U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio skipped a Berlin Format Ukraine meeting at the Munich Security Conference, the Financial Times reported Feb. 13, raising concerns among European officials amid broader transatlantic tensions.

"Russia wants to make a deal and Zelensky is going to have to get moving, otherwise he's going to miss a great opportunity," Trump claimed when speaking to reporters on Feb. 13. "He has to move."

Key developments on Feb. 13 * Ukraine's battlefield lessons drive UK to spend over $545 million on hypersonic, long-range weapons in 2026 * Using Starlink ruse, Ukrainian cyber forces trick Russian soldiers into revealing positions, donating to armed forces * 'Modern Ukrainian technology, battle-tested' — Zelensky unveils 1st drone produced by German-Ukrainian joint venture * Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces release footage of strikes on Russian airfield in Crimea, other targets in occupie

The group received $5,870 from Russian soldiers seeking to restore connectivity which it is donating to fundraising efforts for Ukrainian drones.

"Let's have this discussion, with one baseline: full membership comes only after full reforms," Marta Kos, the European Commissioner for Enlargement, said on Feb. 13 in Tallinn.

Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' public newsletter, The Week Ahead, covering events from February 16-22. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events delivered directly to your inbox every week. Audio version of The Week Ahead is now available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The next round of trilateral negotiations will take place on 17–18 February in Geneva. According to Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, the Rus

Ukraine struck a Russian 55Zh6U "Nebo-U" long-range radar station, estimated to cost around $100 million, near Yevpatoriia in occupied Crimea, the General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces reported on Feb. 13. The Nebo-U is a strategic early-warning radar designed to detect aerodynamic and ballistic targets at long distances and forms part of Russia’s layered air defense architecture. Similar systems have previously been targeted by Ukrainian forces in an effort to weaken Russia’s surveillance an

The facility is expected to produce up to 10,000 drones within a year, all of which will be delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Russia appeared to confirm on Feb. 13 the existence of a sweeping U.S.-Russia economic proposal known in Kyiv as the "Dmitriev package," days after President Volodymyr Zelensky first disclosed it publicly. The Ukrainian president said on Feb. 6 that intelligence had briefed him on what he described as a roughly $12 trillion framework for large-scale economic cooperation between Moscow and Washington. "Intelligence showed me the so-called 'Dmitriev package' that he presented in the U.S. — it am

Torturing prisoners is not merely a war crime that Russians perpetrate, it's part of Russian culture. Susan Sontag's 20-year-old essays may help us understand it. In the Kyiv Independent's latest investigative documentary "Torture Culture," we examine the sufferings that Russians systematically inflict on their Ukrainian prisoners — all the beatings, electrocutions, mutilations, sexual abuse, psychological violence — not only as a war crime but also a cultural phenomenon, something that Russian

Torture in Russian captivity is systematic. In a new documentary, The Kyiv Independent’s War Crimes Investigations Unit uncovers the torture of Ukrainian civilians held by Russian forces and traces the roots of these practices through Russian history.

"To meet this new era of rising threats, we need hard power, strong alliances, and sure diplomacy," U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey said.

Ukraine's Unmanned System Forces struck on Feb. 12 an airfield, the Kirova electrical substation, and a data center, among other targets.

Ukraine is set to receive 35 missiles for U.S.-produced Patriot air defense systems from its partners soon, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Feb. 12.

Approximately 10,000 North Korean combat troops and 1,000 engineer troops are currently stationed in the front-line Russian region, according to the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

The next round of talks is set to take place in Geneva on Feb. 17–18.

As the United States renews its diplomatic push to end Russia's war against Ukraine, Moscow is making something clear: its position has not changed. While U.S., Ukrainian, and Russian officials met for trilateral talks in January and again in early February — with another round expected next week — the Kremlin has used the same period to restate its position. As Washington speaks of momentum and narrowing gaps, Russia's most senior officials have publicly dismissed key elements of the proposed

Since the beginning of this year, President Donald Trump has turned much of his personal attention to foreign policy, from Venezuela to Greenland to Iran. Cuba, Mexico, Canada, South Africa, Nigeria, Syria, and perhaps other countries are also in his sights. The pace of foreign forays has been frenetic and may be linked peculiarly to the perceived snub by the Nobel Committee over the Peace Prize since Trump claims to have settled eight wars last year. All along, for a president of the United S

"On the agenda is the first joint Ukrainian-German drone production enterprise, as well as bilateral and multilateral meetings with partners," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Heraskevych, who is expected to be represented by Yermak, said on Feb. 10 that he had been barred from using a custom helmet at the 2026 Winter Olympics that honors Ukrainian athletes killed in Russia’s war.

Russia launched an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 154 attack drones overnight at Ukraine, according to the Air Force.

Ukraine's partners pledged nearly $38 billion in new military aid following the meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in the Ramstein format on Feb. 12, Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with comments from President Volodymyr Zelensky and Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Wearing a helmet commemorating Ukrainian athletes killed by Russia is not allowed, the  International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled on Feb. 12. Vladyslav Heraskevych, Ukraine's skeleton racer, was scheduled to compete in his third Olympic Games on Feb. 12. He was barred from taking part in the competition after refusing to change his helmet, one depicting the faces of

The number includes 800 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Several Ukrainian children previously taken to Russia have been returned to their families in Ukraine, U.S. First Lady Melania Trump announced on Feb. 12.

In an interview with The Atlantic, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would rather accept no deal than pressure Ukrainians into a bad one, insisting that any settlement to end the war must ensure a dignified, lasting peace.

Four people were injured in an overnight attack as Russian forces struck energy facilities and other critical infrastructure in Odesa on Feb. 12-Feb. 13, regional officials said.

Key developments on Feb. 12 * 'A new range record'— Ukrainian drones strike oil refinery in Russia's Komi Republic, SBU source says * 'Do not deprive us' — Russian soldiers, milbloggers furious at Putin over Telegram ban * Russian losses exceeded recruitment for second month in a row, Ukraine says * UK to provide additional £500 million for Ukraine’s air defense * Russia targets Kyiv, Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles as Moscow stalls on peace talks Ukrainian long-range drones stru

For many Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, Telegram is not just a social network — it is a core operational tool.

Russian troop losses in January exceeded the number of newly mobilized and contracted soldiers for the second consecutive month, Robert "Magyar" Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said on Feb. 5.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the messenger's management doesn't comply with Russian laws, and that the "chance for reaching an agreement" will arise if Meta "engages in dialogue with the Russian authorities."

Since Donald Trump's return to office, Kyiv and its European allies have shared one overriding fear: a full U.S. withdrawal from the war effort. Washington remains a supplier of hard-to-replace military hardware — paid for by European allies or allocated by the previous administration — and vital intelligence assistance, helping Ukraine to defend its skies and strike deep behind Russian lines. But as Trump's attention might soon pivot to the midterm elections at home, or be swayed by Russia's