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Putin ready for talks with Zelensky, Kremlin says, repeats false 'legitimacy' claims
Russia has widely used the claim that Volodymyr Zelensky is illegitimate in its propaganda to discredit the Ukrainian government.
Russia has widely used the claim that Volodymyr Zelensky is illegitimate in its propaganda to discredit the Ukrainian government.
President Volodymyr Zelensky warned against a hastily negotiated peace deal from the Trump administration during a wide-ranging interview with German media network ARD on Feb. 17, reaffirming that Ukraine would not accept a peace deal negotiated without the country's involvement.
"We seek a strong and lasting peace in Ukraine," French President Emmanuel Macron said. "To achieve this, Russia must end its aggression, and this must be accompanied by strong and credible security guarantees for the Ukrainians."
Presidential Office Deputy Head Ihor Zhovkva stressed the urgency of appointing a European representative, saying, "It should be a quickly made decision. I hope right after the Paris meeting. We should act, not reflect."
According to the publication, the estimated troop numbers emerged in response to a U.S. questionnaire sent to European countries asking them to assess their capabilities to support Kyiv.
Poroshenko's faction opposed a recent bill to purchase two Russian-made reactors from Bulgaria for the Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant, a move Zelensky called critical for Ukraine's energy independence.
Zelensky described the development as a concrete step beyond diplomatic discussions, signaling a shift toward tangible international security cooperation.
The Ukrainian president's visit coincides with the U.S.-Russia talks on ending the war in Ukraine, which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
In comments reported by Interfax-Ukraine, Zelensky said Kellogg will arrive in Kyiv on Feb. 20 and could stay for "two days and maybe more."
Ukraine will "never accept any decisions between the United States and Russia" regarding the outcome of peace negotiation without Ukraine's participation, President Volodymyr Zelensky told NBC News in an interview published Feb. 16.
U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed that Zelensky would have a say in the process and mentioned the possibility of allowing European nations to purchase U.S.-made weapons for Ukraine.
Zelensky's arrival in the UAE kicks off a regional tour that includes official visits to Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
The U.S. delegates in Munich did not offer any security guarantees in exchange for Ukraine's rare earth minerals, current and former senior Ukrainian officials said.
Key developments on Feb. 15-16: * US wants to get 50% of Ukrainian minerals, may deploy its troops to guard them, NBC reports * Almost 250,000 Russian soldiers killed in Ukraine war, Zelensky says * Russia must withdraw to at least pre-2022 front line, Zelensky says * Europe quietly developing plan to send
Last month, four top-level military commanders in Ukraine were arrested for alleged mismanagement of battlefield operations — in the first criminal investigations of top military leadership since the start of the full-scale invasion. Three high-ranking officers involved in what’s being called “the generals’ case” — Yurii Halushkin, Artur Horbenko, and Illia
Russia is training 150,000 troops in Belarus for a large-scale operation that could happen as early as this summer, Zelensky said. "There are risks that this can be Poland and Lithuania."
"This was done deliberately to leave people without heat in below-zero temperatures and create a humanitarian catastrophe," wrote Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
There will be no joint European Union army to counter Russian aggression and compensate any withdrawal in U.S. support, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said to local television late on Feb. 15, Reuters reported.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 15 that success “already feels possible” as his administration begins working on negotiations with U.S. President Donald Trump’s team to end the war.
Russian-controlled Transnistria has hosted Russian forces for decades following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Russian troops have guarded the region, stalling any attempts for reintegration with Moldova.
In an unprecedented move, President Volodymyr Zelensky imposed sanctions on his predecessor and key political rival, lawmaker Petro Poroshenko. Poroshenko, who was elected president in 2014, lost his reelection bid in 2019 to Zelensky in a bitter campaign that often included personal attacks. The rivalry between the two did not
After pledging for months to swiftly end Russia’s war in Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump has started to take first steps toward peace negotiations this week. After holding a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 12, Trump declared that Ukraine peace talks were to start
Ukraine is not yet ready to sign a mineral resource agreement with the United States, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a news conference at the Munich Security Conference, stating that the agreement "was not ready to protect" Ukraine and its interests.
Zelensky told Newsmax that U.S. President Donald Trump could end Russia's war if Europe supports his plan.
President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Moscow lost nearly 20,000 soldiers in the battles for Russia's Kursk Oblast alone.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech on the second day of the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 15 was met with several rounds of applause. The Ukrainian president called for the creation of an "army of Europe" and emphasized the changes in relations between Europe and the U.S. during Donald Trump's
President Volodymyr Zelensky hasn't yet signed the document, calling it "a memorandum," not a security agreement.
"Let's be clear: We cannot rule out the possibility that America may refuse to cooperate with Europe on issues that threaten it," Volodymyr Zelensky said at the Munich Security Conference.
The two leaders discussed how European partners can coordinate with the U.S. and Ukraine to bring about a just peace, particularly focusing on "security guarantees and proposals of France."
Volodymyr Zelensky said on Feb. 14 that it would be "very, very, very difficult" for Ukraine to sustain its fight against Russia and remain secure in the long term without American support.
Key developments on Feb. 14: * Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant sarcophagus hit by Russian drone, Zelensky releases video of explosion * "Peace deal can't be signed in Munich" — Zelensky sets out condition for talks with Putin * "Crazy" Putin could attack NATO in 2026, Russia building up troops in Belarus, Zelensky says * 4,
The draft memorandum is part of broader discussions on a potential minerals agreement, which Trump has suggested could involve access to Ukraine's mineral reserves in exchange for continued military and financial support.
Volodymyr Zelensky has been president of Ukraine since 2019. Born in Kryvyi Rih, an industrial city in central Ukraine, Zelensky was known as a media personality and actor before becoming Ukraine’s sixth president.
The 46-year-old’s transformation into a wartime leader saw his approval ratings rise from 37% before the full-scale invasion, to 90% in May 2022. His approval rating fell to 62% by the end of 2023.
Zelensky's five-year term officially ended in May 2024 but he remains president while martial law, enacted after the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, is in place. A February 2024 poll indicated that almost 70% of Ukrainians agree that Zelensky should remain in office and elections should be postponed until martial law is lifted.