Trump aims to get Vladimir Zelensky to the negotiating table, Europe is unprepared to boost its armed forces, and Arab countries endorse a restoration plan for the Gaza Strip. These stories topped the headlines in Thursday’s newspapers across Russia, according to TASS news agency.
Media: When and with whom will Zelensky go to negotiating table?
The Kremlin has a positive assessment of Vladimir Zelensky’s readiness to negotiate, but the ban on any talks with Russia is still in effect in Ukraine. During his first address to Congress, US President Donald Trump said that he had received a signal from the Ukrainian leader on his readiness for a peace agreement.
Zelensky has already agreed to certain compromises, such as signing a minerals deal and the possibility of introducing a ban on strikes on civilian infrastructure. The US president also noted that he had received "strong signals" from Moscow on its readiness for peace. That said, Trump has not yet changed his mind about suspending military aid to the Kiev regime. Additionally, the US has halted the exchange of intelligence with Ukraine.
Trump’s address to Congress has disappointed the Ukrainian public in many ways, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported. Despite hopes, the country was mentioned last in the international segment of the speech, after Panama and Israel, while the reason for the mention, Zelensky’s apology, was not flattering to the national pride either, the newspaper wrote.
The minerals deal may not be enough to resume US aid to Ukraine, American media outlets say. It is quite possible that the pause in arms supplies will last until Trump decides that Zelensky is ready for dialogue with Russia. Additionally, the US leader wants a "larger-scale deal" on Ukrainian resources, which means driving a hard bargain. Not only does Washington want rare-earth metals, but also a long-term preferential treatment for US companies, the Western media noted. However, as expert of the Russian International Affairs Council Andrey Kortunov emphasized, in general, the Kiev regime may agree to the US’ conditions "but will sabotage the agreements via stipulations and unfulfilled promises." "Today, the Kiev regime will do everything possible to contain the scandal that erupted following the February 28 Trump-Zelensky meeting in the White House. Naturally, there will be maximum concessions on the Ukrainian side. That said, knowing Ukraine, it is possible to presume that, having agreed in general, Kiev will surround the agreements with various additional conditions and clauses and some promises will not be fulfilled," Kortunov told Izvestia.
That said, European guarantees of replacing US military aid to Ukraine look dubious. According to Kortunov, "the EU will claim that it is capable of compensating for the deliveries, but the reality will prove the opposite." The German Defense Ministry said that Germany had reached its limit on handing weapons from its arsenals over to Ukraine.
"It is also possible to presume that the majority of European capitals will align with Zelensky’s position as to when, on what conditions, and deadlines, it will be reasonable to begin talking about a ceasefire," the expert noted.
Izvestia: Europe not ready to introduce mandatory military service
Following the US’ decision to reduce its involvement in European security, EU countries, including Germany, intensified their discussions of reinstating the compulsory conscription. However, as German legislator Gerold Otten, a member of the Bundestag Defense Committee, told Izvestia, a wish is not enough, infrastructure is needed. Moreover, according to him, the process of returning to the compulsory military service will take at least two years and cost about €7 billion. The expert community notes that under the current circumstances, Europe is simply incapable of a several-fold increase in the number of its troops with its population generally not enthusiastic to take up arms to defend their countries. That said, Brussels has already announced a start of a "rearmament era," which will call for major spending.
Europe is seeking ways not so much to return itself a strategic independence but the potential that Russia and the US will take into account, but it will be difficult for EU countries to develop a single approach and implement its plans on increasing the number of armed forces, Dmitry Stefanovich, researcher with the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World Economy and International Relations, told Izvestia.
"For many years, no one in the EU was investing in the support of something they were not going to use. The unused potential tends to deteriorate by itself. It is impossible to magically carry out several conscriptions at once and increase the number of the armed forces and the usual reserve manifold. This is a very long process which is related not only to the people’s wish to join the service but also to the ability to station and train them," the expert explained.
Nikita Lipunov, junior expert with the Institute for International Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations, is confident that the idea of a pan-European army is unlikely to find support in all EU countries. For instance, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden in their defense primarily rely on NATO security guarantees and close ties with the US. Even though verbally their leadership supports Europe’s strategic autonomy, it will be difficult to implement this in the near future.
Vedomosti: Arab countries endorse plan of restoring Gaza
Member states of the League of Arab States (LAS) endorsed a plan for the Gaza Strip’s post-war recovery at the March 4 summit in Cairo. The plan for rebuilding the region was developed by the Egyptian side for about a month and was meant to serve as an alternative to proposals by US President Donald Trump to relocate about two million Palestinians from the enclave and turn the region into a "Riviera of the Middle East."
Egypt’s plan is rather advisory, not binding, and is unlikely to trigger any changes in the Gaza Strip, Eastern studies scholar Ruslan Suleymanov thinks. Naturally, Arab countries supported it as an alternative to Trump’s proposals, which they view as completely unacceptable. "Above all, it was important for Egypt and Jordan to display unity on the Palestinian issue in the Arab world," the expert noted. However, he thinks that any plans on the post-war Gaza will remain theoretical under the conditions of the continued conflict, which is far from ending.
The Cairo declaration has a symbolic and propaganda meaning, added Andrey Zeltyn, senior lecturer at the School of Asian Studies at the Higher School of Economics (HSE University). According to him, for the first time in many years, Arab countries voiced their wish to resolve challenging regional issues on their own. That said, according to the expert, Egypt’s plan does have the potential for a practical application, and in the future, it may become the foundation for interested countries to participate in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Izvestia: Pakistan to consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine
Pakistan will consider participating in a UN peacekeeping mission to Ukraine if approved by the UN Security Council (UNSC), Islamabad’s permanent mission to the UN told Izvestia. Pakistan is one of the leading suppliers of peacekeeping troops for UN operations and an elected member of the UNSC for 2025-2026. Earlier, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov dismissed the possibility of deploying NATO and EU peacekeepers to Ukraine.
If an agreement on deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine is reached, they may operate under the UN flag, as this is common practice. That said, the peacekeepers must represent countries neutral to the Ukraine conflict, and this is the global majority, Deputy Director of the MGPU’s Institute of History and Politics Vladimir Shapovalov told Izvestia. Since the onset of Russia’s special military operation in Ukraine, Pakistan has not openly supported either party to the conflict.
Russia’s stance is that the West has essentially become a participant in the armed conflict in Ukraine. The Ramstein format countries are supplying arms to the Kiev regime, financing it, providing it with information, and waging an economic war against Russia. Therefore, they cannot act as neutral states capable of participating in a peacekeeping mission, the expert concluded.
Kommersant: Russian traders expand into Indian market
Russian traders are increasing their presence on the Indian stock market. Investors are attracted by the market’s prospects and capacity, with the capitalization of $4.9 trillion. Additionally, cross-border currency operations are conducted swiftly.
At the end of February 2025, the Rikom-Trust investment company was licensed as a Foreign Portfolio Investor Cat. II, FPI II, a source told the newspaper. The company plans to "enhance trust management and investment consulting in the sphere of foreign markets," Dmitry Tselishchev, Managing Director of Rikom-Trust, noted. According to him, it is planned to draw in more than $5 million on new products targeting the Indian market during the first 1-1.5 years. At the first stage, investments in Indian securities will be accessible only to qualified investors.
Some players who entered the market earlier are already ready to provide their services. According to Maxim Dremin, deputy general director for strategic development at Alor+, since October 2024, the company has been testing Indian stock exchanges with its own funds and in the next few weeks will offer services to clients, above all, operations with derivative instruments (futures, options) and bonds.
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