Axios PM

February 17, 2026
π· Hey there, Mardi Gras crowd. Today's newsletter, edited by Alex Fitzpatrick, is 725 words, a 2Β½-min. read. Thanks to Sheryl Miller for copy editing.
1 big thing: Zelensky pushes back on Trump

It's "not fair" that President Trump has repeatedly called on Ukraine, not Russia, to make concessions for peace, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios' Barak Ravid in a wide-ranging interview.
- Zelensky added that it might be easier for Trump to pressure Ukraine than the much larger Russia β but the way to create a lasting peace isn't "to give victory" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Trump said twice recently that the onus was on Zelensky to make concessions.
- Zelensky, in response: "I hope it is just his tactics and not the decision."

πΊπ¦ Zelensky also said that Ukrainians would reject a peace deal that involves withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and turning it over to Russia.
- U.S. mediators have proposed that Ukrainian forces withdraw from the parts of the Donbas they currently hold, and allow that area to become a demilitarized "free economic zone."
- Zelensky is prepared to discuss withdrawing. But he has called for Moscow to pull its troops back an equivalent distance β and has rejected Russia's claim to sovereignty over the zone.
π·πΊ Zelensky said U.S. mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have told him Russia genuinely wants to end the war.
- But Zelensky made clear he's much more pessimistic.
- He also told Witkoff and Kushner that they shouldn't try to force him to sell a vision of peace his people would see as an "unsuccessful story."
π¨π What's next: Trilateral talks in Geneva are set to continue tomorrow.
2. π―οΈ Jackson remembered as a "movement unto himself"

Remembrances are pouring in for the Rev. Jesse Jackson, a civil rights icon who fought for racial justice and equality.
- Jackson, 84, died at home in Chicago today, surrounded by family.
π Former President Obama, on Instagram: "From organizing boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect."
- "Michelle and I will always be grateful for Jesse's lifetime of service, and the friendship our families share. We stood on his shoulders."
π€³ President Trump said on Truth Social: "I knew him well, long before becoming President. He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and 'street smarts.' ... Despite the fact that I am falsely and consistently called a Racist by the Scoundrels and Lunatics on the Radical Left, Democrats ALL, it was always my pleasure to help Jesse along the way."
πͺ§ The Rev. Al Sharpton, on X: "The Reverend Dr. Jesse Louis Jackson was not simply a civil rights leader; he was a movement unto himself. He carried history in his footsteps and hope in his voice."
- "He taught me that protest must have purpose, that faith must have feet, and that justice is not seasonal, it is daily work."
3. β‘οΈ Catch me up

- πΏ Norwegian Olympic skier Atle Lie McGrath is going viral for throwing away his poles and wandering into the woods after a mistake cost him a gold medal. The Vermont-born McGrath later told reporters: "Photographers and police found me out in the woods. I just needed some time for myself." Go deeper ... Today's results.
- πΏ Warner Bros. Discovery is reopening deal talks with Paramount Skydance, possibly reigniting a bidding war with Netflix. More from Axios' Sara Fischer.
- ποΈ "Late Show" host Stephen Colbert posted an interview with James Talarico β a Texas Democrat running for Senate β to YouTube, saying CBS lawyers told him not to air it. CBS said: "THE LATE SHOW was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled." Watch the clip.
4. βͺοΈ 1 for the road: Pizza for pilgrims

The Vatican is marking the 400th anniversary of the consecration of St. Peter's Basilica with a bigger snack bar and other upgrades.
- π± It's also adding a new online reservation system, an exhibition on the basilica's history, and AI-assisted live translations of mass in 60 languages, AP reports.
π The snack bar has proven controversial, with some questioning whether it's appropriate to serve pizza and sandwiches in a sacred space.
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