The Africa Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) has released a revealing report on the continent's debt situation, highlighting both challenges and potential opportunities for economic growth.

Key Debt Statistics

As of the first half of 2024, ten African nations accounted for 69 percent of the continent's total external debt, up from 67 percent in 2023. The top debt-holding countries are:

1. South Africa (14%)

2. Egypt (13%)

3. Nigeria (8%)

4. Morocco (6%)

5. Mozambique (6%)

Debt Trends and Projections

The continent's external debt has grown significantly, reaching approximately $1.16 trillion in 2023 and projected to increase to $1.17 trillion in 2024. By 2028, the debt could climb to $1.29 trillion, driven by population growth and increasing financing needs.

Debt Composition

- Long-term debt: 75% of total debt

- Short-term debt: 15.9%

- IMF debt: 8.9%

Recommendations for Debt Management

Afreximbank offers strategic advice for African countries to manage their external debt:

- Economic Diversification: Resource-dependent countries should expand their economic bases.

  - Nigeria is advised to invest in agriculture and manufacturing

  - Angola should develop its renewable energy sector

- Sustainable Borrowing: Countries should:

  - Avoid excessive reliance on commercial debt

  - Strengthen debt management institutions

  - Improve transparency and accountability

  - Establish social safety nets to protect vulnerable populations

Outlook

Despite challenges, the report suggests a ray of optimism. The region shows signs of debt stabilization, driven by:

- Improving macroeconomic conditions

- Reduced interest rates

- Better access to capital markets

The bank urges African countries to:

- Systematically reduce fiscal deficits

- Prioritize efficient public spending

- Enhance tax revenue collection

- Improve debt management transparency.

Key Highlights

- Total Decline: $1.31 billion (3.3%) in February 2025

- Starting Reserve: $39.72 billion (January 31, 2025)

- Ending Reserve: $38.42 billion (February 28, 2025)

- Decline Larger Than January: Previous month saw a $1.16 billion reduction

Reserve Trajectory: A Month of Continuous Descent

Early February Trend

- February 3: $39.60 billion

- February 4: $39.54 billion

- February 7: $39.04 billion

- February 10: $39.27 billion

Mid-Month Performance

- February 12: $39.15 billion

- February 17: $38.88 billion

- February 19: $38.72 billion

- February 21: $38.69 billion

Month-End Position

- February 28: $38.41 billion

Market Context

The persistent decline occurs against a backdrop of a strengthening naira, raising questions about the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN) foreign exchange market strategy. The steady reduction in reserves suggests ongoing external economic pressures and potential interventions to manage currency stability.

Potential Implications

1. Currency Management: The reserves decline might indicate:

   - Active dollar sales to support naira valuation

   - Efforts to manage exchange rate volatility

   - Responding to external economic challenges

2. Economic Indicators:

   - Potential pressure on foreign exchange liquidity

   - Continued challenges in foreign reserve accumulation

   - Need for strategic economic policy adjustments.

Oil prices fell for a third session on Wednesday as plans by major producers to raise output in April combined with concerns U.S. tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China will slow economic and fuel demand growth hammered investor sentiment.

Brent futures eased 15 cents lower to $70.89 a barrel at 0200 GMT. In the previous session, the contract fell to as low as $69.75, its lowest since September 11, and settled at their lowest since that day as well.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 40 cents a barrel, or 0.6%, at $67.86 after settling at its lowest since December. Prices fell to as low as $66.77 in the previous session, the lowest since November 18.

The "OPEC+ decision to start increasing production again is a materially bearish development, loosening markets at a time that U.S. macro data are starting to soften," analysts at Citi said in a note.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia, a group known as OPEC+, decided on Monday to increaseoutput for the first time since 2022.

The group will make a small increase of 138,000 barrels per day from April, the first step in planned monthly increases to unwind its nearly 6 million bpd of cuts, equal to nearly 6% of global demand.

A 25% tariff on all imports from Mexico, a 10% tariff on Canadian energy and a doubling of duties on Chinese goods to 20% came into effect on Tuesday. The Trump administration also imposed 25% tariffs on all other Canadian imports.

U.S. President Donald Trump's self-declared trade war is seen by economists as a recipe for fewer jobs, slower growth, and higher prices, which could kill demand. The lower economic growth will likely impact fuel consumption in the world's biggest oil consumer.

U.S. retail gasoline prices are set to climb in the coming weeks as the new tariffs raise the cost of energy imports, according to traders and analysts.

The Trump administration also said on Tuesday it was ending a license that the U.S. has granted to U.S. oil producer Chevron (CVX.N) since 2022 to operate in Venezuela and export its oil.

U.S. crude oil stocks fell by 1.46 million barrels in the week ended February 28, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. Investors now await government data on U.S. stockpiles, due on Wednesday.

Reuters

The Nigerian Police have provided details regarding the death of David Parradang, a retired Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, dispelling rumors that he was killed by kidnappers. According to a statement from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command in Abuja, Parradang was discovered deceased in a hotel room under circumstances that are now under investigation.

The statement, issued by FCT Police Public Relations Officer Josephine Adeh, a Superintendent of Police, revealed that Parradang checked into Joy House Hotel, located at Area 3 Junction in Abuja, at approximately 12 p.m. on March 3, 2025. He arrived in a black Mercedes Benz and paid N22,000 for a one-night stay.

Later that day, Parradang instructed a hotel attendant to escort a female guest to his room. The woman left the hotel premises around 4 p.m., and Parradang remained in his room. Concerned for his safety, a military officer who is a friend of Parradang traced him to the hotel in the early hours of March 4, 2025. Upon arrival, the officer, accompanied by hotel staff, entered Parradang’s room and found him dead, seated in a chair.

The Durumi Police Station was immediately notified, and officers arrived at the scene to secure the area, document the incident with photographs, and gather evidence to maintain the integrity of the investigation. Parradang’s body has since been transferred to the National Hospital for further examination.

The police confirmed that hotel staff are cooperating with the ongoing investigation, and efforts are underway to locate and question the female guest who visited Parradang’s room. Authorities have urged the public and media to avoid spreading unverified information, particularly claims of kidnapping, which could incite unnecessary fear or panic.

The case remains under investigation as authorities work to determine the exact cause of Parradang’s death.

Israeli forces kill West Bank Hamas commander

Israeli forces killed a Hamas commander in the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday as they pushed ahead with a weeks-long operation against militant groups in the area that has sent tens of thousands of Palestinians fleeing their homes.

The military said it had mounted a raid to arrest Aysar al-Saadi, the head of the Hamas network in the area and killed him in a gunfight in which another Hamas operative was also killed. Three other Hamas members were arrested, it said.

The Gaza-based militant group, which has also built up a powerful presence in the occupied West Bank, confirmed the death of al-Saadi but said it would not affect its commitment to fight Israel.

The West Bank operation, which began in January as fighting was halted in Gaza following a ceasefire agreement brokered by Qatar and Egypt, has been one of the biggest mounted in the area in years and followed a surge in violence since the start of the war in Gaza in 2023.

Thousands of Israeli troops have swept through refugee camps in Jenin and other cities in the northern part of the West Bank, including Tulkarm and Tubas, demolishing houses and infrastructure and forcing tens of thousands to leave taking only what they could carry with them.

On Tuesday, the military pushed out of the now-deserted Jenin refugee camp and into eastern areas of the city of Jenin itself, cutting off power supplies and digging up roads.

The military says it does not forcibly evacuate Palestinians but has allowed residents who want to leave combat areas to go out through designated crossings.

Palestinians say the Israeli operations, which have cut water and electricity supplies and demolished dozens of houses, leave them no choice but to leave.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US, Ukraine now plan to sign minerals deal, sources say

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration and Ukraine plan to sign a minerals deal that fell through after a disastrous Oval Office meeting Friday in which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was dismissed from the building, four people familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

Trump had told his advisers that he wanted to announce the agreement in his address to Congress on Tuesday evening, three of the sources said, cautioning that the deal had yet to be signed and the situation could change.

However, when asked on Tuesday about the minerals deal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox News, "There is no signing planned," according to a post on X by a Fox reporter.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine’s presidential administration in Kyiv and the Ukrainian embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

The deal was put on hold on Friday after a contentious Oval Office meeting between Trump and Zelenskiy that resulted in the Ukrainian leader's swift departure from the White House. Zelenskiy had traveled to Washington to sign the deal.

In that meeting, Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelenskiy, telling him he should thank the U.S. for its support rather than asking for additional aid in front of the U.S. media.

"You're gambling with World War Three," Trump said.

U.S. officials have in recent days spoken to officials in Kyiv about signing the minerals deal despite Friday's blow-up, and urged Zelenskiy's advisers to convince the Ukrainian president to apologize openly to Trump, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.

On Tuesday, Zelenskiy posted on X that Ukraine was ready to sign the deal and called the Oval Office meeting "regrettable."

“Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be,” Zelenskiy said in his post. "Ukraine is ready to come to the negotiating table as soon as possible to bring lasting peace closer."

It was unclear if the deal has changed. The deal that was to be signed last week included no explicit security guarantees for Ukraine but gave the U.S. access to revenues from Ukraine's natural resources. It also envisaged the Ukrainian government contributing 50% of future monetization of any state-owned natural resources to a U.S.-Ukraine managed reconstruction investment fund.

On Monday, Trump signaled that his administration remained open to signing the deal, telling reporters in a gaggle that Ukraine "should be more appreciative."

"This country has stuck with them through thick and thin," Trump said. "We've given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us."

France, Britain and possibly other European countries have offered to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire but would want support from the U.S. or a "backstop." Moscow has rejected proposals for peacekeeping troops.

Daniel Fried, a former senior White House official and ambassador to Poland, said the path to getting the minerals deal done has been messy, but it would deliver two solid wins for Trump - Zelenskiy's statement of regret and the agreement of Britain and France to provide security and boots on the ground.

"Trump can and should take the win. He'd be able to say that he ... got the Europeans to stand up in front of an issue of European security, which they've never done before," said Fried, now a fellow at the Atlantic Council.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Kremlin responds to reports of Trump move on Ukraine aid

Halting US military aid to Ukraine would be a significant step toward resolving the conflict, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated on Tuesday.

Several US media outlets have reported that Washington has suspended the purchase of new weapons for Ukraine. Several reports have also suggested that US President Donald Trump has also ordered a halt to shipments of military aid.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Peskov stated that while the details of these reports have yet to be confirmed, such a move could prove to be a significant step towards de-escalation.

“It is obvious that the US has been the main supplier” of military aid to Kiev, Peskov noted, adding that if the US were to relinquish this role or suspend supplies altogether it would “probably be the best contribution to the cause of peace.”

The spokesman said that if the US had indeed stopped all military aid to Ukraine, it would mean that Kiev would effectively lose the vast majority of its ammunition, equipment and intelligence.

“If this really is so… then perhaps, without indulging in excessive optimism, we can modestly hope that this could encourage the Kiev regime to lean towards attempts to resolve the situation through peaceful means,” Peskov told Rossiya 1 TV journalist Pavel Zarubin.

According to Bloomberg, Trump has ordered a freeze on all military aid to Ukraine, which includes equipment already designated for delivery, as well as weapons in transit on aircraft and ships or waiting in transit areas in Poland. The New York Times reported that the president’s order, which has already taken effect, affects more than $1 billion in “arms and ammunition in the pipeline and on order.”

Meanwhile, the Washington Post claimed that in addition to stopping weapons shipments to Kiev, Washington is also considering the termination of intelligence sharing and training for Ukrainian troops and pilots.

Trump’s reported order comes after a public spat with Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky in the White House on Friday. During the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of ingratitude and “gambling with World War III” by refusing to work towards a halt to hostilities.

After the heated exchange, Zelensky stated on Sunday that peace between Ukraine and Russia was still “very, very far away,” prompting even more ire from Trump, who said it was “the worst statement that could have been made” by the Ukrainian leader.

Trump warned that “America will not put up with it for much longer,” and suggested that Zelensky “doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing.”

Reuters/RT

Rajeev Peshawaria

Were environmental social governance, diversity equity inclusion, and sustainability fads that have since died? It certainly feels like it in some circles, doesn’t it? I don’t believe they are dead at all. But the question is, why the current disenchantment with something we desperately need for saving ourselves and our only home?

My simple assertion, one we’ve been making for a long time now, is that we were trying to solve existential environmental and social challenges unnaturally.

1. We were asking consumers to consume less. Consumption is a basic human aspiration.Except for a few evolved souls, it is naive to expect ordinary humans to consume less. Interestingly, economies built on excessive consumption — that caused the problems in the first place — were lecturing the developing world to consume less.

2. We were asking businesses to sacrifice some profit for purpose.Humans aren’t indiscriminately altruistic, yet we condemned self-interest and demonized profit.

3. We were forcing behavior change through regulation. We tried to beat businesses into behaving responsibly even while we’ve always known that genuine behavior change comes from within. At best, regulation reduces bad behavior, it does not encourage good behavior. Doing no wrong is not the same thing as doing good.

4. We were using incentives and cheaper capital to channel inclusive prosperity. The Principle of Least Effort tells us that humans always choose the easiest option to get what they want, in this case, profit. What the world needs is innovation to maximize greater good. So, rather than drive the innovation required to produce goods and services that solve environmental and social challenges, we largely ended up creating financial instruments that many took advantage of and profited from.

5. We thought mandating measurement and reporting would do the trick. Management researchers and behavioral economists have regularly warned against the overuse of measurement and reporting, yet we have done exactly that. It is no surprise that the result was attempts to game the system through massive greenwashing, box-checking, and window dressing rather than meaningful action. Metrics and reports seem to have become the end in themselves rather than means to an end.

These unnatural tools and measures were going against basic human instinct, hence the backlash. What is a better alternative? To answer this question, one simply needs to look at the leaders and organizations that have been thriving by doing good long before the above ideas became vogue. Patagonia, Tata, Faber-Castell, Mars and many other companies have been doing well by doing good for decades, if not hundreds of years.

Were they less profit- and growth-oriented than the average company? No. Were they led by self-sacrificing servant leaders? No. Were they led by socialist leaders? No.

They wanted profits and growth as much as anyone else, but they deeply understood a concept that most people find it difficult to grasp: The more you give, the more you receive. Leaders of such companies saw themselves as stewards of planet Earth and humanity, and proactively decided that they wanted to be successful by solving human problems and making society better off. They strongly believed that if they created business models that profitably solve the most pressing social problems, their companies would be more successful over the long term.

At the Stewardship Asia Centre, we have been studying such leaders for over a decade now. It turns out that rather than incentives, regulation, or a philanthropic or socialist leaning, they are driven by a proactive choice to do well by doing good. We call it steward leadership, which is the genuine desire and persistence to create a collective better future for stakeholders, society, future generations, and the environment.

Rather than fighting human nature, steward leadership takes today’s challenges head on without compromising personal ambition, profit, or growth. In fact, steward leadership uses personal ambition and profit as tools to solve the challenges in a win-win-win way. Steward leaders make proactive choices (of creating profitable solutions to social and environmental challenges) that stem from underlying values.

CNBC

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US signals Ukraine minerals deal possible as Europe floats peace proposals

U.S. President Donald Trump hinted on Monday that a deal to open up Ukraine's minerals to U.S. investment could still be agreed despite his frustration with Kyiv, as European leaders floated proposals for a truce in Russia's war with its neighbor.

The Trump administration views such a deal as America's way of earning back some of the tens of billions of dollars it has given to Ukraine in financial and military aid since Russia invaded three years ago.

But an explosive clash in the Oval Office last week between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy put the potential pact in doubt. When asked on Monday if the deal was dead, Trump said at the White House: "No, I don't think so."

Trump described it as a "great deal for us" and said he would give an update on the situation on Tuesday night.

Trump has upended U.S. policy on Ukraine and Russia after taking office in January, adopting a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow that has left Kyiv and European allies wary.

On Monday he again said Zelenskiy should be more appreciative of U.S. support after earlier responding angrily to an Associated Press report quoting Zelenskiy as saying the end of the war is "very, very far away."

"This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!" Trump wrote on Truth Social, using an alternative spelling of the Ukrainian leader's name.

European leaders are processing what some describe as Washington's biggest policy reversal since World War Two, after Zelenskiy left the White House abruptly on Friday after a public dressing-down by Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

Zelenskiy departed Washington without signing the minerals deal.

"What we need to hear from President Zelenskiy is that he has regret for what happened, he's ready to sign this minerals deal and that he's ready to engage in peace talks," White House national security adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News.

"We'll see what happens in the next 48 hours, but we are certainly looking to move forward in a positive way."

Some Republicans have pushed to revive the deal.

Representative Brian Fitzpatrick, co-chair of the U.S. House of Representatives' Ukraine caucus, said on X that he had spoken to Zelenskiy's chief of staff and that the minerals deal was to be "signed in short order."

"We are 100% getting this train back on the tracks," the Pennsylvania Republican said.

Senate Republican leader John Thune also said he hoped the two sides could get "back on track."

EUROPE RALLIES AROUND UKRAINE

European countries are rallying around Zelenskiy and trying to hatch a peace plan.

"There are clearly a number of options on the table," British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman said.

France, Britain and potentially other European countries have offered to send troops to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire - something Moscow has already rejected - but say they would want support from the U.S., or a "backstop."

Zelenskiy says a ceasefire must carry explicit security guarantees from the West to ensure that Russia, which holds about 20% of its land, does not attack again. Trump has refused to give any such guarantees.

Starmer hosted European leaders in London on Sunday and said they agreed to draw up a peace plan to present to Washington.

In an interview on his way to the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the possibility of a one-month truce, though there was no immediate public endorsement from allies.

"Such a truce on air, sea and energy infrastructure would allow us to determine whether Russian President Vladimir Putin is acting in good faith when he commits to a truce," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said.

"And that's when real peace negotiations could start."

European ground troops would only be deployed to Ukraine in a second phase, Macron told Le Figaro.

Zelenskiy, asked if he was aware of that proposal, told reporters in London: "I'm aware of everything."

KREMLIN SEES 'FRAGMENTATION' OF THE WEST

Friedrich Merz, the conservative due to become Germany's chancellor, suggested Friday's Oval Office argument, in which Zelenskiy was pressed to commit publicly to a diplomatic solution, had been a "manufactured escalation" by the White House.

"We must now show that we are in a position to act independently in Europe," Merz said.

Privately, and sometimes publicly, European officials are fuming at what they see as a betrayal of Ukraine, which had enjoyed staunch support from Washington since Russia's invasion.

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said there had been "two victims" from the Oval Office clash: Ukraine's security and Europe's eight-decade alliance with the United States. In the French parliament, he thanked Zelenskiy for standing firm.

But Europeans are also still working to keep the U.S. onside. Peter Mandelson, Britain's ambassador to the United States, said Ukrainian-U.S. relations needed to be reset, as Trump's initiative to end the war was "the only show in town."

Trump spoke by phone with Putin last month and then announced negotiations to end the war would begin quickly, blindsiding both Zelenskiy and his other Western allies.

Trump has also bristled at what he says is Europe's long-standing failure to take on a greater share of its own security burden by collectively boosting defence spending.

European leaders now agree they must spend more on defence to show Trump the continent can protect itself. The EU will hold an emergency summit on Thursday.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she would inform member states on Tuesday about plans to strengthen the European defence industry and the EU's military capabilities.

"We need a massive surge in defence, without any question. We want lasting peace, but lasting peace can only be built on strength, and strength begins with strengthening ourselves," she said.

Russia has not concealed its delight, praising Trump for changing U.S. policy and denouncing Zelenskiy.

"We see that the collective West has partially begun to lose its collectivity, and a fragmentation of the collective West has begun," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian parliament commends Trump’s peace efforts

Ukraine’s 450-seat parliament – the Verkhovna Rada – released a statement on Monday evening saying that US President Donald Trump will play a key role in negotiating a peace deal between Kiev and Moscow. The public endorsement of Trump’s mediation efforts comes after Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has refused to apologize for last week’s public spat with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance in the White House. 

In a statement on the parliamentary website, the MPs stressed the “decisive” role of American aid and said that the Rada “welcomes President Donald Trump’s initiatives to launch a negotiation process aimed at securing peace.”

“On behalf of the Ukrainian people, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine expresses its profound gratitude to President Donald Trump, the United States Congress, and the American people for their firm and consistent support of Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity,” the statement read.

“At present, this support is more crucial than ever for the Ukrainian people and the Security and Defense Forces of Ukraine,” the legislators wrote. They added that they believe that Trump’s mediation efforts “will be decisive in the swift cessation of hostilities and the achievement of peace for Ukraine, Europe, and the entire world.”

The Rada also stressed “the necessity of further developing the strategic partnership with the United States, particularly in the exploration of critical minerals.”

The feud between Trump and Zelensky escalated last month after Ukrainian and EU officials criticized Trump for opening direct talks with Russia without their advice and approval. Trump branded Zelensky “a dictator,”while his team blasted the Ukrainian leader for declining to sign a deal on the development of Ukraine’s critical mineral deposits.

The meeting in the White House on Friday descended into a rare public shouting match, with Vice President J.D. Vance accusing Zelensky of being ungrateful for the military and financial aid America has provided since 2022. Trump later claimed that Zelensky was being disrespectful and did not want peace in Ukraine.

In an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier on Friday, Zelensky refused to apologize to Trump directly. He reiterated that Ukraine was seeking security guarantees from the US and needed to be in a “strong position” in a potential ceasefire deal.

In a post on X, Zelensky thanked Trump, the US Congress, and the American people. “Ukraine needs just and lasting peace, and we are working exactly for that,” he wrote. 

Trump has so far ruled out providing specific security guarantees, such as admitting Ukraine into NATO or contributing American troops to a future peacekeeping mission. He also argued that Zelensky did “not have the cards” to complain about being sidelined during the US-Russia talks that took place last month in Riyadh.

Reuters/RT

I have always liked the polished demeanour of Senator Marco Rubio. Not for him the belligerence of some others who see themselves as avatars of the Republican crusade against the woke people in the progressive Democratic camp who must be shouted down with all the vigour that could be mustered. And I do not think or believe that this mild and milder disposition detracts in any significant sense from his convictions about the Republican and conservative principles and values which he shares and tries to embody publicly. Rather he comes through as a more thoughtful person, not only desirous of maintaining cordial relationships with others, but ready to listen to them and endeavour to work out things in a bipartisan way without sacrificing his own core beliefs and values. This has made him to be able to have and maintain good relationships with many Democratic Party senators even while remaining a Republican Party star!

The depth and relevance of the polished nature and disposition of Marco Rubio could not but find abundant expression and display when the U.S. Senate historically confirmed Rubio with 99-0 unanimous vote as secretary of state just hours after President Trump took his oath of office January 20, 2025; thus making the Miami native, to be sworn in to a role that stretches back to Thomas Jefferson, the first U.S. secretary of state, and is now the highest-ranking Hispanic American official in U.S. history; and the first cabinet member who was confirmed in the second Trump Administration.

What was significant here was that quite uncharacteristically, his nomination drew strong support from a number of Senate Democrats, who called their colleague highly qualified for the role. During his confirmation hearing, New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Rubio “well-qualified to serve as Secretary of State,” which commendation and support was unprecedented coming from the other side of the aisle.

As he traverses the international landscape since assumption of office, Rubio has remained his debonair self, polished in his deliveries, always ready to listen to the other side and always shows in his responses that he could see and understand the point of view of others without losing sight of or necessarily lessening the US position. In a fair but true acknowledgment of the positivity that Rubio radiates and brings to the processes of US foreign relations because of his polished disposition, Senator Jim Risch, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has this to say: “I am confident that if anyone can end this war, it’s President Trump. And Marco is the right man to help ensure it is done in a way that guarantees security and stability for Ukraine, the U.S., and our allies, and prevents Russia from launching another war; though this is one of the hardest jobs in America, I am confident you are the right person we need to take on these threats.”

There is every reason to believe that America is fortunate to have a person with the positive and polished disposition of Marco Rubio at the head of its foreign relations infrastructure and bureaucracy at this point of unprecedented changes in the workings of the international system. It is a reflection of the abiding importance of shared values and aspirations that there are people like Rubio who are able to relate to others well without sacrificing or jettisoning personal and organizational values and positions. It shows that it is not impossible to want to listen to others and to really be able to show that there is a common humanity holding all together in spite of differences which could serve as basis for greater good and understanding in the world. Rubio is showing that there is more to life than belligerence and that listening to others does not detract from us in the last analysis or take away our conviction or make us less committed to goals and principles and values.

** Olaitan, Professor of Political Science, was Vice-Chancellor, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State.

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The Trump administration is pausing all aid to Ukraine, including weapons in transit or in Poland, until Ukrainian leaders show more appreciation for U.S. support and a commitment to peace, Fox News has learned. 

The pause comes days after a contentious meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump in the White House over how to end the three-year conflict initiated by Russia. 

"President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace," a White House official told Fox News. "We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution."

A senior Trump administration official also told Fox News that military aid will remain on hold until Ukrainian leaders show a commitment to good faith peace negotiations.

"This is not permanent termination of aid, it's a pause," the official emphasized. "The orders are going out right now."

The official said Monday's move was in response to Zelenskyy's conduct over the last week.

Zelenskyy's meeting with Trump and Vice President JD Vance last week erupted into a shouting match that was seen worldwide. The Ukrainian president traveled to the United States to meet with Trump after the commander-in-chief said a peace negotiation to end the war between Ukraine and Russia is in its final stages. 

Zelenskyy was apparently presented with a minerals for security agreement by the Trump administration prior to the press event, but the deal included no security guarantees to protect Ukraine from another Russian invasion. 

Minutes after reporters in the Oval Office asked their first questions, an aggressive spat unfolded between the heads of state.

"We cannot just sign an … agreement without any substantial guarantees," one Ukrainian defense advisor told Fox News Digital. "It’s not going to work. It’s just going to reward the aggressor."

Zelenskyy’s refusal to sign a deal apparently contributed to the ire of Trump and Vice President JD Vance.  The Ukrainian leader pointed out that Russia never stopped attacking Ukraine between 2014 and 2022, four years of which included Trump’s first term. 

"Nobody stopped him you know," Zelenskyy said, adding that Russian President Putin repeatedly violated bilateral agreements. 

Trump then accused Zelenskyy of "gambling with World War Three" as the Ukrainian president pushed back at suggestions that he should work harder to reach a ceasefire with Vladimir Putin.

Following the heated exchange, Zelenskyy refused to apologize when asked by Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier. 

"Mr. President, do you think your relationship with Donald Trump — President Trump — after today can be salvaged?" Baier asked Zelenskyy.

"Yes, of course, because it's relations more than two presidents. It's the historical relations, strong relations between our people, and that's why I always began… to thank your people from our people," Zelenskyy said during an exclusive interview Friday on "Special Report."

"Of course, thankful to the president, and, of course, to Congress, but first of all, to your people. Your people helped save our people… we wanted very much to have all these strong relations, and where it counted, we will have it."

The Biden administration gave billions in military aid to Ukraine to fend off Russian forces amid its three-year war following Moscow's invasion of its neighbor. 

When asked Monday about the status of the rare-earth minerals deal, Trump told reporters that he would disclose where the deal stands when he addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday in a speech akin to the annual State of the Union. He added that he would like to see the Ukrainian leader express more gratitude for U.S. support during the war in order to rekindle peace negotiations. 

"I just think he should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with him through thick and thin," Trump said. "We’ve given them much more than Europe, and Europe should have given more than us because, as you know, that’s right there, that’s the border." 

Fox News