World Blog by humble servant.Humble Servant News on X Summary Weeks Events Unraveled.

Humble Servant News on X Summary Weeks Events Unraveled

This week, ending March 01, 2025, U.S.-Russia relations took center stage amid a fiery Oval Office showdown on February 28 between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The meeting, intended to swap Ukraine’s rare earth minerals for continued U.S. aid, imploded as Trump and Vance blasted Zelensky, claiming $350 billion in aid (versus Zelensky’s $100 billion military figure) warranted gratitude, not defiance. Trump accused Zelensky of “gambling with World War III” by resisting peace with Russia, while Vance demanded a “thank you” for America’s generosity. Zelensky’s exit, with no deal and a press conference axed, underscored Trump’s “America First” pivot—shifting from Biden’s $67 billion Ukraine lifeline toward a cautious thaw with Moscow, spotlighting a new chapter in U.S.-Russia ties.

Trump and Vance’s leadership roared in real time, steering U.S. policy away from foreign entanglements. Trump framed Zelensky’s stance as reckless, pushing a ceasefire to disentangle America, while Vance’s “attack dog” role hammered Zelensky’s complaints as futile against Trump’s resolve. This built on earlier Riyadh talks on February 18, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russia’s Sergei Lavrov laid groundwork to restore diplomatic ties—embassy staffing boosts followed by late February, a Rubio-called “normal functioning” win. Putin’s “friendly” nod and Trump’s restraint amid European outcry hint at a strategic U.S. recalibration, eyeing Russia as a China counterweight over Ukraine’s war. X posts cheered this as a stand against freeloaders, though critics saw a Kremlin tilt, with GOP unity firming as Lindsey Graham demanded Zelensky’s exit and Mike Johnson flipped to Trump’s line.

Opponents raged but faltered on substance. Democrats like Jack Reed called it a “political ambush” and “shameful,” while labels like “disgraceful” flew. European allies, led by Germany’s Olaf Scholz vowing “Ukraine can rely on Germany,” rallied around Zelensky, who posted 33 X thank-yous—a jab at Vance—while seeking “real security guarantees” on Fox News. Their fury leaned on emotional tags—“rude,” “bullying”—not a counter to Trump’s peace push or aid cuts, leaving their stance brittle. Kyiv’s 65% approval for Zelensky, per BBC, spiked after Trump blamed Ukraine for the war, but his U.S. snub exposed Europe’s shaky lifeline against Trump’s Russia reset.

Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer’s diabolical roles this week fueled the fire. Macron, after correcting Trump’s aid math Monday, met Zelensky post-clash, doubling down that “Russia is the aggressor” and plotting a March 2 London summit with Starmer to defy Trump’s European sidestep. Starmer, post-Vance clashes and a “that’s enough” to Trump, hosted Zelensky, leveraging his “bridge” role to rally Europe against Trump’s peace agenda. X posts pegged Vance’s ambush as payback for their sway, but their meddling—Macron’s defiance, Starmer’s needling—risked chaining Europe to Ukraine’s endless fight, clashing with Trump’s Russia thaw and America’s exit strategy.

U.S.-Russia relations, post-Biden’s “below zero” nadir—marked by 2022’s invasion fallout and sanctions—now teeter on a diplomatic edge. Trump’s ceasefire push bucks Putin’s June 2024 terms (Ukraine ditching NATO, ceding regions), which Russia’s Sergei Ryabkov this week called misaligned with U.S. offers. Arms talks, like New START’s 2026 expiry, and economic incentives linger unresolved, but the UN’s February 24 neutral resolution hints at peace tracks. Trump’s gamble prioritizes American interests—China containment, war avoidance—over Ukraine, leaving Zelensky isolated as Europe scrambles. The week’s chaos—Trump and Vance’s hardline stand, opponents’ hollow outrage, Macron and Starmer’s provocations—tied U.S.-Russia ties to a stark divide: a bold reset thrilling Trump’s base, rattling allies, and testing Moscow’s guarded openness, with more talks looming, per Ryabkov.