US President Donald Trump (right) and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. Photo: Reuters.
Trump and Zelensky escalate tensions
“Just think, a failed comedian, Volodymyr Zelensky, convinced the United States to give him $350 billion in aid, to enter a war that could not be won and should never have been started,” Mr. Trump directly mentioned Mr. Zelensky.
Mr Trump said Mr Zelensky would never be able to handle the conflict with Russia. “Unelected dictator Zelensky better act fast or he won’t have a country anymore,” Mr Trump declared. “He refuses to hold elections, is very low in the polls and the only thing he’s good at is manipulating Joe Biden.”
“Meanwhile, we are successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia, something that everyone acknowledges only I and the Trump administration can do,” Mr. Trump declared.
This is the first time Mr Trump has called Mr Zelensky a “dictator”, showing that Ukraine is in an extremely difficult situation when forced to find a way to end the conflict with Russia.
Former Brazilian President Accused of Plotting to Poison His Successor
Brazilian Attorney General Paulo Gonet on February 18 accused former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro of plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat.
Mr Bolsonaro is accused of plotting to poison his successor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and of wanting to murder Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes.
A total of 34 people have been charged, including several military officials such as former Brazilian National Security Adviser Bolsonaro Augusto Heleno and former Navy commander Almir Garnier Santos.
The Brazilian Supreme Court will review the charges and, if approved, Mr. Bolsonaro will go to trial. If convicted on all charges, Mr. Bolsonaro could face between 12 and more than 40 years in prison. In response to the above information, former Brazilian President Bolsonaro has denied all allegations.
Mr Bolsonaro was previously banned from running for office until 2030 by Brazil’s electoral court for abusing his power while in office and spreading false information about the country’s electoral system.
US launches Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile
The United States has just conducted a test launch of a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This was a pre-planned missile launch to test the readiness of the US nuclear missile force.
“A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was launched in a test at 1:00 a.m. on February 19 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California,” the US military said in a statement.
The missile flew over the Pacific Ocean, traveling 6,700km to hit a simulated target at a test site on the Marshall Islands. The missile reached a maximum speed of 24,000km/h, about 25 times faster than a conventional passenger plane. The Minuteman III is the only land-based nuclear missile in the US, measuring 18m long and weighing 36 tonnes.
“We have collected and analyzed performance and other critical data to assess the capabilities of the current missile system,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, commander of the Minuteman III missile operations command. “This allows our team to analyze and report on the accuracy and reliability of the current system while validating improvements.”
US envoy travels to Ukraine to “seek answers” from Kiev
The special envoy chosen by Mr. Trump to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict, former US general Keith Kellogg, arrived in Kiev on February 19 and is expected to meet President Zelensky on February 20. He is expected to stay in Ukraine for 3 days.
“We will listen. We understand the need for security guarantees… and of course the sovereignty of Ukraine and the protection of the state,” Mr. Kellogg said upon arriving at the Kyiv-Pasazhyrskyi railway station.
“Part of my job is to sit down, listen and say, ‘Okay, what are your concerns?’” Kellogg said. “I’ll find out and go back to the United States and talk to President Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky said he was looking forward to the meeting. “We are scheduled to meet with General Kellogg tomorrow, and it is very important for us that the meeting and our work with the United States in general be constructive,” Zelensky said. “Together with the United States and Europe, peace can be more reliable and this is our goal.”
“The future is not in Russia, but in peace. And this is the choice of all people in the world. We should choose peace,” Mr. Zelensky emphasized.
