Ukraine This Week: Russians leaving Kharkiv Oblast and peace summit takeaways

12:44 AM

US objects to 'Russian aggression' language in G7 statement, straining unity on Ukraine, FT reports.

The shift in U.S. rhetoric follows statements from President Donald Trump, who has blamed Ukraine for the war, accused Zelensky of acting like a "dictator," and suggested that Russia should be invited back into the G7.

12:17 AM

Russian hackers target Signal accounts in growing espionage effort.

Google’s Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified a rise in Russian state-backed hacking attempts to compromise Signal messenger accounts.

10:45 PM

Trump administration presents 'improved' minerals draft to Ukraine after Zelensky's rejection, Axios reports.

"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.

10:34 PM

Business

Exploitation or opportunity? Ukrainian business sees potential in Trump resource deal — if done right

10:22 PM

War update

Ukraine war latest: Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says

9:41 PM

Moscow demanded NATO withdrawal from eastern Europe during US-Russia talks, FT reports.

The U.S. delegation reportedly rejected the demand, but concerns remain over what concessions President Donald Trump might consider to secure a deal on ending war with Russia.

9:40 PM

Defense production

‘We cannot survive’ without foreign weapons, say Ukrainian soldiers fearing looming Trump cuts

9:39 PM

How Ukraine should deal with Trump, according to Ukrainians

8:21 PM

Zelensky-Kellogg meeting ends with no joint statements at US request, spokesperson says.

The meeting in Kyiv was expected to be followed by a press briefing, but Washington requested that no joint statements be made, Zelensky's spokesperson, Serhii Nykyforov, told reporters.

8:04 PM

Ukraine needs to 'tone it down,' sign US minerals deal, Waltz says.

"They need to tone it down and take a hard look and sign that deal," U.S. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz told Fox News.

7:36 PM

Explainer

Confused about Zelensky’s legitimacy? Here’s what you need to know

6:48 PM

Explosion kills Russian occupation official in Berdiansk, Ukraine's intelligence claims.

The intelligence agency accused Yevgeny Bogdanov, deputy head of Berdiasnk's occupation administration, of committing multiple war crimes against Ukrainian citizens.

6:08 PM

Ukraine moves to nationalize Ferrexpo's mining subsidiary.

Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation and Justice Ministry are preparing to nationalize Poltava Mining, a subsidiary of London-listed Ferrexpo, which is majority owned by oligarch Konstantin Zhevago, the SBI announced on Feb. 20.

5:52 PM

Video

EU defense commissioner pushes back against Trump.

After the Trump administration accused European allies of not pulling their weight in the support for Ukraine, the Kyiv Independent sat down with the EU's first-ever defense commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, to discuss whether Europe is ready to step up.

5:50 PM

US refuses to co-sponsor UN resolution condemning Russia, resists labeling Moscow 'aggressor' in G7 statement, media report.

"In previous years, the United States has consistently co-sponsored such resolutions in support of a just peace in Ukraine," a source told Reuters.

3:54 PM

Ceasefire likely in 2025, Ukraine's spy chief says.

"How long it will be, how effective it will be, is another question. But I think it will happen," Ukrainian military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov said.

3:38 PM

Kellogg meets Sybiha, Syrskyi, Yermak during Kyiv visit.

Keith Kellogg, U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy for Ukraine, met with top Ukrainian military and government officials as part of his visit to the country that began on Feb. 19.

3:21 PM

Russia claims to retake 64% of Kursk Oblast territories seized by Ukraine.

According to Sergei Rudsky, a senior Russian General Staff official, Ukrainian soldiers are in control of about 500 square kilometers (193 square miles) out of 1,268 square kilometers (490 square miles) initially seized by Kyiv.

3:01 PM

EU's Costa, von der Leyen to visit Kyiv on Feb. 24.

The visit aims to reaffirm the EU's "support to the heroic Ukrainian people and to the democratically elected President Volodymyr Zelensky," European Council President Antonio Costa said.

2:20 PM

Opinion

Europe, rearming is cheaper than war

2:00 PM

Kremlin 'concerned' by Starmer's reported peacekeeper plan for Ukraine.

"We are, of course, following all these reports most closely... This is a cause for concern because the discussion is about sending NATO military contingents to Ukraine," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said at a press briefing.

1:21 PM

Ukraine behind FPV goggles explosions in Russia, source claims.

According to the source, HUR bought a large batch of FPV goggles for the operation and rigged them with explosives and a detonation mechanism.

12:57 PM

Russian vessel sanctioned over North Korean arms shipments entering European waters, researchers say.

This would mark the first time that the Russian munitions carrier Maia-1, sanctioned by the U.S. and the EU, entered European waters, the Financial Times noted.

12:04 PM

Russian mass attack targets Ukraine's gas facilities, energy minister says.

"The purpose of these criminal attacks is to stop the production of gas needed to meet the household needs of citizens and centralized heating," Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said.

11:55 AM

Trump may seek simplified resources deal with Ukraine, Reuters reports.

The sources told Reuters that Trump wants to make a deal before potentially authorizing more U.S. military aid for Kyiv or moving forward with an attempt to broker formal Ukraine-Russia peace talks.