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The President's Daily Brief
February 20th, 2025: Trump Brands Zelensky A 'Dictator' & Sudan's Paramilitaries Pursue Breakaway Government
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It's Thursday, the 20th of February. Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right, let's get briefed. First, relations between the US And Ukraine are taking an ugly turn. Well, that's putting it diplomatically, as Presidents Trump and Zelensky engage in an escalating war of words, with the US President slamming the Ukrainian leader as a, quote, dictator. Later in the show, we'll have an update on the ceasefire in Gaza as Hamas signals that they are willing to release all the remaining hostages at once, provided that the truce moves into the second phase, once again proving that Hamas is very adept at controlling a narrative. Plus, Sudan's civil war takes another bloody turn as Sudanese paramilitaries announce plans to form a breakaway government. And in today's back of the Brief, we'll look at reports out of Israel that Iran, in partnership with Turkey, is covertly working to smuggle money to Hezbollah in an attempt to help the Lebanese militants rebuild their military operations. Now, that could be construed as unfortunate behavior by a U.S. ally and NATO member. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. Just one day after an American delegation met with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia to begin peace negotiations, President Trump lashed out at Ukrainian President Zelensky, calling the leader a dictator in a fiery rant that risks significantly complicating efforts to end the war. The diplomatic spat, if I could use the word spat, how often do you hear that? Began on Tuesday after Trump suggested Zelensky was responsible for starting the war in Ukraine, which, for those who need reminding, began after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin invaded the country in February of 2022. And that, of course, was after Putin annexed Crimea from Ukraine back in 2014. Speaking to reporters in Mar? A Lago on Tuesday, Trump chastised Ukrainian officials for protesting his administration's bilateral talks with Russian diplomats in Riyadh, claiming that Kiev could have secured a favorable settlement with Moscow years ago but failed to act in their own best interests or in Moscow's best interests, depending on your point of view. Trump remarked, quote, today I heard, oh, well, we weren't invited. Well, you've been there for three years, he said. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal. The president also increased pressure on Zelenskyy to hold elections, which were suspended last year under Ukraine's ongoing period of martial law declared following Putin's invasion. Now, it's worth noting that Russia has been highly critical of Ukraine's suspended elections, rather ironically, implying the emergency martial law declaration makes Zelensky high an illegitimate leader as opposed to Putin, who of course has always fixed his elections. That has been a regular talking point for Putin and his minions for quite some time now. Zelensky fired back at Trump on Wednesday, accusing the president of living in a Russian made, quote, disinformation space, adding that he would like to see, quote, more truth with the Trump team. He also directly criticized the Riyadh talks, saying he would not accept anyone making decisions regarding a settlement to the war behind Keeb's back. Well, as you can imagine, those critiques did not go over well with Trump, who posted a lengthy attack on Zelensky to Truth Social on Wednesday, mocking the leader as a, quote, modestly successful comedian, accusing him of misusing US Aid and of generally doing a terrible job as President. Trump stated, quote, he refuses to have elections, is very low in Ukrainian polls, and the only thing he was good at was was playing Biden like a fiddle. Trump added, quote, a dictator without elections. Zelensky better move fast or he's not going to have a country left, end quote. This is quite the spat. Needless to say, Trump's comments caused international uproar. That's putting it diplomatically, particularly among NATO allies who accuse the president of peddling Russian propaganda and marginalizing a critical regional ally stateside. Congressional Democrats also slammed Trump. Well, there's a shock with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. He loves a camera. Calling Trump's comments disgusting and accusing him of openly siding with a, quote, thug like Vladimir Putin, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Even some congressional Republicans appeared troubled by Trump's remarks. Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said he disagreed with Trump's suggestion that that Ukraine somehow started the war. And Senator Susan Collins of Maine also said she disagreed, though most in the GOP stopped short of directly criticizing Trump. Well, that's because they have to worry about getting reelected and that is the prime driver of politicians in Washington on both sides of the aisle. Putin himself seemed to delight in the escalating war of words. Again, not a surprise, claiming Wednesday that, quote, no one is excluding Ukraine and adding that there was no need for a, quote, hysterical reaction to Russia's bilateral talks with the US And Saudi Arabia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also waded into the drama, saying Trump's comments are a sign that he understands Moscow's position. But the Trump administration appeared to be unconcerned with the fallout. Vice President J.D. vance shared Trump's post to his X account, saying, quote, I just wanted to make sure that no one missed it. Later on Wednesday, in an interview with the Daily Mail, Vance slammed Zelensky's comments about the Riyadh talks as, quote, disgraceful, adding, quote, the idea that Zelensky is going to change the president's mind by badmouthing him in public media. Everyone who knows the president will tell you that is an atrocious way to deal with this administration, end quote. Regardless, the remarks have put Trump's special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, in a rather awkward position. That is putting it mildly. Kellogg arrived in Kiev on Wednesday for his first face to face meeting with Zelensky. Speaking to reporters upon his arrival, Kellogg said he looked forward to having, quote, good, substantial talks and said that his mission was to, quote, listen to the concerns of Ukraine and report them back to Trump to, quote, ensure we get this thing right, end quote. While there's no telling now this diplomatic hoo ha will impact the Trump administration's pursuit of a negotiated settlement to the war, Zelensky's defiant response underscores a widening gap between the White House and leaders in Kyiv regarding the conflict and suggests that the Ukrainian leader will not accept attempts by any outside party to dictate the terms of a potential peace deal. Well, to be fair, that's because they are the invaded country and Putin is an existential threat. So it's reasonable to say that Ukraine has a vested interest in the terms of any potential peace deal that is not a controversial statement. Coming up after the break, we'll have an update on the ceasefire in Gaza as Hamas signals that they're willing to release all the remaining hostages at once, provided that Israel meets certain conditions. Plus, Sudanese paramilitaries announce plans to form a breakaway government as their bloody civil war grinds on. I'll be right back. Running a business isn't easy. I know that firsthand. Look, as a business owner, I've seen how managing finances can turn into a time consuming headache with endless receipts, approvals and expense tracking slowing everything down. And that's where Ramp comes in. Ramp streamlines finance operations by automating the entire process. No more chasing receipts or manually logging expenses. Ramp takes care of it all instantly matching receipts, categorizing purchases and approving transactions while integrating seamlessly with your ERP for real time visibility. For finance teams buried in busy work, Ramp flips the equation. Look, most companies spend about 80% of their time on low value tasks and only 20% of their time on strategy. Think about how ineffective that is. Well, RAMP changes that, freeing up your team to focus on forecasting growth and high impact decisions. Make the switch and it's effortless. Over 25,000 businesses, including Shopify and the Boys and Girls Club of America Trust ramp, earning it the number one ranking in spend management by G2. And now for a limited time, listeners of this show can get $250. When you join ramp, just go to ramp.com PDB it's very simple. Ramp.com PDB one more time, that's R A M P.com PDB cards are issued by Sutton bank member FDIC and as they say, terms and conditions apply. Welcome back to the PDB Hamas has signaled a willingness to release all remaining Israeli hostages in a single exchange, framing the move as an accelerated commitment to advancing the second phase of a broader ceasefire agreement. Oh, how magnanimous of them. The proposal on Wednesday from the Iran backed terror group marks a shift from the agreement's initial release schedule, which called for the exchange of three Israeli hostages for several hundred Palestinian prisoners each week. The ceasefire, in effect since 19 January, despite persistent accusations of violations, is now entering a critical juncture, as we've been tracking here on the pdb. Hamas is set to return the bodies of four Israeli hostages on Thursday, followed by the release of six living hostages on Sunday and another transfer of four bodies next Thursday. Israeli authorities have confirmed the imminent return of the remains but have not publicly identified them. The conclusion of this initial six week phase on the 1st of March will leave 58 hostages still in Hamas custody, with Israeli intelligence estimates suggesting that 34 of them are dead. Hamas insists its new proposal is a demonstration of its commitment to resolving the conflict. That, of course would be the conflict that they started, but I digress, A senior Hamas official told afp, quote we have informed the mediators that Hamas is ready to release all hostages in one batch during the second phase of the agreement, rather than in stages, end quote. It's important to note that the negotiations over the second phase were initially scheduled to begin in early February, but they've faced continued obstacles. Israel's foreign minister said Tuesday that talks would start this week to establish a more permanent end to the war, but as of Wednesday, no timeline had been confirmed. A major sticking point remains Israel's refusal to withdraw troops from the Philadelphia corridor, and that's a strategically vital stretch along Gaza's border with Egypt. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has also demanded the total disarmament and removal of Hamas from from power in the enclave, though who would actually govern Gaza in the terror group's absence remains unresolved. In a move that could signal a shift in Israel's negotiating strategy, Netanyahu has appointed Ron Dermer, a close advisor and former ambassador to Washington, to lead Israel's delegation. Dermer replaces the heads of Mossad and Shin Bet who often clashed with Netanyahu over his reluctance to advance negotiations. Meanwhile, as our regular PDB listeners are aware, President Trump has floated a proposal to relocate Gaza's roughly 2.3 million residents and place the territory under American administration for a decade long reconstruction effort. The idea has been roundly rejected by regional actors including Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, all of whom opposed any forced displacement of Palestinians. Gulf states are now pushing their own alternative reconstruction plan, which will be discussed at an emergency summit in Riyadh on Friday hosted by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. More formal talks are set to follow at an Arab League summit in Cairo on the 4th of March. The coming days will determine whether Hamas latest proposal, combined with the eventual beginnings of phase two negotiations can usher in a prolonged peace in the Gaza Strip. Alright. Shifting now to Kenya, where Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, known as the rsf, took a major step toward establishing a breakaway government on Tuesday, staging a political event in Nairobi despite battlefield losses and allegations of war crimes. The event, attended by hundreds of RSF supporters, was led by the paramilitary group's deputy leader Abdul Rahim de Galo, a figure already under US sanctions for orchestrating violence and human rights abuses. For background, Sudan's war erupted in April 2023 when the RSF and Sudan's military, once uneasy allies in a joint coup, turned against each other in a brutal contest for power. The conflict has since devastated the country, leaving tens of thousands dead, displacing more than 12 million people. Think about that. 12 million people and triggering a famine that international aid bodies fear could be the deadliest in decades. Tuesday's event laid bare the RSF's political aspirations as it struggles to offset military setbacks. In recent months, Sudan's army has pushed RSF fighters out of key areas in the capital of Khartoum and central Sudan, forcing the paramilitary group to to entrench itself in the vast swaths of territory that it still controls. The RSF planned to use the event to formally and rather ironically, UNVEIL a government of peace and unity. However, the signing of the proposed governing charter was postponed. RSF officials claimed the delay was due to ongoing negotiations with the Sudan's People's Liberation Movement north, known as splmn. That's a powerful faction that controls much of Sudan's famine stricken south. While the SPLMN has historically stayed neutral in the war, an alliance with the RSF could expand its territorial reach and political influence. The group's leader, who spoke at Tuesday's event, voiced support for drafting a new constitution and restructuring Sudan's governance in the days ahead, calling for a, quote, new social contract. But the RSF's self styled Pro democracy image came under fire almost immediately as fresh allegations of atrocities surfaced. Sudanese officials accused RSF fighters of massacring civilians in Sudan's south this week where over 200 people were reportedly killed in a brutal three day assault on two villages. According to Reuters, survivors described RSF forces opening fire on civilians as they attempted to flee across the Nile River. Sudan's Foreign Ministry put the death toll at 433. Meanwhile, in Sudan's western region, RSF forces stormed a refugee camp last week, killing dozens. That's according to aid groups. As for whether the RSF can establish a government, that remains an open question. Even at Tuesday's event, the SPLMN leader acknowledged Sudan's long history of peace efforts that subsequently collapsed into renewed bloodshed. But the RSF is not without powerful backers. The United Arab Emirates continues to provide financial and military support to the group, with foreign officials suggesting that Abu Dhabi is determined to keep its Sudanese proxy from losing the war. It's worth noting that the UAE's involvement isn't purely ideological. Oh really? Reports indicate the Gulf nation is leveraging its influence to secure access to Sudan's gold and other natural resources. And, well, there's an odd concept. Natural resources and wealth at the center of conflict in the third World. Who would have thunk it? If the RSF moves forward with its breakaway government, Sudan could slide deeper into fragmentation, mirroring the post Gaddafi reality in Libya, where rival factions carve the country into competing power centers, further complicating regional diplomacy. Coming up next in the back of the brief, we'll look at reports out of Israel that Iran, in partnership with Turkey, is covertly working to smuggle money to Hezbollah. I'll be back with those details in today's Back of the Brief. Israeli leaders are sounding the alarm on ongoing Iranian efforts to smuggle large sums of money to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon to help the battered terrorist Group and Iran's proxy rebuild their military operations. During a meeting in Israel on Tuesday with a bipartisan group of US Senators, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar accused Turkey of covertly working with the mullahs in Tehran and the IRGC to facilitate their efforts to refill Hezbollah's depleted coffers. That's according to a report from the Times of Israel. A statement from the Foreign Minister's office warned there is an intensified Iranian effort to smuggle money into Lebanon for Hezbollah to restore its power and status. This effort is being carried out among other channels via Turkey and with its cooperation, end quote. As I'm sure our listeners are aware, Hezbollah was until recently the most well armed and well financed militant army in Iran's so called Axis of Resistance. But through a very methodical military campaign that began last summer, Israel laid waste to Hezbollah's leadership and decimated their military infrastructure. On 27 November, a beleaguered Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire deal with Israel, ending two months of full scale war, though the deal has, well, frankly, barely held together. But Iran is eager to help the terror group rebuild so they can once again threaten Israel and strengthen Iran's regional power base, which has been significantly diminished over the past year. Iran could previously rely on smuggling cash and weapons through Syria, but as you know, since the fall of the Assad regime in December, they've had to pursue other options. And it appears that Turkey is helping to fill that void. For context, Turkish President Erdogan has been a highly vocal critic of Israel ever since the beginning of the war in Gaza, even openly expressing support for Hamas. While Turkey's relationship with Iran is a complicated one. With the two countries finding themselves on opposite sides during Syria's civil war, it appears that they have found common cause in trying to undermine Israel's security. Now would you look at that. It's true, the old saying, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I guess that's why it's a. It's an ancient saying. The Israeli Foreign Minister's office did not elaborate on how Turkey is aiding in the finance of Hezbollah, though Turkish banks have previously been accused by the US of funneling money to the terror group. The warning comes just one week after Israeli officials exposed an Iranian scheme to smuggle suitcases full of cash to Hezbollah via Beirut's international airport. That's a story which we reported right here on the pdb. The Lebanese government has since taken measures to indefinitely bar civilian flights to Beirut from two Iranian airliners to cut off these transfers. But reports indicate that tens of millions of dollars may have already made its way into the hands of Hezbollah. Well, okay. Into the pockets of Hezbollah leaders. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Thursday, 20 February. Now, if you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB, the first tv.com and of course, to listen to the show ad free. It is so simple. Just become a premium member of the President's Daily brief by visiting PDB premium.com I'm Mike Baker and I'll be back later today with the PDB Afternoon Bulletin. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. SA.