Monday Briefing: Europe rallies for Ukraine

Plus, recapping the Oscars

View in browser|nytimes.com March 3, 2025 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering European pledges to support Ukraine and a halt to aid entering Gaza. Plus: Oscar winners, and the best looks from the red carpet. From left, President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain and President Emmanuel Macron of France in London yesterday. Pool photo by Justin Tallis Europe races to mend a U.S.-Ukraine rupture Eighteen European leaders gathered yesterday in London to repair Ukraine's fractured relationship with the U.S., with Britain and France assembling a "coalition of the willing" to develop a plan for ending the war with Russia. The leaders also pledged to bolster support for Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky. Britain's prime minister, Keir Starmer, said "a number" of other nations had indicated that they would join with Britain and France in deploying troops to Ukraine in the event of a cease-fire between Kyiv and Moscow. He also announced plans to let Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds in British export financing to buy more than 5,000 air defense missiles. The gathering took on more urgency after Zelensky's heated meeting with President Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, which raised fears that the U.S. would try to force Ukraine to make a peace deal on terms favorable to Russia. Neither Europe nor Ukraine currently has seats at the table in a potential Trump-brokered deal, and Trump has given Ukraine no security assurances. Quotable: "We are at a crossroads in history," Starmer said. "Europe must do the heavy lifting," he declared, but added, "To support peace, and to succeed, this effort must have strong U.S. backing." Ukraine: After the meeting between Trump and Zelensky, many Ukrainians have asked themselves: Could the U.S. abandon them? Related: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered U.S. Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, officials said. More on Trump In just a few short weeks, Trump has crushed U.S. climate policy. The U.S. president is about to pick another trade fight with Canada, this time over lumber. Elon Musk's efficiency team is claiming credit for killing government contracts that were already dead. Pressured by tariff threats, Mexico has cracked down on drug operations, putting heavy pressure on the Sinaloa Cartel. Federal judges are ordering Trump to slow down. Will he listen? High-profile lawyers are suing Panama over its detention of migrants deported from the U.S. under Trump policies. Track Trump's actions since he took office. Supply trucks lined up on the Egyptian side of a Gaza border crossing yesterday. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel halted aid to Gaza Israel announced yesterday that it was immediately halting the entry of all goods and humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, trying to force Hamas to accept an extension of the cease-fire. Here's what to know. The move is likely to cause further hardship for roughly two million Gazans. It also puts the fate of the remaining Israeli hostages in uncharted territory. Hours before the announcement, Israel proposed extending the cease-fire by seven weeks, during which Hamas would release half of the living hostages, as well as the remains of half of the deceased ones. Hamas said no, referring to Israel's halting of aid as "cheap blackmail," but said it was still willing to negotiate the second stage of the deal. What's next: Hamas is unlikely to accept a new offer without further negotiations, said Aaron David Miller, an analyst. Israel's proposal, he said, would allow "Israelis to get hostages back without making reciprocal commitments." U.S.: Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, invoked "emergency authorities" to bypass Congress and send $4 billion worth of weapons to Israel. Syria: Security forces were deployed across a town outside Damascus, two days after a gunfight between residents and security forces. Congolese soldiers west of the city of Goma in January. Guerchom Ndebo for The New York Times Congo's big army is struggling to stop a smaller militia The militia group M23 has swept through the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks. But though the Congolese military, with between 100,000 and 200,000 troops, should have been able to easily stop the threat, its forces keep losing. Part of the problem is that M23, an experienced militia, is backed by Rwanda, the U.N. says. But that's not the whole story. Congo's military is plagued by unmotivated soldiers, infighting, extortion and abuse. The government, left weakened by decades of colonialism, has struggled with unstable or predatory leadership. MORE TOP NEWS Indian Army, via Associated Press India: Eight road construction workers died after being trapped under an avalanche in the northern state of Uttarakhand, the Indian Army said. Japan: The country's worst wildfire in decades, near the coastal city of Ofunato, killed at least one person and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of residents. Honduras: The government said it was extraditing to the U.S. a man accused of killing a young Iowa woman in 2016. Finland: The authorities said they had released an oil tanker seized in December over suspicions that it was used to cut vital undersea cables. Wildlife: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Americans should hunt and cook nutrias, invasive rodents found in marshy areas, to curb their growing population. Space: Firefly Aerospace's robotic vehicle became the second privately built spacecraft to make a soft landing on the moon. Vatican: Pope Francis' respiratory crisis has raised delicate questions about his end-of-life care. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: How Leeds United's quality and fitness have turned the club into one of Europe's top teams for late goals. Tennis: An illness at the Mexican Open in Acapulco threw the lineup of top-seeded players into chaos. Formula 1: After testing, McLaren is the clear team to beat in the new season. MORNING READ Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times Two thousand years on, scholars still don't agree on which day Mount Vesuvius erupted and the destruction of Pompeii began. Two new studies only fan the fire. Lives lived: Antonine Maillet, a Canadian writer who became the first non-European to win France's most prestigious literary prize, died at 95. CONVERSATION STARTERS Shop talk: Where have all the "third places" gone? Writing through loss: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie fourth novel, "Dream Count," was forged as she mourned her mother's passing. Remote snacking: Scientists have built a device that transmits tastes from a distance. The Ethicist: Should wealthy older people reject senior discounts? ARTS AND IDEAS Philip Cheung for The New York Times 'Anora' wins big at the Oscars The 97th Academy Awards ceremony, hosted with a light touch by Conan O'Brien, began with a tribute to Hollywood's home, Los Angeles, parts of which were ravaged by wildfires in January. Later, Morgan Freeman honored the late Gene Hackman, saying that the film community had "lost a giant." Recap the night's highlights. "Anora," a comedy-drama about an exotic dancer who weds a flighty Russian, scored five wins, including best picture, despite an underwhelming box-office take. (Read our review.) "The Brutalist" won three Oscars, for best actor (Adrien Brody), cinematography and score, and "Dune: Part Two" and "Emilia Pérez" won two each. Here's the full list of winners. Controversy: "No Other Land," about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, won best documentary. "We call on the world to take some action to stop the injustice and to stop the ethnic cleansing of Palestinian people," Basel Andra, one of the film's directors, said from the stage, introducing a rare dose of politics into the evening. Red carpet: See all the stars and all the looks. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: Top this simple yet surprising carrot risotto with chile crisp. Watch: The new Amazon series "House of David" is part of a wave of faith-based programming. Shop: To walk on clouds, try these socks. Peruse: Recap the liberating ugliness of the Prada fall women's wear collection. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018