The SMO was three years old on the 24th February and many will be surprised that it has lasted this long. But events outside of the conflict have dominated discourse. This week Vladimir Zelensky, who disingenuously announced that he will quit as President in return for peace and NATO membership, faced calls from some in the US to resign and move to France. He was also being asked to call elections which he would no doubt lose to Zaluzhny. Therefore, he will try to hold out. Donald Trump has made it clear that Ukraine will not join NATO since conjecture about the possibility of this happening is what sparked the conflict in the first place - as reported in Tass
The rare earth minerals deal, which has received lots of attention, could be signed on the February 28th when Zelensky visits Washington. I have written an article on this separately (‘Disappointed in you Orange man’) which subscribers of the Busker and my Telegram Channel can view. It is short and deals with the issue of Zelensky’s legitimacy and the morality of making ordinary Ukrainians pay for the West’s war. The mineral deal is discussed under ‘Economic War’ below.
The Europeans are miffed at being left out of the US-Russia negotiations but Putin made it clear that he doesn’t want them at the table because they have no right to be there. The Riyadh meeting and those that follow are dedicated to improving US-Russia relations. When Putin talked with Xi Jinping about the meeting, the latter offered his support, according to RT. It seems as if the pro-peace US and the warmongering Europeans are about to initiate divorce proceedings. The EU leaders will also have been apoplectic when the Donald said:
The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States. That's the purpose of it, and they've done a good job of it, but now I'm president.
Ouch!
The European globalists are fighting back with the arrests of pro-Russian Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik and pro-Russian Romanian Presidential candidate Călin Georgescu (see below).
Meanwhile in Germany, the CDU/CSU coalition won the elections on 29% with AfD in second place on 20%. It seems that Germany is split politically along the old boundaries between East and West Germany. See World Politics below.
In the Middle East, hostage/prisoners were exchanged between Palestinians and Israelis while the latter continues to occupy territory which doesn’t belong to them in Syria and Lebanon. The Israelis are also killing Palestinians and demolishing their housing in the West Bank. In Gaza, Hamas is reorganising its ranks and is preparing for a resumption of hostilities - which is heartbreaking. But I get the sense that the rabid dog that the IDF has become will be stopped only by military defeat. In Syria, Allawites have clashed with HTS security forces in Qardaha and hours after Hayat Tahir Al-Sham (aka Jolani) demanded that Israel leave the Golan Heights the Israelis launched air attacks on the outskirts of Damascus.
The fronts in Ukraine are being contested in the shadow of world events but there is no sign of a major Russian breakthrough just yet. However, Ukrainian forces are in danger of being cut off from their logistics in Kursk. There is much talk about negotiations, a ceasefire and the deployment of a Western peacekeeping force at the end of the conflict. European leaders such as Starmer1 and Emmanuel Macron are using bellicose rhetoric that is incompatible with their weak positions militarily, economically and politically. The warmongering pair visited the Donald this week.
But all this hot air is premature. There appears to be a lack of appreciation among Western commentators that Russia holds all the cards: that it will decide whether there is a ceasefire or a peacekeeping force. It will decide when the conflict ends, not Trump and certainly not the European irrelevants.
Some commentators, such as b from the MoA (26th Feb) and John Helmer, are scratching their heads about Donald J’s apparent lack of a plan. I will not attempt to explore this here. Some Russian sources have revealed how embarrassingly unprepared the US negotiators were at Riyadh. It seems that much groundwork will need to be laid before negotiations proper are up and running. As part of the latter, US and Russian negotiators have been meeting in Istanbul to discuss a resumption of the work of their respective embassies. The meeting was held behind closed doors and the names of the delegates have not been revealed. It appears that the Biden administration placed obstacles (‘irritants’) in the way of the diplomatic functioning which must be cleared.
It’s been yet another eventful week.
February 24th - 3rd Anniversary of SMO
The Special Military Operation began three years ago on the 24th February and I have no idea how many of my readers know why it started. Colonel Jacques Baud provides a good overview here - the first 30 minutes will be informative. I have provided a brief written summary on my Telegram for those who are interested https://t.me/UWUupdate.
A subscriber recommended this article in Zero Hedge which describes and explains Zelensky’s fall from power. Once upon a time he seemed invincible but his audience has turned on him. He has traveled the up and down journey of a Hollywood star’s 30 year career in just six Presidential years.
It appears that Ukrainian backed terrorists may have marked the day with an attack on the Russian Consulate in Marseilles - but there were no casualties.
Theater Kid
According to former NBC journalist Mark Caputo:
The White House believes that the Ukrainian president "has become too accustomed to unconditional support from Biden, NATO, and favorable media coverage," which is why he "overdid it" in the negotiations.
▪️One official said the US "has created a monster out of Zelensky" and that European allies "obsessed with Trump but unwilling to send troops" are giving him bad advice.
▪️Another White House official involved in the talks compared Zelensky to an actor who made "the typical mistake of theater kids" by beginning to associate himself with the character he plays.
▪️Without American financial assistance, he would not have coped long ago.
➖"It's time for him to leave the stage along with all this drama," the official added.
There is widespread opposition to Zelensky among Trump’s supporters at the White House who are calling for the once great Z to leave for France.
A recent poll indicated that if an election were called in which Zaluzhny was involved the former General would win easily over the once great Z - 65% to 30%.
Maslenitsa
Maslenitsa is a celebration of the coming of spring in the Donetsk region. This year, the people chose to mark the event by burning effigies of Boris Johnson, Ursula von der Leyen and Emmanuel Macron. Here in the Scottish Borders, I saw my first daffodil yesterday.
Whitkoff Confesses
The war didn't have to happen. It was provoked. That doesn't necessarily mean it was provoked by the Russians. There was all kinds of talk at the time about Ukraine joining NATO. The president was talking about it. It wasn't supposed to happen. In fact, it became a threat to the Russians. We have to come to terms with that fact. This is the reality.
I only hope this realism is contagious.
Arestovich Throws His Hat in the Ring
The former Zelensky advisor has said that ‘when I become President, I will put Zelensky in prison for life'.
Sigma Boy - Russian MoD Version
You can see Russian soldiers giving their rendition of Sigma Boy on X. I think it’s worth a look - propaganda Russian style.
Babushkas Sing Sigma Boy
Hilarious version of Sigma Boy from Telegram which I couldn’t find on X.
Zelensky Press Conference - 23rd Feb
![Volodymyr Zelensky, when asked by a journalist if he would give up his presidency if it meant peace for Ukraine, responded ''[Yes], if (it guarantees) peace for Ukraine."](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Owum!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Facafb290-afe4-4144-9553-d9812f57c61d_1280x720.jpeg "Volodymyr Zelensky, when asked by a journalist if he would give up his presidency if it meant peace for Ukraine, responded ''[Yes], if (it guarantees) peace for Ukraine.\"")
On February 23rd Zelensky gave a 2 hour press conference where he said that he was prepared to step down in exchange for NATO membership which he must know is not going to happen. He would sound just as convincing if he had said that he would step down when pigs start flying. He also denied that he owes anything to the US, claiming that Biden’s massive contribution to his war effort was in the form of a grant. He also insisted that negotiations should include Europe and Ukraine. Elections will take place when Martial Law has been lifted - which will not happen until the conflict ends. Astonishingly, he claimed that he will swap the sliver of territory he holds in Kursk (64% of which has been recaptured by the Russians) for land that the Russians hold. So, there was nothing new being articulated here - apart from the claim that US aid under Biden took the form of a grant. I’ve not heard that before.
Zelensky also claims approval ratings at 64%, which is nonsense. I have seen a number of surveys indicating approval ratings in the teens over many months - much lower than Zaluzhny. Zelensky demanded:
1. $300 billion of arrested Russian assets are the money of Ukraine, not Ukraine and its partners.
2. Joining the European Union and Western funding of the Ukrainian army in the amount of 800 thousand soldiers. As well as the presence of a foreign contingent on the territory of Ukraine.
This is all fantasy land stuff.
Zelensky Fundraiser
A Ukrainian source suggests that Zelensky is ready to go against Trump and has gathered an anti-Trump coalition of world leaders around him in Kiev as he marks the third anniversary of the conflict. The usual suspects were there, including von der Leyen and Justin Trudeau in a gathering of the ‘irrelevants’. Zelensky still harped on about his NATO membership obsession claiming that if Ukraine is not allowed to join ‘you and I will have no other choice but to build NATO in Ukraine’. I am not sure whether something was lost in translation here but the faces of Ursula von der Leyen and others speaks volumes about their nervousness at Zelensky’s increasingly bizarre outbursts. You can watch Z’s speech on X.
Zelensky’s Bad Dream
Some are calling this a masterpiece - on X.
RADA Votes to Extend Z’s Powers
In the first vote on this, only 218 deputies agreed to extend Zelensky’s powers which fell 8 short of the 226 needed to pass the resolution. The vote was cast in the presence of European Commissioners. But a later vote on the 25th February secured 268 votes in favour of extending Z’s power during Martial Law. This sounds suspicious to me.
Soldier Shortage
The Washington Post is reporting what we have known for some time: the Ukrainians are running out of men. Some battalions with an authorized strength of 200 men can field only 30 and morale has fallen to a minimum. One battalion commander said:
The front is cracking at the seams. The front is collapsing. Why can’t we replace them? Because we don’t have people, no one is joining the army.
Women Protest in Kiev
Hundreds of mothers. wives and children marched in Kiev on the 23rd February demanding that their men be sent home. Apparently, the average life expectancy of new recruits at the fronts is 1-4 days. Let’s hope the movement grows.
76% of Ukrainians Want Negotiations NOW
In a Ukrainian survey 76% of people inside Ukraine want negotiations and an end to the war even if it means conceding territory whereas 70% of Ukrainians living abroad (and out of harms way) want it to continue.
Ukrainian Soldiers Jailed For Murdering Civilians
I have seen a number of reports of raping and killing by Ukrainian soldiers in Kursk and in the Donbass. I have not published some of these because they have been so horrific. But such crimes have not always gone unpunished. According to this report, six Ukrainian servicemen were jailed for terms between 14 and 16 years for killing civilians in the Sudzha region of Kursk as they tried to evacuate.
Ukraine Terrorist Attacks
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a report of civilian casualties inflicted by the Ukrainians in 2024:
In total, in 2024, at least 5,399 civilians on the Russian soil have became victims of Ukrainian aggression, with 809 being killed. <...> In a year, at least 347 children suffered from the actions of the Kiev regime and its formations. 51 children were killed. The youngest of the killed children was only 4 months old. The largest number of killed and injured children was recorded in the Donetsk People's Republic.
You can see the whole report here.
21st/22nd February
Overnight, drones attacked Rostov and Belgorod where farms, houses and cars were damaged but no casualties were reported.
23rd/24th February
Belgorod suffered both drone and artillery attacks overnight which damaged power lines, private house and vehicles but cased no casualties. Gorlovka (DPR) was not so fortunate in that three people were injured by artillery and drone attacks.
24th/25th February
Overnight, drones were shot down over Bryansk, Belgorod, Oryol and Kursk. Many private dwellings were damaged but only one casualty was reported. Gorlovka (DPR) suffered one death and ten injuries from artillery fire. Damage was caused to dwellings and power lines. According to the Russian MoD:
16 UAVs – over the territory of the Bryansk region; two UAVs – over the territory of the Kursk region; one UAV – over the territory of the Kaluga region.
25th/26th February
According to the War Chronicle:
128 UAVs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were intercepted and destroyed. 83 from there are at least 40 of them over the Krasnodar Territory, over the Tuapse region.
Several houses were damaged in Krasnodar Region but there were no casualties. This was the largest attack of 2025.
26th/27th February
Overnight in Belgorod region, a drone drop on a car killed one man and seriously injured another while two more civilians were injured by artillery strike in Gorlovka (DPR). Shelling killed one and injured four in Kherson region.
27th/28th February
Bryansk and Belgorod regions came under attack overnight. In Belgorod, vehicles and houses were damaged and one man was injured while in Gorlovka (DPR) five civilians were injured by various drone drops. In Kherson, a drone flew into an ambulance killing a woman and her child.
According to the Russian MoD:
During the past night, air defense systems on duty intercepted and destroyed 22 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles: eight UAVs - over the territory of the Oryol region; seven UAVs - over the territory of the Kursk region; four UAVs - over the territory of the Bryansk region; one UAV - over the territory of the Smolensk region; two UAVs – over the territory of Krasnodar Krai
The Sea War
24th/25th February
Overnight, drones were shot down over Crimea and the Black Sea.
25th/26th February
Overnight, 30 drones were shot down over Crimea and 13 more were disabled/destroyed over the Sea of Azov and The Black Sea. Some drones were destroyed/disabled close to the Kerch Bridge.
27th/28th February
Several drones were destroyed over Crimea at night.
The Air War (Map)
Russian Missile/Drone Attacks
21st/22nd February
Overnight, Geraniums attacked:
Chernihiv region; Poltava region; Kiev region; the city of Shpola (Cherkasy region); the city of Cherkasy; Cherkasy region (several groups); Mirgorod; Kremenchug; Zhitomir region; Brovar (Kiev region); Kirovograd; Nikolaev region; Kirovograd region; the city of Samara (Dnipropetrovsk region); Dnepropetrovsk region (several groups); Poltava; Izyum (Kharkov region).
22nd/23rd February - Huge Russian Attack
Overnight, Iskanders attacked Krivoy Rog while Geraniums attacked Odessa. Further west, Kiev suffered an attack by 200 Geraniums which exposed the ineffectiveness of Ukraine’s air defences. More Geraniums attacked Poltava Region. According to this report, the Ukrainians are claiming they were attacked by 267 Geraniums over 15 regions and that 138 were shot down. Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye were also attacked. According to this report, only 30% of the drones attacking Odessa were shot down.
23rd/24th February
According to the Majors:
At night, enemy channels reported more than 70 Geraniums hitting targets in Kiev, Kharkov, Starokostiantyniv, Kremenchuk, Kirovograd. Missile weapons were used in the Odessa region in the evening.
24th/25th February
According to this report:
In the morning, enemy channels reported the launch of missiles from Tu-95MS. At night, Geraniums operated on enemy territory, with explosions reported in Kiev, Zhitomir, and the Dnepropetrovsk Regions.
Overnight, Iskanders were launched towards Sumy and Cherkasy where explosions were heard. Elsewhere, missiles and Geraniums attacked Zyhtomyr region. The Russian MoD gave this statement:
The Russian Armed Forces launched a high-precision strike by air-based weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles at the infrastructure of Ukrainian military airfields. The goals of the strike were achieved.
25th/26th February
The Ukrainians reported 65 Geraniums hitting targets deep into Ukraine with explosions heard in Kiev.
26th/27th February
Overnight, according to the Majors:
…the Russian Armed Forces struck targets in Kiev, Odessa, Starokostiantyniv, Cherkasy, Vinnytsia, Poltava regions with Geraniums. Enemy channels counted a total of more than 60 of our attack drones.
27th/28th February
Overnight, the Russians attacked Zaporozhye, Kiev, Krivoy Rog, Zhitomir, Vinnitsa and Nikolaev regions.
The Ground War
If you would like a brief overview Sitrep you could try this from Yury Podolyaka.
Russian MoD Reports (excludes Kursk)
w/e February 7th 2025 10,435 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 745 (record high?)
w/e February 14th 2025 10,570 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 658
w/e February 21st 2025 9,235 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 732
w/e February 28th 2025 8,680 Casualties killed and wounded: equipment losses 700
Kursk
Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk direction, the AFU losses amounted to more than 64,075 troops, 382 tanks, 290 infantry fighting vehicles, 248 armoured personnel carriers, 2,084 armoured fighting vehicles, 2,251 motor vehicles, 495 artillery guns, 52 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and seven of MLRS made by the USA, 25 anti-aircraft missile launchers, one self-propelled anti-aircraft system, ten transport-loading vehicles,
The Fronts
Front Line Cats
My front line cats usually come courtesy of the Two Majors who explained why they are so important:
Cats not only prevent the hearts of our soldiers from becoming hardened and embittered, but sometimes warn of danger: they run away or give a signal when drones approach. Cats also help a lot in fighting mice and make the harsh life of soldiers more homely and cozy. They help fight constant stress. A cat for a soldier is like a piece of home. These furry creatures help improve a person’s psychological state, significantly reducing depression and stress levels. Thanks to cats, people feel calmer and more collected.
Kursk
Here is a detailed summary of the situation on February 27th from the War Chronicle:
Kursk region. The Russian army is increasing pressure in the direction of Malaya Loknya. In the morning, the 22nd Motorized Rifle Regiment attacked from the side of the Vilkha gully in the direction of Novaya Sorochina and by the middle of the day liberated half of the village. To the east, in the area of Kamyshevka, the enemy was knocked out of several ravines. The resistance of the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to weaken with the intensification of our strikes on the Yunakovka-Sudzha highway, exclusively on which all the supplies of Sudzha and the grouping of the Armed Forces of Ukraine hang. The enemy command is considering options for the evacuation of personnel from some areas in the Kursk region, because logistics in many places is very difficult.
On the 27th February, the liberation of Orlovka and Pogrebki was officially confirmed. On the same day the Russians liberated Novaya Sorochina and were attacking Staraya Sorochina. By the end of the week Nikolsky was liberated along with Maryevka while the Russians had entered Lebedevka. The War Chronicle is reporting that the Ukrainians face logistical problems which could lead to collapse.
Kharkov
By the end of the week Russian forces continued a slow advance in the eastern section of Volchansk.
Kupyansk
On February 27th, according to the War Chronicle:
Kupyansk direction. In the Figolevka-Dvorichnaya area, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were knocked out of the forests along the highway to Ridkodub. Between Dvorichna and Zapadne, the enemy tried to counterattack in an attempt to disrupt the supply of our assault groups, but was destroyed - the territory is no longer controlled only by drones, but also on the ground. A wide front managed to advance in the direction of Kondrashovka, several gullies and ravines were occupied, including near the virtually non-existent village of Kalinovo
Seversk
According to Marat Khairullin:
In the Seversky direction, the Russian Armed Forces have cleared the settlement of Belogorovka. In the area of the chalk quarry, strikes are being carried out on the small group of the enemy remaining there (less than ten people), hiding in fortified positions and receiving supplies using drones. The forested area of the Zolotarevsky Reserve has partially come under the control of Russian army units. Fighting is underway for positions in the forest belts…
Chasiv Yar
Fighting continues as the Russians are gradually pushing the Ukrainians out of the city.
Avdiivka
The city of Avdiivka has been occupied by the Ukrainians since 2014 and since then they have made it a formidable fortress using lots of concrete.
The approaches to the city are strewn with minefields, every building has been turned into a pillbox with its own firing points, literally from every window there could be a machine gun crew, snipers, regular riflemen.
The people of the Donbass have long dreamed about liberating this city and now, so it appears, their dreams could soon come true, according to this report.
Pokrovsk
South/East of Pokrovsk
According to the Majors:
South of Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk), the Ukrainian Armed Forces spokesmen announced a successful counterattack in Kotlino. Heavy fighting continues in the area, with settlements changing hands several times. Fighting is underway in the areas of Nadeyevka, Udachnoye, Uspenovka, and Preobrazhenka.
Konstantinople
According to Marat Khairullin:
In Constantinople, after the scattered withdrawal of the forces of the 79th Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces to the area of the settlements of Razliv and Bogatyr, which led to very high losses of their personnel and equipment, there remain a few pockets of resistance that practically do not coordinate with each other. The final liberation of Constantinople can be expected in the near future, which will affect the situation in the area of Andreyevka and Alekseyevka.
Velikaya (Bolshaya) Novoselka
Zaporozhye-Kamyanske
On the Zaporozhye Front, in the area of Pyatikhatki, the RAF are conducting offensive operations. Our fighters are bypassing the enemy from the west and taking him into a pincer movement in the direction of Stepovoye and Lobkovoe. Our aviation is striking at the enemy’s armored vehicle deployment points and concentrations in the area of Shcherbaki and Kamenskoye. The enemy has struck the energy infrastructure of the Pologovsky and Vasilyevsky Municipal Districts.
Kherson
Fighting continues in this Direction.
The Economic War
EU Sanctions Package 16
– Ban on imports of Russian primary aluminum
– Ban on exports of game consoles to Russia
– Supply restrictions on software, equipment, and tech for oil & gas production
– Sanctions on 53 entities, including those from China, India, Turkey, UAE, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Singapore.
I know - this is getting boring - more own goals by the Europeans.
Yury Podolyaka on Trump’s Budget Motivation
According to Russian commentator Yury Podolyaka, Trump’s actions can best be understood with reference to the US’s budget:
In reality, Trump doesn't care whether the war ends quickly or not. If it ends, great. If it doesn't, it's no big deal. There will always be someone to blame. But it's already clear that he will shift the main cost burden of war onto the Europeans. So, if the war continues, the American budget will not suffer from it. In fact, as was the case in World War I and World War II, the Americans might even profit from the military conflict.
But budgetary concerns could also persuade Trump to stop the arms flow to Ukraine. Time will tell.
One thing I have learned about Trump, which many of you will have noted, is that he sometimes makes statements for the sake of effect/affect rather than intending to act in accordance with them. Trouble is: we never know when this is the case and when it is not the case.
The Mineral Deal
The ‘rare earth mineral deal’ between the US and Ukraine is a complicated minefield and I don’t think anyone knows how it will proceed. It may include fossil fuels as well as minerals. Some sort of deal may be signed by Zelensky on the 28th February in the US and this may need to be ratified by the RADA. The scope of the deal may be limited by the fact that many minerals have already been promised to the Brits. According to a Ukrainian Telegram Channel:
We handed over almost all ports/nuclear power plants/industry and minerals to the British, the process was supervised by MI-6, that is why a compromise with Trump is now impossible, the confrontation is being resolved at the global level.
Alex Krainer believes that Trump could actually be trolling Starmer and the Brits by appearing to pursue this deal in the knowledge that it will be an embarrassment to them. Starmer has completed a 100 year deal with an expired President and maybe Trump is pointing this out in his inimitable manner. It is also possible that Trump is peeved that the UK has managed to secure an exploitative deal with Zelensky without consulting him; thereby elevating itself in the pecking order of states that are entitled to screw other states without his permission.
Anyway, this story will continue to run for some time yet and Trump has acknowledged that the deal must be approved by Ukraine’s RADA - which means that the Donald is being more democratic than I have given him credit for in my article. You can read more at Zero Hedge. However, Trump is also allowing Zelensky to sign a deal which may be invalidated because Zelensky may have no authority to do so.
You can view a summary of the draft deal here while b from the MoA provides some analysis on February 26th. The deal, which has been described as a form of ‘indentured servitude’, may not withstand legal challenges, it may be strongly opposed by Ukrainian Nationalists but it could persuade Trump to prolong the war. Such matters are complicated legally and I am no expert. I will discuss the deal further if it is authorised. Dissenting Ukrainian voices are already making themselves heard: some calling Zelensky a traitor. The deal does not offer security guarantees from the US.
In a recent twist, according to a Ukrainian source, the Europeans have offered Ukraine an alternative deal on the rare minerals which will benefit both sides unlike Trump’s deal.
World Politics
UNGA/UNSC
The first resolution to be tabled at the United Nations General Assembly was a Ukrainian one condemning Russia. 93 voted for, 18 against while 65 abstained. Unusually, Russia and the US both voted against while India and China abstained. But then the US tabled the following which formed the basis for a US resolution later accepted by the UNSC:
The General Assembly, expressing sorrow at the tragic loss of life during the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine, reaffirming that the primary purpose of the United Nations, as enshrined in the UN Charter, is the maintenance of international peace and security and the peaceful settlement of disputes, urges an immediate end to the conflict and also urges the establishment of a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
But European countries made amendments condemning Russia for invading ‘in violation of the UN charter’. Then the Russians added an amendment which asked for the conflict to be ended by eliminating the root causes - which was rejected. The UNGA resolution eventually agreed was critical of Russia.
However, the resolution finally agreed upon at the United Nations Security Council, which followed, did not contain criticism of Russia and was more in line with the US UNGA resolution quoted above. According to Tass:
UNITED NATIONS, February 25. /TASS/. The UN Security Council has adopted the US-drafted resolution on the conflict in Ukraine in its original form, rejecting amendments by both European countries and Russia, a TASS correspondent reported.
Ten members of the Security Council, including Russia, the US and China, voted in favor of the document, while five countries, including the UK and France, abstained. To pass a resolution in the UN Security Council, a minimum of nine votes in favor and the absence of vetoes by the permanent members, that is the US, Russia, China, the UK and France, is required.
The adopted resolution is written in a neutral tone. It expresses sorrow for those killed in the Ukrainian conflict and emphasizes the UN's role in maintaining international peace and security. It also calls for an end to the conflict and the establishment of a long-term peace between Ukraine and Russia.
Russia’s UN representative, Vasily Nebenzia, was pleased with the resolution passed though he was disappointed that Russia’s request for the root causes of the conflict to be addressed was not included. Unusually, the US voted alongside Russia to veto attempts by the Europeans to make the resolution more condemnatory of Russia. The Europeans were not at all pleased. You can read more at Zero Hedge.
German Election Results
Some will be disappointed that AfD didn’t do better (probably due to ant-AfD propaganda) but it is now the second largest party in Germany. Others were hoping for a much larger decline for the warmongering Greens and a larger showing for BSW (Sahra Wagenknecht) which will not be represented in the new parliament. The CDU/CSU has said that it will not form an alliance with the AfD. Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, has said that he will form a government by April 20th that will seek to gain independence from the US. He also said that sending troops to Ukraine is not on his agenda. I think Trump has probably changed many agendas.
But Merz has said that a Ukraine deal between the US and Russia in the absence of Europe and Ukraine would not be acceptable. It seems that policy towards Russia will not change in Germany which will remain roughly in the EU/Globalist camp - but the conservative complexion of the parliament may eventually prompt a change of direction. Many believe that following the next elections, the AfD will be in charge.
The results show a political divide that corresponds with the old East and West Germany before the wall came down 35 years ago. You can read more at Sputnik.
Interestingly, Merz suggested that NATO was no longer relevant in its current form. But the anticipated alliance between the CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats will be very much pro-war, promoting the militarisation of Europe.
G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting Johannesburg
The meeting, held in South Africa on the 21st and 22nd February, highlighted the divisions that exist between members as the US sends only a minor figure to attend. China’s Wang Yi called on all countries to work together to build a just world of common development through a free trade system according to WTO rules. Sergei Lavrov claimed that all countries welcomed the Riyadh talks between Russia and the US. Speaking at the meeting, Lavrov was scathing in his criticism of Rutte:
NATO Secretary General Rutte acts as if he were the president of a large and powerful country, and not a bureaucrat. He runs around the capitals of NATO countries, instructing Zelensky, telling him to stand his ground and not show weakness in the negotiations. This is a bacchanalia. Rutte is abusing his duties. Not all NATO members take such a rabid position, not all want to continue spending money on arming Ukraine and submit to Zelensky's wishes.
On the sidelines, many ministers held bilateral talks, including India and China. It seems that world conflicts were high on the agenda of the meeting.
Baerbock Barks
One of my subscribers coined the phrase ‘Relevance Deprivation’ in connection with the European leaders and it certainly applies to our dear Annalena. If you don’t back our line on Ukraine, she barks at Trump, you will face a ‘severance of ties’. In the manner of a little dachshund2 confronting a Great Dane, she warned the far larger hound that failing to back liberal democracies will ‘come at a price’. When she realises how small and irrelevant she is, it will come as a shock. The trouble is that many European countries are neither liberal nor democratic.
Work With Musk - Putin
In another sign of a changing world, Vladimir Putin has urged Gazprom to cooperate with Musk on ‘cutting edge’ ventures. It seems that the Russians are also hoping to cooperate with Musk in the space sector.
Peace Is More Dangerous Than War - Frederiksen
Danish PM, Mette Frederiksen who appears to have been drinking Orwellian syrup, has made the rather bizarre claim that it is more dangerous for the Ukrainians to make peace than stay at war:
I have to be honest and say that I don't believe Putin. I don't think he wants peace in Ukraine. I understand that many people think that a peaceful solution or a ceasefire sounds like a good idea, but we risk that peace in Ukraine is actually more dangerous than the war that is happening now.
What can I say! Tell that to the soldiers being killed and mutilated on the fronts.
Georgescu Arrested
On February 26th, Romanian Presidential candidate Călin Georgescu was arrested on charges of ‘anti-constitutional acts’ and ‘misreporting finances’. So, after JD Vance criticised the country for cancelling elections, they have now arrested the candidate they oppose. Donald Trump himself must have some empathy with this. Its seems that the globalists (including the US Democrats) are determined to keep on fighting Trump vicariously. US Secretary of State Marc Rubio has cancelled a meeting with Kaja Kallas due to scheduling difficulties. Well - I find it hard to believe this was the reason behind the cancellation just as I find it hard to believe that Georgescu faces any genuine charges. We shall see. Georgescu has been released but with huge restrictions: he has been gagged basically, as you can read here. The Romanian people, most of whom have voted for Georgescu, are not stupid and will probably be on the streets soon.
Protests
Bulgaria
Protesters in Bulgaria have set the entrance to the European Commissions’ Office on fire. Protesting against plans to replace the Lev currency with the Euro they burned effigies of EU Central Bank Chief Lagarde and her colleagues. They also burned the EU flag.
Moldova
Protesters took to the streets of Moldova to demand the resignation of President Sandu and they called for early Presidential and parliamentary elections.
Washington
Ukrainians protested in Washington against the sale of their country via the rare minerals deal.
Martyr’s Funerals
From the funeral of the martyred leaders of the resistance.. Aerial scenes of the Sports City in Beirut with the crowds gathering to bury the martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine, the two Secretary-Generals of Hezbollah
Israeli Soldier Kisses Hamas Fighters
On his release from captivity an Israeli soldier kissed six Hamas fighters on the forehead as you can see on X. Some in Tel Aviv were not pleased.
This moving episode made me think that human beings have a better chance of being human or expressing their humanity if oppressive governments didn’t get in the way.
The emerging Multi-Polar World
End Of An Era
German journalist, Tarik Cyril Amar, who works in Russia, examines, the position Europe finds itself in following remarks made by JD Vance and Trump which you can read at RT. Tarik provides the following summary of the European media’s panicked response:
It’s the “end of an era" and Germany is “in disarray.” And not just Germany: “Pandemonium” rages in Europe; the continent is under “assault.” Its elites are “shaken, anxious, and sometimes aghast,” as an “ideological war” has been declared against their fiefdom, which is being “left in the dust.” A big “boom” has sounded, and a “ferocious reckoning” is underway. In short, it’s a “European nightmare.”
Wow! Annalena is panicking along with everyone else.
The times they are a changing, someone once said, prematurely - but now new birds with new songs will sing.
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This has been another eventful week which has kept me busy - but I don’t mind.
Keep well and keep well informed. - Best Rob
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Starmer will be increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP over the next few years.
Someone else called her a chihuahua recently - forget who.
Excellent piece of work, thanks. So much happening every week. The arrest of the Romanian lad was a reminder, if one was needed, of the dark path Europe is currently taking. 'There's a bad moon on the rise' is perhaps more apt.
Good stuff, Rob. Thanks for compiling. Appreciate the labor.