(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Just a quick housekeeping note. It’s been a long week and, especially a difficult week given all the news out of DC. I’m just going to run through the basics tonight as the last several updates have been both information heavy and frustrating.
Ukrainians and allies donated 14 million hryvnias in just 12 hours to support the purchase of “nuclear weapons”, according to Monobank co-founder Gorokhovsky.
This illustrates the mood in Ukraine right now perfectly.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 6:28 AM
Wow. Even Britain’s right wing flagship newspaper, The Daily Mail, has turned on Trump over yesterday’s Oval Office ambush of Zelenskyy
— Business Ukraine magazine (@businessukraine.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Christiane Amanpour’s reaction to the Oval Office ambush has me shook. I feel like she’s seen it all.
I think she knows this was staged because Trump and Vance don’t want peace unless Putin gets it all.
— Christopher Webb (@cwebbonline.com) February 28, 2025 at 11:24 PM
The US Embassy in Stockholm has removed the ”We Stand with Ukraine” banner that has hung on its walls for 3 years. Shame.
— Eric Adamson (@eadamson91.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 5:51 AM
“Never again” demands action — Ukraine is fighting for all of us, writes Odesa Association of Jews Chairman Roman Shvartsman in his op-ed.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 1, 2025 at 12:43 PM
President Zelenskyy was traveling from the US to Britain today, so he did not make a daily address.
Trump and Vance have repeatedly claimed that Zelensky has not been sufficiently grateful for U.S. support throughout the war.
We compiled instances where Zelensky has publicly expressed gratitude to the U.S., its people, and its leadership for being Ukraine’s largest supporter.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 28, 2025 at 7:07 PM
I posted the video of this back when he gave this address on International Holocaust Memorial Day, but here’s the transcript after the jump.
From The Kyiv Independent:
Editor’s Note: The following is a translated transcript of the address delivered by Roman Shvartsman, the chairman of the Odesa Association of Jews and a Holocaust survivor, at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) Special Gathering hosted by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 24, 2025, marking the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“Ladies and gentlemen,
A month ago, the German Bundestag commemorated the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. I had the opportunity to speak there as someone who lived through oppression, brutal violence, and endless suffering during World War II. I told them: (Adolf) Hitler wanted to kill me because I am Jewish. (Russian President Vladimir) Putin wants to kill me because I am Ukrainian.
You swore: ‘Never again.’ This ‘never again’ has arrived. If you are serious, you must support Ukraine differently than you have before. Even if you have already done a lot, we now need action.
I don’t need to tell you about the suffering of Jews and Ukrainians under German occupation. Babyn Yar is widely known today as a symbol of this abuse, but there were around 2,000 such sites in Ukraine. People in the West know little about this.
These were ordinary people carrying out shootings, beatings, burnings, and mass killings. And those who survived the war often returned to their civilian lives, undisturbed.
Germany now does a lot to remember. ‘Never again’ accompanies every memorial service, but this ‘never again’ is missing a second part. After the unprecedented murders, after humanity stared into the abyss of National Socialism, simply saying ‘never again’ is not enough.
‘Never again’ needs a second part: ‘Never again’ defenseless victims. ‘Never again’ crimes against humanity.
This is a lesson the world must learn from the horrors of the 20th century. The UN Charter enshrines this commitment, yet human rights are trampled every day, borders are forcibly redrawn, and entire nations are threatened.
We (Ukraine) are a country under attack from our large neighbor for 11 years. The war has not lasted three years, but 11. Russia wants to conquer and destroy us as an independent state. We are bombed day and night, our energy system is destroyed, and our culture is under attack. There is real terror and the killing of civilians in Russian-occupied territories.
And why? Because we want our freedom. Because we want to be part of a free Europe, not a Russian colony.
Many countries have pledged their support. At the United Nations, 141 countries condemned the Russian invasion and called for the withdrawal of Putin’s forces. We were hardly ready for war, but the war continued, and people kept dying.
We were told that time had not run out. But what was that time when we hardly received any weapons? The time after the first Russian invasion was not used. Where was the military support from Germany, which emphasizes ‘never again?’
When Putin gathered his troops around us, when he said we were ‘Little Russia,’ when he announced he wanted to divide the world into zones of influence again, most countries refused to believe it. They were comfortable in their prosperous societies, enjoying cheap Russian gas, and denying that it could ever be their turn.
While defense spending in Europe was cut, the American people were paying for Europe’s security. We shouldn’t be surprised when the man who won the election told Americans: ‘We will not do it anymore. Europeans have to defend themselves.’
I think we must care for the democratic world together — Ukraine, the European Union, and the United States. But now the oldest and most powerful democracy in the world has elected a leader who is turning everything upside down. Victims are being labeled as criminals.
We, Ukrainians, were shocked to see (U.S. President Donald) Trump negotiating with Putin as if nothing had happened. And we, the occupied, are told we should never have started this war.
We cannot understand what the American president says and writes. But Europe, with its 450 million citizens and powerful economic space, must finally realize that the era of comfort and prosperity is over. Freedom is not free.
Perhaps now we have Munich in 1938, the Hitler-Stalin Pact, and Yalta. If we allow this to happen, the war will not end with Putin conquering Ukraine. If Russia is not stopped in Ukraine, the threat of war for all of Europe will grow.
That is why I tell my European friends: the war will come to you. Just as the calculations didn’t work in Munich, they won’t work this time if you abandon Ukraine. You are poorly armed. You cannot defend yourselves without Ukraine.
That is why I tell you: Ukrainians are protecting you every day, year after year, for years. This is also your front, which Putin has opened in Eastern Europe. Finally, realize this. Have the courage now, or your free societies will also perish.
Dear guests, I am an old man. I was in the ghetto. I looked the devil in the eye. I tell the democratic world: don’t be afraid of him. You give too much power to evil. If you stand together and overcome your fear, you can defeat the devil.
Thank you for listening.”
Georgia:
Day 94. #GeorgiaProtests
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Snowy Day 94 of continuous protests for new, free and fair elections, and the release of the regime prisoners.
The crisis will only deepen without free elections since it cannot be a neatly-imposed dictatorship.
We need targeted sanctions to avoid some costs. #GeorgianProtests
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Exactly. Give everything to Ukraine, it’s THE frontline! There will not be any remote domestic military weapons need for European countries as long as Ukraine stands and Ukraine wins.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Name one agreement Russia could disregard without profound consequences and did not do so.
Ukrainians want peace more than you do, they just want to make sure it’s not a much-needed time-out for Russia before Round 2.
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Ukraine is averting WW3, while any “immediate peace at all costs” is what paves the way to WW3.
Currently, Trump echoes Neville Chamberlain.
But there will be no Munich 2.0, and the guarantee is the Ukrainian people, personified and led by Zelenskyy.
Slava Ukraini!
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:47 AM
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 12:52 PM
The US:
Real problem is Trump administration is offering next to nothing to Ukraine. If Washington’s position is just surrender for the sake of a ceasefire (w/out concessions from Russia, weapons, or real security guarantees), then plenty of other countries can negotiate that bad deal for Ukraine.
— Shane Markowitz (@shanemarkowitz.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Zelensky’s retort to Vance was polite, diplomatic, and restrained – he merely clarified they tried diplomatic route before but Russia violated & that’s why they want stronger deal now (otherwise Moscow will use time to rebuild & attack again). Vance exploded because he can’t stand losing argument.
— Shane Markowitz (@shanemarkowitz.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:51 AM
Trump position is incoherent. It’s that minerals deal is itself a guarantee (Russia not “going to mess with our people when we’re there”) & vague hints that security might be discussed post-deal, with absolutely no assurance of anything concrete. Risk is that Trump conditions continued aid on deal.
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 5:08 AM
Protestors skiing with signs to humiliate JD Vance is fantastic
— Adam Parkhomenko (@adamparkhomenko.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Waitsfield on Saturday morning to protest Vice President JD Vance, who is visiting Vermont with his family for a ski trip this weekend.
— Vermont Public (@vermontpublic.org) March 1, 2025 at 11:38 AM
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Germany:
THE GERMAN PRESIDENT STEINMEIER
The German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier:
“The scene in the White House yesterday took my breath away. I would never have believed that we would one day have to protect Ukraine from the USA.”
— Protect Democracy (@guarddemocracy.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
From The Guardian:
The German president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, criticised Donald Trump in unusually sharp terms for his behaviour during last night’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Oval Office.
“Diplomacy fails when negotiating partners are humiliated in front of the whole world,” Steinmeier told DPA, the German news agency, during a flight to Uruguay. “The scene in the White House yesterday took my breath away. I would never have believed that we would one day have to protect Ukraine from the USA.”
Norway:
When Norway tells you to F-off…
— Denver Riggleman (@denverr.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 5:00 PM
From The UK Defence Journal:
In a strongly worded statement, the company criticised a televised event involving U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance, referring to it as the “biggest shitshow ever presented live on TV.” Haltbakk Bunkers praised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for his restraint, accusing the U.S. of “putting on a backstabbing TV show” and declaring that the spectacle “made us sick.”
As a result, the company stated: “We have decided to immediately STOP as fuel provider to American forces in Norway and their ships calling Norwegian ports. No Fuel to Americans!” Haltbakk Bunkers also urged Norwegians and Europeans to follow their lead, concluding their statement with the slogan “Slava Ukraina” in support of Ukraine.
Haltbakk Bunkers is a Norwegian fuel supplier that provides marine fuel for shipping and military operations. Based in Kristiansund, Norway, the company specialises in bunkering services for vessels operating in Norwegian waters, offering fuel logistics and distribution for both civilian and military customers.
Haltbakk Bunkers plays a significant role in Norway’s maritime industry, supplying fuel to vessels calling at Norwegian ports, including NATO and allied forces.
The decision to cut off the U.S. military could have logistical implications for American naval operations in the region. Norway is a key NATO member and frequently hosts U.S. and allied forces for joint exercises and Arctic defence operations.
This announcement raises questions about the broader European stance on U.S. policy towards Ukraine and whether other businesses or governments might take similar actions. It also highlights how private companies in Europe are responding independently to geopolitical developments.
The U.S. has not yet responded to the decision, and it remains to be seen whether this will affect fuel supply chains for American forces operating in Norway and the North Atlantic region.
This is a significant development. One of the main issues (read headaches) that military planners have to deal with is access, basing, and overflight (ABO) in addition to other logistics. What this announcement means is that US Naval and Marine forces in the EUCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR) are going to have a much harder time getting refueled.
Britain:
🇬🇧 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer greeted President Volodymyr Zelenskiy with a warm embrace on Saturday after the Ukrainian leader flew to London
A new £2.26bn (about $3.3 billion USD) agreement for Ukraine military needs was signed. This sum is ensured by the Russian frozen assets.
— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 2:39 PM
⚡️Starmer aims to bridge Trump-Zelensky rift as US expects apology, Bloomberg reports.
Amid the diplomatic fallout, the Trump administration has privately signaled that it expects a public apology from President Volodymyr Zelensky to mend relations, European officials told Bloomberg.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 1, 2025 at 7:30 PM
From The Kyiv Independent:
U.K.’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to deliver a stark message to European leaders, urging them to confront the “brutal reality” of growing security threats and commit to higher defense spending.
At a high-stakes security summit in London on March 2, he will push allies to take concrete steps to support Ukraine, emphasizing that diplomatic statements alone will not persuade Washington to maintain its security guarantees. The meeting which will be attended by leaders from France, Italy, Canada, Germany, and Turkey, has gained urgency following U.S. President Donald Trump’s clash with President Volodymyr Zelensky, which raised concerns about future American support for Kyiv.
Amid the diplomatic fallout, the Trump administration has privately signaled that it expects a public apology from Zelensky to mend relations, European officials told Bloomberg.
In a bid to stabilize the transatlantic alliance, Starmer has taken on a central diplomatic role, leveraging his recent White House meeting to keep communication open between Trump and European leaders. Following Zelensky’s tense encounter with Trump, British officials have worked behind the scenes to prevent the situation from spiraling further.
Starmer personally reached out to both Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron to encourage renewed dialogue, positioning the U.K. as a key intermediary between Washington and European capitals.
In the meantime, some NATO leaders, including Secretary General Mark Rutte, have encouraged Zelensky to rebuild ties with Trump, recognizing the U.S. remains Ukraine’s most important military backer.
Starmer and Macron are also pushing for a European-led security initiative, including a potential peacekeeping force, to safeguard any future ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia. While Trump has so far refused to back such efforts, Starmer will argue that a stronger European defense posture could help secure American support.
He believes that demonstrating Europe’s ability to shoulder more responsibility may prevent Trump from fully disengaging from Ukraine. The challenge, however, is convincing other European nations to step up their own defense contributions and commit to long-term military assistance.
With the London summit now a critical test for European unity, Starmer is working to prevent Trump from sidelining European leaders in any potential negotiations with Russia. His strategy hinges on ensuring that Ukraine remains central to peace talks while securing commitments from European allies to sustain military and financial aid.
Trump, his surrogates, and his sycophants can demand all the apologies they want. They are unlikely to get one. And while this effort by Starmer is not unexpected, it is also unlikely to work.
The EU:
Kallas: “Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
This is absolutely not British government position. Still a big gap in both diagnosis of the problem & the optimal response.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/f…
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 5:05 AM
From The Guardian:
The EU foreign policy chief has declared that “the free world needs a new leader”, as European leaders threw their support behind Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, after the stunning White House confrontation between him and Donald Trump.
Leaders from across Europe expressed their solidarity with the Ukrainian leader after the fractious exchange with JD Vance, the US vice-president, and Trump, who claimed he was not “ready for peace” and accused him of “gambling with world war three”.
Although in general the European leaders did not name the US president, their comments late on Friday laid bare the gaping rift between the US and its traditional allies in Europe over the war in Ukraine.
In a social media post Kaja Kallas, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, wrote: “Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine. We will step up our support to Ukraine so that they can continue to fight back the aggressor.
“Today, it became clear that the free world needs a new leader. It’s up to us, Europeans, to take this challenge.”
Addressing Zelenskyy directly, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU Commission, wrote: “Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people. Be strong, be brave, be fearless. You are never alone.”
She added: “We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.”
The British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who just a day before had visited Trump at the White House, called Zelenskyy to express his support, a No 10 spokesperson said.
Starmer – who failed in his effort to convince Trump to commit US support for a European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine – told Zelenskyy that “he retains his unwavering support for Ukraine and is playing his part to find a path forward to a lasting peace, based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine”, the official said.
Two days after his own meeting with Trump in Washington the French president, Emmanuel Macron, responded indirectly to the US president’s baseless claims that Zelenskyy was responsible for the war, telling reporters: “Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the aggressed people … These are simple things, but they’re good to remember at times like these.”
European leaders had already been shaken by Vance’s speech to the Munich security conference two weeks ago in which he lectured them about the state of their democracy.
Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, called for an emergency meeting between the US, Europe and Ukraine.
“A summit without delay is needed between the United States, European states and their allies to talk frankly about how we intend to tackle today’s major challenges, starting with Ukraine, which together we have defended in recent years,” Meloni said in a statement.
Jonas Gahr Støre, Norway’s prime minister, described the episode as “serious and disheartening”.
“That Trump accuses Zelenskyy of gambling with world war three is deeply unreasonable and a statement I distance myself from,” he said.
The Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said his country would stand by Ukraine after the row.
Sánchez, a staunch backer of Ukraine since Russia’s 2022 invasion who pledged €1bn of aid in a visit to Kyiv earlier this week, wrote on X: “Ukraine, Spain stands with you.”
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, was among the first to show his support for Zelenskyy and Ukraine on social media, telling them: “You are not alone.”
The outgoing German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, the Dutch prime minister, Dick Schoof, Luxembourg’s prime minister, Luc Frieden, and Portugal’s prime minister, Luís Montenegro, also professed their support for Ukraine, along with other leaders from Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, and Sweden.
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said Ukraine’s fight against Russia is a defense of democracy.
“Russia illegally and unjustifiably invaded Ukraine. For three years now, Ukrainians have fought with courage and resilience. Their fight for democracy, freedom, and sovereignty is a fight that matters to us all,” he posted on X.
“Canada will continue to stand with Ukraine,” Trudeau added.
More at the link!
Hungary:
Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán sent a letter to European Council President António Costa, citing “strategic differences” with other EU members and threatening to block conclusions on Ukraine. He demands direct EU-Russia talks for a ceasefire and lasting peace, reports journalist Szabolcs Panyi.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Back to Ukraine.
As a highly-anticipated meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump descended into a verbal brawl, Ukraine’s soldiers continued to fend off Russia’s invasion. We reached out to hear their thoughts on Friday’s events.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) March 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Slovakia:
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announced that the country will no longer provide support to Ukraine. He stated that the strategy of “peace through strength” is an illusion and proposed including the issue of an immediate ceasefire at the EU summit on March 6.
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Because peace through weakness always works out great.
From The Kyiv Independent:
An astounding political encounter played out in front of the world on Feb. 28, as a highly-anticipated meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump descended into a verbal brawl, the cancelling of a mineral deal and — reportedly — Zelensky’s unceremonious eviction from the White House.
Zelensky left Washington without holding a joint news conference scheduled for later in the day, after Trump, U.S. Vice President JD Vance, and a reporter berated him over not being “thankful” for American aid and his decision not to wear a suit for the meeting.
“He disrespected the United States of America in its cherished Oval Office. He can come back when he is ready for peace,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The confrontation prompted an outpouring of support for Zelensky, particularly from European leaders, with EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas saying that Trump’s behavior showed “the free world needs a new leader.”
As the drama played out on the world stage, on the front lines in Ukraine, the country’s soldiers continued to fend off Russia’s full-scale invasion.
When the Kyiv Independent reached out to soldiers, several said they couldn’t respond properly due to Russian shelling and strikes that occurred in the hours following the tumultuous meeting.
One sent a photo of a Russian kamikaze drone strike on their position near the front lines.
Petro Kuzyk, a battalion commander at the National GuardI think I need more ammunition because there will be no peace agreements.
The pre-election promises of the American president were just populism. In reality, realizing the inability to influence Moscow, they decided to shift the blame for the disruption of the peace process, in a rather primitive way, onto Ukraine, while at the same time trying to blackmail (Zelensky) in a very rude way.
You can have different attitudes towards Zelensky, but at the meeting he was the president of a warring Ukraine and they insulted the Ukrainians.
As for the (U.S. potentially cutting off military aid), this will be a problem, but I think it can also be solved.Although, of course, there is little good in all this.
Bart, special forces sniper Pokrovsk directionI am in f**king shock.
Me and all my guys support Zelensky, I would do the same if I were him, I am very disappointed in Trump and the United States. I can’t even find the words to express my disappointment, let him openly express his support for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and impose some sanctions on us or whatever he wants.
F**k him, and JD Vance and (Elon) Musk.
And in my opinion, (Russian forces in Pokrovsk area) are running out of steam, because they keep getting their asses kicked here.
'Mamai,' infantryman eastern UkraineI don’t know much about politics. However, I have enough knowledge to understand what Trump and his team are trying to say with this behavior. Now in the United States, President Zelensky is portrayed as a warmonger.
It’s as if Ukraine started this war, as if we are fighting because there is nothing else for us to do, as if we don’t want peace… But in fact, everyone knows that Putin started the war, it is Russian troops who attack Ukrainian cities every day, and not the other way around.
Ukrainians want peace, because it is in our country that war is going on, our people are dying. We are grateful to the people of the United States and other countries for their support, and we are ready to share our resources for the sake of peace, but we must have some serious guarantees that Putin will not attack again. Once upon a time, we took our allies at their word and gave up nuclear weapons — and what did it lead to?
In my opinion, President Zelensky behaved with dignity, despite all the circumstances of this meeting. I support him, although I understand that the United State’s refusal to help will lead to a serious deterioration in the situation on the front.
But I sincerely hope this will not happen and that the United States will remain an ally of Ukraine.
Much more at the link.
Tonight’s attack by fascist Russia on democratic Ukraine starts, with 4 launches of Russian/Iranian Shahed attack drones from oblasts in N and E. There were earlier launches from SE, and warnings of the threat of ballistic missile launches from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Crimea.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Kyiv:
At 9am on Saturday morning, a group of women spread across a busy street in central Kyiv and stopped traffic to observe a minute of silence. A loudspeaker counted 60 ticks before blaring the opening lines of the national anthem — “Ukraine’s glory and freedom have not yet perished”…
on.ft.com/4kjCmfk— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) March 1, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Tonight’s fascist Russian Shahed Doodlebug flying bomb attack on Kyiv and the rest of democratic Ukraine has started. Numerous attack drones approaching from the east – it looks like it will be another 100+ drone attack.
— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Zaporizhzhia:
Russian drones attacked Zaporizhzhia.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Kivsharivka, Kharkiv Oblast:
This morning, russia struck the Kupiansk community.
In the village of Kivsharivka, a 9-story residential building caught fire as a result of the shelling.
Rescuers extinguished the fire, risking their lives due to the threat of double tap.Fortunately, there were no casualties or injuries.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Kharkiv:
Aliens? Do they have some spare lasers we could borrow?
P.S. i have no idea what that is in the sky over Kharkiv.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 2:49 PM
I want to amplify this message because what happened last night in Kharkiv was a blatant and deliberate act of russian terror against civilians. Russia launched NINE kamikaze drones at the city, targeting only civilian areas—including a hospital and residential buildings.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 3:31 AM
One of the nine russian drones that attacked Kharkiv last night struck a hospital building, igniting a fire. At least seven people were injured.
— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:29 AM
On this day three years ago, a brutal russian airstrike on the Kharkiv Regional State Administration building killed 44 people.
It is tragedies like this one that remind us that lasting peace must be fortified by strength.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Kherson:
Kherson: several aerial bombs hit the city
giant explosions outside although it is something else
walls shaking
sitting it out in the bathroom
“putin wants peace”
— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
🇺🇦Kherson region. Feb 28 Russian attacks:
💔4 injured
🔴35 settlements shelled
❤️1 high-rise
🔴15 private housesHuman safari goes on.
💔2 injured yesterday
💔2 todayKherson stands. ✊
📷 My taxi cab, windshield hit by a drone yesterday
— Zarina Zabrisky (@zarinazabrisky.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 4:12 AM
The Toretsk front:
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are actively advancing in Toretsk, reclaiming key positions. Fighting continues in the city center, and the enemy is losing control. There are reports of complete encirclement of Russian occupiers in several areas
— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 1:45 PM
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
There are no new Patron skeets or videos tonight. Here is some adjacent material.
Meet Luna, a fellarina with the Georgian flag raincoat! #GeorgiaProtests
— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) March 1, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Open thread!
Nukular Biskits
Thanks, Adam.
Not sure if you saw my response to Betty C on Bluesky about Musk’s savaging of federal employment.
My mgt thinks this represents a business opportunity; i.e., gov’t is going to outsource functions to contractors.
I have problems/questions with this …
Adam L Silverman
@Nukular Biskits: Ordinarily your management would be right. In this case, however, I think they’re going to cut every contract that they both don’t understand and/or that Musk or a buddy can’t somehow poach, like the FAA contract with Verizon that is just starting, but Musk has cancelled because it isn’t working. Of course it isn’t working, they haven’t even disbursed the money yet, won’t for a month, so the start work date won’t be until sometime in April or May.
Gin & Tonic
It seems that a sentence following the Haltbakk Bunkers block ended prematurely.
Nukular Biskits
@Adam L Silverman:
That’s my assessment as well.
I think my mgt is being very pollyannish about this. There is zero guarantee, given the trajectory, that Trump & Co. is going to outsource any of the gov’t functions they’re killing, particularly when the guy doing the slashing has absolutely no understanding for what those gov’t functions actually do.
Jeffro
many thanks, Adam!
TBone
Zelensky knows how it’s done:
Citizen Alan
That is a terrible slander against Neville Chamberlain who, for all his faults and failings, was never an active Russian asset. If Edward had stayed on as King and done everything in his power to surrender Britain to Nazi Germany, that would have been a closer parallel to President Putinsbitch.
Gin & Tonic
Spoke with my old friend M earlier today. He was busy at a seminar yesterday, they had dinner, he had a little downtime before bed, so he figured “huh, let me check the news” (insert 7-hour time difference here.) It was basically WTF? after that; didn’t sleep much.
Interesting development here is that a lot of my friends were not Z voters, and are not supporters (some are rabid opponents.) Or should I say were not? I know Z doesn’t want to run again, but yesterday’s ambush has everyone rallying around him, and he’d win in a landslide if the election were tomorrow. Even his last opponent, Petro Poroshenko, was on video saying “people expect me to criticize Zelensky. But this is not the time for that, this is the time for unity.” Trump and Vance boosted his internal popularity into the stratosphere.
Steve LaBonne
Adam, I have been remiss in not adding to the chorus of thanks for your Ukraine posts. They are truly valuable.
Gin & Tonic
Also a linguistic note, since I try to provide those once in a while. During the ambush by Vance, Zelensky was heard to mutter “сука блят” (suka blyat) under his breath. That’s an all-purpose interjection expressing frustration or exasperation, in russian or Ukrainian, roughly equivalent to “Oh, FFS!” But the first word of that pair translates precisely as “bitch.” Since it’s easy for a Westerner to pronounce, people with a grade-school understanding of russian or Ukrainian learn it as a naughty word early in their exposure to the language. So on Twitter we had the spectacle of elementary russian-knowers hyperventilating about “ooh, Z called Vance a bitch.” To which russians and others comfortable in colloquial russian or Ukrainian all replied “no, noob, that’s not what that expression means.” And of course the people hyperventilating doubled down. I got some amusement out of this.
J. Arthur Crank
@Gin & Tonic: To be fair to all of those folks on Twitter, Vance is in fact a bitch, so the confusion is understandable.
Wil
It’s really too bad that for diplomatic reasons, Zelenskyy could not just tell Trump, “If you want peace as you claim, tell your master to get out of my country.”
Renie
Adam, Just wondering. How soon do you think it will be before trump has the US drop out of NATO? Also, thanks for all your hard work in doing these reports.
Steve LaBonne
@J. Arthur Crank: Yeah, “Bitch, please” would be an entirely appropriate response to him.
Bill Arnold
Adam, your thread on WWIII on Bluesky is interesting, and useful. Thank you for writing and sharing it.
HopefullyNotcassandra
@Citizen Alan:
I find Trump even worse.
Neville Chamberlain needed time. Great Britain was not prepared for war with anybody. Could he have gotten that time by threatening? I do not know. Nevertheless, Trump is much worse. Our military is stellar ( or was before Trump started firing people for too much competence ). Russia’s military has been stopped by Ukraine’s.
There is no comparison except for the appearance of plain old cowardice and the obvious collaboration.
At least, Neville had some reason to fear. Trump does not. He has no excuse. He is simply selling our country’s values and goodwill for nothing to be putin-loving.
Let me rephrase that
president Donald J Trump is gifting Putin America’s values in exchange for absolutely nothing.
Absolutely nothing
Jay
Thank you, Adam.
HopefullyNotcassandra
Thank you for doing this.
Adam L Silverman
I have now completed the thought at the end of the Norway section. I apologize, but I’m pretty sure that I received about a half dozen text messages while writing that section.
matt
I’ve spent most of the day watching press reactions to the Trump/Vance ambush of Zelenskyy in the Oval Office.
This one is pretty good https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P07-8ZLiChI
also I’ve gotten value out of these
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMBdB5U7Zkk&t=1s
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/emergency-podcast-an-oval-office
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5l_1ZDiFkg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZThLlfMvMRY&t=600s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhR99pdHps
this is a big deal. the global order has been leveled with this.
LAC
@Nukular Biskits: awwww, well just for shits and giggles, what government functions does your manager think should be outsourced? Just asking my hard working fed friends
Adam L Silverman
@Gin & Tonic: Fixed. See comment 19 for explanation.
Adam L Silverman
@Nukular Biskits: Yep.
Nukular Biskits
@LAC:
Beats the fuck out of me.
I think my corp mgt is going to have the same epiphany that other “business leaders” are starting to have about Trump:
Schadenfreude Open Thread: Who Are These Leopards, And Why Are They Eyeing My Face?
Adam L Silverman
@Steve LaBonne: You are most welcome.
Adam L Silverman
@Gin & Tonic: I’m glad you brought this up. I thought that’s what he was saying, others have mentioned it, but I’m glad you’ve confirmed it.
Adam L Silverman
@Renie: I have no idea.
Adam L Silverman
@Bill Arnold: You’re welcome. I’ve only posted that in these updates a number of times. Figured I’d put it over there too.
Adam L Silverman
@Jay: @HopefullyNotcassandra: You’re welcome.
YY_Sima Qian
Here is the most recent X post by the US Ambassador to Ukraine, reposting Rubio’s obsequious post wrt to the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting at the WH & translated it to Ukrainian. The comments are brutal, I am posting the top 2:
I am going to go out on a limb & say this is the most shambolic US FP ever
& Bridget Brink is a career diplomat, nominated to her current ambassadorship by Biden in 2022. WTF?!
Jay
Fico has never supported aid for Ukraine of any kind, he’s another ruZZian asset, the Slovak people have.
LAC
@Nukular Biskits: Yep, I wait with breath that is bated… those leopards will eat well.
matt
Bill Arnold
This piece harshed my calm. (As in, further agitated a cloud of already-angry murder hornets.)
Trump administration retreats in fight against Russian cyber threats – Recent incidents indicate US is no longer characterizing Russia as a cybersecurity threat, marking a radical departure: ‘Putin is on the inside now’ (Stephanie Kirchgaessner, Sat 1 Mar 2025, The Guardian)
That person is correct.
The USA will need full-scale purges of infrastructure, including human infrastructure.
Gin & Tonic
@YY_Sima Qian: Trying to protect her career, most likely.
Opinion in Ukraine is, how shall I say, undivided.
YY_Sima Qian
@Bill Arnold: This following the DOD’s lead.
The US has taken some serious losses recently in the defense against PRC hacking of US networks & burrowing into US critical infrastructure. Russia had demonstrated the intent & capability in the past. Now the US is unilaterally disarming vis-a-vis Russia, & the competence of what remains is in question vis-a-vis the PRC (& Iran, NK, Israel, cybercriminals, etc.).
Adam L Silverman
@Bill Arnold: I covered that in last night’s update.
Mountain Boy
Thank You Adam. No where is there anything like your nightly updates.
YY_Sima Qian
@Gin & Tonic: What is the point of such a career? Surely she can find work in the corporate, NGO, consultancy, lobbying sectors after resigning in protest. (I am sure the embassy & the ambassador were requested to repost Rubio’s risible comment.)
OK, maybe the NGO & consultancy sectors are in depression after the DOGE cuts.
Adam L Silverman
@Mountain Boy: You’re most welcome.
wjca
Assumes facts very much not in evidence. Specifically that there is anything coherent enough to be called a “policy.” All I’m seeing is Trump flipflopping at random between egotism and vengefulness (can’t call it vengence when his execution is so often useless).
YY_Sima Qian
@Adam L Silverman: Your post yesterday covered Hegseth’s order to the US Cyber Command. Bill Arnold is talking about CISA at the DHS. Perhaps the FBI tomorrow & the NSA the day after?
The utter collapse of the USG under the Trump regime’s Blitzkrieg beggars belief. I see little resistance from the bureaucracy & the think thank world, even to defend the natsec state. This is Wehrmacht through the Low Countries level of deer in the headlights paralysis.
YY_Sima Qian
@wjca: Touché!
Martin
Adam, any thoughts on how soon allies will start kicking us out of military bases in their countries? That seems like an inevitability at this point.
wjca
@YY_Sima Qian:
Granted, our usual vocabulary for discussing these topics frequently stumbles in the current environment.
Adam L Silverman
@YY_Sima Qian: Tracking.
Adam L Silverman
@Martin: Here too, I have no idea.
JoyceH
Adam, I asked this is a previous thread and was told to come to the Ukraine thread and ask you. In the coverage of the Oval Fiasco, I keep seeing Republicans claiming that unless Zelenskyy avails himself of Trump’s awesome negotiating skills, the war will just grind on for years and years. Only – will it? Can Russia keep the war going for years and years? We could spend a couple decades apiece in Vietnam and Afghanistan, but we could also continue sending new equipment and soldiers into the fight. Can Russia? I’ve seen things saying that Russia can only produce about sixty new tanks a year, and that the soldiers Ukraine is capturing are in their fifties. If Ukraine had the support of Europe and could hold on for another year or two, could the war eventually end with Russia losing and leaving Ukraine entirely?
Fair Economist
@HopefullyNotcassandra:
Chamberlain might have *thought* he was unprepared, but, with the territories Hitler got Germany got more out of the 1 year delay than the Allies did. Weapon factories in the newly conquered Czechoslovakia produced about half the tanks used to conquer France.
France + Britain + Czechoslovakia vs. Germany (Czechoslovakia had a very good army) in 1938 would have been a far more favorable fight than France + Britain + Poland in 1939. Hitler knew his position and actually planned to back down if the Allies had stood up for Czechoslovakia, although of course Chamberlain didn’t know that.
AlaskaReader
Thanks Adam
Fair Economist
Adam, your work on this keeping us informed is amazing.
John S.
Thanks, Adam times ∞
YY_Sima Qian
@wjca: As I have written before, & Van Jackson has deconstructed, MAGA (beyond Trump) has a definite worldview – that of an exploitative/extractive multipolar world system, built on ethno-nationalism &/or corporatism, & where the US remains the unquestioned Alpha among great powers. Everything they’ve done further those goals.
So, I think MAGA does have FP, but the execution is also uncoordinated, incompetent (even on its own terms), & subject to the ignorant & vainglorious whims of Trump himself.
ewrunning
I’m pasting below a comment I just put in Cole’s now dead open thread. Can anyone tell me a reason why this wouldn’t be a good idea? (I realize our chances of getting one of our Senators to do it are not high.)
I’ve come up with something those of us with Democratic Senators can ask them to do to respond to rapid (un)scheduled disassembly of our NATO alliances and burgeoning axis partnership with Putin. Demand that they deny unanimous consent to proceed with any State Department and DOD nominations, as well as approval of any general officer and Senior Foreign Service promotions. Make it clear they’ll only release the hold when Trump makes a binding commitment to uphold our treaty obligations and support Ukraine (i.e., never). We could call this a “Tuberville” on steroids, though I think we’d agree that any of the people put forward are going to be much more deserving of being held up than those he was targeting. Those familiar with Senate rules will know that it’s still possible to move nominations without unanimous consent, but it eats up an enormous amount of floor time that would otherwise be spent confirming atrocious unqualified ideologues as judges and other unsavory activities.
YY_Sima Qian
@Fair Economist: France & Germany did not have to wait until Czechoslovakia. If they had stood their ground when Hitler marched the Wehrmacht into the Rhineland in ’36, Hitler might have been done for. The balance of forces was lopsidedly in favor of France at the time.
Jay
@JoyceH:
While the ruZZian economy is suffering, mostly the people,
40% of the ruZZian budget in a Command Economy supports the war,
ruZzia will have a 1.5 million man army the end of 2025.
Meat cubes are endless.
On the other side, ruZZia can make 3 new fighter jets a year 15 tanks.
karen gail
Well, Trump was correct; the meeting did make for great television. We got to see cowardly bullies gang up on a “smaller sized” man and the “victim” came out the winner. Trump has managed to help unite Europe, while proving to the world what Native Tribes have known for years. The US government can’t be trusted to keep it’s word; since the person in Oval Office is temporary and with few exceptions is fully ego driven.
The courage of Zelenskyy to walk into what he had to know was a trap is awe inspiring.
The whole thing made me sick, while taking me back to grade school recess where bullies ganged up on those who they saw as victims.
Jay
@Martin:
Bases are leased, when the lease is up, the US is gone.
What is more rapid is RIF’s where the US withdraws under drinky mcRapey’s and Putin’s command.
Peke Daddy
@YY_Sima Qian: Did the German High Command tell France and UK Hitler was thin and advised them to challenge him there?
Jay
@Peke Daddy:
No.
Jay
YY_Sima Qian
@Peke Daddy: The German High Command were militarists fully supportive of rearmament, demilitarization, & re-establishing the German imperium. That is why Hitler had so much support & or at least acquiescence. They were content to let Hitler throw his Hail Marys. If the maneuvers met disaster, they would have retreated & probably removed Hitler. Unfortunately, Hitler’s early gambles succeeded, & won a lot of credibility w/ both the German elite & public to take greater risks & act more aggressively.
Bupalos
@Nukular Biskits: I think this is how Trump seizes control of awarding contacts… take it “private” which just means no rules. All of the employees they fire Trump gets to rehire outside the oversight process. These jobs will be sold. Which will mean they are hollowed out.
this is how several billion in federal expenditure flows to Trump’s ledger.
he’s not stupid, I hate to say, but he’s not. He sees where he can extract value.
Cathie from Canada
@Gin & Tonic: On a side note, exactly the same thing is happening in Canada.
Trudeau and the Liberals were down 20 points, certain to lose the next election to the right-wing MAGA-Maple wannabe Pierre Poilievre. Canada disliked Trudeau so much that in January he announced he would resign as soon as a new leader is picked. Then Trump and Musk started threatening Canada — “51st state” “Governor Trudeau” “not a real country” “25% tariffs” — and Canadians don’t trust Poilievre to deal with Trump. So now the Liberals are so far up in the polls that they are even with the Conservatives, and the Liberals could even get a majority of the seats in the election coming later this spring.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
@Citizen Alan: I think the better historical parallels aren’t to Chamberlain, but to Pierre Laval and Vidkun Quisling. (And I think it’d be appropriate for Trump’s career to end the same way as those two historical noteworthies.)
TBone
Oh man, I just had a weird nightmare and I think it’s about politics. I got lost in a large, obnoxious shopping mall. An elderly gent employee said he’d help me find my way to the exit but our way out to the parking lot led to a construction site where he threw me into a patch of liquid concrete. I climbed out and threw HIM into the concrete. I got to the road and then I knew I had to walk for miles to get home so I started out, determined. Then I woke up and here I am with insomnia again.
Jesse
It breaks my brain to try to think through the “Thank you for standing up for the US” position of Rubio, Graham, and others. It makes literally no sense. Somehow Ukraine was bullying the US and only Trump had the guts to call BS? It has me furious, but for a dumb reason: it makes no dog damn sense.
YY_Sima Qian
@Jesse: Don’t try to make it make sense, it just kills your brain cells.
tokyocali (formerly tokyo ex-pat)
Thank you, Adam, for the time and energy you put into these posts. You are a daily must read as I know I would not get the breadth and depth of analysis you provide in one place anywhere else.
HopefullyNotcassandra
@Fair Economist: Good information to have, thank you.
Doing the right thing has a funny way of being the best possible option so very often. The Republican frame nags at me to be “realpolitik” and eclipse that too often, I think.
JaySinWA
@Nukular Biskits: I don’t know what you do, but expecting the US to outsource back to you, especially with the current attitude that breach of contract is no big deal, is not a realistically safe bet.
However contracting to other entities, foreign or domestic that want to play in the same area may be viable. There will be holes to be filled as US government functions collapse. Adam has noted the recruitment by China and Russia appears to be afoot, their might be opportunities for our [former] allies as well. Many will be ethically ambiguous, some outright immoral, I hesitate to say illegal, because who knows what will end up legal.