The Daily Populous Sunday March 2nd, 2025 night edition
Authored by theguardian.com and submitted by meldirlobor

From 8h ago 17.52 GMT Starmer told Zelenskyy that the cheering crowds outside Downing Street showed “you have full backing across the United Kingdom”. Speaking inside Number 10, he told the Ukrainian president: “Let me just say that you’re very, very welcome here in Downing Street. “And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom, and we stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take. “I hope you heard some of that cheering on the street. “That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you, how much they support Ukraine, and our absolute determination to stand with you – unwavering determination – and to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace. “A lasting peace for Ukraine based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine – so important for Ukraine, so important for Europe and so important for the United Kingdom. “So I’m much looking forward to our discussions here this afternoon – thank you very much for making the time to come.” Ukraine's Zelenskyy meets Britain's Starmer in Londo ahead of a bilateral meeting. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA Share Updated at 19.50 GMT

4h ago 21.27 GMT Closing summary We’re going to wrap up this live coverage now, it’s almost 4:30pm in Washington DC and 11:30pm in Kyiv. You can read the top lines on the meeting between Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy in our full report here, and below is an overview of all the latest. Thanks for reading. Ukrainians have rallied behind Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his mauling on Friday in the White House, and have accused Donald Trump and the US vice-president, JD Vance, of deliberately and cynically “starting a brawl.” Zelenskyy thanked the American people and leadership and voiced hope for “strong relations.”

Zelenskyy on Saturday arrived in London ahead of a summit on Sunday organized by British prime minister Keir Starmer with other European leaders. The summit will also include leaders from France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania, as well as the NATO secretary-general and the presidents of the European Commission and European Council.

Starmer “restated his determination to finding a path that ends Russia’s illegal war” when he met Zelensky at Downing Street on Saturday, No 10 has said. Giving a readout of the two leaders’ meeting, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine, adding that the UK will always stand with them, for as long as it takes.”

The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, said yesterday’s fracas between Trump and Zelenskyy was “unfortunate” and they should repair their relationship. “I have been twice on the phone now with President Zelenskyy. I told him this, we need to stick together, the United States, Ukraine and Europe, to bring Ukraine to a durable peace,” said Rutte.

The US national security adviser, Mike Waltz, has given Fox News a first-person account of the moment he told a “still argumentative” Zelenskyy it was time to leave the White House. Waltz said he told Zelenskyy: “Time is not on your side here. Time is not on your side on the battlefield. Time is not on your side in terms of the world situation, and, most importantly, US aid and the taxpayers’ tolerance is not unlimited.”

The Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said Zelenskyy’s visit to Washington was Kyiv’s diplomatic failure, and that the Ukrainian president rejected peace, and was obsessed with continuing the war. Share Updated at 21.28 GMT

5h ago 21.11 GMT Protesters gathered in Waitsfield, Vermont, on Saturday to protest vice president JD Vance, who is visiting the state with his family for a ski trip. The demonstration the morning after the clash between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump, who was joined by Vance in the Oval Office. Some of the demonstrators are part of Indivisible, a left-wing political group founded in response to Donald Trump’s election as president in 2016. Allow content provided by a third party? This article includes content hosted on embed.bsky.app. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click 'Allow and continue'. Allow and continue Meanwhile, a protest has also erupted in SpaceX’s facilities in Southern California. Protesters were seen waving the Ukranian flag. Share

5h ago 20.57 GMT Susan Rice, former US Ambassador to the United Nations, denied the baseless conspiracy theory alleging she and other Democrats spoke with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy before his meeting with president Donald Trump. “For the record, I have never met Zelenskyy and never spoken to him. Ever. Or advised him or anybody around him,” she said in a post on X. The conspiracy claims that Rice, Antony Blinken, Victoria Nuland, and Alexander Vindman advised Zelenskyy to “stand strong” and be “tough” against Trump. Share Updated at 22.46 GMT

5h ago 20.37 GMT The UK and Ukraine have agreed a £2.26bn loan to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, finance minister Serhiy Marchenko announced on X. Marchenko said that the funds are “ensured by frozen Russian assets.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Keir Starmer, along with chancellor Rachel Reeves, held a video call with Marchenko. Marchenko said that he was “grateful” to the UK for “holding the aggressor accountable for the war”. Share

6h ago 20.18 GMT Czech prime minister Petr Fiala said that “Europe is facing a great historical test,” and that it has to be able to take care of itself. “Nobody else will do it.”

Fila said Saturday that Europe has to increase its military support for Ukraine and European countries have to increase their arms spending to reach “at least” 3% of GDP.

“If we do not increase our efforts quickly enough, allowing the aggressor to dictate the terms, we will not end well,” he said. Europe is facing a great historical test. It must take care of its own security and future. No one else will do it for us.

If we do not want an aggressive Russia to continue expanding just a few hundred kilometers from our homes, we must increase military support for Ukraine.… — Petr Fiala (@P_Fiala) March 1, 2025 Share

6h ago 19.57 GMT French president Emmanuel Macron spoke with both Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US president Donald Trump following their confrontation at the White House, according to Agence France-Presse. In an interview with Tribune Dimanche on Sunday, Macron called for a return to calm and respect, and emphasized the need to move forward, as the stakes were too high. Share

6h ago 19.38 GMT European leaders defend Zelenskyy after confrontation with Trump “A new era of wickedness has begun,” said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock on Saturday, Reuters reports, calling for Germany to release an additional 3 billion euros ($3.1 billion) in aid for Ukraine. View image in fullscreen German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock addresses the media during a statement in Berlin, Germany, March 1, 2025. (Michael Ukas/dpa via AP) Ukrainian lawmaker Andrii Osadchuk said the tone from Donald Trump and vice president JD Vance was in line with prior rhetoric, and that Kyiv’s other Western partners needed to do more. “Not just a lot, but probably everything will depend on Europe - both for itself and for Ukraine,” Osadchuk said. Former president Petro Poroshenko, Zelenskyy’s main domestic political rival, said it was not the time to criticise Zelenskyy but that he hoped the president had a “Plan B”. Share

7h ago 19.18 GMT A baseless conspiracy theory is circulating among pro-Trump social media users alleging that high-profile Democratic figures Antony Blinken, Susan Rice, Victoria Nuland, and Alexander Vindman held a conference call with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his flight to Washington. The conspiracy theory went viral, with Republicans including US special envoy, Richard Grenell, spreading the baseless claim. The claim suggests that they advised him to “stand strong” and be “tough” against president Donald Trump before the confrontation between Zelenskyy, Trump, and vice president JD Vance in the Oval Office took place. Worth noting: The initial claim, posted by a pro-Trump author on social media, provided no source or evidence and was later acknowledged by herself as speculation. Share

7h ago 18.58 GMT Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet King Charles on Sunday as part of his visit to the UK. He is due to speak to the king on the same day as Keir Starmer’s defence summit of European leaders in London. It will take place at Sandringham, the Sun newspaper reported. At Downing Street on Saturday, Zelenskyy said: “I’m very happy that his majesty the king accepted my meeting tomorrow.” Share Updated at 19.03 GMT

7h ago 18.53 GMT President Zelenskyy has left Downing Street after his meeting with Keir Starmer. Share Updated at 18.55 GMT

7h ago 18.26 GMT A Russian missile struck port facilities in Ukraine’s southern city of Odesa on Saturday, injuring two port workers and damaging infrastructure and a vessel, regional governor Oleh Kiper said. Kiper, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said the strike damaged a Panamanian-flagged vessel belonging to a European company. He said emergency crews were at the site and medics were treating the two injured men. Facilities at the three Black Sea ports around the city have been frequent Russian targets in the three-year-old war pitting Moscow against Kyiv. Share

8h ago 18.03 GMT Inside Number 10, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “With pleasure, thank you very much Keir, Mr Prime Minister, happy to be here. “Really, I saw a lot of people, and I want to thank you, people of the United Kingdom, such big support from the very beginning of this war, thank you, your team. “And I’m very happy that His Majesty the King accepted my meeting tomorrow, and I’m thankful that you organised such great summit for tomorrow. “And we are very happy in Ukraine that we have such strategic partners, we’ve signed with you historic document.” The prime minister interjected “the 100-year agreement” before the Ukrainian president continued: “Yeah, we have only with you such documents, with the United Kingdom, so we’re happy and we count on your support and really, really, really happy that we have such partners and such friends.” Starmer added “fantastic” and the two leaders shook hands. Share

8h ago 17.52 GMT Starmer told Zelenskyy that the cheering crowds outside Downing Street showed “you have full backing across the United Kingdom”. Speaking inside Number 10, he told the Ukrainian president: “Let me just say that you’re very, very welcome here in Downing Street. “And as you heard from the cheers on the street outside, you have full backing across the United Kingdom, and we stand with you, with Ukraine, for as long as it may take. “I hope you heard some of that cheering on the street. “That is the people of the United Kingdom coming out to demonstrate how much they support you, how much they support Ukraine, and our absolute determination to stand with you – unwavering determination – and to achieve what we both want to achieve, which is a lasting peace. “A lasting peace for Ukraine based on sovereignty and security for Ukraine – so important for Ukraine, so important for Europe and so important for the United Kingdom. “So I’m much looking forward to our discussions here this afternoon – thank you very much for making the time to come.” View image in fullscreen Ukraine's Zelenskyy meets Britain's Starmer in Londo ahead of a bilateral meeting. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA Share Updated at 19.50 GMT

8h ago 17.42 GMT President Zelenskyy told Starmer “we count on your support” and said he was thankful to the UK. Share Updated at 17.46 GMT

8h ago 17.39 GMT Keir Starmer told Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy he has “full backing across the United Kingdom and we stand with Ukraine for as long as it may take” as the pair met inside Downing Street on Saturday evening. Share Updated at 17.46 GMT

8h ago 17.37 GMT View image in fullscreen Keir Starmer meets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London, a day after the Ukraine president’s turbulent visit to the White House to meet with Donald Trump. Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Share Updated at 17.44 GMT

LiminalSpace567 on March 1st, 2025 at 19:34 UTC »

My admiration for him grows immensely each time.

President Zelensky - a great and honorable leader.

He has totally set aside his personal pride, physical comforts, safety, and rest for his people. He accepted that his people should not suffer because of the fights between two heads of states.

I am more than overwhelned by his magnanimity.

At the same time, it is utterly heartbreaking why a plea for peace and respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity are that hard to be guaranteed and recognized. Why the greedy, selfish and cruel leaders get to be rewarded with riches and accorded with respect.

I will share this over and over, Gov JB Pritzker's speech on how to spot an idiot. that in all these, Pres Zelensky stood as the smartest leader among all nations, involved in this conflict, one way or the other. I cannot see any leader greater than him now, who can lead and represent the free world.

His message reflects that type of human being he is. KIND, REASONABLE, GRATEFUL. But also, i feel that, it works to his advantage that he is undermined as a leader coz tbh, he is so intelligent with all his actions and words even after that WH assault. Calculated, intentional,, clear and goal oriented. He does not suffer from an amygdala hijack, just as much as Krasov has constantly suffer each time.

Illinois Gov. Pritzker 🗣️: "'The best way to spot an idiot, look for the person who is cruel... In order to be kind, we have to shut down that animal instinct and force our brain to travel a different pathway.

Empathy and compassion are evolved states of being. They require the mental capacity to step past our most primal urges. Empathy and kindness are considered weak. Many important people look at the vulnerable only as rungs on a ladder to the top. I'm here to tell you that when someone's path through this world is marked with acts of cruelty, they have failed the first test of an advanced society. They never forced their animal brain to evolve past its first instinct. They never forged new mental pathways to overcome their own instinctual fears. And so their thinking and problem solving will lack the imagination and creativity that the kindest people have in spades.

Over my many years in politics and business, I have found one thing to be universally true. The kindest person in the room is often the smartest."

eesti55 on March 1st, 2025 at 18:27 UTC »

I feel sad for him. He’s literally handling the war that was forced upon him by Putin and now he’s being bullied by Trump and JD Vance in the Oval Office. This sucks man

meldirlobor on March 1st, 2025 at 18:23 UTC »

Here is President Zelenskyy's full statement expressing gratitude to the US...

We are very grateful to the United States for all the support. I’m thankful to President Trump, Congress for their bipartisan support, and American people. Ukrainians have always appreciated this support, especially during these three years of full-scale invasion.

America’s help has been vital in helping us survive, and I want to acknowledge that. Despite the tough dialogue, we remain strategic partners. But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals.

It’s crucial for us to have President Trump’s support. He wants to end the war, but no one wants peace more than we do. We are the ones living this war in Ukraine. It’s a fight for our freedom, for our very survival.

As President Reagan once said: ‘Peace is not just the absence of war.’ We’re talking about just and lasting peace – freedom, justice, and human rights for everyone. A ceasefire won’t work with Putin. He has broken ceasefires 25 times over the last 10 years. A real peace is the only solution.

We are ready to sign the minerals agreement, and it will be the first step toward security guarantees. But it’s not enough, and we need more than just that. A ceasefire without security guarantees is dangerous for Ukraine. We’ve been fighting for three years, and Ukrainian people need to know that America is on our side.

I cannot change Ukraine’s position on Russia. The Russians are killing us. Russia is the enemy, and that’s the reality we face. Ukraine wants peace, but it must be a just and lasting peace. For that, we need to be strong at the negotiation table. Peace can only come when we know we have security guarantees, when our army is strong, and our partners are with us.

We want peace. That’s why I came to the United States, and visited President Trump. The deal on minerals is just a first step toward security guarantees and getting closer to peace. Our situation is tough, but we can’t just stop fighting and not having guarantees that Putin will not return tomorrow.

It will be difficult without the US support. But we can’t lose our will, our freedom, or our people. We’ve seen how Russians came to our homes and killed many people. Nobody wants another wave of occupation. If we cannot be accepted to Nato, we need some clear structure of security guarantees from our allies in the US.

Europe is ready for contingencies and to help fund our large army. We also need the US role in defining security guarantees – what kind, what volume, and when. Once these guarantees are in place, we can talk with Russia, Europe, and the US about diplomacy. War alone is too long, and we don’t have enough weapons to push them out entirely.

When someone talks about losses, every single life matters. Russia invaded our homes, killed our people, and tried to erase us. This isn’t just about territories or numbers – it’s about real lives. That’s what we need everyone to understand.

I want the US to stand more firmly on our side. This is not just a war between our two countries; Russia brought this war on to our territory and into our homes. They are wrong because they disrespected our territorial integrity.

All Ukrainians want to hear a strong US position on our side. It’s understandable the US might look for dialogue with Putin. But the US has always spoken about ‘peace through strength’. And together we can take strong steps against Putin.

Our relationship with the American president is more than just two leaders; it’s a historic and solid bond between our peoples. That’s why I always begin with words of gratitude from our nation to the American nation.

American people helped save our people. Humans and human rights come first. We’re truly thankful. We want only strong relations with America, and I really hope we will have them