Ukraine's President careful positioning reveals the challenging reality that any sustainable peace deal must address not just the hot phase of the war, but Ukraine’s long-term security within the European framework.
On 5 February, Ukraine successfully negotiated the return of 150 defenders from Russian captivity. Meanwhile, President Zelenskyy has indicated openness to direct negotiations with Putin while simultaneously demanding nuclear deterrence capabilities if NATO membership remains distant.
Ukraine’s drones have hit three major Russian refineries, sparking concerns over fuel production. The strikes add to mounting economic pressure on Moscow as Western sanctions continue to take their toll.
On 1 February, Russian forces launched 165 air targets against Ukrainian cities and killed 11 civilians in Poltava only. Meanwhile, Norwegian diplomats came under fire during a Russian attack on Odesa that damaged UNESCO-protected historic sites. Ukrainian authorities also reported a Russian strike on a boarding school in Russia's Kursk Oblast, currently controlled by Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's parliament committee has commended to suspend former president Petro Poroshenko without providing evidence of misconduct for six months, threatening the country's wartime political unity.
Meanwhile, "Ukraine's military has achieved a significant technological breakthrough, successfully countering Russia's advanced fiber-optic drones while simultaneously deploying drones capable of delivering 250kg bombs deep behind Russian lines.
Ukraine's strategic drone campaign has successfully targeted multiple Russian oil refineries and storage facilities, marking a significant escalation in its long-range strike capabilities.
Ukraine completed the evacuation of all children from Pokrovsk as Russian forces continue their attempt to outflank the strategic Donetsk hub, where just 7,000 residents remain from a pre-war population of 42,000.
Vladimir Putin said he is ready to meet with Donald Trump to negotiate an end to the war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Trump stirred controversy by calling Zelenskyy "no angel" and claiming the Ukrainian president "shouldn’t have allowed this war to happen."