💣 Axios PM: Inside the explosion

🪐 Plus: "Planetary parade" tonight | Friday, February 28, 2025

View in browser   Presented By bp   Axios PM By Mike Allen · Feb 28, 2025 Good Friday afternoon. Today's newsletter, edited by Sam Baker, is 606 words, a 2½-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for copy editing.     1 big thing: "Gambling with World War III"   President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office today. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images President Trump asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to leave the White House shortly after their shocking public blowup today, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. They did not sign an agreement on access to Ukrainian minerals — the ostensible purpose of the meeting. Zelensky definitely didn't make any progress in his effort to secure a peace deal that doesn't lean too heavily in Russia's favor. 💥 "You're gambling with the lives of millions of people. You're gambling with World War III," Trump said to Zelensky as their meeting went off the rails with cameras rolling. "Have you said 'thank you' once, in this entire meeting?" Vice President Vance asked. "You went to Pennsylvania and campaigned for the opposition in October. Offer some words of appreciation for the United States of America and the president who's trying to save your country." Zelensky "can come back when he is ready for peace," Trump said on Truth Social after the meeting. ▶️ Video: Watch the fiery Oval Office confrontation Via Truth Social     2. 🧨 Behind the scenes: No deal, no meal   Trump welcomes Zelensky at the White House in Washington today. Photo: Ben Curtis/AP "Our plan was to sign the minerals deal and get into this economic partnership and move towards peace" — not to have a public shouting match, a White House official told Axios' Barak Ravid. The meeting took a turn after Vance, while answering a question from a reporter, said the way to end the war is through diplomacy with Russia. An exasperated Zelensky pushed back, detailing Putin's history of violating previous agreements. "What diplomacy are you talking about, JD?" he asked. After that, President Trump and Vance tore into the Ukrainian leader. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images ⏱️ "The blank check era for Zelensky in Washington is over and he didn't realize that," the White House official said. Trump and his team stayed in the Oval Office while Zelensky and his team moved to another room. The Ukrainians tried to get the meeting to resume. But Trump decided he'd had enough. National security adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio asked Zelensky to leave before the scheduled lunch — kicked out. Photo: Doug Mills/The New York Times 👔 The intrigue: Another small but not insignificant factor that irritated Trump — Zelensky didn't wear a suit. Trump's advisers had told Zelensky's team several times that he should wear a suit to the White House, not the military-style clothes he has been wearing since the Russian invasion, two sources told Axios. "He is all dressed up today," Trump said when Zelensky arrived in a more formal black outfit. Zelensky departs the White House. Photo: Nathan Howard/Reuters Go deeper ... X post: Why you should watch the whole 50 minutes.     A message from bp This is how bp does convenience     bp added $130+ billion to the U.S. economy over the last two years. Like adding more than 300 TravelCenters of America sites to our retail network. Our on-highway locations nationwide bring more quality fuel, charging and food to customers. It's just one of the ways bp is investing in America.     3. Catch me up   Data: Axios research. (Massachusetts' official language determined via court case.) Map: Axios Visuals ✍️ President Trump is expected to sign an executive order declaring that English is the official language of the U.S. Go deeper. 🖥️ Microsoft is killing Skype. The app was a big hit during the early 2000s, but it failed to keep up with competitors, especially after Zoom and other video-conferencing tools took off during the pandemic. Go deeper. 🕯️Rose Girone, believed to be the oldest living Holocaust survivor, has died. She was 113. Go deeper.     4. 🪐 1 fun thing: Planetary parade   Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios   Look to the sky tonight for the rare chance to see seven planets lined up. Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will appear together in a "parade of planets" shortly after sunset, Axios' Kelly Tyko reports. Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter will be visible to the naked eye. 🔭 To see the seven-planet alignment, find a place without light pollution and a clear view of the horizon. The best time to start to look for the planets is about half an hour after sunset.     A message from bp This is how bp invests in America     bp supports 300,000+ U.S. jobs. America is home to our largest workforce in the world, from the retail stations you know, to places you might be less familiar with — like refineries, offshore production platforms, bioenergy facilities and trading floors. See all the ways bp is investing in America.   📬 Please invite your friends to join PM. Are you a fan of this email format? Your essential communications — to staff, clients and other stakeholders — can have the same style. Axios HQ, a powerful platform, will help you do it.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Advertise with us. Axios, PO Box 101060, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. 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