Foreign Media Scan (February 17th – March 3rd, 2025)

By: Anna Mironova

During two weeks of tense United States-Ukraine relations, Russian media was dominated by discussions about Ukraine peace negotiations, rare earth metals, and the meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukraine President Zelensky. Here are the key takeaways from February 17 and March 3, 2025: 

State of Ukraine Peace Negotiations 

• Starting off the week, on February 18, 2025, Lenta.ru News took a deep dive into the front line, as Russia and the U.S. begun negotiations in Saudi Arabia. It concluded that at that moment, several large cities remained in the control of Ukrainian Forces. Given the current pace of the advance, Russian units are unlikely to be able to establish control over them in the coming months.
• Context: This follows a week of cautiously positive coverage of U.S.-Russia relations following President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin’s call. Russian state-affiliated media, like Lenta.ru, rarely acknowledge military setbacks without a strategic purpose, suggesting that Russian media may have been preparing the Russian public for potential compromises arising from negotiations. 

Allegations of Europe Urging Ukraine to “Keep Fighting”

• On February 24, 2025, Russian media attention turned to a major “gathering of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Western allies that took place in the Ukrainian capital. It featured representatives from 13 countries attending in person, and 24 attending virtually. In a commentary for Nezavisimaya Gazeta, First Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma of Committe on CIS Affairs Konstantin Zatulin stated: “Above all, the European leaders aim to prevent Moscow from winning and profiting from it […]” European representatives are certainly working against peace and clearly want to create obstacles to the development of a peace formula the Russians and Americans are already engaged in.”
• Context: This sentiment follows new sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union on February 25, 2025. As reported by Russian Vedemosti News, Ivan Timofeev, Director General of the Russian International Affairs Council, emphasized that while the U.S. is trying to find compromise with Moscow, the EU continues to operate from the paradigm of inflicting “total defeat.”  This coverage aligns with broader Kremlin narratives that paint Western nations —especially European ones—as perpetuating the war rather than seeking resolution. 

Rare Earth Metals 

• On February 26, 2025, Russian TASS News reported that during the meeting in Saudi Arabia, cooperation on rare earth metals between Russia and the U.S. was not discussed, but the sides stressed that “it is necessary to remove contrived obstacles to the development of mutually beneficial economic and other ties.” This was followed by further coverage, where on March 2, 2025, TASS News reported that the U.S. administration is no longer looking at signing a rare earths and other minerals agreement with Ukraine. 
• Context: While rare earth metals have not been a major topic of discussion between the U.S. and Russia, the phrasing of Russian reporting suggests that broader economic cooperation remains on the table — a notable shift given historic U.S.-Russia relations. This aligns with Moscow’s long-term goal of normalizing economic relations with the U.S. while maintaining its strategic control over key resources. 

Meeting between U.S. President Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky  

• Russian TASS News reported heavily on recent developments on Ukraine peace talks following the meeting between President Trump and President Zelensky on February 28, 2025. TASS cited political scientist Alexander Nemtsev, who said that “by criticizing President Zelensky, the Trump team is attempting to make him step down and organize elections in Ukraine. However, if he is seen as useful, then military and political support will come in exchange for economic concessions”. Furthermore, some Russian media, such as the Kosmopolskaya Pravda, has reported that the Kremlin foresaw the “outburst of the head of the [Kyiv] regime, President Zelensky, in the White House”. The press secretary of the Russian President, Dmitry Peskov, noted before the meeting that such a scandal was “more than possible”. 
• Context: By highlighting these narratives, Russian state-backed news agencies are shaping perceptions of friction between the U.S. and Ukraine. Russian media is also taking the opportunity to amplify sentiments that Ukraine is becoming desperate or losing favour with its Western backers. This sentiment seems to have tangibly materialized with the U.S announcing a pause to its military aid for Ukraine on March 4, 2025, as reported by Reuters.  

Hungary’s Stance on Ukraine 

• As reported by TASS News on March 3, 2025, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is planning to reject plans for Ukraine’s accession to the European Union at an EU summit in Brussels this week as unrealistic. According to Prime Minister Orban, Ukraine has not yet restored ethnic Hungarian minority rights in Transcarpathia, nor has it refrained from actions that put Hungary’s energy security at risk. He has also expressed opposition to any rushed decisions on extending individual sanctions against Russian individuals and businesses. 
• Context: This follows February 24, 2025, when Hungary blocked a draft document on security guarantees and new military aid to Ukraine during a meeting of EU ambassadors, as reported by Politico. By emphasizing Hungary’s rejection of security guarantees and military aid to Ukraine, Russian media is reinforcing the narrative that Europe is not fully united behind Ukraine. This weakens Kyiv’s confidence in sustained Western backing and fuels tensions within the EU, potentially discouraging other hesitant members (such as Slovakia and Austria) from committing further resources to Ukraine. TASS’s focus on this issue suggests that Russia views Hungary as a useful tool in undermining European solidarity —something the Kremlin has worked toward for years through economic ties, energy deals, and political influence.