Ukraine Breaking News Today Live on 02-13-2025

Officials from the three countries will meet face-to-face at the Munich Security Conference to discuss ending Russia’s war in Ukraine days after Zelensky said ‘real peace’ is possible.

High-level officials from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia will meet at the Munich Security Conference tomorrow to hold face-to-face discussions about ending the war.

US President Donald Trump announced the meeting for the first time on Thursday afternoon while taking questions from reporters in the White House. [Trump’s assertion was later refuted by Kyiv officials – Ed.]

The world in focus, as seen by Canadian leading global affairs analyst Michael Bociurkiw in a quick review of the biggest news in international media today.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a blunt message to NATO allies Wednesday: U.S. troops won’t be part of any future peacekeeping mission in Ukraine. Moreover, Ukraine should make a deal with Russia now, Hegseth said — and give up hopes of regaining all of its occupied territory or becoming a member of NATO. “We want, like you, a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine. But we must start by recognizing that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective,” Hegseth said, referring to Russia’s yearslong occupation of Crimea and the eastern Donbas region. “Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering.” - Axios

• President Trump said he spoke yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin and they agreed on “starting negotiations immediately” to end the war in Ukraine. He described the call as “lengthy and highly productive,” and said that they had also agreed to visit each other’s countries.
• The UK’s Defence Secretary John Healey responded to Donald Trump’s comments on the Ukraine war yesterday, saying Nato’s job is to “put Ukraine in strongest possible position for any talks”. He added: “There can be no negotiation about Ukraine without Ukraine,” he adds. Healey also says there will be new announcements on supporting Ukraine through Nato, with billions in new firepower for Ukrainian fighters on the front line. “We want to see durable peace and no return to conflict and aggression,” he says. “Let’s not forget Russia remains a threat well beyond Ukraine.” - BBC
• Ukrainian President Zelensky put a brave face on the situation, summarizing in a post on X what he called a “meaningful” conversation with Trump. “President Trump shared details of his conversation with Putin,” the Ukraine president said. “No one wants peace more than Ukraine. Together with the U.S., we are charting our next steps to stop Russian aggression and ensure a lasting, reliable peace. As President Trump said, let’s get it done.” - Politico
• Just moments after the White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, quoted her boss as saying Vladimir Putin “wants to make peace,” Russian drones start to swarm Ukraine triggering air raid alerts in many regions. In all, 140 drones were tracked, with most aimed at the Odesa region, Ukrainian Telegram channels reported. Officials said port infrastructure in the Danube River was hit - the very installations which were previously funded by USAID
• Trump, writing on his Truth Social platform, said he has asked Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to lead the negotiations on the US side. One former western diplomat pointed out to me that missing from the delegation was Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg
• Putin and Trump are likely to meet in Saudi Arabia. Oil prices fell after news of the call, with Brent crude down 2.3% at $75.25 a barrel
• Vice President Vance is slated to meet with Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference later this week to discuss Trump’s vision for peace. Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, told The Associated Press that the White House is ironing out details of the highly anticipated talks during the annual summit for international security discussions. “Knowing how the process works, it would probably be better for Zelenskyy if we all met together and talked through it as a group,” Kellogg said in an interview.
• In an interview with The Guardian published on Tuesday, Zelensky suggested that Russian-held territory in Ukraine could be swapped for Ukrainian-held territory in Russia’s western Kursk region as part of a peace deal. Putin’s spokesman Peskov said this was “impossible”. He added: “Russia has never discussed and will not discuss the exchange of its territory. Ukrainian units will be expelled from this territory. All who are not destroyed will be expelled.” - BBC
• A new Danish intelligence report has warned about the prospect of Russia launching a large-scale war against European members of Nato within five years, if the US no longer offers its support. It’s two years before it poses a credible threat to one or more members in the Baltic sea region, it added.
• The United States is releasing Russian prisoner Alexander Vinnik as part of the deal to secure Marc Fogel’s freedom, a Trump administration official told Fox News on Wednesday. Fogel, an American teacher who had been detained in Russia since 2021, was freed on Tuesday. Vinnik was arrested in 2017 in Greece at the request of the U.S. on cryptocurrency fraud charges. He was later extradited to the United States where he pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy to commit money laundering - Fox News

• A car drove into a crowd in Munich on Thursday injuring several people, police said, as the southern German city prepares for a top-level security conference due to be attended by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Bild newspaper reported that 15 people were injured. The Munich Security Conference is to start on Friday and senior officials, including Vance and Zelenskiy, were arriving later on Thursday - Reuters
• Russia’s defence budget in 2024 exceeded all of Europe’s combined in purchasing power terms and it retains the ability to sustain its invasion of Ukraine at the current intensity for another year, according to a fresh analysis. Calculations by the International Institute for Strategic Studies conclude that on a like for like basis, adjusted to take into account Russia’s lower input costs, Russia spent $462bn on defence against Europe’s $457bn. Fenella McGerty, an analyst with the thinktank, said that Russia spent 6.68% of its GDP on defence in 2024, or $145.9bn in cash terms – and that it would increase further by 14% during 2025, a lower rate of increase than previous years. Though Russia has lost at least 172,000 troops killed and 611,000 wounded since the start of the war – and 1,400 tanks during 2024 – recruitment and manufacturing remained sustainable. “I think they can continue the current intensity of operations for the rest of this year,” said Ben Barry, a land warfare analyst. Nigel Gould-Davies, a former UK ambassador to Belarus, added that Russian president Vladimir Putin was hardening his position – “he’s not interested in a freezing of the conflict”. Ukraine, meanwhile, is suffering from personnel shortages on the frontline as recruitment efforts falter. It was not uncommon for frontline units to be at 20% to 30% of target strength, the thinktank added. Figures released by the thinktank also showed that Germany had overtaken the UK as the second biggest defence spender in Nato, after the US, during 2024, reflecting a big increase announced by chancellor Olaf Scholz in response to the war in Ukraine. All European defence budgets are up by 50% since 2014 in cash terms - Guardian
• The Trump administration is expected to purchase $400 million worth of armored Tesla vehicles, according to a new State Department document detailing procurement for fiscal year 2025. Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk is a top White House official who has been leading the Department of Government Efficiency, a unit focused on shrinking the federal workforce and ferreting out corruption. The document does not specify what Tesla vehicles will be purchased by U.S. officials, but Musk’s Cybertruck, with its militaristic design and stainless steel exterior, could be an option. After reports circulated Wednesday night of the State Department’s intent to purchase Tesla vehicles, the document was edited, at 9:12 p.m., and now says the federal contract is for $400 million worth of “armored electric vehicles,” but the word “Tesla” was removed - NPR
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended a decision by the White House on Tuesday to keep The Associated Press out of the pool of reporters allowed inside the Oval Office to cover an executive order signing with President Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. “We reserve the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office,” Leavitt said during a briefing with reporters on Wednesday when asked about the move, calling it a “privilege to cover the White House.” The AP on Tuesday said it had been blocked from covering two White House events over its refusal to “align its editorial standards with President Trump’s executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.” Leavitt was pressed Wednesday by CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins over the decision, asking if the White House’s posture toward the AP should be viewed as retaliatory in nature or can be seen as antithetical to Trump’s stated First Amendment prerogatives. “If we feel there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable,” the press secretary responded. “And it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I’m not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that but that is what it is.” After Trump moved to change the name of the body of water, the AP — which provides style guides for a number of other news outlets around the country — updated its policy saying it would refer to the Gulf of Mexico “by its original name while acknowledging the new name Trump has chosen.” - The Hill
• President Donald Trump’s newly announced tariffs — a blanket duty of 25% on all steel and aluminum imports — are expected to negatively affect the nation’s craft brewers by driving up the cost of critical materials used to brew, house and serve their beer. And these potential hits are landing at an unwelcome time for the industry. The once-flourishing craft beer industry has been put on the ropes, dealt blow after blow after blow in recent years. The pandemic sapped the lifeblood — taproom sales — from many operations, forcing them to lean more heavily on to-go vessels such as cans and bottles; global supply chain challenges caused shortages and drastic price hikes of key inputs, including cans(which already were getting more expensivefollowing the 2018 tariffs); and those breweries still standing were then stung by a shift in consumer’ and retailers’ palates for beverages beyond beer. - CNN
• The popular Greek tourist island of Santorini has experienced thousands of near-constant earthquakes since Jan. 25, prompting more than 13,000 of the island’s 15,500 residents to leave the island, according to The New York Times. The largest temblor, a 5.2-magnitude quake, struck north of the island on Wednesday. Magnitude 5 and 5.3 quakes were felt in Athens on Sunday and Monday, respectively. Vassilis Karastathis, director of the Institute of Geodynamics at the National Observatory of Athens, told the Times he is unsure if the quakes will result in a large earthquake or if the tremors will soon stabilize. He said, “A lot of the seismic energy has been released, but we still can’t rule out a large earthquake.” He says the quakes, most of which have been small, may continue for weeks. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared a state of emergency and said on Friday, “We’re preparing for the worst while hoping for the best.” Emergency services are on standby to provide support and evacuate residents if necessary, and some parts of the island have been closed off due to fear of landslides - Daily Beast
• Hong Kong’s taxi drivers have threatened a citywide strike in early March if the government fails to crack down on unlicensed ride-hailing services such as Uber. More than 80 per cent of those present at a meeting held by the Hong Kong Tele-call Taxi Association on Wednesday agreed to hold a five-day strike starting March 5 if the government fails to commit to a crack down on ride-hailing services by next Wednesday. Hong Kong is considering regulating online ride-hailing platformslike Uber with proposals to introduce a licensing regime. A proposal on the regulatory details is expected this year - HKFP

James Gilmore, who served as the US Ambassador to the OSCE during Donald Trump’s first term, offers his candid perspective on Russia’s war in Ukraine and the broader implications of its aggression.

The Ukrainian president has expressed a desire for a “plan to stop Putin” first before any peace talks commence.

Amid fears that the US might hold talks with Russia on Ukraine without Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would prefer a joint plan with Washington before any peace talks commence.

Zelensky also described it as “not very pleasant” that US President Donald Trump phoned Russian leader Vladimir Putin first before him, while he was under the assumption that Trump wished to talk to both together.

As Western security leaders assemble in the Bavarian capital the question high on everyone’s Ukraine-related agenda is: Will Europe step up? Time to find out.

The 61st Munich Security Conference, slated to take place between Friday and Sunday this week, will mark the first major security summit in Europe since the re-election of US President Donald Trump, with Ukraine expected to be among the key discussion topics.

Attendees will include senior officials from both sides of the Atlantic, including Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Trump’s Ukraine-Russia Special Envoy Keith Kellogg and Vice President J.D. Vance – to name but a few.

Ukraine is analyzing a US deal worth $500 billion for access to rare earth minerals, with a response expected during a meeting with the US Vice President in Munich.

Ukrainian officials are analyzing a draft financial agreement with the United States on rare earth elements and plan to provide their response during a meeting with US Vice President J.D. Vance in Munich, sources in the Office of the President told Suspilne news outlet.

During a phone call, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed US President Donald Trump that Ukraine had received the draft agreement and had begun analyzing it.

Airspace violations have become frequent since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, crossing the border into both Romania and Moldova.

Moldova on Thursday “urgently” summoned Russia’s ambassador after drones from the war in neighboring Ukraine exploded on its territory, while NATO member Romania reported its airspace had been violated.

Airspace violations have become frequent since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, with Moscow targeting Ukrainian port infrastructure in the south, close to the border with both Romania and Moldova.

Latest from the British Defence Intelligence.

• A Russian court in Sevastopol in illegally annexed Crimea has fined a local woman 50,000 rubles (approximately USD $500) for alleged childfree propaganda, according to independent Russian media, Novaya Gazeta Europe. This is reportedly the first time such a fine has been issued in either Russia, or in Ukrainian territory illegally annexed by Russia.

• Putin signed the law banning ‘propaganda claimed to be spreading’childfree ideology’ in November 2024. The legislation reportedly imposes fines of up to 400,000 rubles (approximately USD $4,100) for individuals, and up to 5m rubles (approximately USD $51,000) for organisations convicted, in a further expansion of the Russian state’s increasingly repressive powers.

Former Ukrainian president and lawmaker Petro Poroshenko faces not only a ban from parliamentary sessions but also possible charges of treason. What’s going on?

A political scandal is brewing under the dome of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s legislature.

Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president from 2014 to 2019 who now leads the opposition European Solidarity party may face a six-month expulsion from all plenary sessions, and more seriously, on Feb. 12, he was placed under government sanction and accused of treason.

This decision has sparked outrage among some Ukrainians – not only among supporters of the former president but also among those concerned about government pressure on the opposition ahead of possible elections, which are being discussed with increasing frequency.

Stocks of major Ukraine’s companies climbed by 4-18%, but Ukraine’s Eurobonds price increased only by 2-4% after news about talks between Putin and Trump.

The stocks of Ukrainian companies listed on the London and Warsaw Stock Exchanges climbed by 5-25% after the 90-minute first direct talks between US president Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Ukraine.

The stock price of agricultural holding MHP on the London Stock Exchange surged by 13.99% as at 11 a.m. Kyiv time on Thursday, according to LSE data. 

In an exclusive interview, Finnish Speak of Parliament Jussi Halla-aho warned that talks with Russia must not be made from a position of weakness.

Finland is concerned that US commitment to Ukraine and Europe may be faltering under newly elected US President Donald Trump, Jussi Halla-aho, the Speaker of the Finnish Parliament told Kyiv Post.

“We constantly talk to our American friends – and all our friends – and try to convince them on the need to keep arming Ukraine,” he said, speaking from his office in the Finnish parliament last week.

After news of talks between Putin and Trump, the ruble strengthened to 90 rubles per dollar while major Russian companies climbed by 8%.

Russia’s stock market surged Thursday following US President Donald Trump’s announcement that he and Russian leader Vladimir Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine just ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.

The ruble strengthened 3.72% against the US dollar, trading at 90.5 rubles per dollar, and gained 3.64% against the euro, reaching 94.04 rubles per euro.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance paused despite the central bank’s hawkish forward guidance. Bond Market Insight for Feb. 12

Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance (MoF) rejected nearly one-third of demand on military UAH bonds to keep yields steady and set the coupon rate for the new two-year regular paper.

The MoF rejected only two bids out of 19 for the 17-month bills, but they amounted to UAH250m or 40% of the total demand for this paper. This decision allowed the MoF to keep the cut-off rate unchanged at 15.85% and increase the weighted-average rate by 7bp to 15.85%.

Trump and spokesmen from the Kremlin said the calls were ‘normal’ diplomacy and there is a ‘good possibility’ of a peace deal imminently.

On Thursday, US President Donald Trump referred to his “lengthy” calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and subsequently Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as “great,” and repeated that there is a “good possibility” of ending the war in Ukraine very soon. 

“GREAT TALKS WITH RUSSIA AND UKRAINE YESTERDAY. GOOD POSSIBILITY OF ENDING THAT HORRIBLE, VERY BLOODY WAR!!!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Lipetsk was part of a large-scale drone attack where it is likely that key infrastructure in the city was damaged, while Russian air defenses claimed to have downed 83 UAVs.

In the early hours of Thursday, Feb. 13, Russia’s Lipetsk region was subjected to a massive unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) attack, according to the regional head, Igor Artamonov. Local residents have been reporting more than 12 explosions in the industrial part of Lipetsk city on social media.

The Russian Telegram channel “Shot” claims that drones were probably targeted on the Novolipetsk Metallurgical Complex (NLMK) - the largest steel manufacturing enterprise in Russia, responsible for about 20 percent of the country’s steel production. The plant was previously hit by drones on Feb. 24 last year, causing a fire.

Russian lawmakers expressed hope the talks would lead to a breakthrough in relations, which had been at their lowest point since the Cold War.

Russians were cautiously upbeat after Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump spoke by phone Wednesday, praising it as a “first step” towards repairing ruptured ties between the two nuclear-armed superpowers.

In the first presidential contact between Moscow and Washington in three years, Trump said the pair agreed to “immediately” kick off talks on ending the Ukraine conflict, a stark contrast to predecessor Joe Biden’s policy of isolating the Kremlin.

The newly confirmed US Director of National Intelligence (DNI), known for parroting Russian propaganda, is set to visit Munich for an upcoming conference – her first trip as DNI.

Tulsi Gabbard was sworn in as the US Director of National Intelligence (DNI) on Wednesday by a partisan US Congress vote of 52-48.

As the DNI, Gabbard is set to oversee the activities of all US intelligence agencies, including the CIA and FBI. She’ll attend the Munich Security Conference between Feb. 14 and Feb. 16 to meet her European counterparts during her first trip as DNI, deputy DNI for strategy and communications Alexa Henning told ABC News.

The US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent presented a deal on rare earth elements and discussed the state of Ukraine’s economy during his visit to Kyiv on Feb. 12, 2024.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with the Minister of Finance of Ukraine, Serhiy Marchenko, in Kyiv on Feb. 12, 2024, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine reported. 

In the hours after a massive Russian missile attack on Kyiv, Bessent and Marchenko discussed the state of Ukraine’s economy and the impact of the full-scale war on public finances. 

The fresh sanctions will severely restrict former President Petro Poroshenko’s political aspirations and business activities. His supporters claim the move is politically motivated.

[Updated at 13:46]: The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced on Telegram that the proposal to impose sanctions was submitted to the National Defense Council due to threats to national security, territorial integrity, and Ukraine’s sovereignty, as well as economic disruption caused by the sanctioned individuals.

According to the SBU, most of those sanctioned are subjects of ongoing criminal investigations by the agency or other law enforcement bodies.

Trump, after speaking to Putin on Wednesday, said that talks to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, which began with Russia’s invasion almost three years ago, would start “immediately”.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Thursday a deal to end the Ukraine war should not be imposed on Kyiv, after US President Donald Trump agreed to open negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a call.

“The next task is to ensure that there is no dictated peace,” Scholz told news outlet Politico in an interview.

The latest statements from US President Trump and his top officials concerning Ukraine and Europe suggest we are witnessing a worrying ‘game-changer’ moment. What’s next?

So now we know more precisely what the new administration of US President Donald Trump has in store for Ukraine and Europe more broadly.

And it’s probably even worse and scarier than we thought.

After a successful start of biomethane exports to Europe, five new plants are being readied for launch.

Ukrainian companies launched biomethane export to the EU on Feb. 6 and have announced plans to expand production by launching five new plants. 

Pioneering the export launch, two Ukrainian agricultural companies, Vitagro and Hals Agro, expect to generate €2.6–2.7 million ($2.7-2.8 million) in revenue this year, Forbes Ukraine reported.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday blindsided Ukraine and Washington’s European allies by agreeing to launch peace talks in his first publicly announced phone call with Putin.

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump’s efforts to end Russia’s Ukraine invasion through talks with Russian leader Vladimir Putin were “certainly not a betrayal” of Kyiv on Thursday, Feb. 13.

European leaders, however, insisted that Ukraine and other countries in the region must be involved in any future negotiations.

Trump said he had a call with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday -- their first confirmed contact since the US president’s return to office -- and agreed “immediately” to start negotiations to end the war.

China on Thursday said it was “happy” to see the United States and Russia “strengthen communication”, after US President Donald Trump said he expected to meet his Russian counterpart for Ukraine peace talks.

Trump said he had a “lengthy and highly productive” call with Vladimir Putin on Wednesday -- their first confirmed contact since the US president’s return to office -- and agreed “immediately” to start negotiations to end the war.

The global financial technology company and digital bank aims to make their global products available for Ukrainian refugees and freelancers.

The fintech company and digital bank Revolut, headquartered in London, is in talks to receive a local banking license in Ukraine and expand its services to support Ukrainian refugees and freelancers, Head of Expansion Dmytro Strelchuk told Forbes Ukraine.

“Ukraine is a priority market for us,” Strelchuk said.

NATO chief made the following statement after US President Donald Trump agreed with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to launch negotiations.

NATO chief Mark Rutte said Ukraine must be involved in peace talks and any final deal needs to be “enduring”, after US President Donald Trump agreed with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to launch negotiations.

“Of course, this is crucial -- (when) we talk about Ukraine, that Ukraine is closely involved in everything happening about Ukraine,” Rutte told journalists ahead of a meeting of alliance defence ministers.

According to a Forbes Ukraine citing source, the sanctions may be linked to allegations of treason.

The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed sanctions on former President and current lawmaker Petro Poroshenko, leader of the European Solidarity party, during a meeting on Feb. 12, Forbes Ukraine reports, citing two informed sources.

Poroshenko later confirmed the sanctions in a video statement, calling the decision “unconstitutional” and “politically motivated.” He claimed that President Volodymyr Zelensky was behind the move.

Trump spoke with Putin for 90 minutes, then with Zelensky for an hour. TVP World discusses what this means for Ukraine and future peace efforts with Bohdan Nahaylo, Editor-in-Chief of Kyiv Post.

Denmark urges Europe to strengthen defenses as Moscow ramps up military expansion with support from China, Iran, and North Korea.

Russia could be capable of launching a full-scale war against NATO within the next five years, as reported by Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS).

In a declassified report published on Feb. 11, the DDIS highlighted the growing Russian threat to Denmark and other NATO members. The assessment reads that Russia is actively rebuilding its military to match NATO’s capabilities, with significant support from China, North Korea, and Iran.

A psychophysiological examination using a polygraph will be mandatory for candidates for officer positions and positions with access to state secrets.

Foreigners and stateless persons wishing to serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Special Transport Service and the National Guard will undergo psychophysiological testing. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the relevant Regulation developed by the Ministry of Defense.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Defense.

Latest from the Institute for the Study of War.

Key Takeaways from ISW:

• US President Donald Trump held bilateral phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 12.
• Kremlin Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov and Russian Security Council Deputy Chairperson Dmitry Medvedev explicitly rejected Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to trade occupied Ukrainian territory for territory held by Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast during future peace negotiations.
• Denmark’s Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS) assessed that Russia may have the capabilities to launch a full-scale war against NATO in the next five years, which is consistent with ISW’s assessments about 
• Russian efforts to restructure and prepare its military and society for a future conflict with NATO in the medium to long-term.
• The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD) recently launched the “Contract 18-24” voluntary recruitment program aimed a recruiting 18 to 24-year-old Ukrainians into the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
• Russian President Vladimir Putin held his first official call with Syrian Interim President Ahmed al Shara on February 12 since the fall of Russian-backed former Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
• The Armenian National Assembly approved a draft law in the first reading on February 12 to commence the process of joining the European Union (EU).
• Ukrainian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Toretsk, and Russian forces recently advanced in Kursk Oblast and near Borova, Siversk, Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove.
• Russia’s Shahed drone production rate may be declining.

After skeptical comments at Wednesday’s Ramstein meeting from the new Pentagon chief, Umerov says that Kyiv’s position on the matter is unchanged.

Following comments at the Ukraine Contact Defense Group on Wednesday made by newly confirmed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that it was “unrealistic” that Ukraine could join NATO, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stressed that Kyiv has not changed its stance on joining the Alliance.

“We have to get used to all kinds of statements,” Umerov said. “Our position has remained unchanged. We want to be a NATO country. We will be a NATO country.”

After a “lengthy and productive” call with the Russian autocrat, Trump told reporters that their next meeting would be in the Middle East in the “not too distant future” to talk peace without Kyiv.

Trump to Meet Putin and Saudi’s bin Salman to talk a peace plan for Ukraine, without Ukraine.

US President Donald Trump revealed Wednesday he expects to meet Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Saudi Arabia for Ukraine peace talks – without a representative from Kyiv present – in an extraordinary thaw in relations after a surprise phone call between the US and Russian leaders.

In their first confirmed contact since Trump’s return to the White House, the US president said he had held a “lengthy and highly productive” conversation with the Russian counterpart who ordered the bloody 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.