The latest on the events in Ukraine, the USA, and Russia as of the morning of March 3 is presented in this summary from Tengrinews.kz.
"Coalition of Willing" Makes Important Decisions to Assist Ukraine
Following the scandal at the White House, which led to the early departure of the Ukrainian president from the USA, EU leaders gathered in London for a summit.
At the meeting, European leaders expressed strong support for the Ukrainian president and pledged to do more to assist his country.
Photo: t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom announced four steps to provide aid to Ukraine:
- Continue military assistance to Ukraine for the duration of the war and increase economic pressure on Russia.
- Any lasting peace must ensure the sovereignty and security of Ukraine, and Ukraine must be at the negotiating table.
- In the event of a peace agreement, European leaders will strive to prevent any future Russian incursions into Ukraine.
- A "coalition of willing" will be formed to protect Ukraine and ensure peace in the country. The UK, Ukraine, France, and several other countries will establish this "coalition of willing" and create a peace plan to present to Trump.
"Today we stand at a crossroads in history. Now is not the time for further discussions. It is time to act. Time to step forward, to lead, and to unite around a new plan for a just and lasting peace," said UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The Media Has Learned Some Details of Europe’s Peace Plan for Ukraine
French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer proposed a phased ceasefire in Ukraine, which includes a moratorium on strikes and the possible deployment of peacekeeping forces, according to the French newspaper Le Figaro.
The plan includes:
- A month-long ceasefire covering airspace, maritime areas, and energy;
- Control of the front, which, according to Macron, stretches from Paris to Budapest, will be complex, so the parties should use this period for negotiations.
- The deployment of European troops in Ukraine is not currently planned - any potential deployment will only be considered after peace agreements are signed.
"It is important to use this time to achieve a realistic ceasefire, to negotiate, and, after signing the peace, to carry out the deployment," said French President Emmanuel Macron.
The office of the Ukrainian president commented on the outcomes of the summit of European leaders held in London on Sunday.
As reported by RBC-Ukraine, there is a clear position among leaders regarding a potential ceasefire with Russia:
- It must be based on strong security guarantees;
- Specifically, the involvement of NATO mechanisms to strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine is being considered;
- The ceasefire should begin with a prisoner exchange and the return of children.
After the summit, King Charles III of the UK met with Vladimir Zelensky
During the meeting, journalists again noted the attire of the Ukrainian president - Zelensky, as in his visit to the USA, did not wear a suit.
Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official
It is worth noting that before and after the altercation at the White House, Zelensky's clothing attracted the attention of Donald Trump himself and some journalists, who characterized it as "disrespectful to the Oval Office."
It seems that King Charles III had no issues with this, as commentators noted immediately after the meeting.
Republicans and Democrats React to the "Altercation in the Oval Office"
Leading Republicans from the Trump administration want Zelensky to "either resign or change course."
Trump's national security advisor Mike Waltz stated that the administration is unclear whether Zelensky is prepared to negotiate to end the war.
"We need a leader who can deal with us, and ultimately with the Russians, and put an end to this war. If it becomes clear that the personal or political motives of President Zelensky are not directed towards ending the hostilities in his country, then I think we will have a real problem," Waltz said on CNN.
"The fierce confrontation of US President Donald Trump with Vladimir Zelensky in the Oval Office was a planned political robbery, a trap set by the Trump administration to discredit the Ukrainian leader and eliminate him as an obstacle," CNN reported.
Waltz called this assertion "absolute nonsense," and the Trump administration demanded that Ukrainians change their position.
"We will be ready to resume engagement when they are ready to make peace," said Secretary of State Marco Rubio on ABC's This Week.
"No one here is claiming that Vladimir Putin will win the Nobel Peace Prize this year. You won't get them to the negotiating table if you insult them and act hostile," Rubio said.
"Something needs to change. Either he needs to come to his senses and return to the negotiating table with gratitude, or someone else needs to lead the country to do so," said House Speaker Mike Johnson on NBC's Meet the Press.
US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated that the US will not provide funding to Ukraine without a peace proposal from Zelensky.
FBI Director Kashyap Patel stated that he has tasked Congress with investigating where hundreds of billions of dollars sent to Ukraine have gone. According to him, there are many reasons for concern because "Ukraine is a place for money laundering and corruption."
US Senator Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont who supports the Democrats, rejected suggestions that Zelensky should resign.
"I think that's a terrible suggestion. Zelensky is leading a country trying to defend democracy from the authoritarian dictator Putin, who invaded his country," Sanders said on Meet the Press.
Democrats expressed outrage at the tone of Trump's meeting with the Ukrainian leader.
US Senator Chris Murphy from Connecticut criticized the White House for aligning with Russia rather than other democratic countries.
"What is happening now is a complete disgrace. The White House has become a tool of the Kremlin. The entire pretext for this meeting... was an attempt to rewrite history to strike a deal with Putin that would hand Ukraine over to him. This is catastrophic for US national security," Chris Murphy stated on CNN's State of the Union.
Protests in the USA Continue in Support of Ukraine and Criticism of President Trump
Over 1000 people protested in downtown Chicago on Sunday.
‼️🚨 Protests in Chicago, USA, organized by Democrats in support of Zelensky, taking place in front of Trump Towers.
— SilencedSirs◼️ (@SilentlySirs) March 1, 2025
Demonstrators are holding signs that read: “Damn you, Trump!” pic.twitter.com/LBLZGKX8Ts
The protest took place at the Chicago Water Tower on Michigan Avenue, on Chicago Avenue. It was there that US Senator Dick Durbin (Democrat from Illinois) spoke to the crowd, reaffirming his support for Ukraine.
The demonstrators then took to the streets, and a crowd of over 1000 people gathered at Daley Plaza in the Loop. They shouted "Boo!" imitating gunfire when President Trump appeared on the digital screen of CBS Chicago across from Dearborn Street from the plaza.
The group that organized the rally on Sunday stated that this would be the first of many rallies in the area that would continue as long as concerns about the war grow.
Pro-Ukrainian protests took place the day before in Vermont, Boston, New York, and other cities across the USA.
Zelensky Responds to Journalists' Questions After the EU Summit in London
On the altercation with US President Trump in the Oval Office: "Regarding the preservation of relations, I think our relationship will continue. I don't think it's right when such discussions are completely open. ... The format of what happened, I don't think it brought anything positive or additional to us as partners."
On his resignation: "I can be exchanged for NATO. I said that I would exchange for NATO membership, which means I have fulfilled my mission. But it will be hard to replace me."
On the agreement to end the war in Ukraine: "We are still very,