Open Threads

Georgia:

⭕️The 5th President of #Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, reacts to the Trump-Zelenskyy talks.

#Ukraine #US

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— Batumelebi&Netgazeti (@netgazeti.org) February 28, 2025 at 2:47 PM

Georgia continues to protest against the Russian actions of Georgian Dream.

#GeorgiaProtests
Day 93

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 1:06 PM

Day 93 for new, free elections and the release of the regime prisoners. “Until the end!” “No justice, no peace!” people chant, among others. They express solidarity with the regions affected by the snowfall, neglected by the regime, and thank the volunteers. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 2:18 PM

It’s the 44th day of Temur Katamadze’s hunger strike. An ethnic Georgian activist of Turkish citizenship, abused by the police chiefs such as the Batumi Police Head Irakli Dgebuadze and threatened to be extradited to Turkey, he vowed to keep the strike until death if needed.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 7:48 AM

🚨 The ECHR has issued an interim measure prohibiting Georgia from extraditing exiled Azerbaijani journalist and editor Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan. In light of this important court decision, Afgan Sadigov has ended his 161-day hunger strike.

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 1:15 PM

The US:

It’s time to say it plainly. America’s leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 28, 2025 at 5:46 PM

From The Kyiv Independent:

It’s time to say it plainly. America’s leadership has switched sides in the war. The American people have not, and they should speak up.

In the past several weeks, the U.S. leadership has demonstrated explicit hostility towards Ukraine and aligned its rhetoric and policy with Russia.

The animosity culminated today when U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky at a meeting in the Oval Office.

After a hostile meeting, Zelensky left the White House. Trump reportedly ordered the Ukrainian delegation out.

Let this sink in. The president of a battered Ukraine, an ally of the U.S., became the first world leader in history to be kicked out of the White House. Not a dictator, not a disgraced politician — the president of Ukraine, a country suffering from the worst invasion in the 21st century. The country that the U.S. administration swore to bring peace to.

In an ugly exchange, the president and vice president joined forces to admonish Zelensky for “not being grateful” enough for the help Ukraine was getting.

To that, Zelensky reminded them that he had thanked the American people multiple times, including earlier that day. But it appears that gratitude to the American people isn’t what Trump and Vance were looking for — they wanted him to grovel and prostrate himself in front of Trump. Kiss the ring.

For sure, Zelensky could have done a better job composing himself and restraining his reactions, but it’s fair to say that he was put in a situation he couldn’t win. If he let Trump and Vance — and apparently, it takes two of them to win a verbal argument against one non-native English speaker — continue their line of attack on Ukraine, unchecked, he would be seen as weak both at home and abroad. Weakness is something a country at war can’t afford to project.

Trump didn’t get into the same kind of arguments with other world leaders who publicly disagreed with him during recent meetings. He smiled and shrugged when French President Emmanuel Macron and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer corrected him and Vance on their provocative and false statements about Europe.

Will Trump and Vance hit Vladimir Putin with the same attitude they showed towards Zelensky and scold the Russian leader for attacking Ukraine? By now, we’ve seen enough to know for sure that they won’t. If any ring-kissing happens in their meeting with Putin, the ring will be Russian.

During the heated exchange in the Oval Office, Trump even complained that Zelensky has “hatred” for Putin — the man who ordered an invasion of his country, killing thousands of civilians — saying it would be “tough” for him to “make a deal with that kind of hate.”

After the meeting, Trump claimed that Zelensky didn’t want peace. That’s a dangerous lie.

Let’s be clear. There is only one force in the world that can bring peace unilaterally, at any moment: Russia. Putin can order his troops to leave Ukraine and end the war any minute he wants. But Putin doesn’t want peace, he wants Ukraine.

Zelensky, and Ukraine, want a fair peace — one that would bring security to the embattled country and pay honor to the enormous price that it paid, losing the best of its people in a bloody fight against the invader.

What happened in the Oval Office is unprecedented, but it’s not entirely a surprise. Throughout the weeks leading up to it, Trump has demonstrated hostility towards Zelensky and Ukraine, while embracing Russia.

We’ve seen it in the things he has said and done. At every turn, there were people that stayed optimistic and tried to interpret it in a way that isn’t so bad for Ukraine — saying it’s part of a strategy, or that it’s different from what goes on behind the scenes. It appears it’s much simpler than that.

Today, Trump said that he is both “for Ukraine and Russia” in the talks. Then, he kicked Ukraine’s delegation out of the White House. There is only one simple way to understand what happened:

Donald Trump is for Russia.

The president of the United States picked Russia’s side in the war it started against its democratic neighbor — whose only fault was that it wanted to stay a democracy. Trump is choosing to side with a murderous tyrant over a democratically elected leader.

Trump and his government are now making sure Ukraine will lose this war. They are also choking their other allies in the process. But most importantly, they are betraying the interests of America, and making it weaker.

The tragedy is that Trump is doing it all in the name of millions of Americans who completely disagree with that and are disgusted with Trump’s line.

The Kyiv Independent’s emails have been overflowing with words of support, embarrassment, disgust, and apologies from our American readers who support Ukraine and disagree with Trump’s actions.

But the U.S. remains a democracy, whether its leadership cherishes it or not — and in a democracy, the people’s voices can and must be heard.

If you disagree with America’s current trajectory, with the idea that emboldening tyrants is the path to sustainable peace and prosperity, you have the power to make a difference: Call and email your representatives. Demand support for Ukraine. Organize and go to pro-Ukraine rallies. Write, post, speak, advocate. Donate to Ukrainian causes. Disagree. You are America — make your voice heard.

Americans should stand up and send their political leadership a clear message: We don’t support what you’re doing, so stop doing it in our name. We don’t want an alliance with Russia, and we don’t want a betrayal of Ukraine. And frankly, we are embarrassed.

Speak up now, before it’s too late.

America’s president may have chosen his side of history. The American people are still free to choose theirs.

What a disingenuous line this was from Vance today: “you guys are going around…forcing conscripts to the frontlines because you have manpower problems” meduza.io/en/feature/2…

1. Yes, that’s how total wars work

2. This admin—like last one—ASKED Ukraine to expand conscription

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— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 3:59 PM

If you were wondering why NO ONE gives corporals (E3s) with less than six month’s total time in a war zone, regardless of MOS, any form of responsibility, Vance is the answer.

Have now seen the full Oval Office video.

I think it is significant that the meeting was going quite well until JD Vance torpedoed it and suggested Zelenskyy had disrespected Trump. Unfortunately, Trump being so easy to manipulate, can work both ways.

— Alex Andreou (@sturdyalex.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 2:11 PM

If you think Trump and Vance look unhinged now, imagine how they’d handle a scenario where the US stands on the edge of a debt default

— Alexander Clarkson (@aphclarkson.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 5:58 PM

In other words, the Trump administration has failed to deliver on its promise to stop the war in one day. If anything, after this meeting, we are further from peace than we were during Biden. Art of The Deal

— Tatarigami (@tatarigami.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 6:03 PM

This is fcking insane! At this very moment, my hometown of Kharkiv is being devastated by a massive russian drone attack!

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 5:06 PM

From The Washington Post:

The Trump administration is considering ending all ongoing shipments of military aid to Ukraine in response to President Volodymyr Zelensky’s remarks in the Oval Office on Friday and his perceived intransigence in the peace process, a senior administration official told The Washington Post.

The decision, if made, would apply to billions of dollars of radars, vehicles, ammunition and missiles awaiting shipment to Ukraine through the presidential drawdown authority, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive topic.

The consideration of withholding arms for Ukraine as it fends off a full-scale invasion from Russia underscores the dramatic plunge in relations between the erstwhile allies after the contentious Oval Office exchange between Zelensky, President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

The official pushed back on the notion that Trump and Vance’s confrontation with Zelensky was premeditated and noted that efforts were made to strike a more positive tone in planning ahead of the meeting as indicated by Trump’s dropping of his accusation that Zelensky is a “dictator.”

Of course it was premeditated.

Just like this is coordinated:

What an amazing coincidence that all of Trump’s toadies tweeted out praise that used the exact same language.

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— Kevin M. Kruse (@kevinmkruse.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:51 PM

I cannot express just how very, very, very, very bad this is:

An admin throwing away all its leverage. “Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week ordered U.S. Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions, according to three people familiar with the matter.” therecord.media/hegseth-orde…

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— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM

From The Record:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week ordered U.S. Cyber Command to stand down from all planning against Russia, including offensive digital actions, according to three people familiar with the matter.

Hegseth gave the instruction to Cyber Command chief Gen. Timothy Haugh, who then informed the organization’s outgoing director of operations, Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Ryan Heritage, of the new guidance, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.

The order does not apply to the National Security Agency, which Haugh also leads, or its signals intelligence work targeting Russia, the sources said.

While the full scope of Hegseth’s directive to the command remains unclear, it is more evidence of the White House’s efforts to normalize ties with Moscow after the U.S. and international allies worked to isolate the Kremlin over its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

President Donald Trump has made a series of false statements and demands that align him with Russian President Vladimir Putin, including blaming Ukraine for the war and calling the country’s leader a dictator.

Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met in Washington on Friday to sign a deal that would give the U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources. However, the deal did not happen following an Oval Office shouting match between the two leaders.

The exact duration of Hegseth’s order is unknown, though the command has been told the guidance will last for the foreseeable future, according to sources.

Heritage, who is expected to retire soon, knows all of the command’s mission packages and whether they are in a planning or execution stage. He would be responsible for contacting the relevant entities and telling them to hold off. That task likely extends to the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), the outfit responsible for planning and conducting digital operations across U.S. European Command.

The sources said Cyber Command itself has begun compiling a “risk assessment” for Hegseth, a report that acknowledges the organization received his order, lists what ongoing actions or missions were halted as a result of the decision and details what potential threats still emanate from Russia.

The implications of Hegesth’s guidance on the command’s personnel is uncertain. If it applies to its digital warriors focused on Russia, the decision would only affect hundreds of people, including members of the roughly 2,000 strong Cyber National Mission Force and the Cyber Mission Force. That is collectively made up of 5,800 personnel taken from the armed services and divided into teams that conduct offensive and defensive operations in cyberspace. It is believed a quarter of the offensive units are focused on Russia.

However, if the guidance extends to areas like intelligence and analysis or capabilities development, the number of those impacted by the edict grows significantly. The command boasts around 2,000 to 3,000 employees, not counting service components and NSA personnel working there. The organizations share a campus at Fort Meade, Maryland.

Hegseth’s instruction comes at a time when Cyber Command is struggling to staff up to target Mexican drug cartels, eight of which the administration formally labeled as terrorist groups. Trump officials have advocated for military action against cartel figures and infrastructure to stem the flow of drugs across the border.

A command spokesperson deferred a request for comment to the Pentagon.

In a statement, a senior Defense official said, “Due to operational security concerns, we do not comment nor discuss cyber intelligence, plans, or operations. There is no greater priority to Secretary Hegseth than the safety of the Warfighter in all operations, to include the cyber domain.”

More at the link.

France:

⚡️ ‘There is an aggressor, which is Russia,’ says Macron after Zelensky-Trump clash.

“There is an aggressor, which is Russia, and an attacked people, which is Ukraine,” French President Emmanuel Macron said after President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Donald Trump’s clash at the White House.

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— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) February 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM

From The Kyiv Independent:

French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Russia is the aggressor in its war against Ukraine following a heated exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Feb. 28.

“There is an aggressor, which is Russia, and an attacked people, which is Ukraine,” Macron told reporters in Portugal.

He emphasized that supporting Ukraine and sanctioning Russia was the right decision three years ago and remains so today.

“We must thank all those who helped, and we must respect those who have been fighting since the beginning,” he added.

Macron’s trip to Portugal followed a visit to Washington, where he sought to convince Trump to commit to post-war security guarantees for Ukraine.

The French president has reportedly failed to receive any clear commitments from Trump, with an undisclosed EU official describing the trip as a “waste of time” in comments for Politico.

The issue of security guarantees has been linked to the potential deployment of a European-led peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.

Poland:

Dear Volodymyr Zelenskyy, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone.

— Donald Tusk (@donald-tusk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 2:31 PM

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responds, something we hopefully see a lot more of that from other European leaders. It’s never been clearer than in this moment that Trump is Putin’s ally, not Europe’s.

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— Eliot Higgins (@eliothiggins.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 1:57 PM

Germany:

“Germany’s federal election was subject to “clear” and “successful” manipulation by Russia and other foreign actors, the head of the Bundestag’s intelligence committee has warned,” www.ft.com/content/35f4…

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— Shashank Joshi (@shashj.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 2:37 PM

The other foreign actors would be the US via Musk and Vance and Israel.

Norway:

Norwegian Kongsberg is establishing a joint venture in Ukraine for the mass production of NASAMS missiles based on Ukrainian technologies. Production is set to launch in the coming months, enabling faster air defense supplies without import delays and strengthening Ukraine’s defense industry.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 9:46 AM

The EU:

Your dignity honors the bravery of the Ukrainian people.

Be strong, be brave, be fearless.
You are never alone, dear President Zelenskyy.

We will continue working with you for a just and lasting peace.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu) February 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Back to Ukraine.

In February, 🇺🇦 witnessed a sharp increase in RU drone attacks- reflecting the growing RU production capacity
Feb 28: 208 drones
Feb 27 166
Feb 26 177
Feb 25: 213
Feb 24: 185
Feb 23: 267
Feb 22: 162
Feb 21: 160

The interception rates remain high but the attacks threaten to exhaust the defenses…

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— Mattia Nelles (@mattian.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 6:26 AM

Kharkiv:

Last night, russian forces attacked the suburbs of Kharkiv with 20 kamikaze drones, their target was critical infrastructure, including a thermal power plant. Reportedly, 17 drones were downed.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 5:51 AM

❗️ Russian Shahed drone struck a medical facility, causing a fire at the impact site, the mayor of Kharkiv reported!

— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:39 PM

One of the hospitals in Kharkiv after tonight’s russian drone strike

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 7:03 PM

Two explosions reported in Kharkiv!

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:06 PM

Both drone strikes targeted residential areas of the city

— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM

Kharkiv is still under russian drone attack

— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:28 PM

Five drone strikes have already been reported in Kharkiv, most of them in the central part of the city

— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:34 PM

Kharkiv, after tonight’s russian drone attack on the city

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 7:06 PM

Selidove, Donetsk Oblast:

Russian ammunition storage destroyed in Selidove, Donetsk region tonight.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 6:05 AM

The Lyman front:

Russian occupiers’ attempt at a mechanized assault on the Lyman front was thwarted as the 66th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine destroyed a BMP-3.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 7:55 AM

Sumy Oblast:

In Sumy near Novenke, Russians attack the border with infantry, no vehicles. Novenke could lead to Yunakivka, a key logistics hub for Kursk. Ukraine’s forces repel them, eliminating enemies. No breakthrough, fighting ongoing, says RNBO’s Kovalenko.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 5:50 AM

Toretsk, Donetsk front:

Toretsk, Donetsk front. A day in the life of a mortar crew and soldiers of the GUR Ukraine Legion. Ukrainian fighters effectively struck Russian positions, destroying the enemy. Battles for the city continue as defenders hold back the occupiers.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:51 AM

Avdiivka:

Avdiivka, ruined by Russian nazis. Footage from a Russian channel. The nazis got what they wanted. Destruction spreads across the land like a disease, like leprosy, wherever the Russian foot steps.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 4:23 AM

Nova Kakhovka, the left bank of the Dnipro, Kherson Oblast:

Fresh footage from Kakhovka HPP and Nova Kakhovka in occupied left-bank Kherson region shows the area’s state. Ukrainian troops note civilian life persists despite fighting. Compared to Berylslav, damage is less, but the situation remains tough.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 3:23 AM

Bryansk Oblast, Russia:

AASM HAMMER strike on the Russian FSB base in the Bryansk region of Russia. t.me/GeneralStaff…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 10:13 AM

Yesterday, Ukraine’s Air Force struck an FSB outpost in Bila Berezka, Bryansk region. Destroyed radio stations, signal amplifiers, satellite antennas, command post. 12 FSB officers killed. Russia’s coordination disrupted. – Ukraine’s General Staff

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 28, 2025 at 10:10 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

Your daily Patron!

There are no new Patron skeets or videos today. Here is some adjacent material.

Today the Hachiko team completed its 100th sterilization in the Donetsk region of Ukraine — on the frontline in towns that Russia is bombing every day. They are heroes taking care of these innocent animals trapped in this war. Your donations made this possible—Thank You! 🙏 👉 hachikofoundation.org

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— Nate Mook (@natemook.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:19 PM

Open thread!