Our Teams Are Working With the United States, We Are Preparing for Negotiations As Early as This Friday – Address by the President of Ukraine

26 February 2025 – 20:52

I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians!

The main points for today.

The meeting of the Staff. Very good details regarding our drones, of our domestic production. There were reports that inspire confidence. And this is important.

Of course, we are analyzing the volumes of support coming from each partner: America, Europe, and other parts of the world. What is irreplaceable, what can be replaced. We are working to ensure that Ukrainian positions are protected under any circumstances. And this is one of the key conditions for the diplomacy we need – for the right diplomacy that will guarantee peace for Ukraine.

There was a report from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi – the front and the Kursk operation. I am grateful to all our warriors in the Donetsk region who are repelling assaults and counterattacking. I will especially commend the 33rd and 225th Assault Regiments.

And it will soon be seven months since our guys have been holding the “buffer zone” on the territory of the aggressor – in Russia – they have almost grown accustomed to the Kursk region. Our “Eighty” – the 80th Separate Airborne Assault Brigade – I thank you all, warriors! Good results in the Kursk region.

Today, there was a lot of international work. Our teams are working with the United States, we are preparing for negotiations as early as this Friday. The agreement with America. Support for our state and people. Guarantees of peace and security – this is the key to ensuring that Russia will no longer destroy the lives of other nations. I will meet with President Trump. For me and for all of us in the world, it is crucial that America’s assistance is not stopped. Strength is essential on the path to peace.

Today, I spoke with the Prime Minister of Portugal. We are coordinating all our efforts with the broadest possible circle of partners. Europeans must be part of all diplomatic efforts concerning Europe, and this is not just a matter of the present; it must always be the practice: Europe must never be left somewhere behind – relegated to second or third priority. I thanked Portugal for its unwavering support, and we agreed on upcoming contacts.

And one more thing.

Today, I signed decrees to honor our people: both military and civilian, men and women, those who defend our state, those who defended our state. In particular, I awarded Iryna Tsybukh, a combat medic, a very well-known person, with the title of Hero of Ukraine, tragically posthumously. We remember. We remember absolutely everyone who fought for our state, for our people – for the very right of Ukrainians to live their lives on their own land. This right of Ukrainians is beyond doubt. Guarantees of peace and security. The sovereignty of our state. Territorial integrity. We are working for this. I thank all our partners who support us. I thank all our people who believe in Ukraine.

Glory to Ukraine!

He also held a press conference today:

First Lady Zelenska did an interview today with the Italian information and political talk show Quarta Repubblica.

She also addressed the audience of the Polish Opera where the Ukrainian Freedom Opera gave a concert.

Georgia:

Rustaveli is blocked again by protesters. Day 91 of continuous protests. The demands remain the same: re-holding parliamentary elections and freeing all political prisoners.

#GeorgiaProtests

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 1:07 PM

Day 91. Following the protest tradition, we name regime prisoners as well as the Georgian fighters fallen in Ukraine.

We demand the release of the prisoners and new, free and fair elections, without which nothing in the country will be unsustainable. #GeorgiaProtests

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 1:02 PM

‘The scorching sun of Georgia will end the northern frost’ — a banner from yesterday’s protest, held on the 104th anniversary of Russia’s Soviet occupation of Georgia.

📷 Nino Chichua

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 12:42 PM

On the day of Soviet occupation, President Zourabichvili addressed the Rustaveli protest and underlined the importance of not allowing another Russian occupation to succeed.

She also noted that no such crisis could ever be solved without new elections, which is inevitable.

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— Marika Mikiashvili 🇬🇪🇺🇦🇪🇺 (@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 6:35 AM

🧵 According to Salome @Zourabichvili_S, the plan is as follows:

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— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:48 AM

1. New Elections – Establishing the conditions for fair elections.

2. Preparation – Organizing an “army” of election commissions and observers.

3. Election Integrity – Preventing fraud in the new elections with the participation of international partners.

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:48 AM

4. Political Coordination – Ensuring cooperation between political forces for the elections.

5. Unified Election Program – “Georgian Charter” and Its Priorities:

▸ Release of political prisoners

▸ Abolition of Russian laws

▸ Restoration of a fair judiciary

— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:48 AM

Romania:

🇷🇴Romanian media reports that the pro-Russian former presidential candidate of Romania, Georgescu, was detained: his car was stopped on the road. He was then sent for questioning to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

More details: www.digi24.ro/stiri/actual…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:06 AM

🇷🇴/2. It is also reported that Romanian prosecutors are conducting searches at the homes of people in the network of Horațiu Potra, the head of a mercenary band that provides protection to Călin Georgescu.

Prosecutors found weapons and ammunition in a house inhabited by Horațiu Potra and his son.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:23 AM

🇷🇴/3. Also, prosecutors found about $1.5 million in a safe buried in the floor of Horațiu Potra’s house as well as tickets to Moscow.

More details and footages: www.g4media.ro/surse-procur…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM

🇷🇴/4. Prosecutors from the General Prosecutor’s Office found large amounts of weapons and ammunition at the residences associated with Georgescu.

Grenades, submachine guns, and short-barreled pistols and even grenade launchers were found.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 10:12 AM

🇷🇴/5. At the same time, investigators found $2.9 million in cash stashed in multiple locations. In one location was $1.3 million and in another location was $1.6 million.

Article: www.ordinea.ro/arme-grenade…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 10:15 AM

From Politico:

Romania’s pro-Russia presidential election front-runner Călin Georgescu was questioned for hours on Wednesday by prosecutors after being taken in by police in Bucharest, in relation to last November’s controversial canceled vote that he won.

Georgescu was indicted on six counts and put under judicial control for 60 days, which allows him to walk free but not to leave the country, according to Romanian media reports.

“We go forward. We will not kneel under any circumstances,” Georgescu said Wednesday evening upon leaving the prosecutor’s office amid chants of support from hundreds of people who gathered to protest his questioning.

“American sanctions will clarify the situation in Romania,” he added, according to TV channel Digi24. Georgescu didn’t specify what that entailed, but seemed to suggest the United States would come to his support after Republican vice-president JD Vance and President Donald Trump’s billionaire adviser Elon Musk have pointed to the situation in Romania to accuse the European Union of cracking down on free speech and other civil rights.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The prosecutor’s office attached to the High Court of Justice and Cassation said an individual was indicted Wednesday for incitement to action against the constitutional order, false statements, starting a fascist, racist or xenophobic organization, among others, but didn’t name Georgescu. The prosecutor’s office didn’t respond to a request to confirm the indicted individual is Georgescu.

Georgescu’s questions came after prosecutors searched the premises of his close associates, including mercenary leader Horațiu Potra and Georgescu’s bodyguard.

Romanian news channel Antena 3 CNN reported Georgescu was being questioned in connection with the financing of his election campaign last year.

Prosecutors suspect 27 people of acting against Romania’s constitutional order, public incitement, initiation of a fascist organization and false statements regarding the sources of financing an election campaign, but they didn’t name Georgescu or his aides in their statement.

Conservative allies of US President Donald Trump are furious following Romanian police’s detention of far-right presidential front-runner Călin Georgescu today.

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— POLITICO Europe (@politico.eu) February 26, 2025 at 11:10 AM

Also, from Politico:

Conservative allies of United States President Donald Trump are furious following Romanian police’s detention Wednesday of far-right presidential front-runner Călin Georgescu.

“They just arrested the person who won the most votes in the Romanian presidential election. This is messed up,” tech billionaire and White House adviser Elon Musk wrote on X.

While he’s not yet been formally arrested, police have taken in Georgescu for questioning regarding last November’s controversial first round of the presidential election in which he emerged victorious before being was annulled by the country’s Constitutional Court.

Georgescu and the canceled Romanian vote have become something of a cause célèbre for U.S. conservatives as they look to boost right-wing politicians around Europe.

Another prominent MAGA influencer and conspiracy theorist Jack Posobiec referred to U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s speech at the Munich Security Conference — where he hit out against Romania’s highest court, saying its winter ruling undermined European democracy — in an excoriating X post Thursday.

“JD: The EU has abandoned traditional values. You just overturned the elections in Romania EU Leaders: Lies! Disgrace! Fascist! Also EU: arrests Romanian presidential candidate and his supporters as soon as JD leaves,” Posobiec posted, which Musk shared.

The Romanian court wiped out the results of last November’s first-round election over suspicions that a Russian influence operation boosted the candidacy of Georgescu, who is pro-Kremlin and has advocated for the end of European support to Ukraine.

Musk also reposted a message from the leader of Romania’s far-right AUR party, George Simion, who called for a protest in front of the prosecutor’s office. There, a crowd of about 200 people chanted Georgescu’s name, waving Romanian flags and booing.

“[Georgescu] was coming to [the] AUR headquarters to make the file for his candidacy [for] the president’s office. We raised 300,000 signatures for him,” Simion said on X.

This is hardly surprising. Can I just say that Romania is absolutely fantastic? russia is trying to wreak havoc in their country, and they are having none of it. Zero! Bravo! 👏

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 8:52 AM

Back to Ukraine.

Ukraine has:

Liberated 7% of the 27% of its territory invaded by fascist Russia

Forced Russia’s Black Sea Fleet from Ukraine’s territory

Decimated Russia’s army

Significantly damaged Russia’s oil and gas sector

Withstood 3 Russian winter bombing campaigns

#RussiaNotWinning

— Euan MacDonald (@euanmacdonald.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 4:45 AM

Explainer: What are the terms of the US-Ukraine minerals deal? www.ft.com/content/51b3…

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— Christopher Miller (@christopherjm.ft.com) February 26, 2025 at 12:00 PM

From The Financial Times:

 

Ukraine and the US have struck a deal on the joint development of the country’s mineral resources through a “reconstruction investment fund”.

The agreement, dated February 25 and first obtained by the Financial Times, is a lot less onerous and sweeping than Washington’s initial proposal.

An earlier reference to a possible $500bn of revenues from mineral extraction has been dropped. Nor is there any explicit US guarantee of Ukrainian security that Kyiv wanted in return for sharing profits from its valuable natural resources.

While Ukrainian negotiators were able to narrow down the scope of the deal and push back on some of the more onerous terms demanded by the Trump administration, several crucial details have yet to be decided.

Where will revenues from Ukrainian mineral extraction go?

Kyiv and Washington will set up a “joint investment fund” into which Ukraine will pay 50 per cent of all revenues earned from the “future monetisation” of natural resources owned by the Ukrainian government.

In theory, the fund will invest in Ukraine’s postwar reconstruction and economic development, potentially across all sectors not just natural resources.

Will the US own and control the fund?

It will be jointly owned and managed by the US and Ukrainian governments but, crucially, further details of ownership and governance will be hammered out at a later stage in a “fund agreement”. In its opening bid, the US had pushed for 100 per cent ownership and full decision-making rights.

Instead, the deal says the “maximum percentage of ownership of the fund’s equity” held by the US and “the decision-making authority” will be “to the extent permissible under US laws”. This may be because US agencies may face limits on their participation in such a fund.

For example, if it were the US Development Finance Corporation managing the US interest in this fund, under existing legislation its equity investments would be capped at 30 per cent ownership of any project.
Neither the US nor Ukraine will be able to sell any share of the fund without the other’s consent.

Will revenues be invested in Ukraine or paid out to the US?

This is also vague and will be decided in the fund agreement.

The deal says the fund will collect and reinvest revenues “at least annually in Ukraine to promote the safety, security and prosperity of Ukraine”.

But it does not stipulate that all revenues will be reinvested and it adds that the subsequent fund agreement will “provide for future distributions”.

More at the link.

The full text of the agreement can be found at this link.

“Experts cannot recall a precedent for the United States, or any other country, extracting cash or resources from its own allies during a time of war”
www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/w…

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— Anne Applebaum (@anneapplebaum.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 1:45 AM

From The New York Times:

The agreement, in its current form, would not include any explicit security guarantees to deter Russian aggression. The White House has argued that the mere existence of American economic interests should be sufficient for Ukraine, which is facing a harsh reality: The United States wants to be paid in exchange for helping the country fend off an invader.

“What better could you have for Ukraine than to be in an economic partnership with the United States?” Mike Waltz, the U.S. national security adviser, said on Friday.

Mr. Trump has long demanded that NATO and other allies contribute more to their own defense. But the minerals agreement would represent a major escalation in his transactional approach to foreign policy.

The United States was once seen as the world’s policeman, but to many analysts it now seems more like an extortionate Mafia kingpin.

The explicit demand for Ukraine’s mineral wealth while the country is in dire straits has the “feel of a protection racket,” said Virginia Page Fortna, a political scientist at Columbia University who is a leading expert on peace agreements.

“The new security guarantee is essentially a shakedown,” said Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, referring to the statement by Mr. Waltz that being in “economic partnership” with the United States would ensure Ukraine’s security.

Experts cannot recall a precedent for the United States, or any other country, extracting cash or resources from its own allies during a time of war. They say Mr. Trump’s transactional diplomacy sends a message to allies that the United States cannot be trusted to help its friends or honor its obligations. And it tells his adversaries that he is willing to give up long-term strategic interests for short-term wins, experts say.

Speaking in the Oval Office on Friday, Mr. Trump said, “We’re going to either sign a deal, or there’s going to be a lot of problems with them.”

During my reporting for this column, I spoke to six experts on peace negotiations. None of them were aware of any situation in which the United States or any other country demanded a formal payment agreement from its own partner during a war.

It might seem like the demand that Ukraine hand over its mineral wealth is just Mr. Trump being blunt about a diplomatic truth that is usually left unsaid: That security guarantees often have an implicit price. But in fact, experts say his approach represents a radical departure for American foreign policy.
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There are plenty of cases in which the United States has used its military might to protect U.S. economic interests. For example, ensuring access to oil has been a central pillar of U.S. policy in the Middle East, most notably in the first Gulf War, when the U.S. defended Kuwait from an invasion by Iraq.

But the United States “never said to the Kuwaitis, ‘Hey, you gotta pay us for this,’” said Mr. Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations. Allies such as Saudi Arabia helped to fund the Gulf War, but not under duress. “It wasn’t like Dick Cheney showed up in Saudi Arabia in August and said, ‘Here’s our terms,’” Cook added.

The president’s latest tactics suggest that he is trying to apply the lessons of machine politics in New York City, where he built his real-estate career, to the world of international relations.

As my colleague Maggie Haberman has reported, Mr. Trump’s model of leadership seems to be based on figures like Meade Esposito, a boss of the Brooklyn Democratic machine who controlled patronage jobs and ruled with an “iron fist.” In machine politics, every decision is essentially an opportunity for political bosses to extract benefits for themselves and their supporters, and extracting more favors is a signal of more power.

But scholars of international relations say that foreign policy doesn’t work that way.

In international relations, credibility is a crucial element of power. Deterrence depends on whether a country keeps its promises. Without that credibility, hostile countries are more likely to test the limits.

It is no longer clear which countries the Trump administration sees as friends and which it sees as foes.

But in either case, his actions also send a clear message that the United States is at best an unreliable and expensive partner — and at worst that it will treat any country’s dependence on the United States as a weakness to exploit, experts said.

“What we’re seeing is a successful short-run strategy and a disastrous long-run strategy,” said Joseph Nye, a political scientist at the Harvard Kennedy School who coined the term “soft power.”

A coercive, adversarial approach like Mr. Trump’s can arguably be effective at extracting short-term concessions, Nye said. Canada and Mexico both promised to increase border security and pursue better fentanyl enforcement, which won them a 30-day reprieve on the tariffs that he threatened.

But in the long term, countries that are currently partners in U.S. trade and foreign policy now have a strong incentive to seek closer relationships with countries like China.

In Europe, there is already a push to increase military spending in order to be less reliant on the United States, which could have unpredictable consequences. Turkey, which has the second-largest military of any NATO country, could become a more important regional power.

Analysts say Mr. Trump’s foreign policy sends a message to Russia and other hostile countries that may be even more consequential: that the United States is willing to prioritize short-term financial gain over its broader long-term interests.

Or perhaps the United States could simply be bought out with a better offer. President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Monday that the U.S.-Ukraine minerals deal was not a concern to him because Russia has “significantly more resources of this kind than Ukraine.” He is ready to “offer” mineral resources to American partners, he said, including from the “new territories” Russia has occupied in eastern Ukraine.

Much more at the link.

Another spotted Russian infantry convoy on horses.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 11:02 AM

I believe the technical term for this is cavalry.

‼️”Now we are starting to shoot down Shahed kamikaze drones with FPV drones. And this is already giving real results.” – commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of Ukraine

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 9:39 AM

In a new video recording of the combat work of “Khartia,” enemy shelters and infantry are hit as they desperately try to escape Ukrainian drones by any means possible. Of course, they don’t succeed.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 10:58 AM

Kostiantynivka:

Russian troops launched nine aerial bombs on Kostiantynivka today, killing five civilians and injuring 11.
#UkraineView

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 3:39 PM

The center of Kostyantynivka after a Russian air bomb strike.

At least five people are confirmed dead and eight wounded in the city and surrounding areas.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 11:12 AM

Kharkiv:

Russian drones in Kharkiv skies right now ‼️ air defense is working

— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM

Three russian Geran/Shahed drones attacked Kharkiv last night. One struck the city’s central street near Shevchenko Garden, another destroyed a café in a different neighborhood, and the third hit an apartment building on the second floor, injuring two people and turning their home into a nightmare.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 12:27 AM

Kharkiv after tonight’s russian drone attack on the city

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 25, 2025 at 9:23 PM

Kharkiv tonight after the russian drone strike on the city

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 25, 2025 at 8:20 PM

This is Kharkiv in its essence: on one side of the street, workers put up spring decorations to lift the spirits of the city; on the other, they clear the wreckage from a russian drone strike the night before. Resilience isn’t just a word here — it’s daily life.

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— Iryna Voichuk (@irynavoichuk.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 5:33 AM

Kyiv:

During a nighttime russian drone attack on the Kyiv region, journalist Tetiana Kulik and her husband, renowned oncologist Pavlo Ivanchov, were killed when a drone struck their home in the Bucha district, causing a fire.

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— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 6:43 AM

While Trump talks about how much Putin wants peace, the Russians were launching UAVs at the Kyiv region. Rescuers released a video from the site where debris from Russian drones hit the Bucha distric – there are dead and wounded.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:48 AM

Tuapse, Krasnodar Krai, Russia:

/1. Russian oil refiner on Tuapse was targeted by drones tonight. Two drones targeted the territory of the enterprise. As a result, part of the ELOU-AVT-12 was damaged. The crude oil pipeline was also damaged.

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 4:14 AM

/2. This is the only oil refining unit on the plant’s territory. Its damage means the plant will be out of action until the damage is repaired.

The capacity of the ELOU-AVT-12 is 12 million tons/year of oil. t.me/astrapress/7…

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— 🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦 (@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 4:15 AM

Moscow:

“There will be no cessation of hostilities in Ukraine along the line of contact. We have a constitution.” – Lavrov.

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— WarTranslated (Dmitri) (@wartranslated.bsky.social) February 26, 2025 at 7:03 AM

That’s enough for tonight.

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