Dan Hoffman: Putin wouldn’t end the war if Ukraine gave Russia territorial concessions.

We might see a tactical pause, but Putin would continue to pursue his strategic objective to overthrow the democratically-elected government and install a puppet regime. 1/ Hoffman: If Ukraine were forced to give up that territory, it would put Zelenskyy in an incredibly weak position and compromise all of Ukraine's military leadership.

That's exactly what Putin wants: to create internal instability inside Ukraine and take advantage of that. 2/

“Help me! I’m freezing to death!” — an 87-year-old woman screaming from a Kyiv balcony during blackouts.

Writer James Meek returns to Kyiv after 3 decades and finds a city surviving winter strikes, cold apartments, and exhausted people, The Guardian. 1/ “A Russian attack two nights earlier” tore up the grid. Even places with generators lost water.

Kyiv keeps getting patched up, then hit again — power, heating, water, repeat. 2/

Musk shut down Starlink for Russia because its drone glided into Kyiv’s government district, heading to Zelenskyy’s office, The Atlantic.

Drone flew so low, officials in the Cabinet of Ministers could see it from the 7th floor. Then the battlefield shifted for the Russians. 1/ Ukraine’s defense minister, Fedorov, presented Musk with evidence that Russian forces were using Starlink to operate long-range drones.

On January 29, he wrote: "Western technologies must protect civilians — not be used for terror.” 2/

“If anything happens to me, I’ll be buried here in Ukraine.” — Antony, 34, Colombian fighting in Kupiansk, Ukraine.

More than 7,000 Colombians have fought for Ukraine since 2022. Over 800 are reported killed, The Times. 1/ Colombia is now the single largest source of foreign fighters in Ukraine. About 25% of all foreign volunteers are Colombian.

With Argentines, Brazilians, Peruvians, and others, South Americans form the biggest foreign contingent on Kyiv’s side. 2/

A Bundestag aide who tried to slow Germany’s Leopard 2 tank shipments to Ukraine was working with an FSB officer, The Insider and Der Spiegel.

Vladimir Sergienko, 52, aide to AfD MP Eugen Schmidt, corresponded with an officer of the FSB’s Fifth Service known as “Alexei.” 1/
His real name: Ilya Vechtomov, born 1987 — officer of the Fifth Service, the FSB unit tasked with destabilizing Ukraine before the Feb 24, 2022 invasion. 2/

Russia weighs halting peace talks unless Ukraine cedes territory, Bloomberg.

If Kyiv refuses concessions on Donetsk, Moscow is prepared to exit negotiations.

Next week’s negotiations will determine whether a Zelenskyy-Trump-Putin summit happens — or talks collapse. 1/ Russia is ready to sign a draft memorandum if Ukraine withdraws from the eastern Donetsk region.

That would be followed by a Zelenskyy-Trump-Putin summit and a mutual pullback of forces. 2/

‘If Putin is ready for a trilateral meeting, we have months to try to finish the war. If not, after the U.S. elections it will be harder — Washington will focus on domestic issues.’

Zelenskyy on the narrowing window for talks.

1/ Zelenskyy: Russians know I won’t go to Moscow. I’m not playing games about ending the war.

I’m ready to meet and speak — but not on Russian or Belarusian soil. Belarus is Russian ally in this aggression.

2/

Trump: To Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, military, and police, I say tonight: you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity.

Or face certain death. 1/ Trump: We are going to destroy Iranian missiles and raze their missile industry to the ground.

It will be totally, again, obliterated. We’re going to annihilate their Navy. 2/

Russia conducting sabotage campaign across Europe: arson, parcel bombs, disrupting air traffic, damaging undersea cables.

Hybrid attacks rose from 13 in 2023 to 44 in 2024. But Putin's attempts to intimidate Europe backfired, triggering strong pushback — Washington Post. 1/ MI6 chief Blaise Metreweli: "Russia is testing us in gray zone with tactics just below threshold of war. Drones buzzing airports and bases, state-sponsored arson and sabotage.

Attempts to bully, fearmonger and manipulate." 2/

“In school I used to send drawings to soldiers — now they send them to me,” says Dmytro Kovalchuk, who joined the AFU at 18.

Hromadske tells the story of Dmytro, 19, and Yaroslav Kravchuk, 50. They serve in the same 95th Air Assault Brigade and fight side by side. 1/ On February 24, 2022, 50-year-old Yaroslav Kravchuk, director and wrestling coach at a youth sports school in Zhytomyr, woke up at 5 a.m. to a call from a comrade: “It’s started.” 2/

Kyslytsya: Resolving biggest problems is impossible without a meeting between Zelenskyy and Putin. Even better, if it were a trilateral meeting with the participation of Trump.

This year, real negotiations of the three parties took place twice in Abu Dhabi and in Geneva. 1/ Kyslytsya: When I was a representative in New York, one of the topics that worried some of our Western partners was how to keep me as the permanent representative to the UN in the event of the occupation of Ukraine. Some of our partners did not believe we’ll endure. 2/

A Ukrainian child watched a Russian soldier shoot his grandfather at a checkpoint while fleeing Volnovakha in 2022. He saw it through a car window fogged by his own breath

Some saw their homes turn to rubble. Others fall asleep to sirens and missiles overhead – The Telegraph. 1/ In a foster home in central Ukraine, nine children wake each night to air raid sirens. Alina, 3, hides under a blanket.

Ivan, 2, cries. Anatoly, 10, sits alone. Mishka, 16, checks online chats to see whether Shahed drones, ballistic missiles or artillery are flying overhead. 2/

McFaul: Putin would be really happy to go back to the 18-18th century. No institutions, no roles, just spheres of influence, great powers getting together and carving up the world. That world leads to a lot of chaos, a lot of conflict, and a lot of war. 1/ McFaul: US have to share the burden too when it comes to Ukraine. We can't just assume that the Europeans are going to do it on their own. I'm very uncomfortable with the current fact that American companies are now profiting from the war in Ukraine. It’s immoral. 2/

Crimea has been turned into a huge military facility. Hospitals and clinics have been converted into military hospitals.

Russian is building military bases in nature reserves and teaching children to kill. This is how Crimea lives in its 12th year of occupation — United 24. 1/ Since 2022, more than 1,600 cases under article "discrediting armed forces of Russian Federation."

Mother of 10-year-old held liable after child drew something during art lesson at school that displeased teacher. Teacher filed complaint, mother charged with discreditation. 2/

Europe doesn’t support Ukraine? That’s bullshit and Russian propaganda.

In 2025 Ukraine received over $45B in defense aid, and partners have already confirmed $38B for 2026, Ukrainska Pravda reports.

The biggest open question is US support. 1/ In 2022–early 2025, the US, EU states, and other partners committed about €130B in military aid — equipment from stockpiles + multi-year contracts that are still being delivered now. 2/

Kovalyov, Ukraine negotiator to Azovstal: We showed that normal dialogue is possible and that we are heard. We showed that there is connection even in this difficult time of war.

We broke through that defense. We went there as a humanitarian mission, showed that it was possible. 1/ Kovalyov: I suggested Budanov, listen, it's Easter, right? You want us to pull the wounded out of Azovstal.

Russians won’t do it. Let me take the priests. There are no issues with the priests. DIU gave humanitarian aid, five ambulances. 2/

Viktoriia, Ukrainian combat medic: I was doing investment banking at Morgan Stanley in NY. When Russia invaded Ukraine, I left and went home.

I had no training. Afraid of blood and needles. I thought: I can be a medic if I need to be. That’s what my country needs me to do. 1/ Viktoriia: War doesn’t start where missiles land.

It starts in the mind, when you realise that something you relied on your whole life is not guaranteed anymore.

Your home, family, culture, language, freedom. Going back to Ukraine was the easiest decision for my integrity. 2/

“You must speak to Putin from a position of strength. Remember — Putin is a KGB officer.”

Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko in Politico on how to negotiate with Putin — based on his experience leading Ukraine during talks with the Kremlin. 1/ In Munich, Poroshenko warned that these principles are being ignored in the current U.S.-brokered talks in Geneva, where Russian and Ukrainian delegations met with U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff. 2/

Ukraine will never return to its prewar sense of security. Like Israel, it will live with the constant expectation of threat from a neighboring state — NYT.

Even if active fighting decreases — Russia sits next door and retains the military capacity to strike again. 1/ The war is shaping a new generation, a new mindset, and daily life. It defines how we work, study, fight, and plan the future. It builds long-term resilience and creates serious risks, including for democracy. 2/

Pompeo: Ukraine's creativity, ability to innovate, technology will be the winning force. Most wars are won by industrial bases, and I think Ukraine is demonstrating its ability to innovate at an incredible rate. Recent Firepoint strike was a good example of that. 1/ Pompeo: At this dark moment of four years of conflict brought about by Vladimir Putin, I do not know when the war will end. I only know that victory will come when Western resolve and Ukrainian spirit unite. We must not allow aggression rewarded with additional territory. 2/

Q: What do you feel when you pull the trigger?

Ukrainian sniper: Absolutely nothing. Destroying Russians who came to our land. We will defend our land from this enemy. They're all the same. Russians must be destroyed, and the country must be liberated faster. 1/ Ukrainian sniper: Detecting Russian officers is the first priority. It simply creates chaos.

There were cases where assaults were canceled, the enemy personnel just dispersed. There was a hit on an officer, and chaos began in their actions, and people just scattered. 2/