Politics and views in the United States.

Today is the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some federal workers return to the office after telework agreements are terminated; and environmental groups sue the Trump administration over its offshore drilling policy.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

I've seen the reports in the last couple of days that say Vladimir Putin wants peace, but I have to say I'm skeptical because if he really wants peace, nothing is stopping him from calling off those missile and drone attacks, attacks that are not targeting just Ukraine's military, but that are targeting civilians.

Following a recent trip to Ukraine, New Hampshire Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen blames Russian President Vladimir Putin for the ongoing destruction and civilian deaths.

Today marks the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion, which has killed at least 80,000 Ukrainians and turned 7 million people into refugees.

President Donald Trump has blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the war and calls him a dictator, but after the visit, moderate North Carolina Republican Tom Tillis bluntly called Putin a "cancer" and a "threat."

Many on the right are calling for an end to aid for Ukraine, and Trump says its continuation might depend on the U.S. getting the benefit of Ukrainian rare earth minerals.

Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference, he says he's working with Putin and Zelensky to end the war and get back money the Biden administration spent on it.

I'm trying to get the money back or secured because, you know, Europe has given $100 billion.

The United States has given $350 billion because we had a stupid, incompetent president and administration.

By federal figures, the U.S. has in fact given about $200 billion in aid and loans.

Combined, Europe has given about $150 billion.

Meanwhile, some federal workers are returning to the office today after the White House ended telework agreements, but keeping up with the many executive orders can be challenging.

Department of Government Efficiency Chair Elon Musk demanded federal employees outline five things that they accomplished in their job last week or be fired.

Maya Sen with Harvard University's Kennedy School of Public Policy says some of it seems to be aimed at intimidation.

They're trying to signal, "You need to rule in our favor because if you don't, we're going to potentially not comply with your rulings, and if we do that, that's going to be very damaging for you.

And we just want to make it clear we're considering that.

That's on the table."

Officials at the Pentagon and State Department have told employees at those agencies to ignore Musk's demands, saying job performance will be evaluated internally.

This comes just as Trump has fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs and the Navy's top admiral.

Critics charge Trump is politicizing the traditionally nonpartisan armed forces.

An environmental coalition is suing the Trump administration over its offshore drilling policy.

The group argues revoking protections for more than 600 million acres of federal waters poses threats to coastal communities, marine ecosystems, fishing and tourism.

Much of that's in the Gulf, which also sees the most economic activity from oil and gas.

But Christian Wagley with the group Healthy Gulf says fossil fuels do more damage than good.

"Transitions are sticky and they're messy.

And this action by President Biden that we're working to uphold is part of that long transition now away from the dirty energy and to the clean energy.

So we want to maintain that and hold that line."

I'm Edwin J. Vieira for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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