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The President's Daily Brief
February 25th, 2025: Zelensky Says He’s ‘Ready’ To Resign Under Certain Conditions & A Rare Admission From Hamas
00:20:26
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- [00:01]
Sponsor Voice
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- [00:44]
Mike Baker
Welcome to the President's Daily Brief. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage and apparently back on the road again. So I apologize for the constant shifting of the backdrop. I'm not sure whether that's considered professional or unprofess. Yeah, but it's the way that it is. Coming to you today from. Oh look, another airport lounge somewhere in the continental United States. Those are all the clues I'm giving you. All right, let's get briefed. We'll start today's show with a major statement from Ukraine's President Zelensky, who says he's open to resigning under the right conditions, while President Trump signals he may meet with the Ukrainian leader next week. We'll have those details later in the show. A rare admission from a senior Hamas official who now says he wouldn't have supported the October 7 attacks if he had known the consequences. Which of course implies that if Hamas hadn't had any negative consequences, then he would have been just fine with killing 1,200 women, children, elderly people and men and taking over 250 hostages. Plus, China's navy is flexing its muscles in the Pacific and conducting live fire drills that have New Zealand and Australia on edge. And in today's back of the brief, Spanish authorities take down a major South American run sex trafficking ring, another reminder that their criminal networks operate far beyond the Americas. But first, today's PDB Spotlight. Following a tumultuous week in relations between Washington and Kyiv, President Zelensky is signaling that he's willing to do whatever it takes to secure a peaceful resolution to Russia's war on Ukraine. As I'm sure our listeners are aware, last week President Trump sent shockwaves across Europe after he called Zelensky a dictator without elections, implied that Ukraine started the war, and said the Ukrainian leader better move quickly on peace negotiations or he will not have a country left. The message caused international uproar, particularly among NATO allies, as you might imagine, who accused the president of peddling Russian propaganda and marginalizing a critical regional ally. Well, Zelensky appears to have taken the attack in stride, telling reporters on Sunday that, well, he wasn't offended, though he noted that a true dictator would have been offended. To prove the point, Zelensky said he stands ready to give up his power in exchange for a peaceful settlement to the war or for assurances that Ukraine will be granted access to the NATO alliance. He added that he would depart immediately if necessary. Zelenskyy declared, quote, if to achieve peace you really need me to give up my post, I'm ready. I can trade it for NATO membership if there are such conditions. The comments came on the eve of the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in just one week after US Officials kicked off bilateral discussions with Moscow in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, which excluded representatives from Kyiv and NATO. The talks have stoked concerns that the Trump administration could cut Ukraine out of the negotiating process entirely and acquiesce to a settlement that favors Russian interests. But the frosty tensions between Washington and Kyiv well, appear to be thawing, at least somewhat. During an online meeting of the Group of Seven, or G7 on Monday, Zelenskyy and Trump spoke over the phone in an effort to bridge their divide. While the pair likely didn't fully bury the proverbial hatchet, Zelenskyy described it as very good conversation and expressed optimism when that the US Would continue to maintain its support for Kyiv despite the Trump administration's recent overtures to Moscow. Zelensky reiterated his call for a face to face meeting with Trump, saying it's critical that they get together. And on the same page before any potential summit between Trump and Putin, Zelensky added that they have made progress on a potential deal to grant the US Preferential access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals, though details of what that deal may entail are not yet clear. Last week, Zelensky provoked Trump's ire by publicly rejecting an initial U.S. offer regarding critical Ukrainian resources. Zelenskyy said the offer failed to provide Kyiv with any US Security guarantees, something that he argues are critical to achieving a just peace in the region. But it appears both sides are now close to a deal that will address those concerns, at least according to a report from the Hill. Trump, for his part, signaled on Monday that he could meet with Zelensky imminently to finalize an agreement. Speaking from the Oval Office alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, Trump said, quote, I will be meeting with President Zelensky. In fact, he may come in this week or next week to sign the agreement. End quote. U.S. officials have argued that such a deal would be mutually beneficial as it would give the US a powerful strategic incentive to provide long term security guarantees for Kyiv to deter future Russian aggression. Trump has also said it would serve as a viable way for the US to recoup the money spent on military assistance for Ukraine since the war began. While nothing is finalized, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant said Monday that negotiations on a minerals deal were now at the one yard line. Alright, coming up next, a senior Hamas official now says he wouldn't have supported the October 7 attacks if he had known the fallout. O&China's navy flexes its muscles with live fire drills that have New Zealand and Australia on alert. I'll be right back.
- [06:42]
Sponsor Voice
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- [07:10]
Mike Baker
Welcome back to the pdb. A top Hamas official has publicly admitted that had he foreseen the full scope of consequences, he would not have supported the 7 October 2023 terror attacks on Israel. Now this rare admission comes as ceasefire negotiations remain fragile, as disputes over prisoner releases threaten to reignite the war. For months, Hamas leaders have steadfastly defended the terror attacks which killed roughly 1,200 Israelis and led to the capture of some 250 hostages. In response, the Israel launched a relentless military campaign against the Iran backed terror group, eliminating senior Hamas officials and reducing much of the enclave to rubble. Despite Israel's military response, Hamas leadership had until now largely stood by its decision. But in an interview with the New York Times, Musa Abu Marzouk, the Qatar based head of Hamas's foreign relations wing, admitted that had he anticipated the scale of Israel's retaliation, it would have made it impossible for him to support the terror operation. To be fair, if he now regrets that move and truly feels bad about the destruction in Gaza, perhaps he and the other top Hamas leadership, at least those that are still alive, could donate their billions of dollars that they've siphoned off from the organization over the years and give it to the reconstruction effort. Hmm, that's just a thought. Notably, Abu Marzouk claimed he was not informed of the specific plans for 7 October, but confirmed that Hamas's political leadership had backed the broader objective of attacking Israel. His remarks fueled speculation about divisions within Hamas leadership. While Abu Marzouk appears to acknowledge regret over the attack's fallout, mind you note, he doesn't regret the attacks. Hardline figures, particularly those aligned with Hezbollah and Iran, remain entrenched in their defense of the terror operations. The timing of his statement is, well, far from incidental. Ceasefire negotiations have reached an impasse, with Hamas refusing to engage in further discussions until Israel fulfills its commitment to release over 600 Palestinian prisoners. As we reported on Monday's PDB, Israel delayed the latest prisoner release following hamas's handover of 10 Israeli hostages, six alive and four dead. Israeli officials accused Hamas of violating terms by staging humiliating handover ceremonies and using captives for propaganda. In response, Hamas lashed out, calling Israel's decision a blatant violation of the deal and warning that talks will not proceed unless the agreed upon terms are met. The White House has backed Israel's move, calling it an appropriate response to to Hamas's barbaric treatment of hostages. With the first phase of the ceasefire set to expire on Saturday, uncertainty, well obviously looms. President Trump's Middle east envoy, Steve Witkoff, is expected to travel to the region this week in a last ditch effort to extend the first phase of the ceasefire and secure the release of additional hostages. So far, hamas has released 25 living Israeli hostages and four dead, with another four bodies scheduled for handover on Thursday. In total, 33 Israeli hostages are set to be exchanged for roughly 1,900 Palestinian prisoners, but Hamas has made it clear that no further talks will take place unless the prisoner releases proceed in full. For now, the ceasefire hangs by a thread. Whether Abu Marzouk's remarks signal a deeper shift within Hamas or a calculated ploy to sway negotiations remains an open question. But with hostages, prisoners and fragile diplomacy at stake, the coming days will determine whether war resumes or if peace holds okay. Turning to the South Pacific, China's navy conducted two unprecedented live fire drills last week, sparking security concerns from New Zealand and Australia. And as Beijing flexes its growing military reach, the exercises, involving three People's Liberation army, or PLA Navy warships, showcase China's growing firepower, including long range missile systems that analysts say signal Beijing's ambitions to operate far beyond its traditional maritime sphere. New Zealand's Defense Minister Judith Collins called the drills a significant escalation, citing the fleet's advanced weaponry as a cause for concern. On Monday, Collins stated in a Radio New Zealand interview, the weapons they have are extremely capable. One has 112 vertical launch cells and has a reported anti ship ballistic missile range of 540 nautical miles. The drills didn't just catch defense officials off guard, they also disrupted commercial aviation airspace. Warnings, typically issued half a day or a full day in advance, came with just a few hours notice, forcing passenger jets to reroute mid flight. The last minute advisory drew criticism from Australia, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stating that China could have given more notice. Well, that's not exactly a sharp rebuke. A New Zealand Navy frigate shadowed the Chinese flotilla, which was last seen roughly 280 nautical miles east of Tasmania. The presence of a Type 055 destroyer that's the PLA Navy's most powerful surface combatant underscored the growing operational confidence of Beijing's naval forces. A maritime security expert described the site of a fully armed PLA Navy combat flotilla this far south as unusual, noting that China's shift from near seas operations to far seas training is part of its broader strategy to establish itself as a true blue water navy capable of operating across open oceans. Beijing's naval ambitions have expanded dramatically over the past decade. What started as regional dominance in the South China Sea has evolved into anti piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden, naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, and now live fire drills deep in the South Pacific. While still trailing the US Navy in global reach, China is aggressively working to close the gap. Predictably, Beijing dismissed the backlash from Australia and New Zealand. I told you that would be predictable, with the Chinese Defense Ministry accusing both nations of quote, hyping up the drills and making, quote, unreasonable accusations. Meanwhile, Chinese state media doubled down, warning Western nations to get used to seeing the PLA Navy in their waters as Beijing continues its military expansion. The According to the Pentagon's latest assessment on Beijing's military, China now boasts the world's largest naval fleet with over 370 ships and submarines. Under President Xi Jinping, the PLA Navy's rapid buildup is aimed at securing key maritime interests, protecting overseas assets and directly challenging US Naval dominance in strategically vital sea lanes. While China maintains that its operations adhere to international law, the growing presence of PLA warships in traditionally Western aligned maritime zones is sure to heighten tensions with Australia, New Zealand and of course, their Western allies. Alright, next up, a major sex trafficking ring with ties to South America has been dismantled in Spain, with dozens arrested and dozens of victims rescued. I'll have that story in the Back of the Brief. In today's Back of the Brief, if you thought that South American transnational gangs were just a problem in the U.S. well, think again. Authorities in Spain announced Sunday the bust of a staggeringly massive sex trafficking ring led by two Colombian women and a Spanish man who are accused of abducting more than 1,000 women over the past year, mostly from Colombia and Venezuela. Police arrested a total of 48 suspects during a series of raids over the weekend on eight properties, including three brothels, rescuing nearly 50 victims of the criminal enterprise. According to a report from the German outlet dw. The women were reportedly lured from South America to Spain over the past year with the promise of steady jobs in the cleaning and beauty sectors. But when they arrived, they were instead hauled off to seedy clubs disguised as boarding houses or hostels, where they were subjected to daily exploitation. Police said the women were forced to work at all hours, kept under permanent video surveillance and only allowed outside for less than two hours each day. During the raids, police confiscated numerous weapons, roughly €150,000 in cash, and shut down a bank account holding funds valued at nearly $1 million. They also closed down three strip clubs and seized a total of 17 properties associated with the transnational gang. Six of the suspects arrested, including the three ringleaders, are currently being held in pre trial detention. The other 42 suspects were released on bail to face trial at a later date. They include property managers and taxi drivers who shuttled the women between the various sites. Authorities said they discovered the transnational trafficking network thanks to anonymous tips left on a dedicated police hotline. They said over the past year they'd received thousands of citizen complaints related to the gang's activity, which provided invaluable operational information that made the weekend raids possible. And that, my friends, is the President's Daily brief for Tuesday 25th February. Now, if you have any questions or comments, and I hope you do, please reach out to me@pdbhefirsttv.com and just in case you didn't get the memo, if you'd like to listen to the show ad free, it's 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. It.