World Briefing: February 24, 2025

Today marks exactly three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The country was on high alert overnight after a record number of Russian drones swarmed many regions the previous evening - bringing death and destruction. We saw a heightened military presence unseen previously along the Odesa sea coast, as well as virtually empty streets. A fresh wave of drones were unleashed over parts of the country around 1900 GMT Sunday and continued into the early hours.

Meanwhile, at a marathon Kyiv news conference Sunday afternoon, President Volodymyr Zelesnky shocked many when he said he would be willing to step down in return for an enduring peace and NATO membership for Ukraine. Asked about his relationship with Donald Trump, Zelensky replied with a grin: “It never was in such a best way.” When asked by CNN on whether it could be improved, he said: “It’s not in our rights like presidents to lose the partnership between our countries.” As I told Al Jazeera later, it almost seemed as the Ukrainian leader was goading Mr. Trump, who’s insultingly called Zelensky ‘“a dictator,” - but so far there’s has been no response from the White House. That may indicate the verbal war of words is over for now. Contradicting reports that Elon Musk’s Starlink service would be disconnected if he didn’t sign an extortionate US rare earth minerals deal, Zelensky said it was unlikely as many schools and hospitals rely on it (it’s also crucial for the Ukrainian military). For the first time, Zelensky said any deal involving huge amounts of Ukraine’s resources would have to be ratified by the country’s parliament.

The US has pressured Ukraine to withdraw its European-backed UN resolution demanding an immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine in favor of an American proposal that does not mention Moscow’s invasion, a US official and a European diplomat said Sunday.But Ukraine refused to pull its draft resolution, and the UN General Assembly will vote on it Monday, the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, two European diplomats said.The 193-nation General Assembly then is expected to vote on the US draft resolution, according to the diplomats and the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private negotiations are still ongoing. The Trump administration is also seeking a vote on its proposal in the more powerful UN Security Council. The 15-nation council will meet Monday afternoon on Ukraine, and late Sunday it scheduled the vote immediately afterward, but the European diplomats said it could be pushed to Tuesday at Russia’s request. The dueling resolutions — the first since the invasion — highlight the tension between the US, Ukraine and European countries in the five weeks since President Donald Trump took office and has opened talks with Russia after years of isolation in a bid to end the war - France 24

The leaders of Europe’s two nuclear powers are rushing to the White House to try to reclaim a central role for themselves and for Ukraine after they were cut out of US-Russia talks on ending the war. French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Trump on Monday — the third anniversary of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, a sovereign democracy, which has killed tens of thousands of civilians and left Putin and his forces accused of war crimes. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will follow on Thursday, in the most treacherous moment yet of his young premiership, with large gaps opening between Washington and London on the reality of Ukraine’s plight. Britain and France are drawing up plans for a European “reassurance force,” perhaps including up to 30,000 troops that could deploy to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal. The idea, however, faces massive barriers — not least that a deal that both Zelensky and Putin could agree to sign seems highly unlikely. And Starmer has already warned that the force couldn’t work without a US “backstop,” which could potentially include security guarantees, American intelligence cooperation, air support and heavy lift transport. A key takeaway this week will be whether Trump has any interest given Russia’s opposition to NATO troops in Ukraine under any flag. - CNN

Early projections say Germany’s conservative bloc has secured some 28.5% of the votes ahead of the far-right AfD with over 20%, DW reported. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz urged Europe to distance itself from the US. The snap election was triggered by the collapse of a three-way coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’ center-left SPD. CDU candidate Friedrich Merz could become the next chancellor and  choose to form a coalition with the SPD and/or the environmentalist Greens.

Friedrich Merz did not even wait for the final results in Germany’s election before delivering what could well be a defining verdict on U.S. President Donald Trump, consigning Europe’s 80-year alliance with the United States to the past. The Trump administration does not care about Europe and is aligning with Russia, said Merz, who is on course to become Germany’s new leader. The continent, he warned, must urgently strengthen its defenses and potentially even find a replacement for NATO — within months. His comments mark a historic watershed: They reveal how deeply Trump has shaken the political foundations of Europe, which has depended on American security guarantees since 1945. If he follows through on his rhetoric after assembling a new government in the coming weeks, Merz will steer Europe in a radical new direction at a critical time for the security of Ukraine and the wider region. “My absolute priority will be to strengthen Europe as quickly as possible so that, step by step, we can really achieve independence from the USA.,” Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting said. “I never thought I would have to say something like this on a television program. But after Donald Trump’s statements last week at the latest, it is clear that the Americans, at least this part of the Americans, this administration, are largely indifferent to the fate of Europe.” Merz, a staunch Atlanticist who has spent much of his professional career as a lawyer working with and for American firms, didn’t stop there. Later this year, a NATO summit will be held — but he suggested Europe may need to devise a new defense structure to replace it. “I am very curious to see how we are heading towards the NATO summit at the end of June,” he said. “Whether we will still be talking about NATO in its current form or whether we will have to establish an independent European defense capability much more quickly.”  - Politico

Israeli tanks moved into the occupied West Bank on Sunday for the first time in decades in what Palestinian authorities called a “dangerous escalation,” after the defense minister said troops will remain in parts of the territory for a year and tens of thousands of Palestinians who have fled cannot return. Associated Press journalists saw several tanks move along unpaved tracks into Jenin, long a bastion of armed struggle against Israel. Israel is deepening its crackdown on the Palestinian territory and has said it is determined to stamp out militancy amid a rise in attacks. It launched the offensive in the northern West Bank on Jan. 21 — two days after the current ceasefire in Gaza took hold — and expanded it to nearby areas. Palestinians view the deadly raids as part of an effort to cement Israeli control over the territory, where 3 million Palestinians live under military rule - AP

Climate diplomats beginning work on the next report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — the crucial assessment on global warming that helps shape policy for governments to companies — will meet in China this week without U.S. officials. U.S. government scientists participating in the IPCC’s global assessments were issued a stop-work order from the Trump administration, according to media reports late last week, and NASA’s chief scientist Kate Calvin, who holds a leadership role in new report cycle, is no longer attending as a result, CNN said, citing a spokesperson from the space agency. The U.S. absence comes amid broader cuts to research funding and a retreat from climate diplomacy under the Trump administration, raising new questions on what the IPCC’s future might look like without U.S. leadership. The group’s assessments are widely viewed as the world’s most trusted source of information on climate change. “Without the U.S., the IPCC fails,” said Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, who has contributed to past assessment reports. “The U.S. puts more money, more personnel, collects more data and runs more models for climate science than the rest of the world combined.” About 18% of IPCC authors have been from the U.S., more than twice the next biggest national contributor, the U.K., according to a 2023 analysis by Carbon Brief. - Japan Times

In the Indo-Pacific, Chinese President Xi Jinping has approved military reforms aimed at boosting combat readiness and preparing the armed forces for “engaging in warfare,” set to take effect this spring. Xi, who serves as chairman of the Central Military Commission overseeing China’s military, signed orders on regulations governing “the military’s interior order, code of conduct and military formation” on Friday. The changes are aimed at transforming China’s military into “world-class armed forces,” with a “more standardized order in war preparation, training, operations and daily life.” The revised rules include updates to military appearance, conduct and training, with the most prominent focusing on preparing forces for “engaging in warfare.” - Newsweek

A false claim that the US had spent millions on “voter turnout” in India has sparked a political firestorm in New Delhi. The claim originated from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, marking “another example of the global chaos wrought by Musk” as the tech billionaire works to slash spending and foreign aid, The Washington Post wrote. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has echoed the theory that foreign actors sought to boost his opposition, leading some analysts to worry Modi could further tighten rules on foreign funding for civic groups. But while US President Donald Trump and his allies embolden Modi politically, India’s economy remains under the threat of reciprocal tariffs, a pledge Trump renewed over the weekend - Semafor

This Briefing is reprinted with the author’s permission. Please find the original here.