U.S. President Donald Trump and President Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands at a news conference following a meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 28, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Editor's note: This story is being updated.
President Volodymyr Zelensky held a phone call with his American counterpart Donald Trump on Feb. 25, said Dmytro Lytvyn, Ukraine's presidential adviser.
The two leaders spoke a day before Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov is set to meet U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner in Geneva on Feb. 26.
They are expected to discuss a "prosperity package" to help Ukraine's economic recovery and preparations for a potential trilateral meeting with Russia in March.
Kateryna Denisova is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in Ukrainian politics. Based in Kyiv, she focuses on domestic affairs, parliament, and social issues. Kateryna began her career in journalism in 2020 and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Before joining the team, she worked at the NV media outlet. Kateryna also studied at journalism schools in the Czech Republic and Germany.
The Ukrainian Council of Defence Industry said the agreements include cooperation in the production of aerial and ground drones, as well as preparations to scale up products on the European market.
The two leaders spoke a day before Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov is set to meet U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's adviser Jared Kushner in Geneva on Feb. 26.
A Kremlin spokesperson questioned "whether there's any point in holding a summit" between Putin and Zelensky as long as the Ukrainian side maintains its current position in negotiations.
The suspect in the murder of former Ukrainian top official Andriy Portnov was arrested in the German town of Heinsberg, Spanish National Police reported on Feb. 25.
Valerii Zaluzhnyi said the launch of Ukrainian drone company Ukrspecsystems' production in the U.K. has "a deep strategic logic" for integration into the British defense industry.
The Kyiv Independent’s Chris York speaks with Olha Polishchuk, a conflict data analyst who tracks military and civilian deaths in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The suspects in the embezzlement scheme were caught "red-handed" while trying to illegally transfer the money, and $320,000 was seized from them, according to Kravchenko.
The Kyiv Independent’s separate analytical unit, KI Insights, is excited to announce the launch of its podcast, Ukraine Insights — a show dedicated to unpacking Ukraine’s politics, security, economy, and international relations through in-depth, expert-driven conversations.
"I see that Ukraine is preparing further actions aimed at disrupting the operation of Hungary's energy system," Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban claimed.
"Usually, when Russia fails to win on the battlefield, it start looking for nuclear weapons on Ukrainian territory," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
"I won't go into too many details, but today I can congratulate our army first and foremost —all the defense forces — because as of today, 300 (square) kilometers have been liberated," Zelensky told Agence France-Presse.
Witkoff said he would meet with Ukraine's security chief Rustem Umerov on Feb. 26, though the primary purpose of his visit would be negotiations with Iran.
The Air Force said that Russia attacked Ukraine with 115 drones overnight, of which around 60 were Shahed-type. It reported downing 95 drones in the north, south, and east of Ukraine.
