two years after russia invaded his country, ukraine's president volodymyr zelenskyy sits down with our own richard engel. hear his message to american lawmakers. nikki haley coming in second in her home state. the landslide victory from donald trump has much of the party calling for haley to drop out.

but she is vowing to fight on. our team in d.c. checks in on the state of the race as candidates gear up for michigan. 50 videos, eight hours, and millions of views. the viral tiktok series that's captured the internet's attention. what the creator hopes people can learn from her story. breaking barriers while breaking the ice. howard university is now the hbcu with an ice skating team. meet the athletes determined to stop students like them from being iced out of the sport. and this teacher and her student share a special bond. they call each other heart twins after overcoming life-threatening health scares. see their heartwarming journey. it's monday, february 26th. "early today" starts right now. good morning. glad to be back with you. i'm frances rivera. the war in ukraine did not pause for commemorations this weekend as russia bombed a railway station in the eastern donetsk

region. ukrainian authorities say a guided bomb destroyed the station's main building and damaged surrounding apartments and businesses. there are, however, no reports of casualties, marking the second anniversary of the war. our richard engel sat down with president zelenskyy who has an urgent appeal to convince the american public and lawmakers that they should support his war effort. here is richard's report. >> reporter: president zelenskyy tells reporters delays in weapons from the united states are costing ukrainian lives, saying 31,000 of his troops have been killed so far in the war, his first update of the death toll in a year. president zelenskyy said russian troops are taking advantage of ukraine's lack of supplies with a new offensive, which he expects will intensify over the next two months. i met up with the president. >> hi, good to see you again.

>> in our fifth conversation since the war began. the president began by saying ukraine has no choice but to keep fighting because the cost of losing to president putin is everything. if he will break defending lives, all of the cities. he doesn't need anything, any ukrainian culture he will destroy, architecture, museums, schools and people. >> reporter: i just returned from several areas along the front line in the south and in the east. and soldiers there told me they have to ration their ammunition. what happens to your country if this american aid doesn't arrive? >> we'll lose a lot of people. we will lose territories. if to give us strong package, you know, on time, our steps will be more strong on the battlefield. >> do you think the united

states wants ukraine to win this war or do they just want you to weaken russia and contain russia? >> i hope so. i hope so, otherwise how to trust people? it is so difficult to live without any trust. i mean, we count on our partners. >> reporter: you said that you believe this year is a turning point year for ukraine because of, in part, u.s. elections. you pointed specifically to u.s. elections. are you talking about donald trump? are you worried that donald trump could pull the plug? >> i hope he will not stop if he will be the president. that is the decision. of your people. of course, i hope that the policy will not change. i count on the american people. >> reporter: president zelenskyy also outlined a peace plan to end the war with ukraine presenting its terms to russia

at a summit this spring that russia would not attend followed by direct talks. it's a proposal that the kremlin has already rejected. richard engel, nbc news, kyiv. there are new plans for a congressional summit at the white house. president biden is expected to host the party leaders from both the house and senate tomorrow. according to a white house official, the president will urge the lawmakers to pass the new foreign aid package, which recentlypassed in the senate with bipartisan support. the $95 billion proposal includes emergency funding for ukraine and israel. the bill has been stalled in the house. the president is also expected to push the lawmakers to avert a looming government shutdown which could begin on march 1. now to the latest in the race for the white house. donald trump appears to be cruising toward the republican nomination, winning more delegates by defeating nikki haley in her home state of south carolina. for the latest, we're joined by nbc's alice barr. good morning. the haley camp is also facing a

financial setback this morning. >> good morning, frances. and that is potentially even more damaging than losing a primary. overnight nbc news learned that some major donors are now dropping their support for nikki haley's campaign. and the political network largely funded by billionaire charles koch, this is most significant, it says it will no longer be sending funds to support haley, according to an email obtained by nbc news, the group says it no longer believes more money can make a difference. but the haley campaign does not seem deterred. they say they raised a million in grassroots donations since the south carolina primary loss, and they have the fuel to keep going. haley is looking ahead to the primary tomorrow in michigan. she held a rally there last night where she argued that donald trump does not have the support to win a general election. >> he as a republican incumbent didn't get 40% of the vote of the primary. he's not going to get the 40% if

he is not willing to change and do something that acknowledges the 40%. and why should the 40% have to cave to him? >> super tuesday is just one week after the michigan primary. many of those contests are winner-take-all states, meaning it will be hard for haley to pick up any delegates the trump campaign believes he will be able to lock up the nomination by the end of march. frances? >> alice, thank you. this morning, the supreme court will hear two cases that could have sweeping implications for social media moderation. the cases center on laws passed in texas and florida that make it harder for social media platforms to remove certain posts or accounts. both states argue the platforms were unfairly censoring the views of more conservative viewers. but tech groups bringing the cases say the laws infringe on the company's first amendment rights to make decisions about

their platforms. over the weekend, vigils took place across the country to honor a nonbinary teen from oklahoma who died earlier this month after a school fight. on sunday, benedict's closest friends and family gathered to remember them. the police department said preliminary information from an autopsy report shows their death was not the result of trauma. a toxicology exam is still pending, and an official autopsy will be released later. a massive fire swept through an illinois livestock facility saturday night. according to officials and the building's owner, no injuries have been reported. most of the two dozen animals are found safe. one animal did die, and another is missing. no word on what caused the fire, but there is an investigation under way. so we're seeing both sides of the weather spectrum this week. there is snow out west and spring air in the east. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman is tracking both. hi, michelle. good morning. >> great to see you. we're going to see temperatures soaring 30, even 45 degrees

above normal in portions of the central plains, the southern plains into the east. meanwhile, the west continues to see snow. we're going to be measuring feet of snow and gusty winds. let's start with the heat first. we're looking at spring-like temperatures throughout the middle of the nation into the east. but even feeling summer-like through the southern plains. we could break hundreds of records over the next few days in 25 states. every red dot on this map indicates where we could break a record. take a look at some of the numbers. 91 degrees. that is the forecast high in dallas. into the 80s in amarillo, portsmouth. into the 70s in kansas city. we're going to be warm throughout the midwest. 66 degrees is the forecasted high in chicago that heat stays in place tomorrow. we're going to be warm once again, if not hot in portions of the southern plains. san angelo tomorrow 90 degrees. 82 in bat ron rouge. heavy snow in portions of the intramountain west. winds gusting up to 70 miles per hour. by tomorrow could see some

strong thunderstor in the south. temperatures soaring into the 90s. 93 in san angelo. 91 in dallas. all right. that's your monday forecast. >> okay, thank you, michelle. now to a unique showdown in the sunshine state. dozens competed to find out who is the ultimate florida man. >> what brings you here today? >> to watch stupidity occur on the grandest spectacular scale. it's actually a birthday present from my wife. >> the contest celebrated florida's reputation for bizarre and silly stories. some of the events included eating events, wrestling over beer, and the evading arrest obstacle course. "early today" is back in a minute with an eight-hour

marriage story taking over ktok and breaking the ice. and howard university glides into the history books. ooo, yum. hey! ♪ bum bum bum bum bum ♪ i feel good. when i have pain from arthritis i grab biofreeze. unlike voltaren, biofreeze provides fast-acting relief i can apply it to more areas of my body. and it's nsaid-free. cool the pain so i can get back on the court. when your gut is out of balance, your body gives you signs. so if you're frustrated with occasional bloating... ♪♪ [stomach noises] gas... or abdominal discomfort... help stop the frustration and start taking align every day. align probiotic was specifically designed by gastroenterologists to help relieve your occasional digestive upsets. so you can enjoy life. when you feel the signs,

it's time to try align. the new binge worthy series isn't from netflix or hulu, it's on tiktok. this 50-part tell-all tells one woman's experience while being married to a man she calls a pathological liar, narcissist and the united nations of red flags. if you dent want to sit through more than eight hours of videos, here is a breakdown of the viral sensation. >> i want to tell the story of how i met, dated, married and divorced a real pathological liar. >> reporter: romance? >> oh my god, i had butterflies. >> alleged deception. >> been lying since day one. >> reporter: and epic storytelling. >> he could quote the bible like nobody's business. as we all know, so can lucifer. >> reporter: the tiktok series called who the f did i marry has

it all, and it's taking the internet by storm. >> if you've been wondering what i've been doing all day, it's this. >> reporter: the near eight-hour tiktok play list details her account of her brief marriage to her now ex-husband. >> i'm not a dumb person, but it just never dawned on me the things that you have to now investigate. >> reporter: risa tisa explains how she learned he was allegedly lying to her about everything, from the money in his bank accounts, his family, his job history, even his identity. she says ex-husband did not respond for comment. the atlanta-based creator who requested nbc news not use her full name due to safety concerns on online sleuthing says her desire to get married and settle down blinded her. >> i really, really wanted it to be my turn. and so i excuse d away a lot of stuff that i hope the next woman who sees this does not excuse. >> when you feel your biological

clock kticking, that scarcesy mind-set. thinking this is the only person throughout for me right now leads us to making decisions that aren't right for us. >> reporter: that open vulnerable vulnerability resonating with millions. >> just applaud her for her bravery and her transparency. >> reporter: part 1 was uploaded to tiktok this past valentine's day. in the days since, she has gained more than two million followers, and the series has pulled in more than 260 million views. many now even want to see the story made into a film or a documentary. >> somebody out there in hollywood find reesa teesa, give her a check and a contract, and maybe a good man. >> reporter: she says she hopes others can learn something from her story. >> if just one woman watches these videos and she is like you know what? something don't sit right with me. let me look into this. then it was worth it. >> reporter: and it's certainly started a conversation online.

>> wake up. wake up. i need social security numbers, offshore accounts. you have offshore accounts? >> while a lot of that is a joke, what truth is there in finding the truth about your par partner? >> you're considering moving in together, getting married, having kids with this person, you can ask for financial details and ask for the big questions. >> reporter: she tells nbc news exclusively he is still healing and learning to forgive herself. >> i've started giving myself grace as i'm reading messages from other women who have gone through the same thing, because for the longest time after this story was released, it did feel like i was the only one who fell for this. >> reporter: her next chapter taking her overseas, finally realizing a long held dream. >> it is official. i get to go to london and paris. >> reporter: she says she plans to document everything. a new series already loaded.

savannah sellers, nbc news. >> i hope she finds her real love along the way, whether it's in tiktok or in real life. still to come, celebrating black athletes breaking barriers. and a duke star injure injured. why this has people calling for the end of a sports tradition, right after this. half the time. dawn powerwash has 3 cleaning boosters not found in traditional dish soaps that remove food and grease 5 times faster. and, because it cleans so well you can replace multiple cleaning products for counters, stoves, and even laundry stains. try dawn powerwash dish spray. brand power, helping you buy better. when i have pain from arthritis i grab biofreeze. unlike voltaren, biofreeze provides fast-acting relief i can apply it to more areas of my body. and it's nsaid-free. cool the pain so i can get back on the court.

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1.8 to go. duke down by four. on the inbound, and the party is on in richmond center. >> wake forest university's scored a major upset over eighth ranked duke on saturday. but the victory didn't come without collateral damage. as the demon deacons fans stormed the court, and a duke star center kyle filipowski suffered a knee injury due to the collision and believes it was intentional. this has led to new calls to ban the tradition. it comes a month after caitlin

clark also took a hit from an opposing fan following the loss to ohio state. now to a history-maker on horseback. earlier this month, 25-year-old sharaiia harris became the first black woman to play in the women's u.s. polo championship. harris has been playing the sport since the age of 8. this black history month she shared a message to the rising number of black girls getting involved in polo. >> if you don't see anyone who looks like you, that's okay. it might not feel okay at the time, but it's okay because you never know if you will be the catalyst. >> when she is not on horseback, harris is a nurse in pennsylvania. harris isn't the only black athlete making waves this month. last year students at howard university stormed the first ever figure skating organization at an historically black college and university. this past weekend, the team also became the first from an hbcu to compete in u.s. figure skating southeast divisional competition. the team's achievement got a shout out from one howard alum.

vice president kamala harris who posted on x that the team makes all of us nice and proud. when we come back, how at&t plans to make up for its massive cell outage. and this summer, a new pink phone will help make real world a little more like barbie land. n to soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue.

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try olay. (singing) ♪ i feel good ♪ ♪ duh na nuh na nuh na nuh ♪ ♪ i knew that i would ♪ ♪ na na nuh na nuh na nuh ♪ ooo, yum. hey! ♪ bum bum bum bum bum ♪ i feel good. we're back with what you need to know "early today." at&t's ceo has apologized for the widespread cellular outage that impacted thousands of customers on thursday. in a letter to employees, he said some customers will receive a $5 credit to compensate for the incident. google is suspending its ai image generation fee for making pictures of people after it created inaccurate historical photos. in a statement google said it is working to improve these kinds of depicts immediately on its gemini chatbot. human mobile devices is partnering with mattel to launch a barbie flip phone.

it will be bright pink and have buttons instead of a touch screen. and a 22-year-old from california is selling a rare sealed copy of the zelda game. it's now going for more than 700,000 at auction. "early today" will be right ck. is out of balance, your body gives you signs. so if you're frustrated with occasional bloating... ♪♪ [stomach noises] gas... or abdominal discomfort... help stop the frustration and start taking align every day. align probiotic was specifically designed by gastroenterologists to help relieve your occasional digestive upsets. so you can enjoy life. when you feel the signs, it's time to try align. when i have pain from arthritis i grab biofreeze. unlike voltaren, biofreeze provides fast-acting relief i can apply it to more areas of my body. and it's nsaid-free. cool the pain

so i can get back on the court. want the power of 5 serum benefits in 1? olay super serum activates on skin to hydrate, smooth, visibly firm, brighten, and improve texture. it's my best skin yet. olay it is a lesson in supporting each over through uncertain times. kate snow introduces us to the kindergarten teacher who is making sure one little girl knows she is not alone. >> mad. tad. >> at lake highland preparatory school in orlando. >> fan. >> you have to think about this.

>> kennedy vaught and her kindergarten teacher carlene honor share a special bond. >> once i met her it was over. i was in love, and i was excited to embark on this new journey of a new school year together. >> that journey includes something they have in common. both are heart surgery survivors. kennedy had hers at advent health less than a year ago. >> thank you, guys. >> so when it came time for her to start kindergarten, mom kristen was overjoyed to discover mrs. honor knew just what kennedy was going through. >> oh, my gosh, i cry every time we talk about this. it's special to have this element to it when going into something we thought was so scary, we've come out of with nothing but mrs. honor's work's blessings. >> i wanted to reassure kennedy as well as her mother that she was going to be okay. she was going to be in great hands. >> all right. >> mrs. honor who had her surgery five years ago says she's teaching kennedy that their scars are a sign of strength and courage.

>> we just call each other heart twins and one of the things i wanted kennedy to know was that the scar was a reminder, a blessing and not to let it stop her from doing the things that she wanted to achieve. >> can you do a split? >> kennedy is back doing gymnastics. >> give me an "a." >> and wants to be a cheerleader. >> we're walking for you, girl! >> and together they teamed up for the greater orlando heart walk and for mrs. honor it was a powerful reminder about just how lucky she is to be alive. >> that was a moment that i had to myself -- that i realized i survived something greater than what it is. >> gratitude for second chances and a new friendship that will last a life time. >> i always want you to know that ms. honor loves you this much.

i'm always going to be there to cheer you on. >> and that is a true heart to heart connection, loving with their whole hearts. our thanks to kate snow for sharing that story. spacex launching another wave of starlink satellites into orbit. the company sent up two dozen from cape canaveral yesterday. this is the 13th flight for the booster, successfully landing on a drone ship in the atlantic. thanks for watching "early day." i'm francetos

nikki haley fights on, the republican hopeful vowing to stay in the race after a crushing defeatto donald trump in her home state this weekend. we are live with the major blow to her funding network following her south carolina loss. is another ceasefire on the ho