#UPDATE Ukraine says it will hold talks with Russia at its border with Belarus — near the Chernobyl exclusion zone — after a phone call between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko pic.twitter.com/A4dLmWuu1N
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) February 27, 2022
Ukraine and Russia agree to talks without preconditions, Zelenskiy says https://t.co/3XL0HFqMBd pic.twitter.com/fJYONVmDPq
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 27, 2022
Ukraine “won’t give up one inch of Ukrainian territory" to Moscow during talks with Russia on the Belarusian border, says Ukraine's foreign minister. "We are going there to say what we think of this war and Russia’s actions.” U.S. is skeptical of talks https://t.co/z3MPjMFGXs pic.twitter.com/eGKRHtHHot
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) February 27, 2022
U.N. Security Council calls rare General Assembly session on Ukraine https://t.co/9HED4nGbUA pic.twitter.com/0M2mkqPc0u
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 28, 2022
Russia, Ukraine agree to talks; Putin puts nuclear forces on alert https://t.co/kJaHPSIPBy pic.twitter.com/9TWIPfX4Et
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 27, 2022
The Ukrainians are strong students of the English language. After Russian FM Lavrov said ceasefire talks can begin after Russia “restores democratic order” in Ukraine, MP Oleksiy Goncharenko responded. pic.twitter.com/Wal231njre
— Noga Tarnopolsky נגה טרנופולסקי نوغا ترنوبولسكي💙 (@NTarnopolsky) February 27, 2022
MOSCOW (AP) — President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces on alert amid tensions with the West over Ukraine.
— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) February 27, 2022
An isolated dictator threatens nuclear war after his ground troops meet resistance from a non-NATO country after only four days of fighting. Putin puts the world at its most dangerous nuclear posture since the Cuban Missile Crisis. https://t.co/mCMJT3dazM
— Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) February 27, 2022
Remarkable in the midst of a global crisis with Vladimir Putin engaged in nuclear saber-rattling. https://t.co/yY17ThGOGv
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) February 27, 2022
We #StandWithUkraine. Today's GOP stands with Putin. pic.twitter.com/Cdi9MRMH5B https://t.co/HwjOQ7scrL
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) February 27, 2022
As Putin puts nuclear forces on alert we learn of Russia-Ukraine talks. What we dont know is the tie between the two & whether the nuclear threat is an effort to impose harsh terms rather than negotiate reasonable ones. Both tho suggest Putin realizes his strategy isnt working.
— Richard N. Haass (@RichardHaass) February 27, 2022
Strongly in favor of offering Putin a dignified off-ramp from his war … but when you remember how many dignified off-ramps he sped past on his way to his present predicament, it's difficult to be optimistic about the next one.
— David Frum (@davidfrum) February 28, 2022
Everyone please stop trying to get inside Putin’s head. You have no idea what he’s thinking or what he’ll do. We went through this with Trump. Stop guessing and rationalizing. You don’t have the cheat code. You don’t know. The only thing we can predict from Putin is ruthlessness.
— Paul Rieckhoff🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@PaulRieckhoff) February 28, 2022
Meanwhile in Europe…
We are stepping up our support for Ukraine.
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 27, 2022
For the first time, the EU will finance the purchase and delivery of weapons and equipment to a country under attack.
We are also strengthening our sanctions against the Kremlin.
https://t.co/qEBICNxYa1
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen tells @euronews the EU wants Ukraine in the bloc:
— The Recount (@therecount) February 28, 2022
"They belong to us, they are one of us, and we want them in." pic.twitter.com/DX7VcYgJDc
MiG-29 (updated version) used by Poland, Bulgaria and Slovakia are still great fighter-jets, even better than F15E, just with less autonomy. Until 2021 Russia was still providing parts to these countries. However, there won’t be a lot of MiG-29 available: 🇵🇱 30, 🇧🇬 14, 🇸🇰 11 pic.twitter.com/251F6ERf6k
— Franco Spicciariello (@spicciar) February 27, 2022
Denmark will donate 2,700 anti-tank weapons to Ukraine, prime minister Mette Frederiksen said. Sweden will send 5,000 anti-tank weapons, 5,000 helmets, 5,000 body shields and 135,000 field rations, Sweden’s minister for foreign affairs said on Twitter. https://t.co/TgazsBWNZI
— The New York Times (@nytimes) February 27, 2022
Several Russian government websites down and Russian TV channels hacked to broadcast Ukrainian music after #Anonymous declared war on Putinhttps://t.co/2rLQLaRqUE
— Anonymous (@LatestAnonPress) February 27, 2022
European Union to Ban Russia Today and Sputnik, Close Airspace as President Putin Threatens Nuclear Action https://t.co/WN0x69Y90Q
— Variety (@Variety) February 27, 2022
Seven years ago today, Vladimir Putin ordered the assassination of my friend and ally Boris Nemtsov. As we grieve for Putin’s victims in Ukraine we should take a moment and remember this great man and how he stood up to Putin and paid the ultimate price. RIP Boris. pic.twitter.com/PFJFpCyjKn
— Bill Browder (@Billbrowder) February 27, 2022
Signs of cracks in Russian elite. First Fridman, then Deripaska. Now Anatoly Chubais has just posted picture of Boris Nemtsov on his Facebook page. Nemtsov, seen by some as Yeltsin’s first choice 4 president, was murdered in front of the Kremlin seven years ago today pic.twitter.com/2jrLm4A3Oe
— Oliver Carroll (@olliecarroll) February 27, 2022
BP quits Russia in up to $25 billion hit after Ukraine invasion https://t.co/Ijh9wgOASe pic.twitter.com/nxEzycGJ4g
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 28, 2022
Thermobaric weapons are on trucks moving towards Kiev. If they are deployed, it will be a humanitarian catastrophe of our worst fears.
— Carole Cadwalladr (@carolecadwalla) February 27, 2022
Yet Boris Johnson has not even taken BASIC steps against his London proxies. Why?https://t.co/9YHsZAYw7s
Chelsea have lost the Carabao Cup. 3 mins on the 'uncertainties' that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has created for the club – which is owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Produced by Eliza Craston. https://t.co/BKGrSNRAzh pic.twitter.com/pFD9SPZxnU
— Ros Atkins (@BBCRosAtkins) February 27, 2022
Chelsea was never an eccentric hobby for Abramovic. It was always about Sportswashing
— Glasgow RK Spurs (@GlasgowRKSpurs) February 24, 2022
Putin's oligarchs planned to buy up visible cultural assets in the UK in order to embed themselves in the establishment to such an extent that they could operate with impugnity
I’m worried that the British press (with some notable exceptions) have fallen for the Abramovich line on ceding control. Unless and until he condemns the criminal invasion of Ukraine I will continue to call for the UK to sanction him and seize/freeze assets.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) February 27, 2022
🚨 FIFA will shortly announce Russia must play in neutral venue, without anthem, fans or flag. Unlikely to be enough for Poland, Sweden and Czechs that have refused to play them at all. https://t.co/z9Nk8j56q6
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) February 27, 2022
• Ukrainian forward Roman Yaremchuk comes on for Darwin Núñez and is handed the captain’s armband.
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) February 27, 2022
• Every single Benfica supporter gives him a standing ovation, moving Yaremchuk to tears
Goosebumps. An incredibly emotional moment… 🙌pic.twitter.com/AvW752glIe
This picture of today’s peace protest in #Berlin. Wow! #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/XvFuJMyI2D
— Thomas Sparrow (@Thomas_Sparrow) February 27, 2022
The Overnight Note 