Ukraine Live Briefing: Trump Envoy Has 'Extensive And Positive' Talks With Zelenskyy

RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Western military aid to Kyiv, worldwide reaction, and the plight of civilians and refugees. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here.

Latest Developments At A Glance

• The United States has proposed a draft UN resolution that uses less critical language of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine than a draft resolution put forward by the European Union and Ukraine.
• U.S. President Donald Trump said on February 21 that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin will have to "get together" to end the nearly three-year-old war in Ukraine.
• Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine said on the same day that he had held "extensive and positive" discussions with Zelenskyy.
• The White House national-security adviser said that U.S. President Donald Trump is "obviously very frustrated" with Zelenskyy and urged the Ukrainian president to reach an agreement soon granting the United States access to Ukraine's critical minerals.
• Trump had earlier doubled down on his criticism of Zelenskyy, saying that he has done a terrible job and asserting that he could have attended talks with Russia this week in Saudi Arabia if he had wanted to.
• The U.S. president said after the Saudi talks on February 19 that he feels "much more confident" of reaching a deal to end the war after the talks in Riyadh.
• The Kremlin has denied reports that Russian officials requested that the United States seek the withdrawal of NATO troops from countries near or bordering Russia.
• Ukrainian officials said on February 21 that 12 civilians were killed and six more were injured over the past day in Russian attacks. The previous day, at least seven people were killed and 30 injured due to Russian attacks, regional military officials said.

Can The U.S. And Russia Impose A Peace Deal On Ukraine?

he U.S.-Russia talks have intensified concerns of them reaching agreement on ending the war in Ukraine that ignores Ukrainian and European interests. Washington has said it does not wish to do this, but would it even be possible? Read the article by Ray Furlong here.

How Realistic Is A European Peace-Keeping Force In Ukraine?

Amid a whirlwind of diplomacy, European leaders have begun talking with renewed urgency about sending troops to Ukraine. What would a peacekeeping force look like – and how realistic is it? Read the article by Ray Furlong here.

What Have We Learned From High-Stakes U.S.-Russia Talks In Saudi Arabia?

U.S. and Russian officials have finished their first talks on ending the war in Ukraine, with Kyiv and its European allies watching anxiously from the sidelines. Read the report by Reid Standish here.

How Will USAID Cuts Affect Ukraine?

The abrupt suspension of USAID funding is leaving some Ukrainian charities struggling to cope as their financial lifeline is being severed. Read the story by Ray Furlong here.

Ukraine Needs U.S. Weapons. Trump Wants Its Rare Earth Minerals. What Gives?

The latest twist in U.S. President Donald Trump’s maneuvering to bring Russia’s war on Ukraine to an end? No more U.S. for Kyiv unless on it gives U.S. more access to its rare earth minerals. What exactly is a rare earth mineral and why does Trump want it? Read the report by Mike Eckel and Wojtek Grojec here.

Can Kyiv Convince Ukrainian Refugees To Come Back Home?

As Ukraine faces a critical labor shortage amid its ongoing war with Russia, the government is urging millions of refugees abroad to return and help rebuild the nation. New “unity hubs” in Europe aim to reconnect Ukrainians with their homeland -- but will they be enough to persuade those who have started new lives elsewhere? Read the story by Vasyl Arovych here.

North Korean Troops Vanish From Ukraine War’s Front Lines, Officials Say

North Korean troops have not been seen on the front lines in Ukraine for weeks now, Ukrainian and U.S. officials say. After taking “big losses,” it’s unclear if they’re retreating for good or just temporarily rotating out. Read the report by Mike Eckel here.

China Supplying Key Chemicals For Russian Missiles, RFE/RL Investigation Finds

An investigation by RFE/RL’s Schemes has found that companies at least partially owned by the Chinese state are feeding critical minerals to Russian suppliers to manufacturers of weapons the Kremlin has used to pummel Ukraine since its all-out invasion nearly three years ago. Read the report by Kyrylo Ovsyaniy, Anna Myroniuk, Schemes and Carl Schreck here.

As Putin Spends Billions On War, Russians Struggle To Afford Homes

Soaring interest rates and sharp subsidy cuts have brought a once-thriving mortgage market to a halt, putting homeownership out of reach for many Russians. Sky-high mortgage rates may rise further this year, and massive spending on the war against Ukraine means relief may be far away. Read the report by Todd Prince here.

Why Do Ukrainians Oppose Lowering The Conscription Age?

A Ukrainian mother told RFE/RL that she has sent her teenage sons abroad so that they can avoid military service when they came of age -- and she’s not alone. Suggestions by senior U.S. politicians that Ukraine lower the conscription age from 25 to18 are deeply unpopular. Read the report by Ray Furlong, RFE/RL’s Ukrainian Service, and Current Time here.

What A Ukraine Peace Plan Could Look Like

In European capitals, behind closed doors, diplomats and leaders are spit-balling what a Ukrainian peace plan might actually look like. European peacekeeping troops are one option (don’t expect much enthusiasm from Moscow). Read the article by Mike Eckel here.

Interactive: Occupied, Militarized Crimea

As Ukrainian leaders vow to reclaim all territories seized by Russia, Moscow has prepared extensive defensive measures, particularly in Crimea, a region unlawfully annexed in 2014. This area, now under Russian occupation, has been heavily militarized with an array of air bases and army bases, making it one of the most fortified zones in the war. View the interactive map by Crimea.Realities, Schemes, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, and Central Newsroom here.