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Volodymyr Zelensky

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement

by The Kyiv Independent news desk

Key developments on Jan. 16: * Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement, pledges $3.6 billion in military support * Ukrainian drones strike oil depot, gunpowder factory in Russia * Ukrainian paratroopers capture 27 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast * Ukraine extends cooperation with Norwegian NASAMS systems supplier * Ukrainian military releases footage of rare

President Volodymyr Zelensky

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.

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US envoy suggests Ukraine-Russia peace deal is close.

The United States is reportedly nearing a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia, according to Steve Witkoff, the U.S. envoy to the Middle East. He said that any potential deal would require both territorial and economic concessions from both sides.
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Defense Minister: Ukraine has alternatives to Starlink system.

Umerov did not specify what the alternatives were or go into details about the discussions. Last month, the Digital Transformation Ministry told the Kyiv Independent that Starlinks were still a critical part of communication on the frontline and that a new order was underway.
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US sidelines Ukraine in favor of Russia | Ukraine This Week.

The Kyiv Independent’s Anna Belokur breaks down the stories impacting Ukraine this week. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg visited Kyiv as the U.S. President Donald Trump’s team started talks with Russia about a ceasefire deal — without Ukraine’s involvement.
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Musk denies US threat to cut Starlink over Ukraine minerals deal.

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has denied reports that the United States threatened to shut off Starlink in Ukraine unless Kyiv agreed to a minerals deal. Responding to a report by Reuters, Musk called the claim "false" and accused the news agency of lying.
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