Ukraine-Russia battle newest: Trump officers say three-way talks with Kyiv and Moscow will proceed this week
Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US are expected to continue this week, according to US officials.
Two-day talks held in Abu Dhabi last week were dubbed “constructive” by Kyiv, as President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a US security agreement for Ukraine was “100 per cent ready” to be signed.
A US official told reporters on Saturday that “a lot of progress” had been made and discussions would continue this Sunday (1 February).
“For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States,” Mr Zelensky told reporters during a visit to Lithuania on Sunday.
“The document is 100 per cent ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place when we will sign it.”
Once the agreement is signed, it will go to the US Congress and Ukrainian parliament to be ratified. Mr Zelensky continued to appeal for military support from allies as hundreds of buildings in Kyiv continued to struggle without heating after Russian strikes over the weekend.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the discussions had been “constructive” so far but that Moscow’s demands on territory remained the same.
Finland to team up with EU and Baltic Sea states for undersea infrastructure monitoring
Finland’s Border Guard will team up with the European Union and Baltic Sea states for the protection of critical undersea infrastructure in the region, it said on Monday.
“Competent authorities must have the capability and the authority to intervene in situations occurring in the territorial sea and the exclusive economic zone,” a statement read.
The Baltic Sea region is on high alert after a spate of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Nato has enhanced its Baltic Sea presence with frigates, aircraft and naval drones in light of the situation.
Russia’s attacks have devastated Ukraine’s energy grid – and history explains why
Following the Russian strikes on January 20, around 5,600 apartment buildings in Kyiv were left without heating and almost half of Kyiv was believed to be without heat and power, affecting around one million people. The situation is so dire that the city has set up “heating tents” to help people stay warm in the freezing temperatures. Other cities have also been attacked.
Drone debris sparks fire in Russia’s Krasnodar region leaving one person injured
One person was left injured and two enterprises caught on fire after drone fragments fell in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Russia’s Krasnodar region, the regional emergencies centre said on Monday.
It did not identify what enterprises were affected, but the city hosts a private refinery with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, which provides fuel for both domestic use and export.
Russia’s defence ministry said air defence systems had intercepted and destroyed 40 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 34 in the Krasnodar region.
Trilateral peace talks to continue this weekend
Discussions between Ukraine, Russia and the US are expected to continue this weekend, according to US officials.
“I think getting everyone together was a big step,” a US official said on Saturday.
“I think it’s a confirmation of the fact that, number one, a lot of progress has been made to date in really defining the details needed to get to a conclusion.”
The talks were said to be “constructive” according to both Kyiv and the Kremlin.
They are expected to continue in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (1 February).
Zelensky appeals for air defence support from allies
President Volodymyr Zelensky has appealed for more air defence support from allies after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure once again left vast swathes of the country’s capital without heating.
“This week alone, the Russians have launched more than 1,700 attack drones, over 1,380 guided aerial bombs, and 69 missiles of various types,” Zelensky said as he arrived in Vilnius on Sunday.
Hundreds of buildings without electricity in Kyiv in freezing temperatures after Russian strikes
At least 1,330 buildings in Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv have been left without electricity after Russian strikes.
The attack launched on Saturday targeted the country’s energy system, causing explosions that left 1.2 million homes without power.
The country is facing freezing sub-zero temperatures.
“Russia’s main targets right now are our energy sector, critical infrastructure, and residential buildings,” President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on X/Twitter in the aftermath of the attacks.
Kremlin demands Ukraine cede Donbas region
The Kremlin has insisted that Ukraine will cede all of the Donbas region, according to statements in Russian state media on Monday.
“It’s no secret that this is our consistent position, the position of our president, that the territorial issue, which is part of the Anchorage formula, is of fundamental importance to the Russian side,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
Peskov said trilaterial discussions between Russia, Ukraine and the US had been “constructive” but reiterated the importance of territory to a successful agreement.
The issue has been a key sticking point throughout discussions that have taken place over the last few weeks.
Watch: US security agreement for Ukraine ‘100% ready’ to be signed, says Zelensky
US security agreement is ‘100 per cent ready’, says Zelensky
President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that a US security agreement is now “100 per cent ready” to be signed after trilateral talks with his country, Russia and the US over the weekend.
“For us, security guarantees are first and foremost guarantees of security from the United States,” Mr Zelensky told reporters during a visit to Lithuania on Sunday.
“The document is 100 per cent ready, and we are waiting for our partners to confirm the date and place when we will sign it.”
Once the agreement is signed, it will go to the US Congress and Ukrainian parliament to be ratified.
Source: independent.co.uk
