WORLD NEWS
A deadly exchange of drone strikes has killed one civilian in Ukraine and one in Russia, highlighting the fragility of the conflict and raising doubts over the prospects of a ceasefire ahead of upcoming negotiations.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signalled significant challenges to reaching an agreement at Geneva, with the war now entering its fifth year. Zelenskyy told world leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that while he hopes for “substantive” progress next week, it often feels as if “the two sides are talking about different things.”
Rubio added that it is unclear whether Moscow is serious about pursuing peace. “We don’t know if the Russians are serious about ending the war. We’re going to continue to test it,” he said.
Contentious Issues
Among the most difficult points in negotiations is Russia’s demand for a full withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from eastern Donetsk, which Ukraine rejects. Kyiv insists on Western security guarantees to prevent renewed attacks if a ceasefire is agreed upon.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel criticized Russia, saying President Vladimir Putin has shown no goodwill to negotiate, while Ukraine is ready to engage.
Recent Drone Strikes
On Saturday, a Russian drone struck a residential building in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, killing an elderly woman, according to Ukraine’s State Emergency Service. Earlier in the week, Russian attacks killed three children and their father in Kharkiv.
In Russia, a Ukrainian drone strike on a car in Bryansk killed one civilian, officials said. The attacks come amid escalating drone warfare, with Zelenskyy reporting that Russia launched over 6,000 drone attacks in January alone. Kyiv is set to produce more interceptors to neutralize Iran-made Shahed drones, rendering them “meaningless,” Zelenskyy said.
Humanitarian Impact
Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko condemned Russia’s strikes on energy infrastructure, calling it “energy terror,” which has left residents in freezing winter conditions without electricity or heating.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte confirmed Russia’s “crazy losses,” with an estimated 65,000 soldiers killed over the last two months, and assured that NATO remains prepared to defend its members.
The latest violence underscores the urgent need for effective negotiations, even as Zelenskyy and international leaders continue to push for meaningful talks to end Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.
-
Rubio Calls U.S. “Child of Europe” at Munich S...
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio calls America a “child of Europe” at Munich Securi...
-
Iran Declares Missile Program a Red Line, Warns Ag...
Iran’s senior adviser Ali Shamkhani calls the country’s missile program a “red line...
-
Indian National Pleads Guilty to Plotting Assassin...
Nikhil Gupta, 54, pleads guilty in US District Court for the Southern District of New York...
-
US Judges Rebuke Trump Immigration Policy in 4,400...
More than 400 federal judges have ruled 4,400+ times since October that the Trump administ...
-
AU Chief Calls for End to ‘Extermination’ of P...
At the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa, AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf calls for e...
