Zelenskyy calls for strong U.S. ties after Trump brands him a 'dictator'
The Hindu
Zelenskyy seeks strong US ties amid Trump feud, as tensions rise over Moscow outreach and security guarantees.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for "strong" ties with Washington on Thursday (February 21, 2025), as he met U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv a day after Donald Trump branded the Ukrainian leader a "dictator."
Tensions between Mr. Zelenskyy and Mr. Trump over the U.S. President's outreach to Moscow have exploded this week in escalating barbs traded in press conferences and on social media.
The United States is Ukraine's most important financial and military backer, but the U.S. president has rattled Kyiv and its European backers by opening talks with Moscow they fear could end the war on terms that reward Vladimir Putin.
The spat has turned personal with Trump falsely stating Zelensky is hugely unpopular among his own people and the Ukrainian leader in turn saying Trump had succumbed to Russian "disinformation".
Amid the war of words, Zelensky said Thursday he had held a "productive meeting" with Kellogg.
"We had a detailed conversation about the battlefield situation, how to return our prisoners of war, and effective security guarantees," Zelensky said on social media after the meeting.
"Strong Ukraine-U.S. relations benefit the entire world," he added.
Gulf states warn the UN of an existential threat from Iran's strikes, calling for condemnation and monitoring of the situation.
Matt Brittin, ex-Google executive, appointed as BBC's new director general amid ongoing $10 billion lawsuit from Trump.
Pakistan's PM Sharif briefs Saudi Crown Prince on mediating U.S.-Iran talks and reaffirms support amid regional tensions.
Iranian military ridicules Trump's ceasefire claims, asserting U.S. negotiations are merely self-deceptions amid strategic failures.
Denmark's recent election results leave Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen's future uncertain amid a fragmented parliamentary landscape.
An explosion at Valero's Port Arthur refinery caused a temporary shutdown but resulted in no reported injuries.
Anduril and Palantir Technologies are working together to develop software for U.S. President Donald Trump’s Golden Dome antimissile shield initiative, a source familiar with the matter said
A federal judge weighing the merits of the Pentagon’s designation of rising Silicon Valley star Anthropic as a security threat repeatedly questioned the government’s reasons for vilifying the company
When the conflict in West Asia, which began with the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran on February 28, escalated into a regional war, analysts said that the war would last as long as Iran had missiles or until the Gulf nations ran out of interceptors. However, with “emergency” military sales, piling monetary costs and a strained supply chain, is the U.S. becoming too constrained in its effort to keep the war going — both militarily and monetarily?
U.S.-Israel war on Iran LIVE: Follow The Hindu for updates on the West Asia conflict on March 25, 2026
Jair Bolsonaro to serve his sentence at home due to health issues, monitored by police, with a review in 90 days.
A New Mexico jury finds Meta liable for harming children's mental health, marking a significant shift in accountability for tech companies.
Modi and Dissanayake discuss energy cooperation, West Asia conflict, and global supply chain disruptions in a recent phone call.