Ukraine’s Worst Day Since the Russian Invasion
Andrew Sheves Good morning.
🇺🇦 Yesterday was the most consequential day for Ukraine since the Russian invasion three years ago. US statements after the talks between the US and Russia did little to push back Russia’s demands that Ukraine cede any territory held by Russia, would not join NATO and that no foreign troops be stationed in the country. But the real damage came at a press conference Tuesday afternoon when President Donald Trump blamed Ukraine for starting the war, attacked President Zelenskyy personally, and demanded that presidential elections take place as part of any peace deal. Trump and Zelenskyy have had a difficult relationship but this is the most hostile Trump has been towards the Ukrainian leader and this seems to cement Zelenskyy’s exclusion from negotiations. [More - Politico]
With European leaders also shut out of the talks, it seems certain that Ukraine will have a deal imposed on them: one that gives President Putin a lot of what he wants and allows President Trump to say he brought peace to the region. But this is also a deal that leaves Ukraine smaller, weaker, poorer and with no security umbrella. Meanwhile, Moscow is well-positioned to install a pro-Russia candidate at the next set of elections giving them victory in almost every dimension.
However, beyond Kyiv, this deal also sends a clear message to Europe: Trump’s White House sees this region as part of Russia’s sphere of influence and they should not expect any US support in the event of Russian incursions into Eastern Europe.
Europe Stability Ratings and News Summary
More Unstable
🇦🇱 Albania, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇧🇾 Belarus, 🇧🇪 Belgium, 🇧🇦 Bosnia And Herzegovina, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇨🇿 Czech Republic, 🇫🇷 France, 🇩🇪 Germany, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇭🇺 Hungary, 🇮🇹 Italy, 🇲🇰 Macedonia, 🇲🇹 Malta, 🇲🇩 Moldova, 🇲🇪 Montenegro, 🇳🇴 Norway, 🇵🇱 Poland, 🇷🇴 Romania, 🇷🇺 Russia, 🇷🇸 Serbia, 🇸🇰 Slovakia, 🇪🇸 Spain, 🇸🇪 Sweden, 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇺🇦 Ukraine
More Stable
No countries were more stable over this period
Unchanged
🇦🇩 Andorra, 🇨🇾 Cyprus, 🇩🇰 Denmark, 🇪🇪 Estonia, 🇫🇮 Finland, 🇮🇸 Iceland, 🇮🇪 Ireland, 🇱🇻 Latvia, 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein, 🇱🇹 Lithuania, 🇱🇺 Luxembourg, 🇲🇨 Monaco, 🇳🇱 Netherlands, 🇵🇹 Portugal, 🇸🇲 San Marino, 🇸🇮 Slovenia, 🇨🇭 Switzerland, 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
Europe News Summary
Switzerland is on the verge of a significant policy shift as a majority of politicians have voted in favor of legalizing recreational cannabis. If the proposal is approved, it would empower the federal government to regulate the sale of marijuana, moving it from its current classification as a narcotic. The plan includes establishing a state-controlled monopoly to oversee cannabis sales, marking a notable change in the country’s approach to drug policy [SOURCE - SWISSINFO CH].
In a separate political development, a Swiss government commission has advised against holding a mandatory referendum on a new institutional package aimed at strengthening ties with the European Union. This recommendation reflects ongoing debates about Switzerland’s relationship with the EU, which remains a contentious issue in Swiss politics [[SOURCE - LENWS]](https://lenews.ch/2025/02/15/commissi
Carpe tomorrow!