Top Russian officials have rejected Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal to end the nearly three-year-old war by swapping territories occupied by Russian and Ukrainian forces, including Russia’s Kursk oblast.
Russian Security Council’s deputy chairperson Dmitry Medvedev explicitly rejected the Kyiv offer and said it would be “nonsense” to swap Russian and Ukrainian territory in future peace talks. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Russia will “never discuss” exchanging its territory.
The latest stance from Russia shows Vladimir Putin is “uninterested in making any compromises during future peace negotiations“, the Institute for the Study of War said.
Yesterday, Donald Trump said he spoke with Vladimir Putin about starting negotiations immediately to end the war in Ukraine.
The US and Russian president discussed the matter on an hour-and-a-half phone call yesterday, in which Trump said the pair agreed to “work together, very closely”.
“We each talked about the strengths of our respective nations, and the great benefit that we will someday have in working together,” Trump said in a social media post. “But first, as we both agreed, we want to stop the millions of deaths taking place in the war with Russia/Ukraine.”
Polish PM says Ukraine, US and Europe must work together to bring peace
Ukraine, Europe and the United States should work together to bring about a just peace in Ukraine, Polish prime minister Donald Tusk said late yesterday.
Donald Trump said both Russian president Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky expressed a desire for peace in separate phone calls with him yesterday, and Mr Trump ordered top US officials to begin talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
“All we need is peace. A JUST PEACE,” Mr Tusk said in a post on X. “Ukraine, Europe and the United States should work on this together. TOGETHER,” he said.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 06:54
US defense chief Hegseth calls return to Ukraine’s original borders ‘unrealistic’
US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said Nato membership for Ukraine was unrealistic and in sweeping remarks suggested that the way forward for Ukraine was for the country to abandon hopes of a return to its pre-2014 borders and prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia — one that should be backed up with an international force of troops.
Mr Hegseth made the comments on Wednesday during the first trip to Nato and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group by a member of the new Trump administration. Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military and financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukraine’s government.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 06:47
Former Ukraine president Poroshenko says Kyiv imposed sanctions on him
Former president Petro Poroshenko said that Ukraine‘s National Security and Defence Council had adopted sanctions against him, and accused political rival president Volodymyr Zelensky of being behind the move.
“The National Security and Defence Council has just adopted an unconstitutional, politically motivated decision to introduce sanctions against me, Petro Poroshenko as the leader of the opposition and the fifth president,” Mr Poroshenko said in a video statement.
After a popular uprising led Ukraine’s pro-Russia president to flee, Mr Poroshenko, a confectionery magnate, was elected in 2014. But he lost the 2019 election to Mr Zelensky and he has been dogged by allegations of wrongdoing and mismanagement.
Mr Poroshenko, who heads the largest opposition bloc in Ukraine’s parliament, did not disclose terms of the sanctions but alleged the president stood personally behind the action.
“Zelensky today struck a colossal blow to our internal unity which…has been our main weapon in the fight against the aggressor,” he said, referring to Russia’s nearly three-year-old invasion of Ukraine.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 06:34
Russia rejects Zelensky’s proposal to swap Kursk territory: ‘Nonsense’
Top Russian officials have rejected Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky’s proposal of swapping territories occupied by Russian and Ukrainian forces.
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.
He said it would be “nonsense” to swap Russian and Ukrainian territory.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has also said that Russia will “never discuss” exchanging its territory.
The latest stance from Russia shows Vladimir Putin is “uninterested in making any compromises during future peace negotiations and will only comply with a peace agreement that fulfills all of Putin’s maximalist demands in Ukraine,” said The Institute for the Study of War.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 05:52
Kyiv can barter rare earth minerals for post-war ‘security shield’, says Trump’s secretary
The US will provide Ukraine with a post-war “security shield” in exchange for its rare earth minerals, Donald Trump’s transport secretary has said.
US treasury secretary Scott Bessent said the minerals deal was part of a “larger peace deal that Trump has in mind”, adding that his first visit to Ukraine showed that the war was a top priority for the Trump administration.
“By increasing our economic commitment through a partnership with the government and people of Ukraine, that will provide – once this conflict is over – it will provide a long-term security shield for all Ukrainians,” Mr Bessent said.
In response, Mr Zelensky, who is expected to meet US vice president JD Vance in Munich, said: “We had a productive, constructive conversation. For me, the issue of security guarantees for Ukraine is very important, and we talked about minerals in general.”
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 05:21
Zelensky confirms call with Trump for bringing ‘real peace together’
Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed his call with US president Donald Trump and said he believes in the America’s strength to push Moscow to peace.
“I had a long and detailed conversation with President Trump. I appreciate his genuine interest in our shared opportunities and how we can bring about real peace together,” he said on X.
“We discussed many aspects—diplomatic, military, and economic—and President Trump informed me about what Putin told him. We believe that America’s strength, together with Ukraine and all our partners, is enough to push Russia to peace,” Mr Zelensky said.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 05:01
Hegseth says return to Ukraine’s original borders ‘unrealistic’
In sweeping remarks, the US defence official suggested that the way forward for Ukraine was for the country to abandon hopes of a return to its pre-2014 borders and prepare for a negotiated settlement with Russia — one that should be backed up with an international force of troops.
Mr Hegseth made the comments yesterday during the first trip to Nato and the Ukraine Defence Contact Group by a member of the new Trump administration. Allies have been waiting to hear how much continued military and financial support Washington intends to provide to Ukraine’s government.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 04:45
Zelensky calls for ‘strong steps’ on Russia after Kyiv attack
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said “only strong steps and pressure” can stop Russia’s terror in Ukraine after a deadly attack on Kyiv.
“Putin is not preparing for peace – he continues to kill Ukrainians and destroy cities,” Mr Zelensky said on the Telegram messaging app.
“Right now we need the unity and support of all our partners in the fight for a just end to this war.”
At least one person has died and four others, including a 9-year-old girl, were injured in early morning missile strikes across Kyiv today.
Emergency services scrambled to douse fires and access damages to buildings in at least four districts of the Ukrainian capital.
Alexander Butler13 February 2025 04:30
China pushes for peacekeeping efforts to end Ukraine war – report
Chinese officials in recent weeks have floated a proposal to hold a summit between Russian president Vladimir Putin and US president Donald Trump as part of peacekeeping efforts to end the Ukraine war, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday citing people familiar with the matter.
However, Beijing’s offer envisions a US-Russian summit without the involvement of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the people in Beijing and Washington, the report added.
Arpan Rai13 February 2025 04:25