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Ukraine War and Peace Negotiations

Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine and Trump-brokered ceasefire efforts involving direct US-Russia diplomacy

Putin's inner circle travels on Western private jets despite sanctions

Illustration accompanying article: Putin's inner circle travels on Western private jets despite sanctions
  • Sergey Chemezov, the head of Russian defense company Rostec, has used a Bombardier Global 7500 jet for trips to Dubai, Turkey and Southeast Asia between October 2025 and January 2026, despite being under Western sanctions.
  • Arkady Rotenberg, a longtime Putin associate sanctioned since 2014, gained access to two Bombardier Global jets in late 2022 that have frequently flown to Azerbaijan and the UAE, according to flight records.
  • Igor Kesaev, a billionaire arms-industry figure sanctioned by the U.S. and EU, imported a Bombardier Global Express XRS in 2023 through a network of brokers and intermediary companies.
  • A former U.S. Treasury sanctions chief told the Journal that the Trump administration has deprioritized enforcement of Russia sanctions, focusing on narcotics trafficking and Iran instead.
 4 MIN READ

Volodymyr Zelensky invites Vladimir Putin to face-to-face peace talks

Illustration accompanying article: Volodymyr Zelensky invites Vladimir Putin to face-to-face peace talks
  • Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an open letter published late Thursday, proposed a face-to-face meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the four-year war, calling for direct engagement and a cease-fire during talks.
  • Zelensky wrote that Ukraine seeks to end the conflict without waiting for the United States to take the lead, citing Washington's focus on Iran, and said the U.S. and European nations could join once a bilateral track is established.
  • Zelensky rejected Russian suggestions to meet in Moscow, proposing instead a neutral venue such as Switzerland, Turkey or an Arab nation with a track record of mediating conflicts.
  • Putin, responding before seeing the letter, said he was prepared to reach an agreement but rejected a cease-fire and reiterated doubts about Zelensky's legitimacy due to Ukraine's inability to hold elections under martial law.
 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Russia kills 18 in third massive Kyiv attack in three weeks as front stalls

Sweden investigates Baltic Sea cargo ship Caffa over alleged stolen grain

2026-03-09

Stockholm-based officials are investigating the cargo ship Caffa after Swedish authorities boarded it in their territorial waters while searching it and interviewing its crew. The Swedish Coast Guard said the crew is predominantly Russian and that the ship is on Ukraine’s sanctions list. Officials also said the vessel is suspected of transporting stolen grain.

Ukraine seeks Patriot missiles in exchange for battle-tested drone interceptors

2026-03-07

Ukraine has developed low-cost interceptor drones — priced at roughly $1,000 to $2,000 — capable of shooting down Iranian-designed Shahed attack drones, and is now offering that technology to the United States and Gulf states in exchange for Patriot missile systems, according to Ukrainian officials and defense analysts. The United States recently requested "specific support" against Iranian-designed Shaheds in the Middle East, prompting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to order the deployment of Ukrainian equipment and experts, though details remain classified. Gulf states have been using Patriot missiles, which cost millions of dollars per interceptor, to shoot down Shahed drones that cost roughly $30,000 apiece.

Hungary seizes $80 million from Ukrainian state bank armored cars, detains seven

2026-03-06

Hungarian authorities detained seven employees of Ukraine's state-owned Oschadbank and seized two armored vehicles carrying more than $80 million in cash on Thursday as the convoy transited Hungary between Austria and Ukraine, officials said Friday. Hungary cited suspicion of money laundering. The seven bank workers were released Friday, but Hungarian authorities retained the funds — including $40 million in U.S. dollars, 35 million euros, and 9 kilograms of gold valued at approximately $1.5 million — prompting Ukraine's foreign minister to accuse Budapest of "state banditism."

Zelenskyy says he would not restore Druzhba pipeline as Orbán vows to compel Ukraine

2026-03-05

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday he would not repair the Druzhba pipeline that carries Russian crude oil to Central Europe, staking out a direct position that deepens a standoff with neighboring Hungary and Slovakia now in its second month. The declaration came as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vowed to use financial and political leverage to force Kyiv to restore oil flows, and as the dispute continues to block a 90-billion euro European Union loan that Ukraine needs to sustain its defense against Russia's invasion.

Zelenskyy offers US and Gulf states Ukraine's Shahed drone defenses as Russia talks stall

2026-03-05

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that he had given orders to provide the United States with drone equipment and Ukrainian experts after Washington formally requested help defending against Iran's Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said he had also spoken in recent days with the leaders of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait about possible cooperation in countering the same Iranian systems. The offer comes as a war in Iran, in its sixth day on Thursday, has drawn international attention from the Russia-Ukraine conflict and forced the postponement of a new round of U.S.-brokered peace talks planned for this week.

South African police question 11 men lured to fight for Russia

2026-02-26

South African police questioned 11 men who allegedly were lured into fighting for Russia in its war against Ukraine after the group arrived at Durban’s King Shaka International Airport. The men were taken to a police station for questioning about how they ended up on the front lines, with one reportedly taken off the aircraft in a wheelchair. President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday that one man remained in hospital in Russia and another would travel once travel documents were finalized.

Zelenskyy says Ukraine will meet Trump envoys in Geneva next week

2026-02-26

A Ukrainian delegation will meet U.S. President Donald Trump’s envoys in Geneva as part of preparations for another round of trilateral talks with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. The talks are set to include discussions on details of a possible postwar recovery plan and preparations for a meeting with Moscow officials next week, he said.

U.S. raises concerns after Ukraine strikes hit Russian port, envoy says

2026-02-25

The U.S. State Department has expressed displeasure over Ukraine’s attacks on the Russian port of Novorossiysk that Kyiv’s chief envoy to Washington said affected American oil interests in Kazakhstan, according to Ambassador Olga Stefanishyna. The remarks came Tuesday, on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Ukrainian officials and U.S. and international partners marked the milestone. Stefanishyna said the U.S. “did happen” and that Washington “took the note,” while the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

EU fails to pass Russian sanctions after Hungary blocks vote

2026-02-24

The European Union failed Monday to pass new sanctions targeting Russia after Hungary unexpectedly blocked the measure on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. The blockade threatens Ukraine's access to a 90 billion euro ($106 billion) loan intended to fund its military and economic needs for the next two years, as foreign ministers sought to finalize both packages ahead of the Feb. 24, 2022 invasion's anniversary on Tuesday.

Russia raises taxes on small businesses to fund Ukraine war

2026-02-23

Russia is increasing taxes on small businesses and lowering the thresholds that trigger tax obligations, a move aimed at boosting wartime revenue but that business owners say is forcing them to close their doors. The value-added tax rose by 2 percentage points, and the revenue threshold requiring businesses to pay it was cut from 60 million rubles (approximately $783,000) to 20 million rubles ($261,000) this year, with further reductions planned through 2028. Business owners across bakeries, beauty salons, and pastry shops report falling demand, sharply rising supplier costs, and tax bills that have surged to tens of times their previous amounts. In St. Petersburg, shop after shop on the main commercial street, Nevsky Prospekt, has gone out of business.

Slovakia halts emergency power supplies to Ukraine over oil dispute

2026-02-23

Slovakia halted emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine on Monday, escalating a dispute over Russian oil deliveries as the war-torn nation struggles with daily blackouts from Russian bombardment. The move by Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico came after Ukraine declined his request for talks until later in the week.

Russian barrage kills 1 in Kyiv suburbs, damages energy grid

2026-02-22

Russia fired 297 drones and 50 missiles at Ukraine on Sunday, killing one person in the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. Eight people, including a child, were rescued from under rubble in the suburbs of Kyiv. The barrage struck energy infrastructure in southern Ukraine's Odesa region, causing fires that were later extinguished.

Ukraine war marks 4 years with peace prospects bleak despite US push

2026-02-22

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has now lasted 1,418 days—longer than the Soviet Union's military campaign against Nazi Germany in World War II. Despite the extended duration, Moscow's advance has slowed to what NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte called "the speed of a garden snail," with Russian troops moving only about 50 kilometers into the Donetsk region over the past two years. Mediation efforts led by the Trump administration face sharp disagreements over terms, with Russia demanding territorial gains and other concessions Ukraine has rejected.

Johnson urges allies to send noncombat troops to Ukraine before ceasefire

2026-02-21

Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the United Kingdom and its European allies should immediately deploy noncombat troops to Ukraine to demonstrate Western commitment to the nation's independence, departing from prevailing strategy that ties any ground deployment to a ceasefire agreement.

Five European nations plan joint air defense using Ukrainian drone technology

2026-02-20

Five European nations announced Friday a joint program to develop low-cost air defense systems and autonomous drones using battle-tested technology from Ukraine's four-year war with Russia. The E5 group — France, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy — signed an agreement to jointly invest in what the group calls the Low-Cost Autonomous Effectors and Platforms (LEAP) program, aimed at strengthening Europe's defense against Russian drone incursions.

Four years in, occupied Ukraine faces detention, shortages, forced Russification

2026-02-20

Four years into Russia's invasion, life in the roughly 20% of Ukraine now under Russian military control is defined by housing shortages, crumbling infrastructure, systematic detention, and forced cultural integration into Russian society, according to escapees and human rights organizations. Residents of the occupied territories are required to adopt Russian citizenship to receive vital services, subjected to widespread arrest, and—in documented cases—tortured, while Moscow encourages its own citizens to relocate with financial incentives.

US senators visit Ukraine urging new sanctions on Russia

2026-02-19

The U.S. senators returning from a trip to Ukraine said they want Congress to advance new sanctions aimed at economically pressuring Russia and encouraging concessions in U.S.-brokered peace talks. The lawmakers visited Odesa, a Black Sea port that has faced repeated attacks since the war began nearly four years ago.

No breakthrough in U.S.-brokered Russia-Ukraine envoy talks in Geneva

2026-02-19

U.S.-brokered talks between envoys from Moscow and Kyiv ended Wednesday in Geneva with no sign of a breakthrough, as both sides described the negotiations as “difficult.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the discussions were constructive on military issues but left deep political differences, including over occupied land in eastern Ukraine. A new round of talks was set for a later date.

Ukraine ex-army chief Zaluzhnyi tells AP of rift with Zelenskyy

2026-02-19

Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraine’s former army chief and current ambassador to Britain, told The Associated Press that he and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have had a “deep rift” since Russia launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. He described a tense relationship that, he said, reached a boiling point when agents from Ukraine’s domestic security service raided his office later in 2022. The SBU said it never carried out a search at Zaluzhnyi’s office and that the address was part of an investigation unrelated to him.

Low expectations for US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine

2026-02-17

The United States is brokering another round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva this week, but expectations for any breakthrough appear low, according to the Kremlin and Ukrainian officials. The discussions come ahead of next week’s fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with the future of Ukrainian land that Russia occupies a central sticking point.

Ukrainian drones ignite fires at Russia port before Geneva peace talks

2026-02-16

A Ukrainian drone strike ignited fires at Russia’s Black Sea port of Taman in the Krasnodar region on Sunday, officials said, damaging an oil storage tank, a warehouse and terminals. The attack came as U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine’s envoys are set to resume Tuesday and Wednesday in Geneva.

North Korea opens housing district for families of Ukraine war dead

2026-02-16

North Korea said Monday it completed a new housing district in Pyongyang for families of North Korean soldiers killed while fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine. State media photos showed Kim Jong Un visiting the homes of some of the families and walking through the new street, Saeppyol Street.

Russia launches barrage of missiles and drones in Ukraine as talks stall

2026-02-13

Russia fired ballistic missiles, strike drones and other munitions at Ukrainian cities in overnight attacks, Ukrainian officials said. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Moscow was “hesitating” over another round of U.S.-brokered talks as Washington proposed new negotiations next week in Miami or Abu Dhabi.

Zelenskyy questions allies on Ukraine security guarantees after Munich remarks

2026-02-13

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told allies at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that “questions remain” over Ukraine’s future security guarantees. Speaking in Germany, he thanked the United States and European partners for air-defense support but pressed for a clearer path on what guarantees would cover and when they would be signed.

Ukraine says 2 Nigerians fighting for Russia found dead in Luhansk

2026-02-13

Ukraine’s intelligence directorate said two Nigerians fighting for Russia have been found dead in Luhansk after what it described as a drone strike. The intelligence service identified the men as Hamzat Kazeen Kolawole and Mbah Stephen Udoka, both of whom it said signed contracts with the Russian military in late 2025.

Russia plans to bolster forces near NATO borders, Estonian intelligence chief says

2026-02-11

Russia cannot launch an attack on NATO this year or next, but it plans to increase its forces along the alliance’s eastern flank, depending on the outcome of the war in Ukraine, a senior Estonian intelligence official said Tuesday. Kaupo Rosin, head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service, also said Russian President Vladimir Putin has no desire to halt the nearly four-year invasion and believes he can “outsmart” the United States during talks on ending the war.

Zelenskyy says U.S. set June deadline for Ukraine-Russia war deal

2026-02-08

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States has given Ukraine and Russia a June deadline to reach agreement to end the nearly four-year war. He also described further U.S.-brokered diplomacy as trilateral talks are set to resume next week, with Russian strikes hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and forcing nuclear power plants to reduce output.

Russian airstrike hits residential area in Ukraine’s Kramatorsk

2026-02-07

Russian forces carried out an airstrike on a residential area in Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, killing one person and wounding two, Ukrainian officials said Sunday. The attack came after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace deal.

Ukraine businesses lean on generators as Russian attacks disrupt power

2026-02-07

Darkened businesses across Ukraine are adapting to power cuts from Russian strikes on the energy grid, with owners saying many now rely on costly generators just to keep operating. In Kyiv, a baker and other small firms describe fuel costs, equipment strain and uneven access to electricity as labor shortages, security risks and weaker demand add to the pressure.

US and Russia agree to reestablish high-level military dialogue

2026-02-05

US and Russia agreed to reestablish high-level military dialogue in another sign of warming relations, the U.S. European Command said Feb. 5. The agreement followed talks in Abu Dhabi involving senior American and Russian military officials, during which Ukraine and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff also participated.

EU proposes new sanctions on Russian oil shipping and financial services

2026-02-05

The European Commission on Friday proposed additional sanctions against Russia, targeting shipping services that help Moscow’s oil industry as well as parts of Russia’s financial services and trade. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the measures are aimed at cutting Russia’s energy revenues and increasing pressure during talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Fears loom for new arms race as last U.S.-Russia nuclear pact expires

2026-02-05

The last remaining nuclear arms pact between the United States and Russia, the New START Treaty, is set to expire Thursday, ending limits on the world’s two largest atomic arsenals after more than a half-century. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia is ready to keep observing the treaty’s caps for another year if Washington does the same, but President Donald Trump has not committed to an extension.

Russia and Ukraine envoys meet in Abu Dhabi for US-brokered talks

2026-02-05

Envoys from Russia and Ukraine met in Abu Dhabi for U.S.-brokered talks on ending the nearly four-year war, as a Russian attack using cluster munitions killed seven people at a market in Ukraine. The two-day negotiations began Wednesday with U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner joining the delegations, according to Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council chief Rustem Umerov.

Russian strikes on Ukraine energy grid raise legal questions for war rules

2026-02-05

Ukraine accused Russia of illegally targeting the country’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks, plunging areas into darkness amid freezing winter weather. Russian officials say their attacks target facilities linked to the Ukrainian military. The conflict is now also raising fresh legal questions about what international law allows during war and how civilian harm factors in.

Russia launches major drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight

2026-02-04

Russia carried out a major overnight attack on Ukraine that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said violated a promised pause on strikes against energy infrastructure as negotiators prepared for further talks to end Moscow’s war. The bombardment included hundreds of drones and a record 32 ballistic missiles, Ukrainian officials said, and it targeted the power grid while Kyiv and other regions reported damage and injuries.

US-brokered Russia-Ukraine talks to resume this week in Abu Dhabi

2026-02-03

US-brokered talks on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine will resume this week after a brief postponement, a senior Kremlin official said Monday. The talks will be held Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi, where a previous meeting took place last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.

Russian drones hit Dnipro bus, killing at least 12 mineworkers

2026-02-02

Russian drones struck a bus carrying mineworkers in Ukraine’s Dnipro, killing at least a dozen people, according to Ukrainian authorities on Feb. 1, hours after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the next round of Russia-Ukraine talks would take place Feb. 4 and 5 in Abu Dhabi. Zelenskyy’s announcement came after the Kremlin confirmed it would hold off striking Kyiv until Sunday, though officials have provided few details.

Trump says Putin agreed to pause strikes on Kyiv for one week

2026-01-30

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian President Vladimir Putin has agreed not to target Kyiv and other Ukrainian towns for one week during a brutal cold spell. The Kremlin did not immediately confirm the pause, even as Russia continued attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure and Ukrainian officials warned of another large barrage.

Russia-Ukraine war casualties could near 2 million, CSIS says

2026-01-29

Kyiv, Ukraine, and Moscow both dispute the reported scale of losses, but a new estimate from the Center for Strategic and International Studies projects Russia and Ukraine could see nearly 2 million soldiers killed, injured or missing by spring. The report, released days before the war’s fourth anniversary, assigns Russia about 1.2 million casualties, including up to 325,000 troop deaths, since February 2022.

Russia recruits foreigners with cash, prisoner release as war drains troops

2026-01-27

Russia is turning to unprecedented recruitment methods to fill its depleted ranks in Ukraine, offering substantial cash bonuses, prisoner releases, and accelerated paths to citizenship. As the war enters its fourth year, the Kremlin has drawn fighters from South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and elsewhere to avoid the political cost of a nationwide draft. Over 18,000 foreign nationals have fought or are fighting on the Russian side, with nearly 3,400 killed and hundreds more held as prisoners of war by Ukrainian forces, according to a Ukrainian agency cited by the Associated Press.

Bangladeshi workers lured to Russia, forced into Ukraine war

2026-01-27

An Associated Press investigation found that Bangladeshi migrant workers were lured to Russia with false promises of civilian jobs — as janitors, cleaners, and chefs — only to be coerced into military service and sent to fight on the front lines of the Ukraine war. Three workers who escaped told AP they were presented with Russian military contracts upon arrival in Moscow, sent to army camps for weapons training, and threatened with violence, imprisonment, and death when they resisted. Documents including travel papers, military contracts, medical reports, and photographs corroborated the accounts.

Kyiv residents climb dark stairwells as war-driven blackouts reshape daily life

2026-01-25

Freezing and in the dark, residents in Kyiv are spending long hours trapped inside tower blocks as Russia targets Ukraine’s power system, the Associated Press reported. Olena Janchuk, a 53-year-old with severe rheumatoid arthritis, has spent weeks stuck on the 19th floor during rolling blackouts that can last for much of the day. In January, with temperatures dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius, her family has relied on candles, USB charging and portable power to get through each scheduled outage.

Zelenskyy says US security agreement for Ukraine is ready to sign

2026-01-25

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that a U.S. security guarantees agreement for Ukraine is "100% ready" and waiting for partners to set a signing date. Speaking in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, Zelenskyy said the document would go to the U.S. Congress and Ukrainian parliament for ratification once a date is established. The announcement followed two days of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving representatives from Ukraine, the United States, and Russia.

Ukraine, Russia and US conclude peace talks; next round Feb. 1

2026-01-24

Two days of talks involving Ukrainian, Russian and U.S. representatives wrapped Saturday with "constructive" discussions on "possible parameters" for ending the nearly four-year war, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. Negotiators agreed to resume talks in the United Arab Emirates on Feb. 1, according to a U.S. official who described the meetings in Abu Dhabi as upbeat and positive.

Envoys advance U.S. plan to end Russia's war in Ukraine

2026-01-23

Russian, Ukrainian, and U.S. negotiators held talks in Abu Dhabi on January 23, marking the first known instance of Trump administration officials meeting with both countries simultaneously to discuss ending the war. The meeting signals momentum in an intensive diplomatic campaign that has accelerated since November 2025, with U.S. envoys coordinating parallel negotiations aimed at reaching a framework for settlement.

Trump envoys meet with Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi for peace talks

2026-01-23

Trump administration envoys held separate negotiations with Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi on Friday and Saturday, marking the first known time officials from the Trump administration simultaneously engaged with negotiators from both sides of the conflict. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the future of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region would be a key focus of the talks. Hours earlier, Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump in Davos, Switzerland, and described the meeting as productive and meaningful.

Zelenskyy says Europe’s response feels like “Groundhog Day” in Davos

2026-01-21

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told European leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos that their response to Russia’s invasion has been slow and inadequate, saying the warnings have become a “Groundhog Day” cycle. He spoke after meeting behind closed doors with U.S. President Donald Trump for about an hour on Thursday.

Russia attacks Ukraine power grid with more than 300 drones and missiles

2026-01-21

Russia launched a nighttime attack on Ukraine’s power grid that Zelenskyy said included more than 300 drones and ballistic and cruise missiles, amid ongoing U.S.-led peace talks. The strikes, Zelenskyy said, knocked out heating to more than 5,600 apartment buildings in Kyiv, where officials said nearly 80% of the affected buildings had had heating restored after an earlier major barrage on Jan. 9. The attack also drew condemnation from Ukraine’s foreign minister and the U.N. human rights chief.

Ukrainian drone strikes cut power to hundreds of thousands in occupied south

2026-01-19

Ukrainian drone strikes damaged energy networks in Russia-occupied parts of southern Ukraine, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power on Sunday, Kremlin-installed authorities there said. More than 200,000 households in the Russia-held part of the Zaporizhzhia region had no electricity, a local governor said.

Ukrainians endure freezing cold as power outages persist in Kyiv region

2026-01-18

Ukrainians in and around Kyiv are enduring freezing temperatures at home as Russian strikes damage energy infrastructure and leave many households without electricity, according to emergency repair crews and residents. In the Kyiv region town of Boryspil, workers said they are restoring power only for a few hours at a time as outages last days and the cold deepens. The situation has created dark streets and widespread hardship during what officials described as the longest and broadest outages since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago.

Ukrainian delegation arrives in US for peace talks as Russia hits power grid

2026-01-18

A Ukrainian delegation arrived in the United States to discuss a U.S.-led push to end the nearly four-year war, as Russian attacks again targeted Ukraine’s power grid. Kyiv said the strikes were cutting electricity and heating in freezing temperatures, undermining what it called small opportunities for dialogue.

U.S. envoy accuses Russia of 'dangerous escalation' as Trump pushes Ukraine peace

2026-01-13

The United States accused Russia on Monday of a "dangerous and inexplicable escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine at an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting, singling out Moscow's use of a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile fired near Ukraine's border with NATO ally Poland. U.S. Deputy Ambassador Tammy Bruce condemned Russia's intensifying strikes on energy and other infrastructure and called on all parties to pursue peace seriously.

US warns Russia’s Oreshnik missile escalates Ukraine war amid peace push

2026-01-13

The United States accused Russia on Monday of a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine, as the Trump administration seeks to advance negotiations toward peace. U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce linked the accusation to Russia’s launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week near Ukraine’s border with Poland.

U.S. accuses Russia of 'dangerous escalation' at UN as Trump pursues Ukraine peace

2026-01-13

The United States accused Russia on Monday of a "dangerous and inexplicable escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine, making the charge at an emergency United Nations Security Council session called by Kyiv after a large-scale Russian bombardment that included the second use of Moscow's nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic missile. U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce singled out Russia's launch of the Oreshnik ballistic missile near Ukraine's border with Poland, a NATO ally. The session convened as the Trump administration was actively working to advance peace negotiations between the two countries.

Ukrainian drone strike on Voronezh kills 1 as Kyiv faces power outages

2026-01-10

A Ukrainian drone strike in the Russian city of Voronezh killed one person and wounded three others, local officials said Sunday, after debris from a drone fell on a house. In Kyiv, thousands of residents were still without power following an intense Russian bombardment, and officials said many apartment buildings were left without heat during daytime temperatures around minus 8 degrees Celsius.

Ukrainian drones ignite fire at oil depot in Russia's Volgograd region

2026-01-10

Ukrainian drones sparked a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s southern Volgograd region, Russian officials said Saturday. The strike came after Russia launched a hypersonic missile and other weapons that disrupted Kyiv’s power supply and heating, Ukrainian officials said.

Russian drone strikes knock out power in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk

2026-01-09

Russian drone strikes temporarily knocked out power across Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region and left more than 600,000 households in the central Dnipropetrovsk region without electricity, Ukrainian officials said Thursday. The overnight attacks also prompted Zelenskyy to warn of a possible new massive strike later that night.

Russia condemns US seizure of oil tanker, warns of rising military tensions

2026-01-08

Russia's Foreign Ministry on Thursday strongly condemned the U.S. military seizure of a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, warning the action would escalate military and political tensions in the Euro-Atlantic region. The seizure Wednesday of the vessel Bella 1 — which U.S. European Command said was taken for "violations of U.S. sanctions" — drew furious rhetoric from Moscow and criticism from Russian military commentators who accused the Kremlin of failing to respond quickly enough. Russian President Vladimir Putin had not publicly commented on the seizure as of Thursday.

Trump greenlights Russia sanctions bill backed by Sen. Lindsey Graham

2026-01-08

President Donald Trump has “greenlit” a hard-hitting sanctions package aimed at punishing Russia for its war in Ukraine, Sen. Lindsey Graham said after meeting the president at the White House. Graham and Sen. Richard Blumenthal’s bill would allow the administration to impose tariffs and secondary sanctions on countries that purchase Russian energy and other exports.

Ukraine allies outline framework for security guarantees after ceasefire

2026-01-07

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Wednesday he has not received a clear answer on whether Western European allies would defend his country if Russia attacks again after any peace deal. Leaders meeting in Paris outlined a framework for international security guarantees to be activated once a ceasefire enters into force, with Ukraine’s armed forces remaining “the first line of defense and deterrence.”

Exasesora de Trump dice que Rusia propuso canje entre Venezuela y Ucrania

2026-01-06

Fiona Hill, exasesora de la Casa Blanca sobre Rusia y Europa durante el gobierno de Donald Trump, dijo el lunes que funcionarios rusos plantearon repetidamente un posible “intercambio entre Venezuela y Ucrania”. Hill sostuvo que Moscú habría estado dispuesto a retirar su apoyo a Nicolás Maduro en Venezuela a cambio de “libertad de acción” en Ucrania.

Zelenskyy replaces Ukraine security chief, names Freeland economic adviser

2026-01-06

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday replaced the head of the Security Service of Ukraine and named Chrystia Freeland as an economic development adviser, continuing a reshuffle before talks in Paris. The changes come as Ukraine tries to maintain momentum for a U.S.-brokered peace push and as Russia’s attacks continue across a front line stretching roughly 1,000 kilometers.

Ukraine’s allies discuss security guarantees if Russia-backed ceasefire holds

2026-01-05

Ukraine’s allies said they made major progress in Paris on how to defend Ukraine if a peace deal is reached with Russia, including plans for international security guarantees to deter Moscow from attacking again. The discussions involve the United States leading efforts to monitor any ceasefire and providing equipment, training and air, land and sea support alongside European partners, leaders said Tuesday.

Trump says U.S. determined Ukraine didn't hit Putin residence with drones

2026-01-05

On Sunday, President Donald Trump told reporters that U.S. officials determined Ukraine did not target a residence belonging to Russian President Vladimir Putin in a drone attack last week, disputing Kremlin claims. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov previously said Ukraine launched drones at Putin’s state residence in Russia’s northwestern Novgorod region, a claim Kyiv denied.

Zelenskyy says peace proposal talks can accelerate ahead of Paris summit

2026-01-02

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said work on peace proposals with European allies could accelerate after Kyiv shared all documents under discussion with 18 national security advisers. He said representatives from Ukraine’s General Staff and military sector will meet Monday in Paris, followed by European leaders’ talks Tuesday.

Trump hosts Zelenskyy at Florida resort, says peace talks near agreement

2025-12-29

President Donald Trump said Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Trump’s Florida resort. But Trump also acknowledged the negotiations remain complex and could still break down, with the war potentially dragging on for years.