SUKHUMI (Reuters) -- The tiny Pacific island of Nauru today became the fourth country to recognize the Russian-backed rebel Georgian region of Abkhazia as independent, in defiance of the West.

Russia has been trying to secure international recognition for the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which most of the world regard as part of Georgia, since crushing a Georgian assault on South Ossetia in a five-day war last year.

"Today at 10 a.m. [0700 GMT] in the presidential administration, Foreign Minister Sergei Shamba and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nauru, Kieren Keke, signed an agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations," the Abkhaz Foreign Ministry press service said.

Until today, only Venezuela and Nicaragua had followed Russia's August 2008 recognition.

Russia's respected "Kommersant" daily reported on December 14 that Russia had promised financial aid to Nauru to sweeten the deal.

The Nauru Foreign Ministry could not be reached by telephone.

Nauru, an island of 21 square kilometers, gained independence in 1968 and joined the United Nations in 1999 as the world's smallest independent republic, according to the "CIA World Factbook." It is 14,000 kilometers from Abkhazia.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgian rule in wars in the early 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and have run their own affairs ever since.

After mounting tensions, U.S. ally Georgia launched an assault on South Ossetia in August 2008, drawing a devastating Russian counterstrike in a five-day war.

Russian forces now control the borders of South Ossetia and Abkhazia and patrol Abkhazia's stunning coastline, once the playground of the Moscow elite and where Stalin's dacha still stands.

Most Abkhaz and South Ossetians hold Russian passports.

Abkhazia is dependent on Russia for more than half its budget, as well as for pensions, trade, and investment.

Nauru's decision to recognize followed an election at the weekend that returned Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh for a second five-year term with a convincing 59.4 percent of the vote.

The opposition cried foul but Russian election observers said Abkhazia had passed the democratic test of elections.

Some Abkhaz, who pride themselves on a history of resistance to stronger powers, accuse Bagapsh of handing too much influence to Russia. The West shunned the December 12 election and Georgia said it was a farce.

Ukrainian opposition leaders Petro Poroshenko and Yulia Tymoshenko have dismissed the possibility of elections in the country during Russia's full-scale invasion after media reports suggested US officials had approached them about the idea.

Poroshenko, a former president, and Tymoshenko, a former prime minister -- the country's most influential opposition figures -- said on March 6 that elections should take place only after peace has been established.

Poroshenko admitted in a written statement published on social media that his team has had contact with US "partners" but that "the essence of our conversations with representatives of the American side has always been reduced to two principles -- security first and peace through strength."

"Our team has always been and is categorically against elections during the war," he added.

Kostiantyn Yelisieiev, a former Ukrainian diplomat and close associate of Poroshenko's, told RFE/RL that the former president and his team are "important and interesting interlocutors" and that they "keep contact with many people from around the globe" despite alleged efforts he says from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to push them away from "the political landscape of Ukraine."

"Our goal is to keep Ukraine in the agenda of both parties," he said, adding that Poroshenko's team maintains contacts with both the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington.

"We do not push for early elections as our main goal is to ensure that any such elections can be free and fair and in accordance with European electoral standards."

Tymoshenko, meanwhile, said her team is "talking with all our allies who can help in securing a just peace as soon as possible," and added that "there can be no talk" about elections before peace is achieved.

The latest comments come after Politico reported that four senior members of US President Donald Trump's "entourage" met with Poroshenko and Tymoshenko for "secret discussions" about holding elections.

The discussions focused on whether Ukraine could have quick presidential elections, according to the report.

In February, Trump called Zelenskyy a "dictator without elections" for not holding a vote since Russia launched its full-scale war in 2022.

White House officials also have mentioned holding elections in Ukraine as part of a potential sequencing for a peace process amid ongoing talks between Moscow and Washington.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has widely claimed there can't be peace talks with Ukraine because Zelenskyy is not the country's legitimate leader because his term was originally supposed to end in May 2024.

However, under the Ukrainian constitution, Zelenskyy is bound to remain in office as the country is under martial law because of Russia's full-scale invasion, a point Ukrainian lawmakers underlined in approving a resolution supporting him on February 25.

Martial law was imposed by Kyiv just a day after the Kremlin launched its all-out war in February 2022. Ukrainian officials have repeatedly noted that practical considerations, along with security and legal ones, make it impossible to hold elections.

Pavlo Klimkin, a former Ukrainian foreign minister, told RFE/RL that he doesn’t "see anything sensational" in the idea of US officials meeting Ukrainian political leaders to gauge the possibility of holding elections in the future and that such discussions had been under way even before Trump took office.

"This is actually a conversation that has been going on for a long time in the United States," he said.

Klimkin added that holding elections appears to be on the table as peace talks advance, but the issue will be first establishing a sustainable cease-fire.

"They say it should be as fast as possible," he said. "This is an image issue for Trump and an issue of political respect for his administration. But after the cease-fire, I think they will want to hold elections."

Pop singer Mehdi Yarrahi has been given 74 lashes for a song criticizing Iran's mandatory dress code for women, ending a criminal case against him that also included a prison term.

His lawyer, Zahra Minuei, wrote on X on March 5 that Yarrahi's flogging sentence had been carried out.

Yarrahi became a household name in August 2023 after releasing a song titled Roosarito -- which translates as Your Head Scarf in Persian -- ahead of the first anniversary of the deadly nationwide protests that gave rise to the Women, Life, Freedom movement.

In January 2024, Yarrahi was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison and 74 lashes over the song. He was sentenced by the court on multiple charges and the sentences ran concurrently, meaning the singer would serve one year in prison.

In a video message days ahead of the flogging, Yarrahi said his prison sentence had been changed to house arrest with an ankle monitor due to his health problems, but insisted he had not requested the flogging sentence be dropped.

Messages of support have poured in for Yarrahi on social media.

Imprisoned Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi in a statement said the flogging was "retaliation" for his support for Iranian women.

"Mehdi Yarrahi stood against the suppression of women's voices -- let us be his voice," she wrote.

Political activist and former prisoner Arash Sadeqi hailed Yarrahi for "becoming the voice of the people and amplifying their grievances."

He praised the singer for "not bowing to force" and added, "People will never forget who stood by them in their toughest days."

Your Head Scarf urges women to remove their mandatory head scarves. It was released as officials clamped down on dissent ahead of the first anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini in September 2023.

Amini died in police custody for an alleged hijab violation. Her death sparked the Women, Life, Freedom movement and nationwide unrest over the government's restrictions on women and their daily lives.

Ukraine was hit by a series of deadly Russian drone and missile attacks targeting civilian infrastructure following Washington's decision to pause military shipments and intelligence sharing with Kyiv as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Brussels for a summit with EU leaders.

How to bridge the gap brought by newly cutback US support is set to factor into the gathering in Brussels, where the Ukrainian president and European leaders are set to discuss an 800 billion euro ($844 billion) plan to bolster Europe's defense industry, ramp up military capability, and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine.

Recent moves out of Washington and the latest developments on the battlefield -- which include a missile attack on Zelenskyy's hometown of Kryviy Rih late on March 5 and Russian claims that its forces captured a new village in eastern Ukraine -- loom over the summit.

Zelenskyy said in a social media post that at least four people were killed in the attack on the central city where he was born, adding Russia's actions showed there can be no pause in putting pressure on the Kremlin "to stop this war and terror against life."

Officials will be looking at how to recalibrate both the high-stakes diplomacy over ending the war in Ukraine and the grinding combat on the battlefield to the Trump administration's decisions to pause military supplies and intelligence-sharing with Kyiv.

"I want to believe that the United States will stand by us. But we have to be ready if that is not the case," French President Emmanuel Macron said in a televised address to on the eve of the summit where he warned that Moscow would not top at Ukraine and said that Paris was willing to extend its nuclear umbrella to other European nations.

In response to the halt in US intelligence-sharing, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu also said on March 6 that Paris will be offering its intelligence capabilities to Ukraine.

The series of moves highlights the frantic pace of developments around the war as Washington, Moscow, Kyiv, and European capitals move quickly to adjust plans and proposals that could help set the stage for a lasting agreement on the three-year war in Ukraine.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to Macron's comments, telling reporters on March 6 that the French president's speech was "extremely confrontational" and claimed that France wants the war to continue.

Separately, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Macron's comments on expanding the protection of France's nuclear arsenal to other European countries posed a threat to Russia. He added that that any deployment of peacekeepers from a NATO country, even if they were not part a deployment through the alliance, such as a recently floated proposal for a British- and French-led force, would be treated by Moscow as a NATO presence in Ukraine.

"We do not see space for compromise here," Lavrov said, reiterating Moscow's position against any NATO footprint in Ukraine.

As they meet in Brussels, Europeans leaders will look come together to carve out their own positions on how to best support Ukraine at the negotiating table and on the battlefield.

According to a draft outlining the goals of the summit seen by RFE/RL, the summit aims to release up enough funds for EU member states to spend on defense as part of a plan outlined by European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen called REARM Europe meant to see Europe play a greater role in supporting Kyiv militarily and helping to strike a peace deal that won't sideline Ukraine.

Camille Grand, a former high-ranking NATO official who also held several positions at the French foreign and defense ministries, says it will be crucial for European governments to provide defense backing that offers some form of security guarantees to Kyiv if they are to bridge the current gap in talks aimed at finding a settlement.

"Security guarantees have become the key to the negotiation. In the absence of such guarantees, Ukraine will be extremely reluctant to sign up to any peace deal," Grand, who is now a fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told RFE/RL. "As likely principal providers of such guarantees, the Europeans have regained some leverage in the process."

As leaders look to make progress in Brussels, they will also need to mov quickly to bolster Ukraine's defenses and its forces in the short term.

The Russian strike on Kryviy Rih killed at least four people and injured more than 30 people, and marked the first long-range attack on civilian infrastructure since the United States paused sending military supplies and sharing intelligence.

The precise significance of US intelligence to Ukraine's war effort has never been fully laid out in public, but Ukrainian officials have said it could affect the country's ability to protect itself against Russian missile strikes. It could also hinder Ukraine's ability to carry out effective long-range drone strikes on Russia and in using advanced US weapons to launch and repel attacks, such as Patriot and NASAMS air-defense systems, as well as HIMARS long-range rocket launchers and Stormshadow missiles supplied by Britain and France.

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said at a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart, Rustem Umerov, ahead of the summit that Poland will continue to logistically support Ukraine and that it has already started delivering a new aid package worth up to 200 million euros ($215 million).

"We continue to support Ukraine as we have from the first day of the war. It is incredibly important for us," Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

Trump administration officials have suggested the pause in military aid and intelligence-sharing could be relatively short-lived if Zelenskyy is willing to return to the negotiating table, something the Ukrainian president has indicated he is willing to do.

US national-security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News on March 5 that the White House would consider restoring aid to Ukraine if peace talks were arranged and confidence-building measures taken. Discussions were ongoing with Ukraine over a date and place for talks, he said.

Relations between Kyiv and Washington have been rocky since an Oval Office argument between Zelenskyy, Trump, and US Vice President JD Vance on February 28 that saw the Ukrainian president publicly berated and asked to leave the White House without signing a strategically important minerals deal.

Zelenskyy has since been willing to sign the deal and taken steps to try to repair his relationship with Washington.

On the battlefield in Ukraine and parts of Russia, fighting is ongoing with high casualties but it remains largely stalemated in terms of either Kyiv or Moscow taking new territory.

It remains to be seen what effect, if any, the pause in military shipments and intelligence-sharing will have on the battlefield, but several high-ranking Democrats criticized the White House's decision on March 5.

Senator Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, called the decision to stop sharing intelligence an "ill-advised decision."

"Let me be clear: Cutting off intelligence support to our Ukrainian partners will cost [Ukrainian] lives," the Virginia Democrat said in a statement.

As European leaders gather in Brussels, they will be looking to move quickly to prevent that from happening. Most estimates forecast Ukraine could continue fighting through the summer without additional American aid or a surge of European assistance.

US President Donald Trump on March 5 warned Hamas – deemed a terrorist organization by the US and EU – that there would be “hell to pay” if it does not immediately release all hostages after the White House confirmed that it had conducted secret talks with the Iran-backed, Gaza-based extremist group.

The direct meeting represents a break in the long-stated US policy of not negotiating with groups it deems to be terrorist organizations, although Washington has in the past conducted such talks in secret.

Trump, meanwhile, met with a group of hostages who had been released by Hamas after months of captivity following the extremist group's bloody cross-border attack in Israel on October 7, 2023.

The Hamas-led militants' attack on settlements in southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, with 251 hostages being taken to Gaza.

Israel retaliated by launching a devastating war in the Palestinian enclave that has killed tens of thousands of people, according to local authorities, and displaced most of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents.

Trump on social media demanded that Hamas "release all of the hostages now, not later," including remains of dead hostages, "or it is OVER for you."

"I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say," he said.

"Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!"

Trump did not indicate what action he might take if Hamas failed to release the hostages. He has proposed that the United States take over the Gaza Strip, relocate the population, and rebuild the enclave -- a plan that received heavy pushback from allies and adversaries alike.

When asked about the reports of direct talks with Hamas, the White House said hostage affairs envoy Adam Boehler has the authority to talk directly with the Islamist group.

“When it comes to the negotiations that you’re referring to, first of all, the special envoy who’s engaged in those negotiations does have the authority to talk to anyone,” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters, with providing details.

She said Trump believes that dialogue with "people around the world" is "what's right for the American people."

“Israel was consulted on this matter,” she added.

In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said: “Israel has expressed to the United States its position regarding direct talks with Hamas.” It was not more specific, but Israel itself refuses to negotiate directly with the group.

Two sources told Reuters that Boehler had met with Hamas representatives in Doha, Qatar, in recent weeks, although it was not stated who led the Hamas side.

Sources told news agencies that US negotiators are attempting to gain the release of Edan Alexander, who official say is likely the last living American hostage held by Hamas.

Israeli officials have said four other U.S. hostages died while under Hamas control.

Reuters quoted Taher Al-Nono, a Hamas political adviser, as saying: "I have no information about meetings with American officials, but any meeting with the American administration is beneficial for the stability of the region."

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem told Bloomberg News that “Hamas has fulfilled its obligations in the first phase, while Netanyahu’s government is avoiding entering negotiations for the second phase."

“The US administration must pressure the occupation to proceed with the second phase as stipulated in the [cease-fire] agreement.”

The first phase of a cease-fire on January 18 halted much of the fighting in Gaza, leading Hamas to exchange 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Israeli has said fewer than half of the remaining 59 hostages are likely to still be alive.

A second phase envisions the release of the final hostages and the prisoners held in Israel.

With reporting by Reuters, Politico, and Bloomberg

French President Emmanuel Macron said it would be "madness" to ignore the threat Russia has become for Europe and said he is open to discussing the extension of France's nuclear deterrence to Paris's allies on the Continent.

His comments on March 5 come on the eve of an emergency meeting of European Union leaders set in Brussels to discuss ramping up military budgets, a key demand of the US administration amid concerns over Washington’s commitment to NATO and European security matters.

In some of his most forceful remarks to date, Macron said in a nationally televised address that "our nuclear deterrent protects us: It's complete, sovereign, French through and through."

"But, responding to the historic call of the future German Chancellor [Friedrich Merz], I have decided to open the strategic debate on the protection of our allies on the European Continent through our [nuclear] deterrence," he said.

Macron also said France would have to spend more on defense and vowed that Paris would continue to stand with Kyiv in the face of Russia's full-scale invasion, which has entered its fourth year.

"Russia has become a threat for France and Europe," Marcon said. "To watch and do nothing would be madness."

He said he hoped the United States "will remain at our side" -- but added that Europe must be prepared for the alternative.

"Europe's future does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow," Macron said. "The innocence of the past 30 years...is now over.”

"Who can believe that today's Russia will stop at Ukraine? Russia has become a threat to France and Europe while I am speaking to you and for years to come."

"Beyond Ukraine, the Russian threat is present and affects the countries of Europe. It affects us," Macron added.

All nations seek to keep details of their nuclear arsenal secret, and Macron did not speak of specifics when suggesting the widening of France's nuclear umbrella.

France's deterrent was developed by then-President Charles de Gaulle in the early 1960s, designed to be fully independent from the United States, which was in nuclear competition with the Soviet Union at the time.

Macron's sentiments have also been voiced by the leader of France's far-right party, who said that "the defense of French interests does not stop at [French] borders.

"Since de Gaulle, the French nuclear umbrella protects, by definition, certain neighbors and certain European partners," National Rally President Jordan Bardella said this week.

According to the Federation of American Scientists, the United States (with 5,044 nuclear warheads) and Russia (5,580) hold about 88 percent of the world's total inventory of nuclear arms.

France has an estimated 290 warheads and Britain about 225, the federation says on its website. China has about 500.

Merz, the likely next German chancellor after his party won parliamentary elections last month, has questioned whether NATO would remain in its "current form" by its June summit and suggested talks be held with Paris and London about expansion of their nuclear protection.

Concerns over the US commitment to Ukraine and Europe mounted after the White House said President Donald Trump was pausing US military aid to Ukraine and following remarks by the director of the CIA that it has restricted intelligence-sharing with Kyiv.

Trump, who has made ending the war in Ukraine a centerpiece of his second term in office, also raised worries among European allies after he called Russian President Vladimir Putin in mid-February and then sent top officials to meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia.

The scrambling also comes after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disastrous visit to the White House, which had been expected to produce a deal on joint development of Ukrainian rare minerals and hydrocarbon resources that Trump has cast as a crucial step toward peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Instead, a meeting before cameras in the Oval Office devolved into a vocal clash, with Trump saying Zelenskyy should be more grateful for US support and is in no position to make demands.

Following Macron's remarks, Zelenskyy posted on social media that "I am grateful" to Macron "for his clear vision and our joint efforts to achieve peace."

"We deeply appreciate the leadership and efforts of all those supporting Ukraine and strengthening Europe’s defense capabilities. Looking forward to working jointly on the steps toward peace in the upcoming days," Zelenskyy added.

The focus of the March 6 summit in Brussels is to be on how the EU can establish means to provide for its own security and that of Ukraine as it looks to ease its post-World War II dependence on the United States.

"In view of the increasing threat situation, it is clear to us that Europe…must now very quickly make very big efforts, very quickly, to strengthen the defense capability of our country and the European Continent," Merz said on March 3.

Macron, who has long sought an active diplomacy role since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine -- now in its fourth year -- said he is planning a meeting with European allies next week to discuss the possibility of sending peacekeeping forces to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire deal or long-term term accord.

"To ensure that Ukraine is not invaded by Russia again after a peace agreement, we must prepare for this," Macron said.

"Next week, we will gather in Paris the army chiefs of staff of the countries that wish to fulfill their responsibilities in this regard."

"Ukraine has a right to peace and security for itself, and that is in our interest, that is in the interests of the security of the European Continent. In this sense, we are working together with our friends in the U.K., Germany, and several other European countries."

Meanwhile, fighting continued on the battlefield.

Local authorities reported that at least two people were killed and 28 others injured in a Russian missile strike on city of Kryviy Rih -- Zelenskyy's hometown -- in the Dnipropetrovsk region in southeastern Ukraine.

On the political front, Politico, citing sources, said four senior members of Trump's team have held secret discussions with some of Zelenskyy's top political opponents in Kyiv as Washington seeks to increase pressure on the Ukrainian leader.

The report cited three Ukrainian parliamentarians and a US Republican foreign policy expert and said the discussions centered on whether Ukraine could hold quick presidential elections, which have been delayed as the country remains under martial law due to the Russian invasion.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP

The United States has restricted intelligence-sharing with Ukraine in addition to enforcing a pause in U.S military assistance to the country trying to stave off Russia's three-year full-scale invasion, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) confirmed.

The revelation comes after US President Donald Trump read out a letter from Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an address to Congress on March 4, citing the Ukrainian leader's readiness for peace talks and willingness to sign a deal on critical minerals with Washington. That followed an argument in the Oval Office between the two presidents that saw Zelenskyy leave without signing the agreement and Washington suspending military aid to Kyiv.

In comments to Fox News, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said the pause on both military aid and intelligence-sharing was rooted in Trump's concerns over Zelenskyy's commitment to peace after a disastrous meeting between the two leaders in the Oval Office last week.

"I think on the military front and the intelligence front, the pause will go away," Ratcliffe told Fox.

"And I think we'll work shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine as we have to push back on the aggression that's there [and] to put the world in a better place for these peace negotiations to move forward," Ratcliffe said.

Western military intelligence has played a vital role in Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russia's invasion and target Russian forces.

Ratcliffe did not specify which aspects of intelligence-sharing with Kyiv had been affected, but Western media reports have suggested the restrictions are significant.

Britain's Daily Mail newspaper reported on March 4 that Washington had in parallel prohibited the United Kingdom from forwarding US intelligence to the authorities in Kyiv.

The Washington Post, citing US and Ukrainian officials, reported that the move includes a stop in sharing targeting data that American intelligence agencies provide to Kyiv so that it can better aim US long-range weapons and Ukrainian-made drones at Russian targets, including those inside Russian territory.

Trump’s national-security adviser, Mike Waltz, who was heavily critical of Zelenskyy in the aftermath of his White House argument with Trump, also told Fox that the US pause on military aid to Ukraine could be lifted.

"I think if we can nail down these negotiations and move toward these negotiations, and in fact, put some confidence-building measures on the table, then the president will take a hard look at lifting this pause," Waltz said.

"We have to know that both sides are sincerely negotiating toward a partial, then a permanent, peace," Waltz added.

Democratic Representative Jim Hines, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, called the pause "unconscionable."

"The idea that we will now withhold life-saving intelligence from Ukrainians who are fighting and dying is unforgivable. Any pause in intelligence-sharing must end immediately," he said in a statement.

Zelenskyy has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to a "lasting peace," including in the letter read out by Trump to Congress.

But Trump has signaled he wants to use Washington's available leverage to secure a quick peace to end a three-year war that he has described as "ridiculous."

In a tense exchange in the Oval Office on February 28, Trump told Zelenskyy that he didn't "have the cards" to settle the conflict without the help of the United States.

But Trump made no mention of the heated argument in his address to Congress, while Zelenskyy has since said that he regrets the turn that the meeting took.

The US state of Florida said it has launched a criminal investigation of controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate and his brother just days after they arrived from Romania, where they have been embroiled in a legal case alleging human trafficking and sexual misconduct.

State Attorney General James Uthmeier said in a post on X late on March 4 that he had "directed the Office of Statewide Prosecution to execute search warrants and issue subpoenas in the now-active criminal investigation into the Tate brothers" after a preliminary inquiry into their activities.

"Florida has zero tolerance for people who abuse women and girls. We will not allow it," he added.

The brothers touched down at Fort Lauderdale airport in a private jet on February 27 after a travel ban against the dual British-U.S. citizens, who are suspects in a criminal case in Romania, was lifted.

NGOs and some of those involved in the cases expressed outrage over the removal of the travel ban, casting doubt over whether the brothers, who attracted millions of fans online through their promotion of an ultra-masculine lifestyle that detractors say belittles women, would return to Romania around the end of March when their next court hearing is expected.

After the two landed in Florida, Uthmeier said his office would launch a preliminary inquiry into the brothers' situation and if "any of these alleged crimes trigger Florida jurisdiction, we will hold them accountable."

The pair face a separate criminal probe in the United Kingdom, and US media reported on March 4 that a 23-year-old American woman had filed a civil lawsuit against them in Florida accusing them of trying to coerce her into prostitution in Romania and defaming her after she testified against them before Romanian authorities.

The brothers have vehemently denied all allegations against them and have launched a countersuit against the woman.

Andrew Tate, 38, has amassed more than 10 million followers on the social media platform X but has been banned from TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook for hate speech and misogynistic comments, including saying that women should bear responsibility if they are sexually assaulted.

Romania's anti-organized crime prosecuting unit DIICOT gave no details on the reasoning behind dropping the travel ban but it came after Romanian Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu said the case had been brought up by Richard Grenell, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, earlier this month.

Both Hurezeanu and Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu have said, however, that there was no pressure from US officials to release the brothers.

Officials and prosecutors said that, while the Tate brothers were free to travel, "all of the other obligations have been maintained, including the requirement to check in with judicial authorities every time they are called."

Andrew Tate said in a brief statement at the airport that the charges against him and his brother were a conspiracy and that "we have no criminal record anywhere on the planet, ever."

Reporters at the airport shouted questions about why the brothers chose to come to Florida and whether Trump had been involved in their case, but neither commented.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said he knew nothing about the case.

What Are The Charges Against Andrew Tate?

DIICOT filed charges against Tate, his brother, Tristan Tate, and two Romanian women after they were arrested in December 2022 on suspicion of human trafficking.

The four suspects were formally indicted last year, and the Bucharest Tribunal ruled last year that a trial could start but did not set a date. All four deny the charges.

However, the Bucharest Court of Appeals said on December 19 that it found "irregularities" in the indictment issued by the Prosecutor-General's Office and sent the case back to prosecutors.

The court said prosecutors can now bring forth new evidence to back up their charges or amend the existing ones.

Andrew Tate has complained bitterly about the case, accusing prosecutors of trying to "target everyone I know, and even subpoena the mother of my child," while still having "nothing."

In August Andrew Tate was placed under house arrest and Tristan Tate under judicial control for 30 days after they were interrogated by Romanian anti-corruption prosecutors as part of an investigation into new allegations against them.

During the criminal investigation, prosecutors said they identified seven women who were sexually exploited "forcibly, in order to obtain significant financial benefits" for the defendants from people who accessed content on social media.

Prosecutors accused the Tate brothers of recruiting their victims using the so-called lover boy method of seducing them and claiming to want a relationship or marriage.

The victims were then taken to properties outside Bucharest, where they were sexually exploited through physical violence and psychological intimidation as they were forced to produce pornographic content, the prosecutors said.

Romanian investigators carried out the interrogations and fresh searches at the brothers' residences as part of the investigation into the new charges.

DIICOT said at the time that the new accusations included charges of forming an organized crime group, trafficking of minors, a sexual act with a minor, influencing statements, and money laundering.

They had been barred from leaving Romania as the proceedings against them continued but were set to be extradited to Britain once their case in Romania concludes.

They face further allegations of rape and human trafficking in Britain, where a court ruled on December 18 that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes.

Also on February 18, four British women who allege they were victims of sexual violence by Andrew Tate and filed a civil suit against him urged the United States not to intervene in legal proceedings, saying, "We hope that the Romanian and the U.K. authorities will be left alone to do their jobs."

"We are in disbelief and traumatized by the news [of Tate leaving Romania]," the women said in a statement -- obtained by RFE/RL's Romanian Service -- through their law firm, McCue Jury & Partners.

"We can only hope that the British authorities finally take action and do something about this terrifying unfolding situation to ensure he faces justice in the U.K."

In an open letter to DIICOT, the VIF Network, an NGO dedicated to preventing and combating violence against women, demanded the publication of reasons that the travel ban was lifted "so that any doubt about the independence and impartiality of the Romanian judicial system is removed."

VIF added that it feared the removal of the travel ban could "undermine the trust in the judicial system of victims of crimes of sexual violence and human trafficking."

The Tate brothers have stated previously that they did not want to be extradited from Romania, which they said they consider their home.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –- European leaders jumped to renew a push for an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine after US President Donald Trump said President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote a letter stating he's ready for talks with Moscow while also offering to sign a deal on Ukraine's mineral resources "at any time."

After a week of tumult that culminated with the United States announcing a suspension of military aid to Ukraine after a heated exchange between the two leaders, Trump told a joint session of Congress on March 4 that Zelenskyy sent him a letter expressing a willingness to come to the negotiating table.

That glimmer of hope was all European leaders -- rattled by the disastrous and very public clash between Trump and Zelenskyy at the White House last week -- needed to try to launch a new initiative to get peace talks back on track.

A spokeswoman for the French government told reporters on March 5 that President Emmanuel Macron is mulling a joint visit to Washington with Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, all three of whom were in the US capital last week.

"Earlier today, I received an important letter from President Zelenskyy of Ukraine. The letter reads, 'Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer. Nobody wants peace more than the Ukrainians,' he said," Trump quoted the letter as saying.

That came after Zelenskyy said earlier in the day that "none of us wants an endless war," adding Ukraine was "ready to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring long-term peace closer."

"My team and I are ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve long-term peace," he added.

The Kremlin called Zelenskyy's talk of peace negotiations "positive," though spokesman Dmitry Peskov tamped down the enthusiasm by adding that Ukraine has legally barred negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin through a decree the Ukrainian leader signed in 2022.

"So, in general, the approach is positive, but the nuances have not yet changed," Peskov said. "For the time being, there's still a legal ban on the president of Ukraine negotiating with the Russian side."

No Mention Of The Oval Office Disaster

Trump's speech to Congress followed statements from White House officials that there would be a pause on all US military support for Ukraine in its battle to repel invading Russian forces and after the highly public argument in the Oval Office.

Zelenskyy left the White House on February 28 following the dispute and the two did not sign the critical minerals agreement. During a press conference on March 3, Trump said he did not think the deal was dead.

Trump did not mention his public spat with Zelenskyy last week in the Oval Office, flipping the narrative by saying: "We are getting along very well with them and lots of things are happening."

In quoting Zelenskyy, Trump "signaled that he put the conversation in the White House on the sidelines," Mikhail Alexeev, a professor of political science at San Diego State University, told RFE/RL.

"There was no call for Zelenskyy to resign. There was no talk about Ukraine being ungrateful."

Trump has made ending the war a priority and flipped three years of US policy on its head by reaching out directly to Putin, whom his predecessor had isolated politically since the start of the war in February 2022.

US-Ukraine Critical Minerals Deal Back In Focus

Daniel Vajdich, president of Yorktown Solutions, which lobbies on behalf of Kyiv, said the agreement on minerals would be good for both Ukraine and the United States.

"It gives the US concrete equities in Ukraine that should now be protected," said Vajdich.

The fund created by the agreement will be an important mechanism for getting the US private sector to invest in Ukraine’s reconstruction, added Vajdich, a former adviser to several Republican presidential candidates.

Trump had promoted the deal as a way to recoup the billions of dollars in US support since the war began and justify continuing the aid.

Ukrainian political analyst Ihor Reiterovych said Trump's remarks appeared to suggest that the spat with Zelenskyy was over and both are ready to move on.

"It is really very noteworthy that Trump did not say anything specifically about the suspension of military aid to Ukraine," Reiterovych told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. "We hope that this issue will be resolved positively in the near future, perhaps not even days, but hours."

'The Longest Ever' Address To Congress

The address was Trump's first to a joint session of Congress since taking office less than 50 days ago.

The US president began his speech by saying "America is back" and touting his policies on immigration, crime, and the efforts of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by billionaire Elon Musk to cut government spending.

Trump has pursued a "shock and awe" strategy since being inaugurated on January 20, announcing drastic changes to domestic and foreign policy, often using executive orders to bypass Congress, as he seeks to fulfill his campaign promises.

Rebecca Gill, a political science professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, told RFE/RL that the more than 100-minute address, the longest ever by a president to a joint session of Congress, was "typical Trump."

"I don't think anybody would be surprised that it was pretty aggressive and combative," she said.

RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service contributed to this report.

The European Union has condemned the passage of a Russian-style "foreign agent" law by the Republika Srpska, accusing authorities in the Bosnian Serb entity of undermining "the constitutional and legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina," in comments sent to RFE/RL.

The EU's press office also said that the law passed by the entity's National Assembly last week "directly contradicts the repeated obligations of the leadership of the Republika Srpska entity to advance on the path of [Bosnia-Herzegovina's] accession to the European Union."

Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of Republika Srpska, has long pushed for legislation to restrict foreign-funded NGOs, likening the effort to the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

An analysis by RFE/RL's Balkan Service, however, noted strong similarities to Russia’s more restrictive "foreign agent" law from 2012, a law that has also inspired copycat legislation in the pro-Moscow Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan.

The passage of the controversial law was seemingly sped up by Dodik's sentencing last week by the state Bosnian Court over his failure to execute the decisions of the high representative to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt.

The court's first degree verdict -- which Dodik has the right to appeal -- sentenced Dodik to a year in prison and banned him from political life for six years.

The Republika Srpska assembly responded on February 28 by passing laws that barred state-level law enforcement and judicial organs from the entity, further deepening Bosnia's political crisis.

The law covering the work of foreign-funded nongovernmental organizations was passed on the same day.

The system of government in Bosnia-Herzegovina is among the most complex in the world.

Since the Dayton peace agreement, which was signed in 1995 and ended the war in Bosnia, the country has consisted of the Bosniak-Croat Federation and the ethnic Serb-dominated Republika Srpska under a weak central government.

While Republika Srpska can pass laws on internal matters, state-level laws and institutions remain supreme according to the constitution.

The Office of the High Representative (OHR), a position held since 2021 by Schmidt, oversees the implementation of civilian aspects of Dayton.

Dodik is currently under US and U.K. sanctions for actions that Western governments say are aimed at the secession of Republika Srpska from Bosnia.

He has denied that the Serb entity of Bosnia has ever pursued a policy of secession, while at the same time pursuing legislation to wrest back powers for Republika Srpska at the expense of the state of Bosnia.

Opposition lawmakers in Republika Srpska effectively boycotted the vote on the "foreign agent" law, which passed with backing from the ruling coalition led by Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats.

The law is formally called a "Law on the Special Register and Public Transparency of the Work of Nonprofit Organizations" that are foreign-funded or foreign supported.

In addition to creating a register of such organizations, the law allows for their surveillance by the authorities, bans broadly defined political activities, mandates additional registration, and requires submitting reports to the Republika Srpska Justice Ministry on the receipt of financial resources from abroad.

It stipulates that in the event of a violation of the law, the relevant ministry can propose to a court that the offending organization be banned from operating.

WASHINGTON, D.C. –- US President Donald Trump will address a joint session of Congress for the first time since taking office less than 50 days ago to press the case for continuing his domestic and foreign policy agenda, including the suspension of aid to Ukraine.

Trump has pursued a “shock and awe” strategy over the first six weeks of his second term, announcing drastic changes to domestic and foreign policy, often using executive orders to bypass Congress, as he seeks to fulfill his campaign promises.

The Republican president has fired thousands of federal employees; imposed tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada; deported hundreds of illegal immigrants; created a US cryptocurrency reserve, and restarted diplomatic relations with Russia with a goal to end the war in Ukraine.

What Is Expected In Trump's Speech?

In a March 3 post on Truth Social, Trump claimed his address “will be big." He didn't give any details, but the speech comes hours after he announced a pause on all US military support for Ukraine in its battle to repel invading Russian forces and days after his public spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office that rattled European allies.

The policy orders streaming from the White House on a nearly daily basis have jolted some parts of the electorate, especially those with jobs tied either to government or international trade.

“The guiding theme of the address will be how Trump is delivering on his campaign pledges, from imposing tariffs to downsizing the federal workforce,” Charles Kupchan, an analyst at the Council on Foreign Relations, told RFE/RL.

“But I think Trump has his work cut out for him. His popularity is starting to slip, the stock market is starting to weaken. So, I think he has to make the case that what he is doing is working.”

The market euphoria following Trump’s election has given way to concern that tariffs will reignite inflation, an issue that played an outsized roll in the November presidential election.

Trump said 25 percent tariffs against Canada and Mexico, two of the United States’ largest trading partners, would go into effect on March 4, triggering the sharpest decline in U.S. stocks in more than two months.

Oval Office Fallout For Ukraine?

Kupchan said he expected Trump to touch on the now infamous dispute with Zelenskyy during his address but will try to spin it to his advantage as “tough love” that is needed at this moment to end the war, now in its fourth year.

As the cameras rolled during their White House meeting on February 28, Trump berated Zelenskyy -– who insisted that a US security backstop be part of any peace deal -– as ungrateful, adding he had “no cards” in negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington on February 28 to sign a deal to jointly develop Ukraine’s critical minerals and other natural resources with the United States and urge Trump to backstop a European peacekeeping force should a truce be reached.

Trump has made ending the war a priority and flipped three years of US policy on its head by reaching out directly to Putin, whom his predecessor had isolated politically since the start of the war in February 2022.

Kyiv and European allies fear that Trump is willing to impose a bad peace on Ukraine to achieve his goal of ending the war quickly, and European leaders have rushed to put forward their own peace plan.

Zelenskyy left the White House following the dispute and the two did not sign the critical minerals agreement. During a press conference on March 3, Trump said he did not think the deal was dead, and media reports on March 4 said he might use his speech to Congress to announce a plan to sign it.

Trump has told his advisers that he wants to announce the agreement in his address, according to multiple US news outlets quoting unidentified sources. The White House has not confirmed the reports, which cautioned that the situation could change.

Daniel Vajdich, president of Yorktown Solutions, which lobbies on behalf of Kyiv, said the agreement is good for both Ukraine and the United States.

"It gives the US concrete equities in Ukraine that should now be protected," said Vajdich.

The fund created by the agreement will be an important mechanism for getting the US private sector to invest in Ukraine’s reconstruction, Vajdich, a former advisor to several Republican presidential candidates, added.

Trump had promoted the deal as a way to recoup the billions of dollars in U.S. support since the war began and justify continuing the aid.

U.S. agencies reported on March 3 that the Trump administration is pausing aid to Ukraine “to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."

What Time Is Trump's Speech?

Trump will deliver his speech at 9 p.m. local time inside the Capitol building. Trump’s first joint address to Congress in 2017 during his first term in office lasted about one hour.

It focused on many of the same issues he has been highlighting since returning to power: stopping illegal immigration, increasing tariffs to protect domestic industries, and pushing NATO members to spend more on defense.

Relatives of former RFE/RL contributor Nika Novak, who was sentenced to prison last year by a Russian court for carrying out her professional duties, have voiced alarm over what they called a "difficult" transfer to a Siberian jail.

Novak's appeal against a four-year sentence for “confidential cooperation with a foreign state, international or foreign organization” -- a sentence she considers unjust -- will now take place in the city of Novosibirsk, where she was placed in jail on March 1.

Novak was asleep in the apartment where she lives with her mother in the Siberian city of Chita, when agents of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) raided their home and detained her in December 2023.

She was charged under Article 275.1 of the Russian Criminal Code, before being flown to Moscow, where she was put in pretrial detention.

Since she was transferred to the jail in Novosibirsk last week, Novak has been sharing a noisy and chaotic cell with ten other inmates facing a variety of criminal charges, Novak's relatives told RFE/RL, noting that she had stopped eating as a result of stress and fear.

They described the jail as worse than any of the other facilities that she has been held in to date, including her latest stint in a jail in the city of Irkutsk, with one relative describing her 1,800-kilometer transfer to the Novosibirsk jail as "difficult."

'Reminiscent Of The Soviet-Era...'

The relatives, who did not wish to be named, said Novak's legal representatives had filed a motion to have her moved to a different cell, citing Russian laws on detentions that should separate prisoners like Novak from others accused of serious, nonpolitical crimes like murder.

Her appeal against the sentence will be heard by a court in Novosibirsk on March 24.

Before her arrest Novak had worked for ChitaMedia and was editor in chief of the Zab.ru website. She contributed to programs by RFE/RL's Siberia.Realities in 2022.

The 32-year-old's case marked the first time that a journalist was sentenced under Article 275.1, a crime that was only introduced in 2022 in the months after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Rights experts have criticized the conception and wording of the law, while Human Rights Watch called the legislation "reminiscent of the Soviet-era ban on contacts with foreigners" in its 2023 World Report.

On July 22, 2024, leading Russian human rights group Memorial recognized Novak as a political prisoner.

Her detention has also been condemned by the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Coalition for Women in Journalism, and the International Press Institute, which said Nika’s sentencing was “made possible by Russia’s continued instrumentalization of its own legislation with the aim of repressing independent journalists and other critical voices.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the tense Oval Office meeting with US President Donald Trump last week was "regrettable," and that he is willing to work with Trump's "strong leadership" to achieve long-term peace.

Zelenskyy's remarks came in a social media post on X, hours after the White House announced a pause in military aid to Ukraine, which is critical to fighting Russia's invasion.

"The meeting did not go the way it was supposed to," Zelenskyy said. "It's unfortunate that it happened this way. It's time to make things right. We want future cooperation and communication to be constructive."

Saying that "none of us want an endless war," he added that "Ukraine is ready to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring long-term peace closer...My team and I are ready to work under President Trump's strong leadership to achieve long-term peace."

Zelenskyy thanked the US for its support during the war and said Kyiv was "ready" to sign the US-proposed minerals deal, even though his remarks did not specifically address the US decision to halt aid to Ukraine.

Late on March 3, senior US officials told multiple media outlets that Trump had ordered a pause in all military aid to Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv to fall in line with US efforts to broker a peace deal with Russia despite a lack of security guarantees for Ukraine.

"We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution," reports quoted a White House official as saying on condition of anonymity. "The president has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well."

"This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," Fox News quoted a Trump administration official as saying. The suspension will last until Trump determines that Ukraine's leaders demonstrate a good-faith commitment to peace, according to Bloomberg and Fox News.

Speaking from Washington on March 4, US Vice President JD Vance spoke about the US decision to suspend military aid.

Vance said the US needs to "get some payback for the incredible financial investment" it has made in Ukraine. When asked if the US would resume providing military aid to Ukraine, Vance says that "everything is on the table" once Kyiv begins negotiating.

What Are The Chances Of A Reversal?

Reports of the suspension widened the rift between Zelenskyy and the Trump administration, which had long been troubled but split wide open at the White House meeting.

The pause amplifies already deafening questions about US support for Ukraine in its defense against the Russian invasion at a time when Moscow's forces have been gaining ground for many months, albeit at a massive cost in casualties, and Ukraine struggles with manpower problems and other challenges in the biggest war in Europe since 1945.

It is likely to add to concerns in Kyiv and among its supporters in the West that Ukraine could be pressured into a cease-fire or a peace deal that favors Moscow. Those worries increased after Trump called Russian President Vladimir Putin in mid-February and then sent top officials to meet their Russian counterparts in Saudi Arabia.

The Kremlin welcomed the news. "If it’s true, then it’s a decision that really could push the Kyiv regime into a peace process,” Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"If the United States stops being [an arms supplier] or suspends these supplies, it will probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace," he said.

Any disruption in the flow of US arms to the front line would rapidly weaken Ukraine's chance of beating back Russia's invasion. The suspension applies to "all US military equipment not currently in Ukraine, including weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland," Bloomberg reported.

"The suspension of U.S. assistance for Ukraine is a very unfortunate and significant development, but it may not have immediate impact," Michael Kofman, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and an expert on the Ukrainian and Russian militaries, wrote in a thread on X. "Ukraine is far less dependent on the U.S. for day to day battlefield needs in 2025, than it was in earlier periods of the war. "

"Much depends on the extent [to which] Ukraine has been stockpiling munitions/parts and where Europeans can step in, although in some cases they have low inventories, and in others U.S. retains the ability to deny any transfers," Kofman wrote. "The impact will probably be much more visible in a few months.

The pause "will have a bad impact, of course, if you deprive Ukraine of assistance from the United States, whether it's financial aid or military aid," independent military analyst Yury Federov told Current Time. "Military assistance includes not only supplying weapons, ammunition and so on, but it also includes supporting Ukraine by providing intelligence information."

"Most experts estimate that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to maintain the current pace and intensity of military operations for about six months," he said. "Whether this is correct or not is difficult to say."

How Much Aid Is Affected?

The precise amount of military aid affected is unclear, but the transfer of $3.85 billion worth of weapons authorized by Congress under Biden had not yet been allocated by the White House. No new military aid has been approved since Trump took office in January.

The US Congress has appropriated more than $180 billion in support for Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, about two-thirds of it military aid.

"First of all, the suspension of US aid could affect air defense missiles, HIMARS ammunition, and artillery," Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko wrote on Telegram.

The United States is the only producer of HIMARS and ATACMS systems and if they run out, Ukraine's ability to strike far behind Russian lines and guard its rear positions will be compromised.

Ukrainian politicians voiced dismay at the decision and concern over the tattered ties between Kyiv and Washington.

"The dialogue with the United States must be restored immediately, because its rupture will, by and large, benefit only Putin," Iryna Friz, a lawmaker from the opposition European Solidarity bloc in Ukraine's parliament and member of the Committee on National Security, Defense, and Intelligence, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service.

Friz pointed out that European leaders have also urged Zelenskyy to seek to mend relations with the Trump administration.

Roman Kostenko, secretary of the same committee in the Verkhovna Rada, told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that the United States was "blackmailing us with these weapons and trying to make us make some concessions."

The situation is "very bad, but not catastrophic," he said. "Even if we lose this assistance, there will be no catastrophe, but the situation, of course, will be much worse. Therefore, now we all have to do everything in order not to lose assistance."

Prominent Ukrainian political analyst Volodymyr Fesenko said the current US policy on Ukraine, dramatically different from the Biden administration’s stance, is part of “the new political reality.”

“But tactically, we need to preserve the remnants of the partnership and the ability to buy weapons from the United States and receive intelligence and satellite information,” he told Current Time.

Fesenko called for changes in Kyiv’s approach to US ties, including “a refusal to bet on personal contacts between Zelenskyy and Trump.

“This has been Zelenskyy's premise from the very beginning, that the most important thing is his personal relationship with Trump, he said. “And what did we see? Unfortunately, it didn't work.”

In the United States, Democrats in Congress immediately condemned the pause in military aid.

"My Republican colleagues who have called Putin a war criminal and promised their continued support to Ukraine must join me in demanding President Trump immediately lift this disastrous and unlawful freeze," said Representative Gregory Meeks (Democrat-New York).

The military aid pause came after Zelenskyy's disastrous visit to the White House, which had been expected to produce a deal on joint development of Ukrainian rare minerals and hydrocarbon resources that Trump has cast as a crucial step toward peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Instead, a meeting before cameras in the Oval Office devolved into a vocal clash, with Trump and Vance saying that Zelenskyy should be more grateful for US support and is in no position to make demands.

The signing of the minerals deal was scrapped, Zelenskyy left the White House early, and Trump said he could "come back when he is ready for peace."

Senior US officials blamed Zelenskyy for the blowup and called on him to apologize. On March 3, Trump suggested his patience was running out, criticizing Zelenskyy's resistance to the prospect of a quick cease-fire without the kind of concrete security guarantees Kyiv has been seeking from the United States.

What Could End The Military Aid Pause?

"What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal, and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News earlier on March 3.

After Zelenskyy was quoted as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away," Trump wrote in a social media post: "This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!"

In the Fox interview, Vance said that the door remains open to the Ukrainians, but that European leaders must tell Zelenskyy that the war can’t go on forever. He said they admit this in private but in public tend to "puff" Zelenskyy up.

He also defended Trump's position that giving Washington an economic interest in the future of Ukraine will serve as a sound security guarantee.

"If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine," Vance said in the interview.

"That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn't fought a war in 30 or 40 years," he added. Trump said on March 3 that he does not believe the minerals deal is dead.

With US support deeper in doubt after the Oval Office clash, European leaders moved to take more control of potential peace negotiations and to step up military aid to Ukraine.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 3 that there were a "number of options on the table" for a cease-fire agreement to at least temporarily halt fighting sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago.

The statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron told the newspaper Le Figaro that he thought a one-month truce on air, sea, and energy infrastructure would give allies time to assess Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to a full and lasting cease-fire.

'Manufactured Escalation,' Says Germany's Merz

Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is proposing a "rearm Europe plan" as European governments scramble to mitigate their growing differences with the United States over the war in Ukraine.

"We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," von der Leyen said on March 3.

In a letter to EU member states on March 4, she proposed that 800 billion euros ($840 billion) be made available for European defense spending going forward, with 150 billion ($157 billion) euros in new loans for defense investments to be backed by the EU's budget.

In some of the strongest European comments yet on the White House standoff, Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, referred to what he called "manufactured escalation" at the meeting, a thinly veiled criticism of Trump and his administration.

"It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office," Merz told a news conference in Hamburg on March 3, adding that Europe "must now show that we are in a position to act independently."

Despite intense and ongoing discussions on boosting Europe's own defense capacities and alarm over warming rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, European leaders say engaging the new US administration is a priority.

Merz said he would "advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe."

With reporting by AP, Bloomberg, Reuters, Fox News, and The Washington Post

Iranian Vice President for Strategic Affairs Mohammad Javad Zarif has stepped down on the "advice" of the country's judiciary chief, Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.

In a post on X on March 3, Zarif said he had been "invited" by Mohseni-Ejei for a chat during which he was "advised to return to academia to prevent further pressure on the government."

A former foreign minister, Zarif's appointment in reformist President Masud Pezeshkian's government has been a source of tension for months, with his hard-line critics insisting that it violates a 2022 law on appointments in key positions.

His critics argue that Zarif's American-born sons are dual Iranian-U.S. nationals, rendering him unfit to hold such a position.

Zarif has long been a target for hard-line conservatives in Iran who claim he has too many foreign contacts and has faced suspicions because his sons -- now in their 40s -- acquired U.S. citizenship when they were born while he was a student in the United States.

Zarif had attempted to resign in August 2024 after less than two weeks in office, blaming differences with Pezeshkian over his choice of conservative cabinet members.

It later emerged that he had stepped down due to growing pressure from critics over the law.

"With Zarif's departure from the government, we can effectively consider the possibility of negotiations with America and the lifting of sanctions completely over," Ruhollah Rahimpour, a political analyst based in Turkey, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda.

Zarif's resignation followed the impeachment of Economy Minister Abdolnasser Hemmati, who was sacked by lawmakers in a 182-82 vote on March 2.

The political turmoil represented another setback for Pezeshkian, who shocked the country with his election victory last July, giving hopes to some observers of the potential for improved relations with the West.

The moves come at a time of increased tensions among the population over surging inflation and a tumbling currency in Iran –- which despite its energy riches is suffering through unplanned blackouts that have hit more than half of the country.

The AFP news agency reported that, on the domestic black market, Iran’s currency -- the rial -- was trading at more than 920,000 to the U.S. dollar, far worse than the rate of 600,000 to the dollar in mid-2024.

The falling value of the rial in recent years has exacerbated the cost of living in Iran. A recent report by the country's statistical authority said that around one-third of Iranians earn less than $2 a day and struggle to afford basic necessities.

During Hemmati's impeachment hearing, Pezeshkian told lawmakers that he initially wanted dialogue with the United States, but changed his mind after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei opposed talks with the Donald Trump administration last month.

Hemmati backed talks with the United States while Zarif was one of the key architects of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal with world powers -- which Trump withdrew from in 2018 during his first term in office.

Rahimpor said Pezeshkian implicitly blaming Khamenei for Tehran not engaging with Trump did not go down well with the supreme leader, who has the final say on all state matters.

"The political establishment, namely Khamenei, set out to punish" the president, Rahimpor suggested, which meant withdrawing his support for Zarif and Hemmati's continued presence in Pezeshkian's cabinet.

Much of the economic difficulties are tied to sanctions placed on the Iranian economy by the United States, which resumed its "maximum pressure" policy as Trump returned to the White House on January 20.

UN sanctions against Tehran were lifted under the terms of a landmark 2015 nuclear deal in return for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was signed by Iran with the United States, China, France, Russia, the U.K., Germany, and the European Union.

During his first term in office, however, Trump withdrew the United States from the agreement in 2018 and reimposed crippling U.S. sanctions that have roiled the economy

Zarif, a well-known and controversial figure in Iran, was Tehran's top diplomat under moderate former President Hassan Rohani and played a key role in concluding the nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, Zarif has faced international criticism for comments justifying human rights violations in Iran, the compulsory wearing of the hijab, and other nationalist remarks.

Hooman Askary of RFE/RL's Radio Farda contributed to this report

Kremlin-favored candidate Badra Gunba won the presidential runoff in Abkhazia, a Russian-backed breakaway region that legally is a part of Georgia, de facto election authorities said on March 2.

Gunba, 47, failed to secure an outright majority in the first round on February 15, forcing the runoff against Adgur Ardzinba, a challenger critical of some Russian-backed economic policies.

Authorities said Gunba won almost 55 percent of the vote, while Ardzinba received 41.5 percent, and 2 percent voted against all, although there was no way to confirm the authenticity of the figures.

Turnout was reported at 70 percent.

In the first round, Gunba won 46.3 percent, while Ardzinba finished with 36.9 percent.

Gunba, who previously served as vice president, took over as acting leader on November 19 after Aslan Bzhania resigned amid mass protests against an investment deal with Russia. Opponents feared the agreement threatened Abkhazia's already fragile status under Russian control.

Ardzinba, a former de facto economy minister (2015–20) and leader of the Abkhaz People's Movement, ran on a platform opposing the deal, though he still pledged close ties with Moscow. Russian pro-government media attempted to frame him as "pro-Turkish."

The investment agreement aimed to strengthen economic ties between the breakaway region and Russia but was met with widespread opposition.

Critics, including opposition figures and civil society groups, labeled the deal "exploitative," claiming it would give undue advantages to Russian investors while undermining Abkhazia’s sovereignty. The deal was later rejected by the region's de facto legislature.

Georgia's Foreign Ministry has denounced the "so-called presidential elections in Russian-occupied Abkhazia," urging international condemnation of Moscow's ongoing violations.

The EU reiterated its support for Georgia's territorial integrity and sovereignty in a statement following the first round, saying it does not recognize the constitutional and legal framework in which the "so-called presidential elections in Abkhazia" took place.

"The European Union recalls its firm support for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders," a statement said.

The Georgian government on March 1 stated that the "illegally" held election "contradicts fundamental principles of international law and represents another gross violation of Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders."

Abkhazia and South Ossetia broke away from Georgia's rule after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. While Russia recognized Abkhazia's independence after the 2008 Russo-Georgian War, most international community still views the region as part of Georgia.

Though the territory is politically and economically dependent on Russia, some Abkhazians have been critical of what they see as Moscow's growing influence.

Moscow welcomed Gunba's candidacy and his eventual victory.

Just days before the first round, on February 7, Russia carried out a test flight from Moscow Vnukovo Airport to the long-defunct Sukhumi Babushara Airport, bringing Gunba amid passengers and pledging to establish regular air connections later this year.

Gunba met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandr Novak. To bolster his position, Moscow announced the resumption of financial aid -- suspended since September -- and increased electricity supplies amid severe shortages.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Gunba following the election, according to the Kremlin press service.

"I expect that the friendly, allied Russian-Abkhazian relations will continue to strengthen for the benefit of our brotherly nations," a statement read.

With reporting by Reuters

The United States piled more pressure on Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fall into line with Washington's push for a deal to end fighting in Ukraine, while European leaders sought to carve out a stronger role after the Ukrainian president's disastrous visit to the White House late last week.

U.S. President Donald Trump suggested his patience was running out, criticizing Zelenskyy's resistance to the prospect of a quick cease-fire in Russia's war against Ukraine without the kind of concrete security guarantees Kyiv has been seeking from the United States.

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote in a social media post that linked to an Associated Press story whose headline quoted Zelenskyy as saying the end of the war in his country is "very, very far away."

"It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing," Trump wrote.

The March 3 post on Trump's Truth Social platform suggested that mending ties with the White House, as European leaders have urged Zelenskyy to do, will be a difficult task following a vocal clash in the Oval Office in which Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskyy on February 28.

Zelenskyy left the White House early after the heated argument in front of reporters. An agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine's rare minerals and natural resources was left unsigned, and Trump wrote on Truth Social that Zelenskyy could "come back when he is ready for Peace."

Since the debacle, which added to questions about the future of U.S. military and financial aid to Ukraine to support its defense against the Russian invasion, U.S. officials have urged Zelenskyy to apologize and echoed Trump's suggestion that he must show that he is ready for peace.

"What we need to hear from President Zelenskyy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal, and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national-security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News on March 3.

Zelenskyy "should be more appreciative, because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin," Trump told reporters at the White House later in the day.

Asked if the minerals deal was dead, Trump said, "No, I don't think so." Asked about reports that he was considering halting military aid to Ukraine, he said, ""I haven't even talked about that right now. I mean, right now, we'll see what happens. A lot of things are happening right now as we speak."

The Oval Office altercation has reverberated across the globe and particularly in Europe, throwing the chances of securing a cease-fire or peace deal that would not leave Kyiv and the rest of the continent vulnerable to renewed Russian aggression deeper into doubt.

Leaders across Europe moved to take more control of potential peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia and ensure security across the continent after the recent flurry of diplomacy appeared to collapse with the rupture of relations between Trump and Zelenskyy.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on March 3 that there were a "number of options on the table" for a cease-fire agreement to at least temporarily halt fighting sparked by Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor more than three years ago.

The statement came after French President Emmanuel Macron told the newspaper Le Figaro that he thought a one-month truce on air, sea, and energy infrastructure would give allies time to assess Russian President Vladimir Putin's commitment to a full and lasting cease-fire.

Meanwhile, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on March 3 that she would inform member states about a "rearm Europe plan" as European governments scramble to mitigate their growing differences with the United States over the war in Ukraine.

"We need a massive surge in defense, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," von der Leyen said.

More than a dozen leaders from around Europe, Canada, Turkey, and NATO met for a summit in London on March 2 to round off a busy diplomatic week.

Absent from the conference was any representative of the United States, although Starmer said before the summit began that the United Kingdom, France, and Ukraine “and possibly one or two others” would be working on a peace plan they would discuss with Washington.

The sight of Zelenskyy and Trump -- who said the Ukrainian leader was being "disrespectful" to the United States and putting everyone at risk of causing World War III -- arguing in front of live TV cameras over Russia's three-year full-scale invasion of the country has clearly shocked Europe's leaders.

'Manufactured Escalation,' Says Germany's Merz

In some of the strongest European comments yet on the White House standoff, Germany's likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, referred to what he called "manufactured escalation" at the meeting, a thinly veiled criticism of Trump and his administration.

"It was not a spontaneous reaction to interventions by Zelenskyy, but obviously a manufactured escalation in this meeting in the Oval Office," Merz told a news conference in Hamburg on March 3, adding that Europe "must now show that we are in a position to act independently."

Despite intense and ongoing discussions on boosting Europe's own defense capacities, and alarm over warming rhetoric between Moscow and Washington, European leaders say engaging the new U.S. administration is a priority as the United States -- a major contributor of military aid to Ukraine -- must be part of the negotiations.

Merz said he would "advocate doing everything to keep the Americans in Europe."

Both Starmer and Macron pleaded with Trump not to abandon Ukraine and to take a strong line on Russia during separate visits to the White House last week, while crediting the U.S. president's plans for a quick peace to end the war.

Those meetings were before Zelenskyy's Washington debacle, which ended in him returning home early without having signed a deal on critical minerals with the United States that Trump had billed as a cornerstone of future cooperation.

Trump said after the failed talks that Zelenskyy "is not ready for Peace if America is involved" and that "he can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

Polish Cold War hero Lech Walesa and a group of former Polish political prisoners jumped in to defend Zelenskyy in a letter to Trump on March 3 that expressed "horror" at how the meeting devolved.

"We watched your conversation with the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskiy with horror and distaste," the letter said.

"We consider your expectations regarding showing respect and gratitude for the material assistance provided by the United States to Ukraine in its fight with Russia to be offensive...Gratitude is due to the heroic Ukrainian soldiers who shed blood in defense of the values of the free world."

Will European Aid Be Enough For Ukraine?

Zelenskyy enjoyed a far warmer welcome in London at the weekend than in Washington, agreeing with Starmer a 2.26 billion pound ($2.84 billion) British loan for Ukraine that Zelenskyy said “will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets.”

But can European assistance ever be enough to compensate for a potential financing shortfall from the United States -- the single biggest contributor of military aid to Ukraine -- now that relations between Washington and Kyiv are at their lowest point in the past decade?

“You’re either going to make a deal or we’re out,” Trump told Zelenskyy during the testy Oval Office exchange.

Zelenskyy, for his part, characterized Putin as “a killer” who could not be trusted to maintain a cease-fire without firm security guarantees from the United States, which Washington is yet to provide.

Zelenskyy has said he still believes the bilateral relationship can be salvaged, despite the standoff appearing to scupper for the moment a framework deal between Kyiv and Washington for Ukraine's critical minerals and post-war reconstruction.

"Of course, we understand the importance of America, and we are grateful for all the support we have received from the United States," the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address on March 2.

"There hasn't been a single day when we haven't felt grateful. Because this is gratitude for the preservation of our independence: Our resilience in Ukraine is built upon what our partners do for us and for their own security," he added.

"There will be diplomacy for peace. And for the sake of all of us standing together -- Ukraine, the whole of Europe, and most necessarily America."

But it is still unclear what that will look like, and the rhetorical divide across what Trump calls "a big, beautiful ocean" is only serving to cloud the picture.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on March 3 that Paris viewed a one-month cease-fire "to determine whether Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith” as a potential starting point.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order declaring English as the official language of the United States, saying it will help ensure a "unified and cohesive society” in a nation that has long prided itself on being the “melting pot of the world.”

The move marks the first time the United States has had an official language at the national level, although some 30 U.S. states have designated it as their official language.

“From the founding of our Republic, English has been used as our national language,” Trump said in the order published on March 1.

“Our Nation's historic governing documents, including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, have all been written in English. It is therefore long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States.”

“A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”

Some activists have expressed concerns about the effect the action will have on non-English speakers when it comes to immigration matters, voting procedures, and access to assistance.

The move revokes a mandate from former President Bill Clinton that required government agencies and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.

It will allow such agencies and organizations to decide whether to continue offering documents and services in other languages.

The order stated that "agency heads are not required to amend, remove, or otherwise stop production of documents, products, or other services prepared or offered in languages other than English."

According to a U.S. government website, people in the United States communicate in more than 350 languages. The U.S. Census Bureau said some of the most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

Native North American languages, including Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres, and Cherokee, are also spoken.

"Speaking English not only opens doors economically, but it helps newcomers engage in their communities, participate in national traditions, and give back to our society, Trump stated.

"This order recognizes and celebrates the long tradition of multilingual American citizens who have learned English and passed it to their children for generations to come."

With reporting by AP

LONDON -- British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has unveiled a four-step plan agreed with European leaders and top representatives of NATO and the EU to support Ukraine and show they remain united in the face of Russia's aggression.

The British leader said it was a "time to act" for Europe in ensuring Ukraine's security, backing up his call at a summit in London on March 2 by pledging 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) in export financing to supply 5,000 air defense missiles to Kyiv.

The summit agreed that military aid must continue to flow to Ukraine, that Kyiv must be at the table for peace talks with Russia, that Europe work to deter any future Russian moves against Ukraine, and the formation of a "coalition of the willing" that will defend and guarantee peace in Ukraine after a deal is reached.

"We are at a crossroads in history today," Starmer told a news conference after the summit of 19 leaders from across Europe, Canada, and the NATO military alliance.

"This is not a moment for more talk – it’s time to act and unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace," Starmer added.

Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron both said they are ready to deploy their troops on Ukrainian soil to help back up any truce reached between Kyiv and Moscow.

France's Le Figaro newspaper quoted Macron as saying in an interview that the two countries would also propose a one-month "limited" truce "in the air, at sea" as it would be difficult to quickly implement a full peace agreement given the length of the front line running through eastern and southern Ukraine.

The summit assumed fresh urgency following Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disastrous visit to Washington earlier this week and growing concerns over the United States' commitment to European defense under President Donald Trump.

Starmer was quick to point out that he believes Washington remains a "reliable ally" that wants to see a lasting peace agreement to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that is now in its fourth year.

The United States did not participate in the London talks. The summit was planned before Zelenskyy and Trump butted heads in a remarkably tense meeting in the Oval Office on February 28.

French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were among the European leaders who joined Starmer and Zelenskyy for talks on March 2 at the historic Lancaster House near Buckingham Palace in London.

Prior to the summit, Starmer held bilateral talks with Meloni, who could be an important figure in Europe's ongoing attempts to convince Washington of the need to support Ukraine.

A staunch Ukraine supporter, she is also ideologically close to Trump, who has warmly praised her.

Appearing next to Starmer, Meloni said that London and Rome could "play a key role in bridge-building" after the Oval Office face-off, while adding that it was "very, very important" for Western partners to avoid a schism.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and European Council President Antonio Costa also attended the summit.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the United States and Europe need to show Russian President Vladimir Putin "that the West has no intention of capitulating before his blackmail and aggression."

On the eve of the conference, Starmer welcomed Zelenskyy at his Downing Street residence, followed by the announcement of a 2.26 billion pound ($2.84 billion) loan to Ukraine to enhance its defensive capabilities.

Zelenskyy said on social media that the loan will be repaid using revenues from frozen Russian assets.

Resuscitating the Trump-Zelenskyy relationship was a key item on the summit's agenda with leaders urging a path to restore the relationship after the U.S. president said Zelenskyy could come back to the White House "when he wants peace."

Von der Leyen said after the meeting that "we’re ready together with you [the United States] to defend democracy, to defend the principle that there’s a rule of law that you cannot invade your neighbor or you cannot change borders with force."

"It’s in our common interest that we prevent future wars," she added.

Zelenskyy has declined to apologize for the U.S. talks breaking down but said he believed the relationship could still be salvaged.

Even before Zelenskyy's trip to Washington, European leaders had demonstrated a growing sense of urgency to make themselves relevant to the Trump administration.

This was spurred by statements from senior U.S. officials suggesting Europe would not be directly involved in Ukraine peace negotiations -- and by signs of warming U.S. ties with Moscow.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused European countries of seeking "a 'continuation of the banquet' in the form of war."

In comments that Russian media reported on March 2, Lavrov praised Trump as "a pragmatist."

"His slogan: common sense," said Lavrov.

Previous crisis talks in Paris last week focused on whether Europe could muster a credible military force to deploy to Ukraine after a cease-fire or peace deal, as well as a longer-term aim of pledges to boost defense spending.

Some progress was made, but there was no decisive breakthrough announcement.

The challenge for the London talks, after the debacle in the Oval Office, is to achieve something more tangible and impressive.

Alongside this, some European leaders are raising the prospect that this goes beyond proving their worth to Washington. Instead, it’s about preparing for a possible scenario in which they cannot rely on the U.S. security umbrella.

The winner of the recent German elections, Friedrich Merz, declared a week ago that Europe needed to achieve "independence" from the United States.

After Zelenskyy's Washington trip, German Foreign Minister Annalene Baerbock said she would back measures to help Ukraine "withstand Russia's aggression even if the United States withdraws support."

Here in Britain, Starmer's position has been echoed across the political spectrum. Prominent figures who have been close to Trump urged him not to burn bridges with Zelenskyy.

Nigel Farage, leader of the Reform UK party and vocal Trump admirer, said: "This is not the end of the story, far from it. A peace deal is essential, and Ukraine needs the right security guarantees."

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The best way forward now is for the minerals deal to be signed as soon as possible. There is still a path to peace."

He was referring to an agreement that was supposed to be the great diplomatic prize of Zelenskyy's Washington trip, heralding a renewed relationship with the United States.

Those high hopes have been dealt a body blow. In London, leaders are desperately seeking a response.

The U.S. military on March 1 said it will deploy almost 3,000 additional troops to the country’s southern border with Mexico, bolstering the force there to some 9,000, as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to combat illegal immigration.

"Approximately 2,400 soldiers from elements of the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), 4th Infantry Division" will be sent to the border, along with "approximately 500 soldiers from the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade," U.S. Northern Command said in a statement.

The Defense Department said the “forces will arrive in the coming weeks and their deployment underscores the Department's unwavering dedication to working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to secure our southern border and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States under President Trump's leadership.”

Trump made border security a major priority during his presidential campaign and declared a national emergency at the 3,218-kilometer U.S. frontier with Mexican on his first day in office.

U.S. officials said the Stryker unit will aid in detection and monitoring, administrative duties, transportation, and engineering support, but "will not conduct or be involved in interdiction or deportation operations."

Strykers are armored personnel carriers and have also been supplied to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's full-scale invasion.

"These deployments will bring additional agility and capability to further efforts to stop the flow of illegal migrancy and drugs at the southern border," said General Gregory Guillot, the commander.

In a posting on his social media platform, Trump declared that "the Invasion of our Country is OVER."

"Thanks to the Trump Administration Policies, the Border is CLOSED to all Illegal Immigrants. Anyone who tries to illegally enter the U.S.A. will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation," he wrote.

The use of the U.S. military for civilian-related tasks is a controversial topic in the country, although military personnel have regularly been sent to the border over past decades to help fight illegal migration and drug trafficking and other international crime.

With reporting by AFP and AP

Volodymyr Zelenskyy was welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for one-on-one talks, a day after the Ukrainian leader had an unprecedented White House clash with the U.S. president that threatened the future of U.S. support for Kyiv.

Starmer and Zelenskyy met behind closed doors at 10 Downing Street on March 1 for a little more than an hour before emerging. They gave no comments to the press outside before Zelenskyy drove away.

However, the two countries' finance chiefs -- Britain’s Rachel Reeves and Ukraine's Serhiy Marchenko -- announced they had signed a loan deal worth 2.26 billion pounds ($2.84 billion), aimed at boosting Kyiv's defenses.

London said the agreement was a sign of "our unwavering and ongoing support for the Ukrainian people" and added that the funds would be paid back through profits derived from frozen Russian sovereign assets.

Later, Zelenskyy posted on X that the session with Starmer was "a meaningful and warm meeting."

"During our talks, we discussed the challenges facing Ukraine and all of Europe, coordination with partners, concrete steps to strengthen Ukraine's position, and ending the war with a just peace, along with robust security guarantees," Zelenskyy said.

He added that the loan "funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine. This is true justice -- the one who started the war must be the one to pay."

The warm welcome from Starmer was a major contrast to the acrimonious confrontation the previous day at the Oval House between Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump that was broadcast around the world.

Zelenskyy had traveled to Washington, D.C., with the expectation of signing a mineral deal aimed at opening up Ukraine's mineral resources to U.S. investment. The agreement would have also smoothed the way for continued U.S. support for Kyiv in its defense against Russia's 3-year-old all-out invasion.

But the Oval Office meeting turned extraordinarily tense as Trump and Vice President JD Vance confronted Zelenskyy, suggesting he was undiplomatic and ungrateful for U.S. support.

Afterward, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged him to apologize for turning the White House meeting into a "fiasco."

Key U.K. Summit To Start

Zelenskyy, who arrived in London earlier in the day March 1, was greeted by Starmer outside of 10 Downing Street. The pair hugged, and smiled for news cameras before entering Starmer's residence.

On the streets outside, hundreds of people jammed sidewalks, most appearing to be in support of Ukraine and Zelenskyy.

"You're very, very welcome here at 10 Downing Street," Starmer told the Ukrainian leader in comments broadcast by the BBC before their meeting.

"That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you and how much they support Ukraine," Starmer said, "and our absolute determination to stand with you, unwavering determination to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace, a lasting peace for Ukraine, based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine."

"We count on your support, and we really remain happy that we have such friends," Zelenskyy said in response.

The meeting concluded after about an hour, with neither leader making comments to media before Zelenskyy drove away.

The Ukrainian leader was also scheduled to meet on March 2 with King Charles III, the same day that the United Kingdom will host a key summit on Ukraine. More than a dozen European leaders, as well as NATO and EU representatives, were expected to discuss support for Ukraine and increasing economic pressure on Russia.

EU leaders were also expected to meet later next week to discuss an increase in defense spending.

Despite receiving support from European leaders, Zelenskyy's tense meeting at the White House has complicated Ukraine's desire to secure the United States as a reliable partner in helping the country's defense against Russia and ending the war on terms acceptable to Kyiv.

In an interview with Fox News just hours after the fiery exchange, Zelenskyy said that he respects Trump and, "of course" he believes the relationship can be fixed as Ukraine does not want to lose its partner.

'Thankful To President Trump'

In a series of posts on X, Zelenskyy also wrote: "We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and [the] American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion."

Days before Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, Starmer also traveled to meet Trump and he urged the U.S. president to guarantee Ukraine's security should a deal be reached to end the conflict, now in its fourth year.

Starmer also hailed the so-called special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom in what analysts said was an attempt to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and Trump.

The U.K. prime minister also spoke separately with Trump and Zelenskyy and expressed his "unwavering support" for Ukraine.

However, when asked about U.S. security guarantees after meeting with Starmer, Trump said it was too early to discuss as a cease-fire had yet to be reached.

Though European allies have collectively supplied more aid to Kyiv, the United States is by far the largest single supplier of weaponry, which has bolstered Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion.

During his election campaign, Trump repeatedly expressed skepticism about U.S. aid for Ukraine. At the same time, he indicated that resolving the conflict with Russia was a major priority for his administration.

Last month, a top-level delegation of U.S. officials met with Russian counterparts in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- the first such meeting since before the February 24, 2022, invasion.

Ukrainian officials were not present for the talks, stoking concerns that Washington and Moscow could seek to end the conflict to the detriment of Ukraine.

Kurdish militants who have been fighting in Turkey for 40 years have announced a cease-fire, two days after their imprisoned leader said that the group should put down their weapons.

The Firat News Agency, a media outlet affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) militant group, published a statement saying, "We declare a cease-fire effective today to pave the way for the implementation of Leader Apo's Call for Peace and Democratic Society," a reference to Abdullah Ocalan, who has been detained by Turkey since 1999.

The group added that, "None of our forces will take armed action unless attacked."

Kurdish militants have fought for some 40 years for an independent state or autonomy, mainly in the east of Turkey.

On February 27, jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on his militant group to lay down its arms, a plea that was welcomed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the start of a new phase in Ankara’s campaign to create a "terror-free" nation.

The Kurdish YPG, which leads U.S.-backed SDF fighters against the Islamic State extremist group in Syria, said Ocalan’s message did not apply to them. Turkey accuses the YPG of being linked to the PKK.

With several of its mayors ousted and replaced by government appointees in recent months, the cease-fire came as pressure mounted on Turkey's main pro-Kurdish political party.

Ocalan established the PKK in 1978 and launched an armed struggle in 1984, often from hiding places inside Turkey and in Syria, where he took refuge before being forced out in 1998.

He fled to Russia, Italy, and Greece before he was arrested in 1999 after being tricked into entering a vehicle by Turkish security forces outside the Greek Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.

An estimated 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict -- some through PKK attacks on military and civilian targets, and others in Turkish military operations against the group and communities where it found support.

In the PKK's statement, the group also called for Ocalan to be released from prison.

With reporting by AFP, Reuters, AP, and dpa

WASHINGTON — It was the White House clash watched around the world.

What many Americans and Europeans hoped would be a meeting demonstrating strong U.S. support for Ukraine at a critical time in its more than three-year-old war with Russia, turned into a debacle no one expected.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance slammed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy before domestic and international media as an ungrateful “tough guy” not interested in peace before cutting the meeting short.

As video of the astonishing tense exchange between what were considered two allies made its way around the world, European leaders, concerned about Trump’s outreach to Russia behind their backs, rushed to express support for Ukraine and its leader.

“We will continue our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor,” Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, said in a post on X.

“Today it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge,” she added.

Friedrich Merz, who is set to become the chancellor of Germany and recently raised concerns about the political trajectory of the United States, also rushed to say his country stands united with Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose government has been a strong supporter of Ukraine in the war, told Zelenskyy and his "dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone."

Zelenskyy's early departure followed a meeting in which he pressed for U.S. security commitments and said there should be "no compromises with a killer," a clear reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin,.

Trump, meanwhile, said Ukraine would need to make concessions and that Kyiv should be more grateful for U.S. support.

After shaking hands as they met on February 28 for the first time since Trump took office last month, the two leaders appeared at ease as they talked.

But then the exchange turned icy right in front of the cameras, raising their voices and reviving a dispute that Trump launched a week ago when he falsely blamed Ukraine for the war and called Zelenskyy a "dictator."

"You're not acting at all thankful. It's not a nice thing," said Trump, who has had a difficult relationship with Zelenskyy since the latter was elected in 2019.

"It's going to be very hard to do business like this," he added.

"You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump said.

"You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to...this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”

With the cameras running inside the Oval Office, Trump and Zelenskyy continued to interrupt each other with the U.S. president telling his visitor "your country's in big trouble. You're not winning.... You have a damn good chance of getting out of this OK because of us.... You don't have the cards."

The meeting was being closely watched for signs of whether the United States would commit to providing further aid to Kyiv or promise any specific security guarantees against further Russian aggression as part of any cease-fire or peace deal.

The two had been expected to sign a framework agreement on U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The agreement, now in at least its third version, was a source of contention between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this month as they disagreed over the value of the deal and the absence of concrete security guarantees.

Before the clash, Zelenskyy told reporters inside the White House that he hoped the minerals deal would be a step forward for Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss in more detail with Trump what the United States is ready to do for his country.

Trump said the agreement with Kyiv would be "very fair" and that a truce in Russia's war against Ukraine is "fairly close." He said Ukraine would have to make compromises.

As he rejected Trump's call for compromise, Zelenskyy showed the U.S. president pictures of alleged Russian atrocities.

Zelenskyy's visit to Washington was aimed at shoring up U.S. support to repel Russia's assault at a time when Trump has shifted the White House's policy stance to end more than three years of isolation sparked by the Kremlin's unprovoked invasion.

Beyond his meeting with the president, Zelenskyy engaged with key U.S. lawmakers, influential religious figures, and a think tank to bolster support for Ukraine, especially within Trump's Republican Party.

Prior to arriving at the White House, Zelenskyy met with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys strong support, to press for continued military aid. He also met with Franklin Graham, an evangelical leader who has sway within the Republican party.

However, following the tense White House encounter, a discussion scheduled with Zelenskyy at the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank, was canceled. CNN reported that it was Zelenskyy who had called off the session.

'What Diplomacy?'

The clash began as the meeting with reporters present was about to wrap up, when Vice President JD Vance answered a question from a reporter who said Trump’s outreach to Putin unnerved Europeans. Vance said former President Joe Biden “talked tough” about Putin but didn’t stop the Russian leader.

“The path to peace, the path to prosperity, is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance said. “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”

Zelenskyy then responded to Vance, saying he and European leaders had negotiated with Putin and agreed to a cease-fire in 2019, when Trump was president, but that Russia had violated it.

“He broke the cease-fire," Zelenskyy said of Putin. "He killed our people…. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are talking about? What do you mean?”

Vance responded with apparent anger.

“I think it is disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” the vice president said. Trump then spoke sternly, telling Zelenskyy he holds no cards.

It was the second time in two weeks that the two leaders got into a fiery exchange, the first time a long-distance war of words. After Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, Zelenskyy said the U.S. president was being fed Russian propaganda.

Trump responded angerly in a February 19 social media post, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" who risks losing his country if he doesn't act fast to accept a peace deal.

Trump played down the comments and struck a far softer tone at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the eve of Zelenskyy's visit, saying, "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."

Trump also said he had a "lot of respect" for Zelenskyy, adding that Ukrainians "have fought very bravely."

Ukrainian analyst Serhiy Harmash told Current Time he believes Trump stepped back from his earlier comments because meeting with a leader he had disparaged "would be a blow to his credibility."

"And he's interested in meeting [Zelenskyy] because he needs to sign this minerals framework agreement" to notch a diplomatic achievement and bolster his image as a dealmaker," said Harmash, who was in previous negotiations with Russia.

Nonetheless, Trump and Zelenskyy seemed at odds on some issues as they spoke to reporters before their White House meeting.

Besides disagreeing with Zelenskyy on the need to compromise with Putin, Trump warned the Ukrainian leader that he was "gambling with World War III" and "should be grateful" to the United States.

Minerals Deal

The main purpose of the meeting with Zelenskyy at the White House was to sign a framework agreement on the development of Ukrainian mineral deposits, including rare earth metals and fossil fuels.

Trump says the deal will allow the United States to recoup some of the aid it has sent to Ukraine over the past three years while also stimulating Ukrainian economic growth.

“It is like a huge economic development project. So it'll be good for both countries,” the U.S. president said. He said the United States working on mineral extraction in Ukraine would amount to “automatic security because nobody’s going to be messing around with our people when we’re there.”

The text of the agreement, a copy of which was obtained by RFE/RL, says the United States “supports Ukraine’s efforts to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace” and has “a long-term financial commitment to the development of a stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.”

But Washington has not promised concrete security guarantees, something Zelenskyy says is an absolute necessity if there is a cease-fire or peace deal due to concerns that Russia, which has been on the offensive since seizing Crimea in 2014 and holds about 20 percent of Ukraine, could build up its army and attack again.

"I’m not going to make security guarantees...very much,” Trump told reporters earlier this week. “We’re going to have Europe do that.”

What Did Starmer and Macron Hope To Achieve With Trump?

The meeting of Trump and Zelenskyy comes during a week of lightning diplomacy between Europe and the United States.

Meeting with Trump at the White House in a bid to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade, Starmer urged the U.S. president to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end the fighting.

Trump, who took office a month ago, has moved aggressively to end the war in Ukraine, holding a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and sending his national security team to Saudi Arabia to meet their Russian counterparts.

After a meeting of U.S. and Russian officials in Istanbul on February 27, aimed at resolving disputes over their respective diplomatic missions, the Russian Foreign Ministry said the United States had given Moscow its blessing to appoint a new ambassador to Washington, Aleksandr Darchiyev.

The outreach to the Kremlin turned the U.S. policy with Russia on its head and shocked European leaders, who feared Trump would cut a deal with Moscow behind their backs that could hurt Ukraine and weaken their own security.

Now, European leaders are traveling to Washington promising to step up their role in any settlement to steer the U.S. president away from what they worry could be an agreement that concedes too much to Russia and leaves them vulnerable.

At a White House news conference with Trump following their bilateral meeting, Starmer reiterated that Britain is ready to step up and contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a deal is reached.

“The U.K. is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last,” Starmer said.

He cautioned against rushing to end the war at any cost.

“We have to get it right. We have to win the peace. It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor. History must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,” Starmer said.

Trump did not commit to backstopping a European troop presence, a key ask of Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who traveled to Washington on February 24.

Starmer said he and Trump discussed a peace plan that "Ukraine will help shape" and that is "backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more."

He added that teams from the United States and the U.K. "are going to be talking about how we make sure that deal sticks, is lasting, and enforced."

U.K. media said Starmer is seeking U.S. guarantees of air, intelligence, logistics, and communications support for a European peacekeeping force.

When asked about U.S. security guarantees, Trump said it was too early to discuss as a cease-fire had yet to be reached. Prior to his meeting with Starmer, Trump indicated a U.S. backstop wouldn’t be necessary because Putin could be trusted not to violate a peace deal.

That is not a view shared by European leaders or Zelenskyy. At his news conference with Trump, Macron said Putin had violated previous agreements with Ukraine, underscoring why strong deterrence that included a U.S. backstop was necessary.

Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers say they no longer consider the Doha agreement -- a peace deal with the United States that paved the way for the withdrawal of Western forces from the country -- to be valid.

Speaking on February 28, the fifth anniversary of the agreement, chief Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the accord was limited to a particular time frame, which has now expired.

“The Islamic Emirate has its own governance system, and now we are no longer moving forward based on that agreement,” he told the state TV.

Mujahid said that the Taliban had fulfilled its key obligation under the agreement by preventing Afghanistan from becoming a launchpad for terrorist attacks against Washington and its allies.

He called on Washington to “take positive steps to engage with Afghanistan” and help in removing the Taliban leaders from international sanctions lists.

The Doha agreement paved the way for the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in return for the Taliban’s counterterrorism guarantees.

However, crucial parts of the agreement requiring talks among Afghans to form a new transitional government were never fully implemented.

Some U.S. officials have blamed the Doha agreement for prompting the collapse of the pro-Western Afghan republic ahead of the final U.S. military withdrawal on August 31, 2021.

The agreement was negotiated and concluded by the first administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a September presidential election campaign debate, he defended the deal as "a very good agreement" and blamed his successor, President Joe Biden, for the death of soldiers during the withdrawal, as well as for leaving behind weapons and failing to enforce the terms of the agreement.

Today, Afghans have mixed views about the agreement.

“The Doha agreement was a positive development because it ended the four-decades-long war in Afghanistan,” Anwar, a resident of the central Ghazni Province, told RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi.

One Kabul resident said negotiations among Afghans would have produced a better outcome for their country.

While the Taliban seized power in the wake of the U.S. withdrawal, no country has yet formally recognized its government.

Inside Afghanistan, the Taliban has established a government led by its clerical leadership.

It has implemented harsh bans on the education, employment, mobility and public role of Afghan women, which has turned it into an international pariah.

A powerful explosion at a seminary in northwestern Pakistan has killed at least seven people, including a top cleric.

The Jamia Haqqania seminary in Akkora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, is renowned for training key Taliban figures.

Local officials said that those killed in the blast on February 28 include Hamid ul-Haq Haqqani, a Pakistani politician and deputy head of the seminary.

Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed told reporters that initial evidence suggests the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber specifically targeting Haqqani.

The Taliban, which returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, said in a statement that it "strongly condemns" the attack on the religious school

No group has claimed responsibility for the incident.

Bilal Faizi, a spokesperson for the local emergency services, told RFE/RL’s Radio Mashaal that least 20 people were injured in the explosion.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believes relations with the White House can be salvaged despite a highly unusual public clash with U.S. President Donald Trump that derailed talks toward ending Russia's war against Ukraine.

The meeting with Trump on February 28 ended in acrimony after a very tense exchange in the Oval Office, with Zelenskyy leaving hastily and Trump saying the Ukrainian leader was disrespectful and could "come back when he is ready for peace."

Zelenskyy, who is set over the weekend to meet with European leaders in London -– where he likely expects a better reception -- departed the White House without signing a minerals deal with Trump that had been the main purpose of the meeting, and a joint press conference was canceled.

In his first public comments just hours after the fiery exchange, Zelenskyy told Fox News in an interview that he respects Trump and "of course" believes the relationship can be fixed as Ukraine does not want to lose its partner.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later added on to the administration’s admonitions of Zelenskyy, calling on the Ukrainian leader to apologize for turning the White House meeting into a "fiasco."

Rubio said on CNN that Zelenskyy should "apologize for wasting our time for a meeting that was going to end the way it did.” Zelenskyy earlier said in his Fox News interview that he didn’t feel he had anything to apologize for in the meeting.

The remarkable developments raised new questions about further U.S. support for Ukraine in its defense against Russia's full-scale invasion.

"We had a very meaningful meeting in the White House today,” Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“It’s amazing what comes out through emotion, and I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for Peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations."

"I don’t want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for Peace.”

Zelenskyy told Fox News that it would be difficult for Ukraine to hold off the Kremlin's military might without U.S. support but said Kyiv would not enter peace talks with Moscow until it receives security guarantees against another Russian military offensive.

"Ukraine wants peace, and we will have peace," he said, adding, however, that it must be a "just and lasting peace" and that "we have to be in a strong position" to negotiate.

In comments to reporters as he left the White House for his estate in Florida, Trump said Zelenskyy did not appear to be a man who wanted peace and that he had "overplayed his hand" in their White House meeting.

"I want a cease-fire now ... immediately," Trump said as he left the White House for his Florida estate.

"He's looking to go on and fight, fight, fight," Trump said of Zelenskyy.

When asked by reporters if he was considering cutting off military aid to Ukraine, Trump said only that it "doesn't matter what I'm considering."

During the meeting, Zelenskyy pressed for U.S. security commitments and said there should be "no compromises with a killer," clearly referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin, while Trump said Ukraine would need to make concessions and that Kyiv should be more grateful for U.S. support.

After shaking hands as they met for the first time since Trump took office on January 20, the two leaders had an icy exchange before the cameras, raising their voices and reviving a dispute that Trump launched a week ago when he falsely blamed Ukraine for the war and called Zelenskyy a "dictator."

"You're not acting at all thankful. It's not a nice thing," said Trump, who has had a difficult relationship with Zelenskyy since the latter was elected in 2019. "It's going to be very hard to do business like this."

"You’re gambling with the lives of millions of people," Trump said. "You’re gambling with World War III, and what you’re doing is very disrespectful to...this country that’s backed you far more than a lot of people say they should have.”

In video footage from the Oval Office, Trump and Zelenskyy interrupted each other and the U.S. president told his visitor, "Your country's in big trouble. You're not winning.... You have a damn good chance of getting out of this OK because of us.... You don't have the cards."

The meeting had been closely watched for signs of whether the United States would commit to providing further aid to Kyiv or promise any specific security guarantees against further Russian aggression as part of any cease-fire or peace deal.

The two had been expected to sign a framework agreement on U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. The agreement, now in at least its third version, was a source of contention between Trump and Zelenskyy earlier this month as they disagreed over the value of the deal and the absence of concrete security guarantees.

Before the clash, Zelenskyy told reporters inside the White House that he hoped the minerals deal would be a step forward for Ukraine and said he wanted to discuss in more detail with Trump what the United States is ready to do for his country.

Trump said the agreement with Kyiv would be "very fair" and that a truce in Russia's war against Ukraine is "fairly close." He said Kyiv would have to make compromises.

As he rejected Trump's call for compromise, Zelenskyy showed the U.S. president pictures of alleged Russian atrocities.

Beyond his meeting with the president, Zelenskyy engaged with key U.S. lawmakers, influential religious figures, and a think tank to bolster support for Ukraine, especially within Trump's Republican Party.

Zelenskyy met with a bipartisan delegation from the Senate, where Ukraine enjoys strong support, to press for continued military aid. He also met with Franklin Graham, an evangelical leader who has sway within the Republican party.

Biden 'Talked Tough' But...

The clash began as the meeting with reporters present was about to wrap up, when Vice President JD Vance answered a question from a reporter who said Trump’s outreach to Putin unnerved Europeans. Vance said former President Joe Biden “talked tough” about Putin but didn’t stop the Russian leader.

“The path to peace, the path to prosperity, is maybe engaging in diplomacy,” Vance said. “What makes America a good country is America engaging in diplomacy. That’s what President Trump is doing.”

Zelenskyy responded to Vance, saying he and European leaders had negotiated with Putin and agreed to a cease-fire in 2019, when Trump was president, but that Russia had violated it.

“He broke the cease-fire," Zelenskyy said of Putin. "He killed our people…. What kind of diplomacy, JD, you are talking about? What do you mean?”

Vance responded with apparent anger.

“I think it is disrespectful for you to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media,” the vice president said. Trump then spoke sternly, telling Zelenskyy he holds no cards.

It was the second time in two weeks that Trump and Zelenskyy got into a heated exchange, the first time a long-distance war of words. After Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, Zelenskyy said the U.S. president was being fed Russian propaganda. Trump responded angrily in a February 19 social media post, calling Zelenskyy a "dictator" who risks losing his country if he doesn't act fast to accept a peace deal.

Trump played down the comments and struck a far softer tone at a joint news conference with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the eve of Zelenskyy's visit, saying, "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."

Trump also said he had a "lot of respect" for Zelenskyy, adding that Ukrainians "have fought very bravely."

Ukrainian analyst Serhiy Harmash told Current Time he believes Trump stepped back from his earlier comments because meeting with a leader he had disparaged "would be a blow to his credibility."

"And he's interested in meeting [Zelenskyy] because he needs to sign this minerals framework agreement" to notch a diplomatic achievement and bolster his image as a dealmaker," said Harmash, who was in previous negotiations with Russia.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a Ukrainian deputy and the chair of the parliamentary committee on foreign policy, told an RFE/RL program that Zelenskyy "did not insult Trump, he defended Ukraine."

However, Andriy Veselovskiy, Ukraine's former representative to the European Union, told RFE/RL that "raising your voice in the Oval Office at the vice president and the president, and interrupting both, does not serve the interests of Ukraine. It's not about two or three people. It's about the interests of Ukraine."

Global Diplomacy

The talks between Trump and Zelenskyy came during a week of lightning diplomacy between Europe and the United States.

Meeting with Trump at the White House in a bid to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade, Starmer urged the U.S. president to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end the fighting.

Zelenskyy is next due to travel to London, where Starmer is scheduled to host a meeting of European leaders on March 2 to discuss Ukraine and overall security matters for the Continent.

Following Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump, Downing Street said Starmer spoke by phone individually with both leaders.

Starmer "retains unwavering support for Ukraine and is doing all he can to find a path forward to a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine," a statement said.

"The prime minister looks forward to hosting international leaders on [March 2] including President Zelenskyy," it added.

WASHINGTON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hailed the historically close U.S.-U.K. relationship at a White House meeting with President Donald Trump as he sought to mend a strained transatlantic relationship triggered by disagreements over Ukraine and trade.

Starmer traveled to Washington on February 27 to urge Trump to guarantee Ukraine’s security should a deal be reached to end Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country, now in its fourth year.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is scheduled to meet with Trump in Washington on February 28.

Trump, who took office a month ago, has moved aggressively to end the war in Ukraine, holding a lengthy phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month and sending his national security team to Saudi Arabia to meet their Russian counterparts.

Trump told reporters February 27 that Washington and Moscow have made "a lot of progress" toward a cease-fire.

The outreach to the Kremlin turned the United States's Russia policy of the past three years on its head and shocked European leaders, who feared Trump would cut a deal behind their backs that hurt Ukraine and weakened their own security.

Now, European leaders are traveling to Washington promising to step up their role in any settlement to steer the U.S. president away from what they worry could be an agreement that concedes too much to Russia and leaves them vulnerable.

At a White House news conference with Trump following their bilateral meeting, Starmer reiterated that Britain is ready to step up and contribute to a peacekeeping force in Ukraine if a deal is reached.

“The U.K. is ready to put boots on the ground and planes in the air to support a deal, working together with our allies, because that is the only way that peace will last,” Starmer said.

He cautioned against rushing to end the war at any cost.

“We have to get it right. We have to win the peace. It can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor. History must be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader,” Starmer said.

Trump did not commit to backstopping a European troop presence, a key ask of Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, who traveled to Washington on February 24.

Starmer said he and Trump discussed a peace plan that "Ukraine will help shape" and that is "backed by strength to stop Putin coming back for more."

He added that teams from the United States and the U.K. "are going to be talking about how we make sure that deal sticks, is lasting, and enforced."

U.K. media said Starmer is seeking U.S. guarantees of air, intelligence, logistics, and communications support for a European peacekeeping force.

When asked about U.S. security guarantees, Trump said it was too early to discuss as a cease-fire had yet to be reached. Prior to his meeting with Starmer, Trump indicated a U.S. backstop wouldn’t be necessary because Putin could be trusted not to violate a peace deal.

That is not a view shared by European leaders or Zelenskyy. At his news conference with Trump, Macron said Putin had violated previous agreements with Ukraine, underscoring why strong deterrence that included a U.S. backstop was necessary.

Softer Language

In what perhaps is a positive sign for Kyiv, Trump noticeably softened his language on Ukraine during the news conference. He praised the country’s tenacity in defending its land and avoided criticizing the country or its leader when offered that chance by reporters.

Last week, Trump got into a spat with Zelenskyy, falsely blaming Ukraine for the war and calling the Ukrainian leader a “dictator” who doesn’t hold elections.

"I have a lot of respect for him. We've given him a lot of equipment and a lot of money, but they have fought very bravely," Trump said.

Trump is due to meet Zelenskyy at the White House to sign a framework agreement on the development of mineral deposits, including rare earth metals and fossil fuels.

Trump says the deal will allow the United States to recoup some of the aid it has sent to Ukraine over the past three years while also stimulating Ukrainian economic growth.

“"It is like a huge economic development project. So it'll be good for both countries,” the U.S. president said.

Zelenskyy is also expected to ask Trump to continue sending weapons to Ukraine while the fighting continues and offering his country a security guarantee once it ends.

'Unprecedented' Invite

As he reached out to Russia earlier this month, Trump slammed his European allies, accusing them of unfair trade practices and underinvesting in their own security.

His vice president, JD Vance, lectured Europe about democracy and free speech during his address at the Munich Security Conference, alarming European officials.

Starmer is seeking to play the role of a "bridge" between Europe and Trump, leveraging the U.S.-U.K. "special relationship" that goes back decades.

"We're the closest of nations," Starmer said during the news conference.

"In a moment of real danger around the world, the relationship matters more than ever," he said, recalling how the United States and U.K. stood "side by side" during previous wars and should do so now in Ukraine.

In an attempt to bolster ties at a difficult time for transatlantic relations, Starmer handed Trump an invite from King Charles to a state visit. It would be Trump's second state visit to the U.K., which Starmer stressed was "unprecedented."