US reportedly against using the phrase "Russian aggression" in prominent declarations – media
The effort to adopt gentler phrasing marks a significant change in Washington’s position, emphasizing the rift between Trump and Zelensky.
TroibNews 
The reported move toward softer language signifies a significant shift in Washington’s position.
The US is challenging the use of the term "Russian aggression" in an impending G7 statement that commemorates the third anniversary of the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, as reported by the Financial Times on Thursday, citing Western officials with knowledge of the discussions.
Historically, the Group of Seven—comprising the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan—has consistently issued declarations supporting Ukraine since February 2022, regularly employing phrases like Russia’s “war of aggression” and “unprovoked full-scale invasion.”
However, as per the FT's sources, US representatives are now pushing for gentler terminology, suggesting references to the “Ukraine conflict.”
This change in Washington’s typical rhetoric comes in the wake of comments made by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, in which he criticized the conflict as being instigated by Kiev and labeled Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky as a “dictator without elections.” Zelensky retorted by accusing Trump of being ensnared in a Russian “disinformation bubble.”
Moreover, the US has opted not to co-sponsor a draft UN resolution scheduled for February 24 that similarly denounces "Russian aggression," according to a report from Reuters, which suggests a notable shift by Ukraine’s strongest Western ally and underscores a growing divide between Zelensky and Trump.
Earlier this week, a high-level diplomatic meeting between US and Russian officials took place in Saudi Arabia, aimed at paving the way for a peace agreement regarding Ukraine and re-establishing dialogue between Moscow and Washington.
Following these discussions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented that both the Russian and American delegations “not only listened but also heard each other.”
Russia has contended that NATO's eastward expansion, Ukraine’s aspirations to join the US-led military alliance, and its policies toward the Russian-speaking Donbass region have provoked the ongoing conflict.
Both Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have since minimized the prospects of Ukraine’s membership in NATO as a potential outcome of any peace settlement.
Additionally, Trump proposed last week that Russia should be readmitted to the G7. Russia was included in the group starting in 1998, creating the G8, and remained a member until 2014, when its membership was suspended following Crimea’s referendum to join Russia, which the West deemed an illegal annexation.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
The US is challenging the use of the term "Russian aggression" in an impending G7 statement that commemorates the third anniversary of the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, as reported by the Financial Times on Thursday, citing Western officials with knowledge of the discussions.
Historically, the Group of Seven—comprising the US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan—has consistently issued declarations supporting Ukraine since February 2022, regularly employing phrases like Russia’s “war of aggression” and “unprovoked full-scale invasion.”
However, as per the FT's sources, US representatives are now pushing for gentler terminology, suggesting references to the “Ukraine conflict.”
This change in Washington’s typical rhetoric comes in the wake of comments made by US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, in which he criticized the conflict as being instigated by Kiev and labeled Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky as a “dictator without elections.” Zelensky retorted by accusing Trump of being ensnared in a Russian “disinformation bubble.”
Moreover, the US has opted not to co-sponsor a draft UN resolution scheduled for February 24 that similarly denounces "Russian aggression," according to a report from Reuters, which suggests a notable shift by Ukraine’s strongest Western ally and underscores a growing divide between Zelensky and Trump.
Earlier this week, a high-level diplomatic meeting between US and Russian officials took place in Saudi Arabia, aimed at paving the way for a peace agreement regarding Ukraine and re-establishing dialogue between Moscow and Washington.
Following these discussions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov commented that both the Russian and American delegations “not only listened but also heard each other.”
Russia has contended that NATO's eastward expansion, Ukraine’s aspirations to join the US-led military alliance, and its policies toward the Russian-speaking Donbass region have provoked the ongoing conflict.
Both Trump and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have since minimized the prospects of Ukraine’s membership in NATO as a potential outcome of any peace settlement.
Additionally, Trump proposed last week that Russia should be readmitted to the G7. Russia was included in the group starting in 1998, creating the G8, and remained a member until 2014, when its membership was suspended following Crimea’s referendum to join Russia, which the West deemed an illegal annexation.
Mark B Thomas contributed to this report for TROIB News
