How to Mark an Anniversary.
February 24, 2025.
Today marks the third anniversary
of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This time. On February 24, 2022, Russia
invaded Ukraine from Belarus, Crimea, and the Donbas, in what Russian President
Vladimir Putin termed a “special military operation” to “demilitarize and
denazify” Ukraine. Depending how you count, it was the 6th or 7th
time dating back to the 17th century that Russia and Ukraine have
done battle.
Leaders from 13 Western countries
met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv to mark the anniversary
and signify their support for Ukraine. The US was noticeably absent. The
commemoration was low-key, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posting
on X, “Eternal gratitude to the fallen heroes—the gratitude of Ukraine, the
gratitude of all free nations.”
The anniversary comes just days
after a war of words between US President Donald Trump and Zelensky. Zelensky’s
response to reporter’s questions included the comment that Trump, “Lives in a
world of disinformation.” That sent Trump into a tizzy. He responded by calling
Zelensky an unelected dictator. He also claimed that Ukraine was responsible
for starting the war.
In a post on his own “Truth
Social,” Trump, the former reality TV star, posted, “Think of it, a modestly
successful comedian, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, talked the United States of America
into spending $350 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won, that
never had to start, but a War that he, without the U.S. and “TRUMP,” will never
be able to settle,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Also today, the US voted against
a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression and calling for withdrawal of
Russian forces. The resolution passed 93-18, with sixteen abstentions.
Countries voting with the US included Israel, Hungary, Haiti, Nicaragua, and
Niger.
It remains to be seen if the
third anniversary of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine may also serve as a
convenient marker of the US rapprochement with Russia and abandonment of
Ukraine, NATO, the EU, and perhaps democracy.
Notes.
https://www.history.com/news/ukraine-timeline-invasions
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/world/europe/ukraine-war-anniversary-zelensky.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/world/europe/europe-ukraine-anniversary.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/world/europe/ukraine-zelensky-trump-russia-war.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/24/world/middleeast/us-eurpe-russia-ukraine-un.html
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