Europe is preparing for changes in US foreign policy under a new administration, particularly on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron will visit Washington to urge continued support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fears a settlement favouring Moscow.
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00:00Hello and welcome from the Piazza Michelangelo here in Italy.
00:20Europe is feeling the heat of a change in administration in the United States of America.
00:25The geopolitical landscape is certainly changing, and with that, how Trump really wants to handle
00:31the Russia-Ukraine war.
00:33We begin with Emmanuel Macron's visit to the United States of America.
00:39He is going to be there to convince the U.S. President on how to support Europe and Ukraine.
00:47Zelensky is certainly disappointed about the fact that U.S. President Trump has made it
00:52very clear that the Ukrainians will have to accept the deal with Russia and on terms
00:59that Russia has put out.
01:00Will that really help in bringing peace to the region?
01:04Here is a report.
01:11Ukraine claimed Russia launched 160 drones and two missiles in an overnight attack on
01:1620 February.
01:18U.S. Air Force shot down 87 drones, with 70 more probably lost to electronic countermeasures,
01:24as it responded to an overnight attack.
01:28We reached a point of no return.
01:34We have sacrificed so much.
01:36We have invested so much.
01:38This war has taken away so many lives.
01:40We will find a way, even if it comes to guerrilla fighting.
01:43They will not take all of Ukraine.
01:45There are many patriots left.
01:47We are descendants of Cossacks.
01:49We will fight till the end.
01:50They will not be able to kill all of us.
01:52On 22nd and 14th, we were not asked how much we could do, even though we did not have this
01:56kind of help.
02:01Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the First Lady paid tribute on Thursday to
02:06those killed in the country's 2014 anti-government protest.
02:12They dethroned the Moscow-friendly President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych, and that was
02:16the beginning of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
02:22Nearly a decade later, as the Ukraine invasion by Russia approaches its third anniversary,
02:30U.S. diplomats were in Kiev to talk about peace and business.
02:34But in the end, the joint statement did not happen as America backed out.
02:39General Kellogg, our talks restore hope.
02:45We need strong agreements with America, agreements that will really work.
02:49I gave instructions to work fast and very much even-handedly.
02:53Economic interests and security interests should always go hand-in-hand, and the details
02:58of the agreement are important.
03:00The better the details are drafted, the better the result.
03:03We spoke with General Kellogg about the frontline.
03:07We need to free all of our prisoners of war who are held in Russia, and also the necessity
03:12of reliable and well-defined system of security guarantees, so the war doesn't return and
03:18Russians are no longer able to mean life.
03:20We all need peace, Ukraine, Europe, America, everyone in the world.
03:28President Trump is obviously very frustrated right now with President Zelensky, the fact
03:34that he hasn't come to the table, that he hasn't been willing to take this opportunity
03:42that we have offered.
03:43I think he eventually will get to that point, and I hope so very quickly.
03:49U.S. President Donald Trump earlier called Zelensky a dictator.
03:54The Tesla CEO toeing the line taken by his president tweeted that any poll conducted
03:59by the Ukrainian president while in power is not credible.
04:03He alleges freedom does not exist in Ukraine.
04:07The U.S. Speaker of the House has announced that there is no appetite for another funding
04:11bill for Ukraine.
04:13If that level set takes, let's say, three, six months or it drags on, do you see another
04:20funding bill for the war in Ukraine?
04:22Look, there's no appetite for that.
04:24What do you think?
04:25I know.
04:26Yeah.
04:27We've got our answer there.
04:29We have to bring it to an end, and I can tell you that our European allies understand the
04:32necessity of this as well.
04:33It's drug on too long.
04:35By some estimates, Russia's lost almost 700,000 troops, maybe more.
04:40The Ukrainians have suffered great losses.
04:43We have to bring an end to the conflict.
04:44President Trump is exactly right.
04:45It's time for it to end, and he is the brute force, I think, that can make that happen.
04:51French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Washington next week to try to convince
04:55President Donald Trump.
04:58The European Union also hopes that France is able to make President Trump see the point
05:03because showing any weakness to Russia's Vladimir Putin would make it harder to deal with China
05:09and Iran.
05:10President Trump is worried because Russia started this war and Russia was armed to the
05:22teeth and on our borders, but I'm trying to manage this uncertainty for us by keeping
05:27all Europeans and allies united, but also by trying to convince him that his interests
05:32are in fact the same as ours, whatever he thinks.
05:35So what I'm going to do, what I'm going to tell him is that you can't be weak in front
05:40of President Putin.
05:41It's not you.
05:42It's not your trademark.
05:43It's not in your interest.
05:45How can you be credible in front of China if you're weak in front of Putin?
05:49If you let Russia take over Ukraine, it will be unstoppable for Europeans, for everyone.
05:54But not only would it be even stronger, it will continue to invest, but it will take
05:59back Ukraine and its army, which is one of the biggest in Europe, which all our equipment,
06:05including American equipment.
06:07It's a huge strategic mistake.
06:09The Kremlin accepts that there is a mutual understanding about the need for a meeting
06:22between the U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
06:27Ukraine, Europe, and the world hopes that the U.S. understands and comes back to support
06:31them before this meeting takes place.
06:34When it comes to the Russia-Ukraine war, the Republicans also are a divided house, and
06:41yet they are to follow U.S. President Donald Trump while they're looking at whether if
06:46one should believe the allegations and claims on Ukraine being made by the U.S. President.
06:52In such a scenario, there's one man who's trying to really look at the conservative
06:57American pockets to defeat Trumpism.
07:00Can that really happen?
07:02Can Bernie Sanders do what others have not been able to do when it comes to a changing
07:07geopolitical landscape?
07:12He is the 83-year-old senator from Vermont in Northeastern America.
07:20He is the longest-serving independent in U.S. congressional history.
07:27Activist and politician Bernie Sanders has been a senator since 2007 and has run for
07:35presidency twice, in 2016 and 2020.
07:44But Bernie Sanders was defeated by Donald Trump in 2016, and then by Joe Biden in 2020.
07:52Dr. Janarian has a lot more fight left in him.
07:59In an article in The Guardian, he has announced that to defeat Trumpism, he and other progressives
08:05will be holding grassroots events from coast to coast, because he is hopeful that the scanty
08:12majority Republican Senate can be persuaded to block Trump orders.
08:22He writes, and I quote, with the Republican Party in the House having only a three-vote
08:26majority, we can defeat draconian, anti-working class legislation if just two Republican members
08:33of Congress vote no.
08:36And they will vote no if we rally their constituents to demand that they vote no.
08:42Can Trumpism be defeated?
08:44Absolutely.
08:45Unquote.
08:46A day before this opinion piece was published, Bernie Sanders posted a video on his YouTube
08:53channel saying a sad moment in American history.
08:57He debunked U.S. President Donald Trump's each claim one by one.
09:04Yesterday Trump said that Ukraine started the war.
09:07That's not true.
09:09Russia invaded Ukraine twice.
09:12First in 2014, then again in 2022.
09:15Right now, Russia occupies about 20% of Ukraine.
09:20Trump called Ukrainian President Zelensky a dictator.
09:24That's not true either.
09:25Zelensky won 75% of the vote in three elections.
09:28In fact, his approval rating is higher than Trump's.
09:31He said the United States has contributed three times more than Europe.
09:36But that's another lie.
09:38In fact, Europe has provided more aid to Ukraine than the United States.
09:42Trump administration is moving this country very aggressively.
09:46In his speech two weeks back in the Senate, he pointed out that three of the richest men
09:50in the world were sitting behind President Trump on inauguration day.
09:58And also that the Tesla CEO spent over $277 million on Donald Trump's campaign.
10:07These three men, wealthiest three in America, have become some $232 billion richer since
10:16Trump was elected a few weeks ago.
10:19Three guys, $232 billion richer since Trump was elected.
10:25Mr. President, this is how an oligarchic system works.
10:32Elon Musk, the wealthiest person in the world and now a key part of the Trump administration,
10:39spent over $277 million to get Trump elected.
10:44In other words, within a corrupt campaign finance system, which allows billionaires
10:52to spend as much as they want, he helped buy the election for Mr. Trump.
10:59Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, the second and third wealthiest people in our country,
11:05both kicked a million dollars each into Trump's inauguration fund.
11:14Bernie Sanders is not alone.
11:17Democrats are also protesting and so are people on the street.
11:28These are all Americans whom President Trump has sworn an oath to protect and govern.
11:35But instead of uniting the country, Donald Trump, one month into his second presidency,
11:42has already divided people in caps.
11:50While the US aid funding controversy continues to play out in the United States of America,
11:55there's a massive political storm brewing in India as well.
11:58The Bharatiya Chinta Party has now doubled down on the opposition on Congress, saying
12:03that they used those funds while Rahul Gandhi was making his remarks on foreign soil.
12:10The Congress Party has rejected those remarks, calling it absolutely nonsensical.
12:15Here's a report.
12:18Can you imagine all that money going to India?
12:20I wonder what they think when they get it now.
12:23It's a kickback scheme.
12:24You know, it's not like they get it and they spend it, they kick it back to the people
12:27that send it, I would say, in many cases.
12:30US President Donald Trump hints at foreign interference in India once again, claiming
12:35the Joe Biden administration allocated $21 million to top race voter turnout.
12:41Trump suggested it could be a kickback scheme.
12:45And $21 million for voter turnout in India.
12:48Why are we caring about India turnout?
12:51We got enough problems.
12:53We want our own turnout, don't we?
12:55Can you imagine all that money going to India?
12:57I wonder what they think when they get it now.
13:00It's a kickback scheme.
13:01You know, it's not like they get it and they spend it, they kick it back to the people
13:04that send it, I would say, in many cases, many of these cases.
13:08The Congress citing newspaper reports claim that USAID allocated $21 million for voter
13:15turnout to Bangladesh and not India.
13:18The BGP rejected the news report.
13:21And Rahul Gandhi to foreign meddling, flagging his speeches in London last year.
13:51BGP sources claim USAID gave $204 million to the UPA government between 2004 to 2013,
13:59while Indian NGOs were given over $2,000 million.
14:04Sources also claim USAID funding stopped after 2015 and the NDA government just received
14:10$1.5 million while funding to NGOs increased to over $2,500 million.
14:17The BGP sources allege this hike in NGO funding coincided with Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Joro Yatra
14:23in 2022.
14:26The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
14:31a white paper on where the funds were used.
14:47The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
14:54a white paper on where the funds were used.
14:57The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:02a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:05The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:10a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:13The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:18a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:21The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:24a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:26The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:29a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:31The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:34a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:36The Congress denied the foreign interference charge, demanding the Modi government release
15:39a white paper on where the funds were used.
15:41The Politico 2 chimed in, claiming Trump revealed the plot to manipulate and taint India's electoral process.
16:05Donald Trump's big charge has triggered a big fight in India.
16:08Did the United States meddle in our elections?
16:11Bureau report India Today.
16:38Well, $21 million. I guess they were trying to get somebody else elected.
16:43US President Donald Trump hinting at USAID interference in India's election has put the spotlight on Veena Reddy,
16:52the former India director for the UN agency.
16:56An Andhra Pradesh-born American diplomat, she joined USAID's India office on August 5, 2021.
17:06She announced her return to the US on July 17, 2024,
17:11more than a month after the results for the Lok Sabha elections were announced.
17:16Before joining the US government as a Foreign Services Officer,
17:21Reddy was a corporate attorney in New York, London and Los Angeles.
17:25She has also been a member of Bar Councils of New York and California
17:31and has also served in USAID missions in Pakistan, the Central Asian Republics and Central America.
17:40With Trump's bomb-chill revelation, BJP leader and top lawyer Mahesh Jethmalani
17:45demanded an investigation into USAID funding and Veena Reddy's role.
18:00An allocation was made, right, which President Trump, in his words,
18:06says were meant to bring about a change in government and we should tell the Indian government.
18:11Who are the people who made the allegation on behalf of USAID in India, right?
18:16And three, who are the people who received the allocated funds?
18:19We will know when this investigation takes place or where further information is communicated
18:24by the Trump administration to the Modi government.
18:28Net funds disbursements for Indian projects by USAID rose significantly during Reddy's tilt,
18:35jumping multi-fold to over $228 million or Rs 1,982 crores in 2022, the highest since 2001.
18:48According to the US State Department, during her nearly three years of tenure as the Mission Director,
18:54Veena Reddy oversaw various projects in fields of health, economic development, education,
19:00social services, democracy, human rights and governance.
19:25are among prominent government bodies that either signed fresh agreements
19:28or implemented USAID-funded programs during Reddy's tint in New Delhi.
19:35Will the USAID funds and Veena Reddy's role be probed now?
19:40With Shubham Tiwari, New Delhi, Bureau Report, India Today.
19:45And here are some other stories from across the world, in World at a Glance.
19:55The Senate on Thursday narrowly voted to confirm Kash Patel as Director of the FBI.
20:04A Trump ally, Patel was picked to replace Christopher Wray, who served for more than seven years.
20:10Patel is a former defense attorney, federal prosecutor, top house staffer and national security official.
20:17But he raised alarms when he was exposed for his lack of management experience
20:21compared to his predecessors in the FBI.
20:24Kash Akash Patel became the first ever Indian-origin FBI Director.
20:34Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would make Hamas pay for failing to release the body of hostage Shiri Bibas, as agreed.
20:42The statement came after Israeli specialists said that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Thursday
20:48was an unidentified woman and not Shiri Bibas, whose two sons, Kafir and Ariel, were handed over and identified.
20:57Yadin Bibas' husband and father is the only survivor of the family.
21:01He was kidnapped separately and was released separately as well earlier this month.
21:06Foreign Minister S.J. Shankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Johannesburg on Friday on the sidelines of the G20 foreign ministers' meeting.
21:19The Indian foreign minister highlighted the importance of cooperation between the two countries to preserve and protect the G20 as an institution.
21:28In a very tense US-Canada relation over tariff and takeover threat, the country of maples defeated the eagles in a icy hockey championship face-off.
21:38Conor McDavid scored in overtime in the four nations' face-off ice hockey championship game to give Canada a 3-2 victory over the United States on Thursday night.
21:48Following the victory, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a jibe at the US President Donald Trump on X saying neither Canada nor the game could be taken.
22:18Elon Musk is in the United States of America meeting US President Donald Trump and also then impressing Trump's best buddy Musk by gifting him what you can see on your screens.
22:31And it seems like Elon Musk has been flaunting this gift in public rallies.
22:36With that, it's goodbye from me. Bye and take care.
22:48This is the chainsaw for bureaucracy. Chainsaw!