Reality: The Zelensky family graces us with a photo shoot to be on the cover of Vogue magazine.”
However, the feature also received support. Verizon executive Tami Erwin praised the profile, calling it “outstanding”.
Pro-Ukrainian activist Val Voschevska defended the shoot, arguing that it presented Ms Zelenska in a relatable and humanising light, saying, “She looks like any of us after a long day at the office—the only difference is that her job is protecting her country from war.”
Mr Zelensky addressed the criticism in an interview with Wired, explaining that he uses media to communicate his message. “If you want people to perceive you as you are, you must use what people use,” he said.
Ms Zelenska, in the Vogue interview, reflected on the hardships of war, stating, “These have been the most horrible months of my life, and the lives of every Ukrainian.”
Namita Singh21 February 2025 05:12
US and Russian representatives hold informal talks on Ukraine in Switzerland
Unofficial representatives from the United States and Russia have been engaged in discreet discussions in Switzerland over the past few months to address the situation in Ukraine, according to a Reuters report on 21 February.
The informal meetings, referred to as “track two meetings,” are a form of unofficial diplomacy aimed at easing tensions. Reuters, citing three unnamed sources, reported that these discussions have taken place without Ukrainian participation.
These talks were disclosed shortly after senior officials from Russia and the US held preliminary peace negotiations in Saudi Arabia on 18 February.
The sources indicated that communication between Moscow and Washington intensified following the US presidential election on 5 November, with some advisors to president-elect Donald Trump aware of the meetings.
The most recent discussions occurred just days ago in Geneva, coinciding with the Munich Security Conference, two sources confirmed. However, it remains unclear when these meetings initially began or whether any Ukrainian representatives were involved, another source stated.
The participants, though not government officials, have backgrounds in security and diplomacy, two sources revealed. It is uncertain whether their respective governments sanctioned their involvement in these talks.
The sources declined to disclose the identities of those attending the meetings.
Namita Singh21 February 2025 05:10
What a Ukraine election would look like after Trump labels Zelensky a ‘dictator’
Alexander Butler21 February 2025 05:00
Mapped: Where are Ukraine’s rare earth mineral resources and why does Trump want them?
The US president announced last week that the war-torn country was on board with his plan, potentially worth hundreds of billions of dollars.
“We’re telling Ukraine they have very valuable rare earths,” Mr Trump said.
“I told them that I want the equivalent of like $500 billion worth of rare earths, and they’ve essentially agreed to do that.”
Namita Singh21 February 2025 04:49
Stop criticising Trump and sign $500bn mineral deal, US official advises Kyiv
The White House has urged Ukraine to cease its public criticism of Donald Trump and agree to a deal that would transfer half of the country’s mineral wealth to the United States, warning that refusal would be unacceptable.
US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz stated on Fox News that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy should “tone down” his remarks and seriously consider the proposal, which would grant Washington access to $500bn worth of natural resources, including oil and gas.
Mr Waltz defended the US administration’s approach, arguing that Kyiv should not oppose Mr Trump’s stance on negotiations with Moscow, given the extensive support the US has provided. He dismissed concerns that Ukraine and European allies were sidelined in recent talks with Russia, describing them as routine “shuttle diplomacy”.
“Some of the rhetoric coming out of Kyiv … and insults to President Trump were unacceptable,” Mr Waltz later told reporters at the White House.
“President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky, the fact that he hasn’t come to the table, that he hasn’t been willing to take this opportunity that we have offered,” he added.
Namita Singh21 February 2025 04:39
Ukraine destroys North Korean ‘wonder weapon’ for first time in war with Russia
Alexander Butler21 February 2025 04:30
Bully Trump tries to gag Zelensky
Donald Trump has sparked fresh outrage by trying to silence Volodymyr Zelensky, who was defending himself over the US president’s “dictator” slur, and pressure him into a deal with Vladimir Putin.
The White House told Ukraine’s leader to “tone down” his comments – which included his remark that Mr Trump lives in a Russian “disinformation space” – and accused Mr Zelensky of “badmouthing” the US president.
Mr Zelensky was ordered to sign a peace deal with Russia and, adding insult to injury, to hand hundreds of billions of pounds worth of mineral reserves to the US.
The treatment of Mr Zelensky has been condemned as “thin-skinned”.
Namita Singh21 February 2025 04:17
