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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Saturday in Munich, Germany that Ukraine is ready for an agreement that will bring real peace, the Ukrinform news agency reported. "Ukraine is ready for an agreement that will bring real peace to us, to Ukraine, to Europe," he said during a speech at the Munich Security Conference, adding that the crisis can be ended, first of all, with dignity. "This is the most important thing for us," Zelensky said. According to him, Europe is practically not present at the negotiating table, which is a "big mistake." Ukrainians are trying to fully engage Europe in the negotiating process so that "the interests of Europe and the voice of Europe are taken into account." He added that Ukraine will do everything to make these negotiations successful and is in constant communication with U.S. representatives.

A Russian airstrike on a residential area in Kramatorsk, eastern Ukraine, killed one person and injured two on Sunday, officials said. The attack caused a fire in a nine-story apartment building, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine reported. Russia also targeted energy infrastructure in Poltava region overnight, Serhii Koretskyi, chief of state-owned gas company Naftogaz, said. Since the war began nearly four years ago, Russia has frequently hit Ukraine’s power grid, especially during winter, in what Kyiv calls a strategy to weaken Ukrainian morale. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach a peace agreement. He added that if the deadline is missed, the U.S. is likely to pressure both sides to comply. “The Americans are proposing the parties end the war by early summer and will probably put pressure on both sides according to this schedule,” Zelenskyy told reporters Friday. “They want everything done by June and a clear schedule of events.” Zelenskyy also said the next round of U.S.-brokered trilateral talks is likely to take place in Miami next week. Ukraine has confirmed its participation. Earlier U.S.-facilitated talks in Abu Dhabi produced no breakthrough, as Russia demands Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region — a condition Kyiv refuses to accept.

US President Donald Trump has said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed not to carry out attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities for about a week due to exceptionally cold weather gripping the region. Speaking at a televised cabinet meeting in Washington on Thursday, Trump said he personally asked Putin to halt strikes on Ukraine’s capital and other urban areas during the extreme cold, and that the Russian leader agreed. Trump did not specify when the pause would begin. Russia has not confirmed any such agreement. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed Trump’s remarks, calling them an important signal about the possibility of protecting Kyiv and other cities during the harsh winter period. Air raid sirens sounded overnight into Friday in only four Ukrainian regions close to the frontline, according to Ukrainian officials. Kyiv and other major cities were not included. Ukraine’s air force later said those areas were targeted by around 80 Russian drones and a ballistic missile. Temperatures in Kyiv were forecast to drop sharply from Thursday, falling to as low as minus 24 degrees Celsius in the coming days. Russia has intensified strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during cold spells since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022, worsening power and heating shortages. In a social media post, Zelensky said Ukrainian and US teams had discussed the issue during talks in the United Arab Emirates and expressed hope that the understandings would be implemented. Ukrainian media reported that Kyiv had agreed to mirror Moscow’s actions by pausing its own attacks on Russian oil refineries. Russian, Ukrainian and US negotiators held their first trilateral talks since the war began during meetings in the UAE last week. While all sides described the discussions as constructive, there has been no formal announcement from Moscow of a pause in attacks. Despite the reported understanding, Russian strikes have continued to damage Ukraine’s power grid, leaving millions without reliable heating or electricity as repair crews struggle to restore supplies amid ongoing attacks.   With inputs from BBC

Ukraine has condemned a fresh wave of Russian attacks that killed one person and injured 23 others overnight, as peace talks with Russia and the United States resumed in Abu Dhabi. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the strikes as “brutal” and said the attacks hit not only civilians but also the peace process. He said the assault showed Russia was not serious about negotiations. According to officials, one person was killed and four others were wounded in drone attacks on the capital Kyiv. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, 19 people were injured during heavy overnight strikes, local authorities said. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said three of the injured were taken to hospital. He also said critical infrastructure was damaged, leaving about 6,000 buildings without heating as temperatures remain below freezing. President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia mainly targeted energy facilities during the attacks. In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said a maternity hospital and a shelter for displaced people were damaged. The attacks came as delegations from Ukraine, Russia and the US held a second day of talks in Abu Dhabi, the first known trilateral discussions since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said the talks focused on ways to end the war and move toward a lasting and dignified peace. However, Ukrainian officials said the key issue of territory remains unresolved. Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukrainian territory, including parts of the eastern Donbas region. Moscow wants Ukraine to give up more land, a demand Kyiv has rejected.   With inputs from BBC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the future of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region will be a central issue as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia and the United States hold talks in Abu Dhabi aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion. The UAE foreign ministry said the talks, which began Friday and continue Saturday, are intended “to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis.” The White House described the first day of discussions as productive. Hours before the three-way talks opened, Russian President Vladimir Putin held overnight discussions on a possible settlement with US President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Kremlin reiterated that any peace deal would require Ukraine to withdraw its troops from eastern territories illegally annexed by Russia but not fully controlled. Zelenskyy said after meeting Trump on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, that while the status of Russian-occupied land in eastern Ukraine remains unresolved, peace proposals are “nearly ready.” He also said he discussed with Trump the idea of establishing a Ukraine-controlled free trade zone in the east, calling it potentially positive for business. Friday marked the first known instance of Trump administration officials meeting simultaneously with representatives from both Ukraine and Russia. Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian delegation was updating him almost hourly. “They are discussing the parameters for ending the war,” Zelenskyy said in a late-night address. “The most important thing is whether Russia is ready to end the war it started.” He cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions. The Kremlin described the talks as a security working group, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov again calling troop withdrawal from Donbas an “important condition.” Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov said a lasting settlement would not be possible without resolving territorial issues, while Russian media reported discussions on buffer zones and control measures. US officials confirmed that Witkoff and Kushner were joined in Abu Dhabi by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and NATO’s top military commander, US Air Force Gen Alexus Grynkewich. Ukraine’s delegation includes senior security and military officials. Earlier in Davos, Zelenskyy met Trump for about an hour, describing the talks as productive. Trump later said both sides want a deal but that territorial boundaries remain the main obstacle. Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukraine’s territory, though gains have come at high military and economic cost. Ukraine continues to face financial strain, manpower shortages and dependence on Western military support. Zelenskyy also sharply criticised European allies, accusing them of slow decision-making, insufficient defence spending and reluctance to use frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. “Europe looks lost,” he said, warning that the continent risks repeating the same mistakes unless it takes stronger action.

Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least one person and injured 23 others overnight into Saturday, as negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the United States met in Abu Dhabi for a second day of talks aimed at ending Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale invasion. Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said one person was killed and four others wounded in Russian drone attacks on the Ukrainian capital. In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, drone strikes injured 19 people, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported Saturday. The attacks coincided with the continuation of three-way talks in the United Arab Emirates, marking the first known instance of officials from the Trump administration engaging directly with both countries to push for progress toward ending the conflict. The UAE foreign ministry said the talks are intended “to promote dialogue and identify political solutions to the crisis,” while the White House called Friday’s first day productive. Diplomatic activity has intensified in recent days, from Switzerland to Moscow, although major obstacles remain, particularly regarding territorial issues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told a Davos forum on Thursday that a potential peace deal is “nearly ready,” but key sticking points remain unresolved. Just hours before the talks began, Russian President Vladimir Putin held overnight discussions with Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner on a Ukraine settlement. The Kremlin maintains that Kyiv must withdraw its troops from areas in the east that Russia illegally annexed but has yet to fully control for any deal to succeed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the first trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States could be a step toward ending the war, as negotiators head to Abu Dhabi. Zelensky said the status of eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region will be the key issue at the talks, adding that different outcomes are possible. He said he hopes for a positive result. The meeting is expected to be the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 that all three sides take part in talks linked to a possible settlement. Zelensky said he discussed Donbas with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. He also said the two leaders finalised future US security guarantees for Ukraine if a deal is reached, and talked about additional air defence needs. The talks come after Russia’s President Vladimir Putin met Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Moscow. The Kremlin described that discussion as useful and very frank. Speaking on Air Force One, Trump said he believed both Putin and Zelensky want to make a deal, but said it remains to be seen what happens. Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported continued Russian strikes. Emergency services said four people, including a five-year-old boy, were killed in a drone attack in eastern Ukraine. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko again urged residents to consider leaving the city as thousands of buildings remain without heating during freezing temperatures.   With inputs from BBC

Russia carried out another large-scale drone and missile attack on Ukraine its second in four days, Ukrainian officials said Tuesday, once again targeting energy infrastructure during subzero conditions. The strikes appeared to dismiss U.S.-backed peace initiatives as Moscow’s invasion nears its fourth year. Russia unleashed a massive overnight aerial assault on Ukraine, firing nearly 300 drones along with 18 ballistic and seven cruise missiles across eight regions, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. One strike in the northeastern Kharkiv region hit a mail depot, killing four people and injuring at least 10 others. In the Kyiv region, hundreds of thousands of households were left without electricity as freezing weather gripped the country. Kyiv has endured subzero temperatures for more than two weeks, with daytime readings dropping to minus 12 degrees Celsius. Ice-coated streets, snow-covered sidewalks and the constant hum of generators underscored the city’s worsening energy crisis. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the latest strikes caused the most severe power outage the capital has experienced so far, leaving more than 500 residential buildings without central heating. Residents sought warmth wherever possible. Many gathered at government-run “Points of Invincibility,” temporary shelters offering food, heat and electricity. Olena Davydova, a Kyiv resident, said her family had gone nearly two days without power, forcing them to adapt by sharing beds for warmth, storing food outdoors and relying on candles at night. Elsewhere, friends and relatives crowded into apartments that still had electricity or hot water to charge phones, shower and share warm drinks. City authorities ordered daily hot meals for vulnerable residents and announced bonuses for utility workers laboring around the clock to restore essential services. Read More: Ukrainian drone strike kills one, injures three in Russian city of Voronezh The attack followed another large-scale Russian barrage just four days earlier, which included the rare use of a hypersonic missile. The United States condemned the renewed strikes as a dangerous escalation, accusing Moscow of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure to deprive Ukrainians of heat and water-a tactic Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing winter.” In response, Ukraine carried out drone strikes inside Russia, reportedly hitting a drone manufacturing facility in Taganrog. Russian officials said 11 Ukrainian drones were intercepted, though damage was reported. Independent verification of the claims was not possible.

Russian officials signaled in 2019 that they might be willing to ease their support for Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela if the United States allowed Russia a freer hand in Ukraine, former Trump national security adviser Fiona Hill told lawmakers, according to newly circulating accounts of her testimony. Hill said during a 2019 congressional hearing that Russian officials repeatedly floated a “very strange swap arrangement between Venezuela and Ukraine,” largely through public commentary and media, rather than formal diplomatic offers. They reportedly referenced the Monroe Doctrine, suggesting the U.S. should stay out of Europe’s affairs if Russia withdrew from what it viewed as America’s sphere of influence. Moscow’s then-ambassador to the U.S., Anatoly Antonov, hinted that Russia would permit the United States to act freely in Venezuela if Washington reciprocated by not interfering in Ukraine, Hill said. She was dispatched to Moscow in 2019 to reject the proposal, telling Russian officials that “Ukraine and Venezuela are not related to each other.” At the time, the Trump administration supported Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. Hill’s remarks have resurfaced on social media following the U.S. military operation that ousted Maduro earlier this month and complexifies perceptions of great-power rivalry. Hill has warned that recent U.S. actions could undermine Western criticism of Russia’s designs on Ukraine by normalizing interventionist behavior. The Trump administration contends its action in Venezuela is a lawful law enforcement operation. The Russian Foreign Ministry has condemned U.S. “aggression,” but President Vladimir Putin has not publicly commented on Hill’s account. 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin have pledged to further strengthen their ties and cooperation in the war against Ukraine, according to state media reports from both countries on Wednesday. The two leaders spoke by phone on Tuesday, days before Putin’s planned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Alaska. During the call, Putin praised the “bravery, heroism and self-sacrificing spirit” of North Korean troops fighting alongside Russian forces to repel a Ukrainian incursion into Russia’s Kursk border region, North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. Russia’s TASS news agency, citing the Kremlin, reported that Putin briefed Kim on his upcoming talks with Trump, scheduled for Friday in Alaska. KCNA’s account of the conversation did not mention the Trump meeting. Trump praises Intel CEO’s ‘amazing story’ days after demanding his resignation Kim expressed “full support” for all future measures by Russia’s leadership and discussed expanding cooperation “in all fields” under a strategic partnership agreement signed during their summit last year, KCNA said. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Kim has prioritized strengthening relations with Moscow to break out of diplomatic isolation and align with countries challenging Washington. His government has rejected U.S. and South Korean calls to resume stalled talks on denuclearization, which collapsed in 2019 after a failed summit with Trump during his first term. South Korean intelligence estimates that North Korea has sent about 15,000 troops to Russia since last fall, along with large shipments of artillery and ballistic missiles, to support Moscow’s war effort. Pyongyang has also agreed to send thousands of military construction workers and deminers to the Kursk region, a deployment Seoul believes could take place soon.