Last news • War in Ukraine
Shelling in Donetsk area: one particular person killed, 5 wounded
On February 24, 2025, the occupiers carried out air strikes on settlements within the Donetsk area. Because of the shelling of Fedorivka, Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, one particular person died and 5 had been injured.
Russian President Vladimir Putin met with officers on Feb. 24 to debate uncommon earth metals manufacturing, calling it a strategic reserve essential for Russia's financial progress and world competitiveness.
He emphasised the significance of the newly launched nationwide challenge, "New Supplies and Chemistry," which goals to strengthen the home business. The initiative seeks to develop a full-cycle uncommon and rare-earth metals sector, from extraction to high-tech manufacturing, with a major improve in manufacturing.
In an interview with Russian propagandist Pavel Zarubin revealed on the identical day, Putin adopted up on the minerals matter, including that any potential settlement between the U.S. and Ukraine over pure sources wouldn’t have an effect on Russia.
He identified that Russia has considerably bigger reserves of uncommon earth metals than Ukraine is open to working with international companions in growing uncommon earth deposits, together with within the occupied elements of Ukraine which Putin referred to as "newly managed areas."
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Putin additionally instructed that U.S. President Donald Trump has higher freedom in dealing with Russia's struggle in opposition to Ukraine than European leaders.
"He doesn’t simply say what he thinks—he does what he needs. That’s the privilege of the chief of an awesome energy," Putin mentioned. Whereas Russia and the U.S. should restore mutual belief, he added that no substantial talks with Trump on Ukraine had taken place.
Putin additionally claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky has grow to be a "poisonous determine for Ukraine’s armed forces who blocks peace efforts and weakens his nation." He blamed Zelensky’s "absurd orders" for the navy's "catastrophic losses" and accused the Ukrainian president of avoiding negotiations to delay elections.
Putin went on to dismiss Europe's issues over U.S.-Russia talks. "No person can demand something from Russia, particularly not Europe. Allow them to make calls for of another person. For hundreds of years, they’ve been making calls for of their vassals—now their very own individuals are making calls for of them. They need to sit at dwelling and take into consideration how they ended up on this state of affairs," he mentioned.
Putin additionally welcomed Trump’s proposal to chop protection spending, suggesting that Russia and the U.S. may comply with a 50% discount.
The Kyiv IndependentAntonina Andriichuk
Spain will present one billion euros to Ukraine: what’s going to the cash go for and what else was promised
Spain allocates a brand new €1 billion army help bundle to Ukraine, together with armored automobiles and ammunition. The 2 international locations additionally agreed to open a “Unity Middle” for Ukrainian immigrants in Spain.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on Feb. 24 that Russia's warfare in opposition to Ukraine might finish "inside weeks" and claimed Russian President Vladimir Putin would enable European peacekeepers to be stationed in Ukraine as a part of a possible settlement.
"I feel we might finish it inside weeks. If we're sensible. If we're not sensible, it'll preserve going, and we'll preserve shedding younger, stunning those who shouldn't be dying," he stated, talking alongside French President Emmanuel Macron on the White Home.
Trump claimed the U.S. supported sending European troops to observe a ceasefire and that he had mentioned the proposal with Putin, who "would settle for it."
When requested whether or not Ukraine ought to be keen to cede territory to Russia as a part of a negotiated settlement, Trump responded, "We'll see," noting that talks are nonetheless within the early levels.
Macron stated Europe is ready to supply safety ensures to Ukraine, together with peacekeepers, in case of a ceasefire.
American and Russian officers met in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 with out Ukrainian or European participation, with a follow-up assembly scheduled for Feb. 25.
Macron has not too long ago rallied European counterparts to debate safety ensures for Ukraine. U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is anticipated to go to Washington later this week to fulfill with Trump.
The U.Okay. is reportedly getting ready to suggest a plan to deploy 30,000 European peacekeepers to Ukraine as a post-ceasefire safety assure. Macron has additionally led requires a European-led mission to make sure stability in Ukraine.
Trump has repeatedly stated he desires Europe to take over duty for funding and overseeing Ukraine's safety.
His administration has additionally pressured Kyiv to signal a minerals cope with the U.S., which President Volodymyr Zelensky has criticized for providing no safety ensures in return.
The Kyiv IndependentEdward C. Chow
Air protection forces are working in Zaporizhzhia area
Air protection forces are working in Zaporizhzhia area, as reported by RMA Chairman Ivan Fedorov. Air alert has been declared in a number of areas of Ukraine because of the detection of teams of enemy drones.
The UN Common Meeting permitted a Ukrainian decision on Feb. 24 condemning Russia's full-scale invasion, with 93 nations voting in favor and 18 in opposition to.
The U.S., Israel, Hungary, Russia, and Belarus have voted in opposition to the decision.
The decision, drafted by Kyiv and supported by all EU states besides Hungary, reaffirms Ukraine's territorial integrity. It explicitly names Russia because the aggressor.
On the identical day, the Common Meeting handed a separate U.S. decision marking the third anniversary of the invasion. That decision additionally acquired 93 votes in favor however averted instantly calling Russia the aggressor. Ukraine abstained from voting on the U.S. model.
In keeping with Suspilne, Washington despatched letters to UN member states urging them to assist its decision. The transfer aligns with latest U.S. efforts to melt language on Russia in worldwide statements.
U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz each declined to explicitly identify Russia because the aggressor in Fox Information interviews. Hegseth referred to the warfare as "a really difficult scenario" when requested if Russia attacked Ukraine unprovoked.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia whereas adopting more and more hostile rhetoric towards Kyiv.
He not too long ago referred to as President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" and falsely claimed Ukraine began the warfare — earlier than later conceding that "Russia attacked, however they shouldn’t have let him assault."
The shift in U.S. language extends past the UN. The Monetary Instances reported that the U.S. opposed referring to Russia because the aggressor in a G7 assertion commemorating the invasion's anniversary.
The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy
Ukraine struggle might finish 'inside weeks' – Trump
Donald Trump stated that the struggle in Ukraine might finish inside weeks. The US president additionally introduced an upcoming assembly with Zelensky and refused to journey to Moscow on Might 9.
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda proposed on Feb. 24 setting Jan. 1, 2030, because the official date for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.
Talking on the Help Ukraine summit in Kyiv, Nauseda known as for decisive management to speed up Ukraine's integration.
"The safety of Europe depends upon the safety of Ukraine. That’s the reason allow us to speed up Ukraine's accession to the EU," Nauseda stated.
He added that the primary cluster of accession talks could possibly be opened within the coming weeks and urged European leaders to make Ukraine's path to the bloc "inevitable."
Ukraine utilized for EU membership in 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The nation achieved candidate standing inside months, and formal negotiations started in June 2024.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has set an bold purpose of opening 5 – 6 negotiation clusters in 2025, with the primary part anticipated underneath Poland's rotating EU presidency.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi beforehand advised that Ukraine may be part of the bloc by 2029 if it efficiently implements the mandatory reforms.
Ukraine's EU accession course of is structured round six negotiation clusters, protecting varied political and financial reforms.
The nation goals to open a minimum of two or three clusters in early 2025, with further progress anticipated underneath Denmark's EU Council presidency within the latter half of the 12 months.
The Kyiv IndependentOlga Rudenko
US refuses to help Ukrainian decision on de-escalation within the UN
The U.S. consultant to the UN said that it was unimaginable to help the Ukrainian decision and proposed another draft. The US insists on a fast finish to the battle with out condemning Russia's aggression.
The U.S. despatched a letter to U.N. member states asking them to vote for the American model of a decision marking the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale warfare towards Ukraine that doesn’t title Moscow because the aggressor, Suspilne reported on Feb. 24, citing an obtained textual content of the letter.
In keeping with the letter, Washington requires a vote towards "every other choice or amendments introduced through the eleventh emergency particular session on Feb. 24, 2025."
The information underscores Washington's shifting views on the Russia-Ukraine warfare for the reason that accession of President Donald Trump.
In keeping with reporting from final week, the U.S. allegedly refused to co-sponsor a U.N. decision on Russia's all-out warfare, which reaffirms Ukraine's territorial integrity and condemns Moscow's aggression.
Greater than 50 international locations, together with all EU states and Ukraine, are the authors of the collective draft. It calls Russia an aggressor nation and calls for that it withdraw its troops from all of Ukraine's territory.
The U.N. Common Meeting is anticipated to think about the 2 resolutions on Russia's warfare in a while Feb. 24.
The U.S. model of the decision, dubbed the "Path to Peace," reportedly doesn’t title Russia because the aggressor however requires "an instantaneous finish to the battle." Moscow proposed including a phrase to this sentence — "together with by addressing its root causes," the media outlet reported.
The authors of the collective and competing decision proposed to interchange the phrase "battle" with "Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine" and to name for a "simply lasting peace" as an alternative of merely a "lasting peace."
Final week, U.S. Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth and U.S. Nationwide Safety Advisor Mike Waltz averted immediately naming Russia the aggressor in its warfare towards Ukraine in interviews with Fox Information.
The Pentagon chief acknowledged there was "an invasion into Ukraine" with out naming Russia. When requested if it's honest to say that Russia attacked Ukraine with out provocation in 2022, Hegseth replied that it's "honest to say it’s a really difficult scenario."
U.S. President Donald Trump has pushed to mediate a peace settlement between Ukraine and Russia whereas utilizing more and more hostile rhetoric towards Kyiv. He dubbed President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" and accused Ukraine of beginning the warfare.
Quickly after, Trump admitted that Russia launched a full-scale warfare by attacking Ukraine.
"Russia attacked, however they shouldn't have let him assault," Trump mentioned.
The U.S. additionally opposed immediately calling Russia the "aggressor" in a G7 assertion dedicated to the anniversary of the invasion, in keeping with the Monetary Instances, which marked the primary time the U.S. has pushed again on such language.
The Kyiv IndependentMartin Fornusek