Trump believes Putin will honor peace deal, Russia sees U.S. shift as return to "normal life" – global media

This and more were covered by global outlets on the morning of February 28.

Trump believes Putin will stick to peace deal

Trump expressed his belief that Putin would adhere to any peace agreement regarding Ukraine, The New York Times reports.

During the British Prime Minister's visit to the White House, President Trump declined to promise military support for a potential U.S. peacekeeping force in Ukraine. He also stated that he trusted Russian leader, claiming that Putin would not violate the terms of a potential peace deal with Ukraine.

"I think he will keep his word," Trump said about Putin.

Trump's comments highlighted his support for Putin just a day before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was scheduled to arrive in Washington to finalize an agreement on the distribution of mineral extraction revenues with the United States. Trump emphasized access to Ukrainian minerals to offset the billions of dollars in military and humanitarian aid the U.S. had provided to Ukraine over the past three years.

As noted by the NYT, in the early weeks of his presidency, Trump ended the diplomatic isolation of Russia, baselessly accused Ukraine of starting the war with Russia, and repeatedly insulted Zelenskyy, even calling him a "dictator." However, on Thursday (February 27), it appeared he had shifted his stance, predicting they would have a good personal meeting.

Earlier at a press conference, when asked if he still considered Zelenskyy a dictator, Trump paused and asked in surprise, "Did I say that? I can't believe I said that."

Starmer was the last in a group of European leaders to visit Washington, hoping to persuade Trump, who insists on negotiations with the Russians to end the war. Earlier this week, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Washington.

"History should be on the side of the peacemaker, not the invader," said Starmer, standing next to Trump in the White House East Room.

His comments, notes the NYT, were sharper than those of Mr. Macron and other leaders, who did not dare to subtly pressure Mr. Trump during his visit to the White House.

"The United Kingdom is ready to put boots on the ground and put planes in the air to support the deal, working closely with our allies," said Keir Starmer. "Because this is the only way to ensure peace."

The British Prime Minister used his visit to deliver a letter from King Charles III inviting Trump to visit the country for a state visit, marking the first time an American president has been given such an honor twice (Queen Elizabeth II hosted Trump for a state dinner during his first presidential term). Upon opening the letter from the King, Trump referred to him as "a great, great gentleman."

However, Starmer's efforts to push Trump towards Ukraine – even with the promise of a historic state visit – seemed to have failed. Trump did not mention supporting a peacekeeping mission involving U.S. troops, including British forces.

The NYT highlights that the Prime Minister’s attitude towards Putin could hardly be more different from Trump’s stance.

Trump was asked what would happen if Britain sent peacekeeping troops to Ukraine and Russia refused a peace agreement. Would the Americans come to the British aid in Ukraine if Russia launched another offensive?

In one minute, Trump seemed to say "no" ("They can take care of themselves very well"), then "yes" ("If they need help, I will always be with the British"), and then back to "no" ("They don’t need help").

"Could you handle Russia on your own?" Trump asked Starmer, who was sitting next to Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Nervous laughter filled the room.

Ukraine had already felt the consequences of weak security agreements before: in December 1994, it gave up Soviet nuclear weapons still controlled by Moscow, and the U.S., UK, and Russia agreed to respect Ukraine's established borders. The agreement proved futile when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014. Although in 2022, at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion, the agreement provided Ukraine with weapons and intelligence support, neither the UK nor the U.S. provided troops.

Starmer was prepared to urge Trump not to rush a diplomatic resolution to the conflict without ensuring security guarantees for Ukraine that would prevent a repeat Russian invasion. However, White House representatives stated on Thursday, ahead of the meeting, that discussions on an agreement regarding rare earth minerals, which Trump said the U.S. needed, did not include such guarantees.

Russia sees U.S. shift as return to "normal life"

As Russian and American officials suddenly began to get along and make agreements with each other, Russians dared to imagine that life was returning to normal, writes The Washington Post.

IKEA furniture, Visa cards, direct flights abroad, European cars, and Netflix – everything that was banned for Russians after their country's invasion of Ukraine might become available again. The sudden and unexpected thaw between Moscow and Washington has caused Russians to cautiously breathe a sigh of relief, thinking that, perhaps, just perhaps, a return to normal life might suddenly become a reality, notes WP.

Until recently, the ideological confrontation between Russia and the West seemed insurmountable. However, the intensification of contacts between Russia and the United States, along with the stunning statements by President Donald Trump, which seem to align with Putin's narrative regarding the invasion, have sparked a glimmer of hope for change and the end of the war.

After Moscow described the call between the two leaders and the negotiations in Saudi Arabia as "friendly," Russian social media was flooded with jokes about how former rivals are now "brotherly nations" that will rule the world together – a typical phrase usually used by officials to refer to post-Soviet states or China.

According to WP, rumors suggest that soon Russians will be able to purchase foreign-brand goods, fly on direct flights abroad, and use working Visa cards for payments. Discussions about Western companies returning to Russia gained momentum after Putin's business emissary, Kirill Dmitriev, stated in the corridors of negotiations in Riyadh that he expects some American companies to return by mid-year.

Another official, Boris Titov, spoke about the "unfreezing of accounts of sanctioned companies, the return of Western brands, and the resumption of visa issuance." For his part, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the end of the war would unblock "potentially historic economic partnership."

"I really want to believe that people will stop killing each other. Many people have died, and Trump set the right tone, constantly repeating the absurdity of war," said a 45-year-old Russian dentist, whose words are quoted anonymously by WP. "Brands, international flights, Western payment systems make you, to some extent, part of the world, and their presence in your country gives you confidence that you're still living in a more or less normal country."

A Levada poll conducted six months after the invasion, following the first wave of sanctions, showed that Russians most miss the Swedish furniture chain Ikea, foreign electronics manufacturers, and car brands.

The Russian economy has shown resilience to sanctions, with foreign brands replaced by Russian counterparts or goods imported from China or Turkey. However, the economic pressure is becoming increasingly evident as the central bank tries to curb inflation and war expenses rise.

Economic policymakers also warn that a potential thaw in relations with the United States will not be a blanket invitation for foreign businesses to return. They have taken a firm stance, stating that Moscow will choose who can return with the goal of supporting domestic producers.

"We are not waiting for anyone with open arms. They will have to pay for everything, for their behavior," said Russia's Minister of Trade, Anton Alikhanov, expressing a grim attitude towards those who left the Russian market.

The turbulent exit of foreign companies, marked by the confiscation of state assets from firms like ExxonMobil and Danish brewer Carlsberg, serves as a reminder of how risky the investment climate remains in Russia.

While ordinary Russians rejoice at the apparent shift in Trump’s policy and the optimistic statements from Russian officials, this joy has a disorienting effect on hardline supporters, who have built much of their base on rallying calls for the destruction of the West.

Russia is also facing a range of economic and social problems that the war has distracted people from, according to Russian sociologist and scholar Ekaterina Schulman, who lives in Berlin. She expects that the "burst of joy" after the end of hostilities will be short-lived.