A total of 91% of Ukrainians surveyed oppose peace negotiations between the U.S. and Russia without Ukraine's participation, a poll released on Feb. 21 by Ukrainian polling firm Rating suggests.
"This is the Russian narrative; this is how Putin has presented it for years, and I'm frankly shocked that Donald Trump has now apparently embraced it himself," German opposition leader and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz said.
U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Ukraine's president is an illegitimate "dictator" aligns with Kremlin war objectives and puts Volodymyr Zelensky in an almost impossible situation, experts and analysts have told the Kyiv Independent. "In the last few days we’ve seen how closely Trump has aligned himself with
Russian strikes have repeatedly hit Ukraine’s gas infrastructure over the course of the war, reducing production by as much as 40% at certain periods following an attack.
"Canada is not ready for a change in the membership of the G7 and is standing its ground," Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine Natalka Cmoc said.
The Kyiv Independent has presented its first-ever magazine, “The Power Within,” as a record of Ukrainian resilience and life three years into Russia's full-scale invasion. This special edition marks a departure from the solely digital presence that the Kyiv Independent has maintained since its foundation in November 2021. It was
Key developments on Feb. 21: * Russia wants to declare 'victory' over Ukraine on Feb. 24, Ukrainian intel claims * Zelensky is not 'important' to negotiations on ending war, Trump says * 'No appetite' for new Ukraine aid bill, US House speaker says * Trump's envoy Kellogg praises Zelensky as 'courageous leader' after talks
"We can adjust accordingly the return to our market of those who want to return," Russian President Vladimir Putin said, suggesting potential restrictions or conditions for Western firms looking to resume operations in Russia.
"I don't think he's very important to be at meetings, to be honest with you," U.S. President Donald Trump said.
"President Zelensky is going to sign that deal, and you will see that in the very short term," U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said.
I bet you woke up this morning, read the world news, and couldn’t believe it — how is this really happening? Has the world truly plunged into total chaos and madness? You just want to wake up from this nightmare, but instead, it keeps insisting on becoming the new normal
Editor’s Note: This op-ed was first published by the Ukrainian NGO Civil Network OPORA as an open statement, which garnered nearly 300 signatures at the time it was published by the Kyiv Independent. Democracy during wartime must be protected even more than in peacetime, as the consequences of mistakes
According to Reuters, one source familiar with Moscow discussions said Russia could agree to allocate up to two-thirds of frozen assets for Ukraine's reconstruction, provided accountability guarantees.
Kormyshkina was charged by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) on Oct. 17 with illicit enrichment worth more than Hr 20 million ($480,000).
Some 53% of Danes are in favor of sending peacekeepers into the country after Russia's full-scale war ends, according to a poll, published by Ritzau news agency on Feb. 21, Bloomberg reported.
"Extensive and positive discussions with (President Volodymyr Zelensky), the embattled and courageous leader of a nation at war, and his talented national security team," Keith Kellogg said.
The Center for Economic Strategy projects that between 1.7 and 2.7 million Ukrainians may permanently remain abroad, potentially reducing Ukraine's annual GDP by 5.1% to 7.8%.
"The legitimacy of the Ukrainian government is the exclusive prerogative of the Ukrainian people," the statement read.
Some 26.1% of Ukrainians said they completely approve Zelensky, while another 36.9% said they tend to approve him. The overall figure is higher than in polls conducted years before Russia's full-scale invasion, as well as in the spring of 2024.
The selection marks a milestone for Ukraine's tech sector, coming during the third year of Russia's full-scale invasion and following Endeavor's launch in the country in October 2024.
"The only way is to test them (Russia), to basically engage them and say, okay, are you serious about ending the war, and if so, what are your demands. Are your public demands and your private demands different?" U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said. "It may turn out that they don’t want to end the war."
According to the new model, military units will be able to choose the unmanned systems best suited to their needs. The system also aims to support manufacturers through advance orders, allowing them to plan for scaling up their production.
Russia launched 160 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Eighty-seven drones were shot down, while 70 were lost without causing damage, according to the statement.
"We have to bring (the war) to an end. And I can tell you that our European allies understand the necessity as well. It's (dragged) on too long," U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
This number includes 1,280 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Europe is not likely to form a common army, Macron clarified, but can work to create joint defense capabilities and autonomy from the U.S.
Beijing is prepared "to play a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis," the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement during the G20 foreign ministers meeting.
The EU must fund Ukraine with frozen Russian assets, strengthen borders, and boost defense spending, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Feb. 20.
The informal meetings were described as "track two meetings," a type of unofficial diplomacy meant to lower tension, three unnamed sources told Reuters.
"A meeting that restores hope, and we need strong agreements with America — agreements that will really work," President Volodymyr Zelensky said after meeting with U.S. Special Envoy Keith Kellogg.
In his speech, released by the U.K. Foreign Office, David Lammy accused Russia of engaging in "Tsarist imperialism" and failing to learn from historical colonial wars.
"This is a negotiation. And in a negotiation, you negotiate. Ukraine wants to negotiate minerals, so we're talking about it," a White House official was quoted as saying.
