Trump in ‘disinformation space’ says Zelenskyy – DW – 02/19/2025

DW spoke with Dr. Peter Trubowitz, professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics, about Donald Trump’s attitude towards Russia and Ukraine.

“This is nothing short of strategic gaslighting,” Trubowitz said of Trump’s assertion that Ukraine is to blame for the war. It “should be seen for what it is, an effort to structure the negotiations over the war in a way that is less about guaranteeing Ukrainian security than, I think, realigning US-Russian relations.”

He described Trump’s concessions to Russia thus: “It’s bold, it’s dramatic. It’s a surprise.”

Trubowitz said it was all a piece of political theater in order to pressure Europe and “take advantage of Europe’s dependence on the United States.”

“The US has effectively sidelined Europe,” by appealing directly to Russia, knowing that Europe has never been unanimous in its approach to the invasion and using that to his advantage.

“If I were [Ukrainian Preisdent Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, I would not feel confident in Europe’s ability to lead right now.”

The European Union has agreed to a 16th raft of sanctions against Moscow in Brussels.

As the third anniversary of the invasion approaches on February 24, the EU sought to combat Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers being used to evade sanctions against the country’s energy sector.

The sanctions also targeted Russian aluminium production.

Andrzej Domanski, finance minister of Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, said that it was “imperative” the measures be approved to mark “the third anniversary of this brutal aggression against Ukraine.”

The packaged must be formally accepted by the bloc’s foreign ministers, but that is considered a foregone conclusion.

“We are committed to keep up the pressure on the Kremlin,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on X.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Wednesday that the government in Seoul was open to taking in North Korean prisoners of war captured by Ukraine.

Russia has been utilizing troops from North Korea in Ukraine since at least last summer.

“North Korean soldiers are constitutionally our citizens,” Yonhap quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying, adding that they may “face persecution” if they return to the North.

Yonhap also quoted a North Korean prisoner as saying he would prefer to return to South Korea.

US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg is expected to arrive in Ukraine by train from Poland on Wednesday morning.

The visit will last three days, according to the Ukrainian news agency Interfax-Ukraine.

“As to the trip into Ukraine, the trip is still being finalized, meaning if I’m going there, the answer is yes. Am I going to have an opportunity to meet with the President Zelenskyy? The answer is yes,” Interfax-Ukraine quoted Kellogg as saying on Monday.

US President Donald Trump confirmed last week that he would send Kellogg, who is tasked with drawing up a proposal to halt the nearly three-year-long war between Russia and Ukraine, to Kyiv.

French President Emmanuel Macron is holding another meeting on Ukraine on Wednesday that will include several European and non-European countries.

Countries including Norway, Canada, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Romania, Sweden and Belgium have been invited, the Reuters news agency quoted unnamed sources as saying.

The format of the meeting would be hybrid, including video participation, Reuters added.

On Monday, Macron hosted an emergency meeting on the situation in Ukraine at the Elysee Palace with several countries, including Britain, Germany and Italy. Representatives of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union were also present.

Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea port city of Odesa, leaving most residents without power, water or heat, Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said.

“Hospitals, clinics and social infrastructure sites were left without heating,” Trukhanov wrote on the Telegram messaging app, describing the strike on Odesa as “massive.”

Trukhanov posted pictures of buildings with windows blown out and facades damaged. He made no mention of casualties, saying experts were assessing the damage.

Odesa has been a frequent target of Russian strikes in the nearly three-year war, particularly facilities at the three ports in and around the city.

This blog will bring you the latest coverage, analysis and multimedia content related to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.

French President Emmanuel Macron will hold another meeting on Ukraine in Paris on Wednesday, while US Special Envoy to Ukraine Keith Kellogg is expected to arrive in Kyiv for talks.