Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday his country remained ready to sign a rare earth minerals deal with the United States, and that he believes he can salvage relations with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Speaking to reporters after a gathering of European leaders in Britain, Zelenskyy said he thinks the United States will also be ready to sign the minerals deal, but may “need time to analyze some things.”

The two sides had been expected to sign an agreement last week during a Zelenskyy visit to the White House, but the arrangement fell apart after acrimonious verbal exchanges during a meeting with Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance.

Zelenskyy said Sunday that Ukraine counts on U.S. aid in its fight against Russia’s three-year-old invasion.

“I think stopping such assistance will only help [Russian President Vladimir] Putin,” Zelenskyy said.  “And because of that, I think that the United States and representatives of the civilized world, leaders of this world, definitely won’t help Putin.”

Trump cast Zelenskyy as ungrateful during their Friday meeting and has sought the minerals deal as a way to reimburse the United States for the billions of dollars in aid it has provided to Ukraine.

Trump has promoted the need to end the war, and has held a phone call with Putin in addition to senior U.S. officials meeting with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to discuss a potential peace deal without Ukrainian officials involved in the talks.

“We should spend less time worrying about Putin, and more time worrying about migrant rape gangs, drug lords, murderers, and people from mental institutions entering our Country – So that we don’t end up like Europe!” Trump posted Sunday on his Truth Social platform.

That followed the talks Sunday in London during which British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told 18 allies that with the United States wavering in its support for Ukraine, Europe finds itself “at a crossroads in history.” 

“This is not a moment for more talk — it’s time to act. It’s time to step up and lead and unite around a new plan for a just and enduring peace,” Starmer said. 

The British leader said that with no guarantee of U.S. involvement to act as a support backup for would-be peacekeeping forces, “Europe must do the heavy lifting” in securing peace in Ukraine. He said there was a “coalition of the willing” ready to help defend any truce. 

Meanwhile, Trump’s national security adviser, Michael Waltz, speaking about Zelenskyy, told CNN’s “State of the Union” show Sunday, “What was not clear to us was whether he shared our goal of ending this war. It was not clear he was ready to go to peace.”  

Unlike in Washington, Zelenskyy was warmly embraced at the summit by many of the European heads of state, along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NATO chief Mark Rutte. Zelenskyy supporters rallied outside Starmer’s residence in support of Ukraine.  

As the leaders gathered Sunday, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned, “We urgently have to rearm Europe” and “prepare for the worst” on the continent.  

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, called for the United States and Europe to “speak with one voice” in showing Russian President Vladimir Putin “that the West has no intention of capitulating before his blackmail and aggression.”  

In addition to attending the security summit, Zelenskyy met with King Charles at his Sandringham estate in England. 

Starmer, when he first greeted Zelenskyy on Saturday, unveiled a $2.84 billion loan agreement to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, to be paid back with the profits of immobilized sovereign Russian assets. 

The Kremlin said in remarks aired Sunday that the United States’ dramatic shift in Europe foreign policy toward Russia is largely aligned with Moscow’s vision. 

“The new administration is rapidly changing all foreign policy configurations. This largely coincides with our vision,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an interview with Russian state television that was recorded last Wednesday. 

No peace negotiations are scheduled. 

Trump national security adviser Waltz said that eventually Russia and Ukraine will have to make negotiating concessions to reach a peace deal. “There will be all kinds of carrots and sticks to get this done,” he said.  

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also stressed the importance of both sides coming to the negotiating table.  

“We are trying to end a war,” Rubio said. “You cannot end a war unless both sides come to the table, starting with the Russians. And that is the point the president has made.”  

“I’m not promising you it’s possible,” he added. “I’m not telling you it’s 90% likely. I’m saying it’s 0% likely if we don’t get them to a negotiating table. And the sooner everyone grows up around here and figures out that this is a bad war that’s heading in a bad direction with death and destruction and all kinds of danger surrounding it that could spiral into a broader conflict, the sooner people grow up and realize that I think the more progress we’re going to be able to make.”  

Starmer said Britain, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the United States. Some European countries have said they are willing to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine to help enforce a would-be peace agreement but need the U.S. to provide backup military support to confront Russia in the event Putin agrees to a ceasefire and then violates it or launches a new invasion.  

Trump has rejected sending such U.S. support and said he trusts Putin to honor any settlement of the war that he agrees to.  

Starmer said he does not trust Putin but does trust Trump.   

“Do I believe Donald Trump when he says he wants lasting peace? The answer to that is yes,” he said.   

Starmer said there are “intense discussions” to get a security guarantee from the U.S. as one of several components for a lasting peace.   

“If there is to be a deal, if there is to be a stopping of the fighting, then that agreement has to be defended, because the worst of all outcomes is that there is a temporary pause and then Putin comes again,” Starmer said. “That has happened in the past, I think it is a real risk, and that is why we must ensure that if there’s a deal, it is a lasting deal, not a temporary pause.”   

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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Sydney — A Lithuanian rower was rescued from storm-tossed seas off Australia on Monday after paddling into a tropical cyclone while trying to cross the Pacific Ocean alone.  

An Australian navy vessel plucked long-distance rower Aurimas Mockus from the Coral Sea, where Tropical Cyclone Alfred on Monday was whipping up 100-kilometer (60-mile) per hour winds and seven-meter (20-foot) swells.

Mockus first activated his emergency beacon Friday evening, enduring three nights at sea as the looming cyclone hampered rescue efforts.  

Vice Admiral Justin Jones said Mockus — who has used the attempt to drum up support for Ukraine’s war effort — was safely on board and undergoing medical checks.  

“The ship is on its way back to Australian shores,” said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in a statement.  

Aerial photos taken before the rescue showed his modified rowboat bobbing on white-capped waves in a turbulent, dark ocean.  

Mockus fell just short of his goal to row 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) across the Pacific Ocean from the United States to Australia.  

He started the grueling journey in September 2024, according to his website.  

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is forecast to bring damaging waves and strong winds as it moves toward Australia’s eastern coast later this week, the government weather bureau said.
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European leaders met in London Sunday to discuss the Ukraine-Russia war. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a warm welcome after being asked to leave the White House following a heated exchange with President Donald Trump Friday. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.
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VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is in a stable condition as he fights double pneumonia in hospital for the 17th day, and is resting having had a peaceful night, the Vatican said on Sunday.

The Vatican said on Saturday evening that the 88-year-old pontiff’s condition had stabilized, following an “isolated” breathing crisis a day earlier.

“The night was peaceful, the pope is still resting,” said a one-line note from the Vatican on Sunday morning that did not provide more details. A full medical update on the pope’s condition is expected Sunday evening.

Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 with severe respiratory problems that swiftly degenerated into double pneumonia – a serious infection in both lungs that can inflame and scar them, making it difficult to breathe.

The pope suffered a constriction of his respiratory airways on Friday, akin to an asthma attack.

However, in a more upbeat tone on Saturday, the Vatican said the pope did not have a fever and did not show signs of an increased white blood cell count, adding that his blood flow and circulation remained stable.

An elevated white blood cell count often indicates the presence of an active infection or inflammation.

“The Holy Father’s clinical condition remained stable,” the Vatican said on Saturday, adding that the prognosis was still guarded, meaning he was not yet out of danger.

The Vatican added on Saturday that for a second day running the pope required noninvasive, mechanical ventilation, alternating between this and “long periods of high-flow oxygen therapy.”

Francis has experienced several bouts of ill health over the last two years and is prone to lung infections because he had pleurisy as a young adult and had part of one lung removed.

The pope has not been seen in public since entering hospital, his longest absence from view since his papacy started in March 2013, and his doctors have not said how long his treatment might last.

Francis will not lead his usual Sunday prayer with pilgrims for the third week running. The text of the prayer will be published rather than read out by the pontiff. 
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LONDON — More than a dozen European leaders gather in London on Sunday for crisis talks, looking to boost security cooperation and support for Ukraine after an astonishing blowout between Kyiv and Washington.

Ukraine’s allies have been underscoring their steadfast commitment to counter growing concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump is about to sell Kyiv short in negotiations with Russia.

The day after he was kicked out of the White House, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was warmly welcomed to Downing Street on Saturday.

He twice embraced the British prime minister in front of cameras and secured a loan to strengthen defenses depleted by more than three years of fending off Russia’s invasion.

“I thank the people and government of the United Kingdom for their tremendous support from the very beginning of this war,” Zelenskyy said.

“We are happy to have such strategic partners and to share the same vision of what a secure future should look like for all.”

He is due to meet King Charles III on Sunday before joining a cohort of European allies at a security summit.

The meeting brings together leaders from around continental Europe, including France, Germany, Denmark and Italy as well as Turkey, NATO and the European Union.

“Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future,” U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

Downing Street said Sunday’s summit would again stress the need for a “strong lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace” and discuss “next steps on planning for strong security guarantees.”

With fears growing over whether the United States will continue to support NATO, the gathering in the U.K. will also address the need for Europe to increase defense cooperation.

‘Very welcome’

As Zelenskyy’s convoy swept into London on Saturday, a crowd of supporters cheered.

“You’re very, very welcome here in Downing Street,” Starmer told Zelenskyy before their 75-minute closed-door talks.

The pair discussed Ukraine’s position and how to end the war “with a lasting and just peace … that will not allow Russia to use the ceasefire to rearm and attack again,” according to a statement released by Zelenskyy’s office.

They also unveiled a $2.84 billion loan agreement to support Ukraine’s defense capabilities, to be paid back with the profits of immobilized sovereign Russian assets.

“The funds will be directed toward weapons production in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said. “This is true justice — the one who started the war must be the one to pay.”

While in London he said he was “happy” to “have such strategic partners and to share the same vision of what a secure future should look like for all.”

Just hours earlier, Zelenskyy was being shouted down at the White House.

As cameras rolled in the Oval Office, Trump and U.S. Vice President JD Vance angrily accused Zelenskyy of not being “thankful” and refusing to accept their proposed truce terms.

Trump also accused him of ingratitude and gambling with the potential of World War III.

Zelenskyy meanwhile insisted there should be “no compromises” with Putin as the parties negotiate to end the war.

‘Strategic partners’

Trump has alarmed Kyiv and European allies with his abrupt pivoting of Washington’s yearslong support for Ukraine.

The recently inaugurated Republican has cast himself as a mediator between Putin and Zelenskyy, and has sidelined Kyiv and Europe while pursuing rapprochement with Putin.

In the Oval Office, Trump said that he had “spoken on numerous occasions” to Putin — more than has been publicly reported.

Last week, after meeting with Starmer in Washington, Trump said there had been “a lot of progress” toward a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine and that negotiations were at a crucial stage.

Though he refused to apologize after the White House clash, Zelenskyy indicated that he was still open to signing a deal on Ukraine’s mineral wealth that is coveted by Trump, insisting that “despite the tough dialogue” Ukraine and the United States “remain strategic partners.”

“But we need to be honest and direct with each other to truly understand our shared goals,” the Ukrainian leader wrote on X.

Russia’s former president, Dmitry Medvedev, meanwhile called Zelenskyy an “insolent pig” who had received “a proper slap down in the Oval Office.”

Moscow branded Zelenskyy’s Washington trip as a “complete failure” while Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Trump of “switching … the roles of victim and aggressor” in the conflict.

“Yesterday evening underlined that a new age of infamy has begun,” she said. 
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LONDON — Singer Charli XCX, whose album Brat inspired a cultural phenomenon last summer, was the big winner at the BRIT Awards, Britain’s pop music honors, in London on Saturday, picking up five prizes.

Brat, which inspired fans to film themselves dancing to its tracks and whose lime green cover look was adopted by U.S. presidential hopeful Kamala Harris’ campaign on social media after the singer referenced her in a post, won the coveted album of the year category.

Charli XCX, who had led nominations, was also named artist of the year and best dance act. Her single Guess, featuring Billie Eilish, won song of the year, beating tracks including the Beatles’ Now and Then. 

The 32-year-old pop star won her first BRIT, songwriter of the year, earlier this week.

“I’ve always felt like an outsider in the industry but particularly in the British music industry and so it feels really nice to be recognized on this album,” she said as she received the album of the year award.

“I would just like to share this with all artists who have ever felt that they need to compromise to be recognized and to have their moment in the sun because I think I’m living proof that maybe it takes a long time, but … you don’t need to compromise your vision.”

Jazz quintet Ezra Collective was named group of the year.

“This moment right here is because of the great youth clubs and great teachers and the great schools that support young people playing music,” drummer Femi Koleoso said in one of several of the night’s acceptance speeches that called for more support for young musicians and grassroots venues.

U.S. singer Chappell Roan won international artist of the year while her track Good Luck, Babe! won international song of the year.

Espresso singer Sabrina Carpenter was named as the first international recipient of the global success award, which recognizes artists with “phenomenal global sales,” following in the footsteps of One Direction, Adele, Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith.

The ceremony also featured a tribute dedicated to late One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died in October after falling from a third-floor hotel room balcony in Buenos Aires, shocking fans of the boy band, one of the most popular of all time. 
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ROME — Pope Francis had coffee and was reading newspapers Saturday after an alarming setback in his two-week recovery from double pneumonia: Doctors had to put him on noninvasive mechanical ventilation following a coughing fit in which he inhaled vomit that needed to then be extracted.

Doctors said it would take a day or two to evaluate how and if the Friday afternoon episode affected Francis’ overall clinical condition. His prognosis remained guarded, meaning he wasn’t out of danger.

In its morning update Saturday, the Vatican said the 88-year-old pope didn’t have any further respiratory crises overnight: “The night has passed quietly, the pope is resting.” He had coffee in the morning for breakfast, suggesting that he was not dependent on a ventilation mask to breathe and was still eating on his own.

In the late Friday update, the Vatican said Francis suffered an “isolated crisis of bronchial spasm,” a coughing fit in which Francis inhaled vomit, which resulted in a “sudden worsening of the respiratory picture.” Doctors aspirated the vomit and placed Francis on noninvasive mechanical ventilation.

The pope remained conscious and alert at all times and cooperated with the maneuvers to help him recover. He responded well, with a good level of oxygen exchange, and he was continuing to wear a mask to receive supplemental oxygen, the Vatican said.

The episode, which occurred in the early afternoon, marked a setback in what had been two successive days of increasingly upbeat reports from doctors treating Francis at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14. The pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has lung disease and was admitted after a bout of bronchitis worsened and turned into pneumonia in both lungs.

 

Doctors say episode is ‘concerning’

The Vatican said the episode was different from the prolonged respiratory crisis on Feb. 22 that was said to have caused Francis discomfort.

Dr. John Coleman, a pulmonary critical care doctor at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, said the isolated episode Friday as relayed by the Vatican was nevertheless alarming and underscored Francis’ fragility and that his condition “can turn very quickly.”

“I think this is extremely concerning, given the fact that the pope has been in the hospital now for over two weeks, and now he’s continuing to have these respiratory events and now had this aspiration event that is requiring even higher levels of support,” he told The Associated Press.

“So given his age and his fragile state and his previous lung resection, this is very concerning,” said Coleman, who is not involved in Francis’ care.

Dr. William Feldman, a pulmonary specialist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said it was a good sign that the pope remained alert and oriented during the episode, but he concurred that it marked “a worrying turn.”

“Often we will use noninvasive ventilation as a way of trying to stave off an intubation, or the use of invasive mechanical ventilation,” Feldman said.

Types of noninvasive ventilation include a BiPAP machine, which helps people breathe by pushing air into their lungs. Doctors will often try such a machine for a while to see if the patient’s blood gas levels improve so they can eventually go back to using oxygen alone. Friday’s statement said Francis showed a “good response” to the gas exchange using the ventilation.

Doctors did not resume referring to Francis being in “critical condition,” which has been absent from their statements for three days now. But they say he isn’t out of danger, given the complexity of his case.

 

Prayers continue to pour in

Francis’ hospitalization has come as the Vatican is marking its Holy Year, which is drawing pilgrims to Rome from all over. They are walking through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica and making pilgrimages to the hilltop Umbrian town of Assisi to pray at the home of Francis’ namesake, St. Francis.

“Every day we’re praying for the pope,” said the Rev. Jacinto Bento, a priest visiting Assisi on Saturday with a group of 30 Jubilee pilgrims from the Azores Islands. “We’re very sad for his situation.”

Veronica Abraham, a catechist and Argentine native, came to Assisi on Saturday with her two children and other kids from her parish on Lake Garda and said the group had prayed for the pope at every church they’d visited.

“I’m sure that he’s hearing our prayers, that he feels our closeness,” she said.

Serena Barbon, visiting Assisi from Treviso on Saturday with her husband and three children, said she hoped that if Francis doesn’t make it, the next pope will be just like him.

“He’s been very charismatic, and we pray for him and that any new pope might also be someone who puts the poor in the center. Because we’re all a bit poor,” she said.
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MOSCOW — Moscow on Saturday said it seized two more villages in eastern Ukraine as Kyiv officials said Russian strikes killed one person and wounded 19.

The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces captured Sudne and Burlatske in the south of the eastern Donetsk region.

They lie near the town of Velyka Novossilka, which was seized by the Russian army at the end of January.

The Ukrainian air force said Russia launched 154 drones overnight, of which 103 were downed and 51 disappeared from the radar without causing damage or casualties.

Ukrainian regional authorities reported one death and several injuries.

In the southern Odesa region, one person died and three were injured, according to Ukrainian prosecutors.

Twelve people were wounded in the northeastern Kharkiv region and two others in the southern Kherson region, local authorities said.

Two people were wounded in the rail and mining hub of Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are gaining ground, threatening this key logistical hub for Ukrainian troops.
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Following the U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, the Kremlin sent new instructions to state-run media to cover developments between Moscow and Washington in a positive tone, but instead of praising U.S. President Donald Trump personally follow the line that “the United States were wise to respond to Russia’s outstretched hand.”

Click here for the full story in Russian.
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European leaders across much of the continent vowed to stand by Ukraine after a White House meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy turned into a heated exchange Friday, with Trump calling Zelenskyy “disrespectful.”

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it has become clear that “the free world needs a new leader.”

“Ukraine is Europe! We stand by Ukraine,” Kallas wrote on the social media platform X.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on X, “Ukraine can rely on Germany — and on Europe,” while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez wrote on social media, “Ukraine, Spain stands with you.”

“Dear @ZelenskyyUa, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone,” wrote Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on X.

French President Emmanuel Macron told reporters in Portugal, “Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine is the aggressed people.”

Other European leaders, including from Finland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and Norway, also took to social media to voice support for Ukraine.

Not all European leaders backed Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has long been critical of EU military aid to Kyiv, posted on X, “President @realDonaldTrump stood bravely for peace. Even if it was difficult for many to digest. Thank you, Mr. President!”

The meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy came as the two countries were seeking a deal that would allow the U.S. access to Ukrainian rare mineral rights. The discussion took a combative tone about 40 minutes into the meeting when Zelenskyy raised Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance immediately criticized Zelenskyy, accusing him of engaging in a “propaganda tour.”

Both Vance and Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of not being thankful for the assistance his country has received from Washington.

After the meeting abruptly ended, the White House confirmed that the mineral deal was not signed.

US response

In the U.S., many Republicans in Congress expressed support for Trump’s actions.

Senator Lindsey Graham, who has previously supported military aid to Ukraine, said, “What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again.”

House Republican leader Steve Scalise, who has also previously supported military aid to Ukraine, wrote on X, “President Trump is fighting for PEACE around the world and is putting America First as our best negotiator — he’s the only one to get Russia to the table to consider a serious and lasting peace agreement with Ukraine.”

Republican Representative Andy Biggs wrote on X, “Dictator Zelensky had the audacity to disrespect President @realDonaldTrump and VP @JDVance during what should have been a friendly meeting, and @POTUS rightfully showed him the door. This is the leadership America has craved for four years.”

Democratic leaders in Congress argued that Trump’s actions would only benefit Russia.

“Trump and Vance are doing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s dirty work. Senate Democrats will never stop fighting for freedom and democracy,” Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said.

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote in a statement, “Today’s White House meeting with the President of Ukraine was appalling and will only serve to further embolden Vladimir Putin, a brutal dictator. The United States must not reward Russian aggression and continue to appease Putin.”

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.
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NATO’s newest rapid-response force is testing its strength in Romania, just kilometers from the Ukrainian border. VOA Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze has more on the drills and NATO’s evolving defense strategy. Camera: Daniil Batushchak
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After several incidents involving damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, including the latest one that Sweden began investigating Friday, NATO launched a program to monitor these vital underwater communication and energy pipelines. VOA’s Vladislavs Andrejevs embedded with a NATO minehunter and has this report from the Gulf of Finland, narrated by Anna Rice. 
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MOSCOW — Soviet chess grandmaster Boris Spassky, who was famously defeated at the height of the Cold War, has died at 88, the Russian Chess Federation announced Thursday.

“The tenth world champion Boris Spassky has died at 88,” the Russian Chess Federation said in a statement on its website, calling this a “great loss for the country.”

The statement did not say when exactly he died or from what cause.

Spassky is best remembered for his duel with American Bobby Fischer in 1972, which was emblematic of the confrontation between East and West.

The iconic Cold War duel has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries and films. Most notably it inspired the Walter Tevis novel The Queen’s Gambit, which was adapted into the acclaimed Netflix series in 2020.

Spassky became world champion in 1969 and held the title until he played the match that would define his career, facing the eccentric American prodigy.

With the Soviet Union having dominated the game for years, Spassky faced a must-win situation and initially took the lead.

But the American roared back to win, ending an unbroken streak of Soviet world champions since 1948.

Although the loss was a slap in the face for Moscow, Spassky admitted decades later it was a relief to be rid of a “colossal responsibility.”

Born in 1937 in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Spassky showed prodigious talent early, becoming junior world champion and the youngest grandmaster in history at the time at 18. 
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WASHINGTON — There is hope in Washington that the decision by the leader of a Turkey-based, U.S.-designated terror group to ask its factions to lay down their arms could ease tensions with Ankara and facilitate efforts to counter remnants of the Islamic State terror group.

Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), on Thursday issued a statement calling on his followers to end their decadeslong fight for an independent Kurdish state and to instead pursue peace, a decision that could reverberate across the Middle East.

“It’s a significant development,” said White House National Security Council spokesman Brian Hughes in a statement to VOA.

“We believe it will help bring peace to this troubled region,” Hughes said, adding, “We hope that it will help assuage our Turkish allies about U.S. counter-ISIS partners in northeast Syria.”

For years, the alliance between the United States and Turkey has been strained by Washington’s decision to back the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, in northeastern Syria in order to fight the Islamic State, also known as IS or ISIS.

The U.S. has viewed the SDF as a willing and capable partner. But officials in Ankara have long maintained that the SDF is led by fighters with the People’s Protection Units (YPG), a Syrian-based offshoot of the PKK.

The SDF on Thursday echoed Washington’s optimism, though its top military commander said his fighters would not give up their arms.

“Just to make it clear, this is only for the PKK. It is nothing related to us here in Syria,” said General Mazloum Abdi, speaking to reporters in Washington from his base in northeastern Syria via video.

“When the peace flowers between Turkey and PKK, that will have its own positive consequences on us,” Abdi added, speaking through a translator. “That means there is not any reason, and there is not any excuse, to keep attacking these regions on the pretext of PKK.”

Turkish attacks against the SDF, whether launched directly by the Turkish military or by Turkish-backed forces in Syria, have repeatedly raised the ire of the U.S.

In one incident in 2022, a Turkish airstrike targeting Syrian Kurdish fighters hit within 300 meters of U.S. forces located north of the Syrian city of Hasakah, prompting the Pentagon to call for an immediate de-escalation.

And as recently as this past December, Kurdish officials in northeastern Syria warned that the actions of Turkey and Turkish-aligned militias threatened security at more than two dozen SDF-run prisons, holding an estimated 10,000 captured IS fighters.

“We [are] doing our best … securing these prisons, which is not [an] easy task at all due to the constant attacks against us in the region,” the SDF’s Abdi said Thursday, in response to a question from VOA.

Some of those attacks have come from Turkish-aligned militias. But others have come from what the SDF says is a reinvigorated IS.

“ISIS has taken advantage of the security gap” created by the collapse of the regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this past December, Abdi said. “We see ISIS become more visible. We see them more active recently … showing more lethal capabilities.”

Abdi said the terror group is making good use of weapons caches it seized after they were abandoned by forces loyal to Assad.

IS is also getting bolder, he said, sending terror fighters from their hideouts in Syria’s Badia desert into surrounding cities.

The warnings parallel findings from a recent report by the United Nations’ Sanctions Monitoring Team, which cautioned that IS exploited the military campaign by the Syrian insurgent group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which led to the Assad regime’s demise.

The report, based on intelligence from U.N. member states, said IS controls about 1,500 to 3,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq, and that the group’s leadership remains intent on retaking and holding territory in Syria.

For those reasons and others, the SDF’s Abdi said it was critical for the U.S. to maintain its military presence in Syria, estimated to include 2,000 troops, despite media reports that Washington is considering a withdrawal.

“In the case of having a withdrawal, that will lead to chaos,” Abdi said.

“There is already security vacuum” he added, calling a continued U.S. military presence “essential for the sake of preserving stability and security.”
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Anticipation is growing in Russia for a summit – yet to be scheduled – between U.S. President Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. On the streets of Moscow, many Russians welcome what they see as a thaw in relations with Washington, and what some hope is the beginning of the end of their country’s isolation from the West. Jonathan Spier narrates this report.
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U.S. and Russian diplomats met Thursday in Istanbul for talks about the operations of their respective embassies in Moscow and Washington.

The meeting is the latest in a series of engagements between the two sides, including a phone call earlier this month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Working to restore U.S.-Russia relations was on the agenda last week for talks between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The U.S. State Department said after those talks in Riyadh that the two sides had agreed to create “a consultation mechanism to address irritants to our bilateral relationship with the objective of taking steps necessary to normalize the operation of our respective diplomatic missions.”

Diplomatic relations between Russia and the United States declined during the past decade, with both sides expelling diplomats.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. 
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US President Donald Trump says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be at the White House on Friday to sign an agreement granting the US access to Ukraine’s lucrative rare earth minerals. But Ukraine’s leader says a few outstanding issues remain. White House correspondent Anita Powell reports from Washington.
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Three years after Russian troops drove everyone in the village into a school basement for a month, the people of Yahidne, Ukraine, continue to repair and rebuild their homes. Lesia Bakalets visited this community about 90 kilometers north of Kyiv. Camera: Vladyslav Smilianets.
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The United States said Wednesday it is nearing a deal on Ukraine’s lucrative rare earth minerals needed for technology products to compensate Washington for the more than $100 billion worth of munitions it has sent to Kyiv to defend itself against Russia’s three-year war of aggression.

“We’re very close to the finish line,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters.

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said at a news conference that the framework of an economic deal is complete, but that U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine that the Kyiv government views as vital have yet to be settled.

Zelenskyy is expected to visit Washington on Friday for talks with President Donald Trump, who has long expressed skepticism about continued U.S. military support for Ukraine. In recent weeks, he has refused to say he wants Ukraine to win the war and has initiated talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin without Kyiv’s involvement to settle the conflict that started with Russia’s invasion three years ago this week.

Trump said Tuesday of Zelenskyy, “Certainly, it’s okay with me if he’d like to” visit the White House. “He would like to sign [the economic deal] together with me. I understand that. It’s a big deal.”

Trump has called Zelenskyy a dictator, without blaming Putin for the invasion.

The U.S. leader has said he is particularly peeved that his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, agreed to the Ukraine military assistance without any provision that Ukraine would pay back the cost. Biden led the coalition of Western allies in providing the military aid to fight Russian aggression without sending their own troops to fight alongside Ukrainian forces. Zelenskyy says the U.S. military aid was a grant and not a loan that needed to be repaid.

Zelenskyy said he expects to have wide-ranging substantive discussions with Trump.

“I want to coordinate with the U.S.,” Zelenskyy said.

The Ukrainian leader said he wants to know whether the U.S. plans to halt military aid and, if so, whether Ukraine would be able to purchase weapons directly from the U.S. He also wants to know whether Ukraine can use frozen Russian assets for weapons investments and whether Washington plans to lift its economic sanctions on Russian entities and high-level associates and friends of Putin.

Elements of the deal

Earlier, Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told the country’s public television channel that Ukraine and the United States had reached preliminary agreement on the broad rare earth minerals deal and that it would be signed.

The preliminary agreement sets out the terms and conditions of an investment fund for the rebuilding of Ukraine, Shmyhal said.

Under terms of the deal, the plan would include investing 50% of proceeds from Ukraine’s minerals, oil and gas to create a “stable and economically prosperous Ukraine” if the war is ended, and half to a U.S.-controlled fund.

The New York Times reported the economic agreement includes a line that says the U.S. “supports Ukraine’s effort to obtain security guarantees needed to establish lasting peace” but does not spell out details on what that might entail.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meeting with Trump on Wednesday in Washington to spell out a European initiative for a 30,000-person peacekeeping force to enforce a Russian ceasefire with Ukraine if such a truce can be reached, although no peace talks have been scheduled.

European leaders have said a peacekeeping force would require an American “backstop” of military assistance, such as American satellite surveillance, air defense or air force support. Trump has not committed the U.S. to such a plan.

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
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NEW DELHI — The European Union plans to urge India to lower its high tariffs on cars and wine to boost trade, as it seeks to reduce its reliance on China, a senior official from the bloc said, ahead of a visit by the European Commission president to New Delhi.

Echoing U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat of reciprocal tariffs, the official said the EU would press India to cut tariffs on some goods and broaden market access for its products, while offering flexibility on agriculture issues to expedite free trade agreement talks.

“The Indian market is relatively closed, especially to key products of commercial interest to the European Union and our member states’ industries, including cars, wines and spirits,” said the official, who requested anonymity due to the confidential nature of the discussions.

EC President Ursula von der Leyen’s two-day visit from Thursday, accompanied by leaders of EU member nations, coincides with escalating geopolitical tensions, with Brussels and New Delhi set to outline key areas for deeper cooperation under their strategic partnership.

Leyen will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, followed by discussions with trade minister Piyush Goyal.

The next trade negotiations round is scheduled for March 10-14 in Brussels.

The EU’s call for lower tariffs comes amid Trump’s threats to impose reciprocal tariffs from early April, which has caused anxiety for India’s exporters. Analysts from Citi Research estimate potential losses of about $7 billion annually.

The EU is India’s largest trading partner in goods, with trade nearing $126 billion in 2024, marking an increase of about 90% over the past decade.

Reducing reliance on China

As part of its “de-risking” strategy, the EU aims to strengthen economic and security ties with India, diversify supply chains, and reduce reliance on key products from China.

The EU also views India as a vital ally in addressing security challenges, the official said, including cyber threats and tensions in the South China Sea and Indo-Pacific.

Leyen is also expected to seek India’s support for a “peaceful and just deal” for Ukraine’s security, the official said.

The EU and India could sign an agreement to share classified security information to tackle common threats such as cyber attacks and terrorism, while exploring defense equipment trade.

Despite these potential benefits, trade analysts said the visit may not yield tangible results.

For substantial cooperation, the EU should acknowledge India as a data-secure country, said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Delhi-based think-tank Global Trade Initiative, and India’s former negotiator on trade talks with the EU.

“While both parties have concerns about China, neither sees it as a top priority,” Srivastava said, adding India is focused on border tensions with China, while the EU is more concerned with the Ukraine-Russia conflict and NATO matters.
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The United States and Ukraine have a framework deal in place for a joint fund to reinvest revenue from Ukrainian natural resources, according to officials familiar with the negotiations.

The plan would include investing 50% of proceeds from Ukraine’s minerals, oil and gas.

The United States would commit to the development of a “stable and economically prosperous Ukraine.” The framework does not include U.S. security guarantees for Ukraine, but officials said negotiations were ongoing.

U.S. President Donald Trump indicated Tuesday he could meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later this week.

“I hear that he’s coming on Friday. Certainly, it’s okay with me if he’d like to. He would like to sign it together with me. I understand that. It’s a big deal.”

Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters
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KYIV, UKRAINE — Ukraine and the United States have reached an agreement on a framework for a broad economic deal that would include access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals, three senior Ukrainian officials said Tuesday. 

The officials, who were familiar with the matter, spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. One of them said Kyiv hopes that signing the agreement will ensure the continued flow of U.S. military support that Ukraine urgently needs. 

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, said he’d heard that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was coming and added that “it’s OK with me, if he’d like to, and he would like to sign it together with me.” 

The agreement could be signed as early as Friday and plans are being drawn up for Zelenskyy to travel to Washington to meet Trump, according to one of the Ukrainian officials. 

Another official said the agreement would provide an opportunity for Zelenskyy and Trump to discuss continued military aid to Ukraine, which is why Kyiv is eager to finalize the deal. 

Trump called it “a very big deal,” adding that it could be worth 1 trillion dollars. “It could be whatever, but it’s rare earths and other things.” 

According to one Ukrainian official, some technical details are still to be worked out. However, the draft does not include a contentious Trump administration proposal to give the U.S. $500 billion worth of profits from Ukraine’s rare earth minerals as compensation for its wartime assistance to Kyiv. 

Instead, the U.S. and Ukraine would have joint ownership of a fund, and Ukraine would in the future contribute 50 percent of future proceeds from state-owned resources, including minerals, oil, and gas. One official said the deal had better terms of investments and another one said that Kyiv secured favorable amendments and viewed the outcome as “positive.” 

The deal does not, however, include security guarantees. One official said that this would be something the two presidents would discuss when they meet. 

The progress in negotiating the deal comes after Trump and Zelenskyy traded sharp rhetoric last week about their differences over the matter. 

Zelenskyy said he balked at signing off on a deal that U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pushed during a visit to Kyiv earlier this month, and the Ukrainian leader objected again days later during a meeting in Munich with Vice President JD Vance because the American proposal did not include security guarantees. 

Trump then called Volodymyr Zelenskyy “a dictator without elections” and claimed his support among voters was near rock-bottom. 

But the two sides made significant progress during a three-day visit to Ukraine last week by retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia. 

The idea was initially proposed last fall by Zelenskyy as part of his plan to strengthen Kyiv’s hand in future negotiations with Moscow. 
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