Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 02-25-2025

The Verkhovna Rada adopted a resolution by a majority vote, saying an election will only happen after peace is established. Kyiv Post examines the implications of the decision.

Ukraine’s Verkhovna Rada passed a resolution Tuesday officially stating that Ukraine will hold elections only after “comprehensive, just, and lasting” peace is established in Ukraine.

The resolution, No. 13041, “On Supporting Democracy in Ukraine in the Conditions of Aggression by the Russian Federation,” was adopted amid pressure from both Russia and the United States.

Top of Starmer’s wish list is securing assurances from Trump that the US will provide a so-called backstop, to support any European troops sent to Ukraine to monitor a ceasefire.

UK leader Keir Starmer makes a high-stakes visit to the White House on Thursday to try to convince US President Donald Trump to provide security guarantees for Ukraine as part of any ceasefire agreement with Russia.

The British prime minister will seek to build on French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Washington on Monday, when he warned that peace cannot mean the “surrender” of Ukraine.

Zelensky could sign the deal as early as Friday.

Ukrainian officials said that Kyiv is ready to sign an agreement with the US on developing its mineral resources – including oil and gas – after Washington dropped demands for the right to $500 billion in potential revenue from exploiting Ukraine’s resources.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could sign an agreement in Washington as early as Friday, AFP reported, citing a Ukrainian official. 

Three years of full-scale invasion have caused damages worth 2.8 times the estimated nominal GDP of Ukraine for 2024.

The total cost of reconstruction and recovery after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, over the next decade will cost the Ukrainian economy $524 billion – approximately 2.8 times Ukraine’s estimated nominal GDP for 2024.

The United Nations, in collaboration with the Ukrainian government, the World Bank Group, and the European Commission released new estimates in an updated joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) for Ukraine. The report presented on Monday in Kyiv reads:

The Czech Republic, an EU and NATO member of 10.9 million people, mediated the supply of around 1.5 million shells to Ukraine in 2024.

Ukraine received 500,000 artillery shells bought outside Europe last year under an initiative spearheaded by Prague and supported by many other countries, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Tuesday.

A total of 18 countries including Canada, Germany and Portugal collected around $1.8 billion by June 2024 to buy 155mm shells for Ukraine, which has been battling Russia’s invasion since February 2022.

American demonstrators gathered in front of the US embassy in Kyiv on Tuesday in protest of the White House’s stance on Russia and the exclusion of Ukraine from peace negotiations.

About a dozen American demonstrators gathered in front of the US embassy in Kyiv to voice their opposition to the White House’s current efforts to end the war in Ukraine through bilateral negotiations with Russia – sidelining Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Many of the protesters held signs that condemned Russia as an enemy of the US and questioned why the US had turned its back on Ukraine.

The UK, as well as Baltic and Nordic nations are pushing for immediate action while France, Germany, and Italy are opposed.

Amid growing concerns that the United States may scale back its support for Kyiv, some European governments are considering seizing Russian assets that were immobilized after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which started Feb. 24 2022.

The EU holds the bulk of Russian frozen assets, with approximately €200 billion sitting in Brussels-based financial institution Euroclear, generating interest. By contrast, the US controls only around $5 billion.

A senior Brussels official reportedly said developing Ukraine’s rare earth minerals with Europe would be on fair terms, which is not something the US president is offering Kyiv.

It may not have been the negotiating outcome Donald J. Trump had been banking on.

A key piece of a White House plan to get a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine War – a sweetheart deal obliging Kyiv to hand over hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of mining rights to US big business in exchange for US arms sold at twice their list price – may have hit a snag on Monday when Ukrainian dealmakers found a more generous, Old-World suitor.

Kyiv Post’s Jason Smart interviews David DeBatto, a combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, who also served as an instructor at the US Army Reserve Counterintelligence Special Agent course.

The United States has ostensibly abdicated its role as leader of the free world – and in front of the United Nations, no less.

On the day that Ukraine was observing the third anniversary of Russia’s barbaric, full-scale war against it, the US, or rather the Trump administration, disgraced itself in the eye of the entire world and sent shock waves throughout it.

President Donald Trump and the sycophantic dilettantes he has surrounded himself with, publicly stabbed Ukraine and the entire democratic world in the back. But they also slapped America and everything it has stood for in the face.

Classic diplomacy is dead in Washington DC. Now with Trump in the White House, a new approach is needed – one the Ukrainian president is eminently suited for.

I spent much of the last week talking my Ukrainian friends on the balconies of their apartment building or advising them to lock their kitchen knives in the trunks of their cars.

It was a horrific week for Ukrainian morale.

A French official told The Telegraph that stationing its nuclear-capable fighters in Germany would send a clear message to Vladimir Putin.

France is prepared to extend its nuclear deterrent to protect Europe, potentially deploying fighter aircraft capable of being armed with nuclear weapons to Germany.

As per The Telegraph report, the move comes as concerns grow over the future of US military commitments to the continent.

The 1917 speed record of “Ten Days That Shook the World” has been replaced – this time it only took six.

Within the space of a week, bookended by US President Donald Trump’s Feb. 12 phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Feb. 18 US-Russian kumbaya in Saudi Arabia, there was the annual Munich Security Conference. The week’s events pretty much ended the 80-year run of international world order as we have known it, threw NATO under a bus, and included the $500 billion shakedown by Trump to make Ukraine “compensate” the US for past and future aid.

Trump-approved multinationals should apparently be allowed to dig up Ukraine’s black earth for even rarer earth. And what about Ukraine’s almost unilateral effort to protect the US and Europe? Ridiculous, according to Trump, who is clearly of the view that Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky owes him and sees no threat from his buddy Putin.

An official Chinese press release after the all said the two nations are “good neighbors that cannot be moved away” and vowed “long-term” developments.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping had a phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Monday and discussed bilateral cooperation and Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The phone call coincided with the third anniversary of Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion, but instead of collapsing, Ukraine stood firm - lives changed forever, a nation united, and now, Ukrainians write letters to their past selves.

On Feb 24, 2022, the world for millions of Ukrainians was split into a “before” and “after.” We all became different - stronger, more exhausted, but undeniably changed.

But what if we had the chance to warn our past selves? What would we tell those who had yet to learn the sound of air raid sirens, the weight of an evacuation backpack, the terror of explosions, and the unbearable grief of loss and rage?

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen urged European nations to remove “all self-imposed red lines” and scale up military and financial assistance to Ukraine.

“The best thing about heroes is that they always win at the end. And if they aren’t winning, then it’s not the end,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said as she addressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other Western leaders in Kyiv on the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

At the beginning of her speech, Frederiksen praised Ukraine’s resilience and called for immediate and increased support from Europe while 

Heading into its fourth year of full-scale war, Ukraine’s economy has been battered. But transitioning back to some semblance of normality will not happen overnight.

Despite the push from US President Donald Trump’s administration to get a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia by midyear, Ukraine’s economy cannot sharply transition from a war-time economy to sudden recovery – no matter how quickly the peace negotiations develop or what demands are levied on Ukraine by foreign partners or adversaries, National Bank of Ukraine Deputy Governor Sergiy Nikolaychuk told Kyiv Post.

Yet the hope that Trump will end the war and broker a peace deal has already pushed Ukraine’s Eurobond price up by 22-71%.

Starmer’s visit comes hot on the heels of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said after talks with Trump in Washington on Monday that he believed “there is a path forward”.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will walk a diplomatic tightrope Thursday when he visits the White House seeking to avoid major disagreements with US President Donald Trump on several thorny subjects.

His visit comes hot on the heels of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said after talks with Trump in Washington on Monday that he believed “there is a path forward”.

To unpack the complex situation, Kyiv finds itself in, TVP World was joined by Bohdan Nahaylo, Editor-in-Chief of the Kyiv Post.

Music is a powerful symbol of Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression, songs of war echo through trenches, shelters and liberated cities - the voice of a nation that refuses to surrender.

As well as the challenges faced by the full nation by the full-scale war inflicted on Ukraine in 2022 it has been a powerful source of artistic expression. Music represents a potent symbol of resistance, hope, and unity. Many older songs have taken on new, deeply symbolic meanings while others were forged in the fire of war, giving voice to Ukraine’s unbreakable spirit.

Here are some of the songs that have become the soundtrack of this war for Ukrainians:

The Russian president said he would “work with pleasure” with any foreign investors to develop Russia’s mineral resources, including those in occupied Ukraine.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Monday he is open to foreign investments – including those from the US – to develop mineral resources in Russia and occupied Ukraine.

After summoning a cabinet meeting to discuss Russia’s mineral and rare earth resources, Putin said in televised comments that Russia “must do more” to utilize the country’s leading global reserves, adding that he would “work with pleasure” with foreign investments to explore those resources, including those in “new territories,” namely regions in occupied Ukraine.

Polish FM Radosław Sikorski has said that Warsaw supports peace in Ukraine, but only one that is “stable and with justice,” warning that a Russian victory could have consequences for global security.

Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has said that Warsaw supports peace in Ukraine, but only one that is “stable and with justice,” as he warned that a Russian victory could have consequences for global security.

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, Sikorski delivered a scathing rebuke of Russia as he cautioned member states that appeasing Moscow would not bring peace but further embolden Russian aggression. 

Domestic bonds swapped for the first time after restructuring, Trump’s harsh statements cause Eurobond prices to slide, higher demand for currency does not impact hryvnia. Weekly Insight for Feb. 24

Bonds: Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance launches local bond swap auctions

Last week, Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) held two primary auctions, a regular auction and a swap auction, which is a new type of auctions for the local bond market.

Still, the MoF did not manage to increase borrowings. The MoF’s usual primary auction, held last Tuesday, offered two military bills. The Ministry accepted all bids without changes in the cut-off rate and borrowed just UAH249m.

In an interview airing on state television, Putin expressed agreement with Donald Trump on numerous points but said European countries could also play a role in ending the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that European countries, as well as others, can participate in talks to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.

In an interview airing on state television, Putin expressed agreement with US President Donald Trump on numerous points but said European countries could also play a role in ending the fighting in Ukraine.

This same text backed by the Trump White House had been presented the day before at the UN General Assembly, where it was passed with three amendments introduced by European countries.

The UN Security Council has approved a “neutral” resolution on Ukraine, proposed by the United States, with 10 votes in favor and 5 abstentions. The countries that abstained were the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia. No country voted against the resolution.

The meeting was held on the evening of Feb. 24 – the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

According to Ukraine’s military intel chief, Russia plans to create an empire modeled on the USSR, with Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Bulgaria as its next targets.

Russia does not see itself as a federation; it sees itself as an empire, said the head of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, speaking at the YES conference event held in Kyiv by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation on Feb. 24 – the third anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion – as reported by a Kyiv Post journalist.

“The empire that the current leadership of the Russian Federation is leaning toward is modeled after the Soviet Union – but with the countries of the Warsaw Pact,” Budanov said, adding, “Imagine the worst-case scenario, and yet it happened that three countries united into one, even though that is almost impossible.”

The latest attack comes a day after the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine which has killed tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides in the Kremlin’s eleven-year-old war.

Russia launched a large missile attack on Ukraine early Tuesday morning, Feb. 25, using 213 Shahed attack drones, simulator drones, and 7 X-101 cruise missiles fired from TU-95MS strategic bombers,  just hours after a summit in Kyiv marking the third anniversary of the war. 

Ukrainian air defense forces, including aircraft, anti-aircraft missile systems, electronic warfare units, and mobile fire groups, successfully intercepted many of the incoming threats.

Russia has massively ramped up military spending since launching its offensive in Ukraine in 2022, boosting economic growth but also inflation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday backed a suggestion by US counterpart Donald Trump for Russia, the United States and China to all cut their defence budgets in half.

“I think it’s a good idea. The US would cut by 50 percent and we would cut by 50 percent and then China would join if it wanted,” Putin said in a televised interview.

As Russia’s war on Ukraine drags on, it seems timely to review what some world leaders said on the then-named Twitter on Feb. 24, 2022, the day Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

Three years ago on Feb. 24, 2022, missiles rained down across Ukraine, gunfire was heard across major cities, and bombers were seen screeching overhead – Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine had begun.

The war has since morphed into the largest war in Europe since WWII and was met with condemnation and consternation alike. But three years into the war, a lot has changed – politicians have come and gone, and some have stayed true to their opinions, for better or worse.

Historical precedents set by previous “peace summits” suggests that the stage could be being prepared for another chapter in US “cut and run” diplomacy.

After years of promising never to abandon their close allies following peace talks with South Vietnam in Paris in January 1973, and the Government of Afghanistan in Doha in February 2000 Washington did just that. This month’s meeting between the US and Russia about Ukraine in Saudi Arabia has the same feel and aroma about it.

… the Ukrainian war has cost, President Zelensky recently admitted 43,000 military deaths and 198,000 wounded. Russian casualties are estimated at over 800,000…

In those two earlier wars, the US had contributed years of blood and cash to prop up its ally. In both these “peace” processes – because a just peace was not the outcome – the ally was not even present as Washington negotiated the terms and set the pace of its exit from those conflicts, despite their prior investment.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from the ISW:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago on February 24, 2022. Ukraine has not been defeated or destroyed but remains resilient and innovative in the face of this unjustified Russian aggression.
• Russia has accumulated unsustainable personnel and vehicle losses in the last three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
• The United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed a Ukrainian- and European-backed resolution on February 24 commemorating the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine that recognized Russia as the aggressor in the war, called for a just peace in Ukraine, and supported Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
• Recent polling indicates that Russians are increasingly supportive of Russia continuing the war in Ukraine until it achieves complete Ukrainian capitulation but are simultaneously starting to feel the economic toll of the three years of Russia’s war – casting doubt on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ability to continue to balance “butter and guns” at home in the medium- to long-term.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin currently remains committed to continuing his war in Ukraine despite rising domestic political and economic pressure and has shown no indication that he is rethinking his determination to compel Ukraine to surrender.
• Kremlin officials formally rejected the possibility of a ceasefire on any terms other than the complete capitulation of Ukraine and the West on February 24, further underscoring Russia’s unwillingness to make compromises during future peace negotiations.
• European leaders announced a series of new aid packages during their visit to Kyiv on February 24 for the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion on February 24.
• Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Chasiv Yar, Pokrovsk, and Velyka Novosilka.
• The Kremlin continues to use Muslim religious and cultural structures in Russia for military recruitment.

An email from the world’s richest man tells US government employees from Defense to FBI to leave, setting a Monday deadline, as Republicans plead: “These are real lives, these are mortgages.”

US President Donald Trump’s right-hand adviser charged with gutting the government, Elon Musk, said on Monday night that federal workers who do not respond to an email they received over the weekend telling them to “state their weekly accomplishments” will be given another opportunity “subject to the discretion of the President,” and warned that they would still be fired if they didn’t reply a second time, the Associated Press reported.

Unions for federal workers have filed a lawsuit to block the mass firings of probationary federal employees by President Donald Trump’s administration, alleging that officials are exploiting and misusing the probationary period to eliminate staff across government agencies, AP said.