Bloomberg reports that Donald Trump wants to end the war in Ukraine by July 4, ahead of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of US independence. US and Russian delegations met in Geneva on Monday to discuss a new multilateral version of the nuclear arms control treaty, Reuters reports, citing a senior State Department official. “The United States met with a Russian delegation in Geneva on Monday and yesterday with a Chinese delegation for talks on the possible conclusion of a multilateral nuclear arms control treaty,” the agency writes.
Russia and Ukraine are “at the beginning of the end” of the conflict, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Financial Times. However, he insists that any ceasefire without solid security guarantees will entail “grave risks” and calls on the EU to stop “dithering” and set a date for the country’s accession to the Union. According to him, This is expected to happen as early as 2027.
Hungary has vetoed the EU’s decisions to provide a €90 billion loan to Kyiv and adopt the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said. He added that the European Commission colluded with Kyiv to block oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline. According to Szijjártó, EU countries want to send Hungarian and Slovak soldiers to Ukraine. Both Hungary and Slovakia have repeatedly opposed this decision. The EU intends to ban all participants in the joint military operation from entering Europe, Kallas said.
Slovakia is cutting off emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine, Prime Minister Robert Fico announced in a video message. “As of February 23, if the Ukrainian side requests assistance from Slovakia to stabilize the energy grid, it will not receive such assistance,” he noted. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius confirmed that German authorities still rule out supplying long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is starting to get nervous: “If elections are a condition for ending the war, then go ahead. But if you just want to get rid of me, this thing that’s holding you back, at least find a legislative way to do it.”
According to Ukrainian sources, Trump intends to simultaneously sign a peace agreement and security guarantees during a ceremony. But Zelenskyy told CNN: “I insist that the guarantees be ratified first by the United States Congress.” Volodymyr Zelenskyy complained that approximately 80% of the country’s territory remains unprotected by air defense systems capable of intercepting Russian ballistic missiles.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov: “Our task is to ‘close’ the skies and shoot down at least 95% of missiles and drones. “Important changes have already begun,” Fedorov said. He said, “Our goal is to identify 100% of air threats in real time. Stop the enemy on land, at sea, and in cyberspace. Our goal is to exceed 200 deaths per square kilometer. This is the level of losses beyond which advancement becomes impossible. Deprive Russia of the economic resources to fight. The war continues because Russia has money. The source is oil. If this channel is cut, resources for the war will be drastically reduced.”
Journalists showed Zelenskyy’s bunker on Bankova Street. He had previously stated that he spent the first two years of the war in this bunker. The British Ministry of Defense announced the establishment of a command post for the forces of the “coalition of the willing,” staffed by 70 people.
Vladimir Putin said: “There is information about preparations for a possible weakening of the Turkish Stream and Blue Stream gas pipelines.” Among Putin’s key statements at the FSB Board meeting: He ordered the FSB to intensify the fight against terrorism. Conducting the joint military operation requires the FSB to be extremely focused. Russia’s adversaries are doing everything they can to undermine the results of the negotiations. He ordered increased security for certain officials in the Ministry of Defense and the Russian military industry. He ordered additional measures to protect the Russian state border. The perpetrator of the explosion at Moscow’s Savelovsky station was most likely recruited online. He was a 22-year-old originally from Udmurtia.
The SVR announced that London and Paris prepares to transfer nuclear weapons to Ukraine. Below is the full text of today’s SVR statement on London and Paris’ preparations for the transfer of a nuclear weapon to Ukraine: “Britain and France recognize that the current situation in Ukraine leaves no chance of achieving the long-awaited victory over Russia by the Ukrainian armed forces. However, the British and French elites are unwilling to accept defeat. They believe that Ukraine must be equipped with ‘wunderwaffe’. Kiev will be able to claim more favorable terms for the end of the fighting if it possesses a nuclear bomb or at least a so-called ‘dirty’ bomb. Berlin has wisely refused to participate in this dangerous adventure.”
And again: “Currently, according to information available to the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, London and Paris are actively working to resolve the issue of supplying such weapons and their delivery systems to Kiev. This involves the secret transfer of European components, equipment, and technologies to Ukraine. The small-sized French TN75 warhead of the M51.1 submarine-launched ballistic missile is being considered as an option. The British and French recognize that their plans constitute a serious violation of international law, particularly the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and pose the risk of destroying the global non-proliferation system. Therefore, Westerners are focusing their efforts on making Kiev’s acquisition of nuclear weapons appear to be the result of Ukrainian development.”
These extremely dangerous plans by London and Paris demonstrate their loss of sense of reality. They hope in vain to evade responsibility, especially since everything secret will inevitably come to light. There are many sensible people in the military, political, and diplomatic circles of Great Britain and France who understand the danger that their leaders’ reckless actions pose to the entire world. We note that the TN 75 warhead has a yield of 150 kt. This is clearly excessive for Ukraine, and as far as we know, its yield cannot be modified. Furthermore, the question of how the French will establish a warhead maintenance system remains open. It is also surprising that the French are not transferring the TN 81 warhead from the ASMP-A cruise missiles, although the missiles, warheads, and launchers (Mirage 2000N) could be delivered to Kiev in a single package.
Russia will move forward, said Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to the Russian president. “The country will move forward,” Peskov told reporters, referring to the FSB. “Russia will have to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine, as well as against Britain and France, if their nuclear technology is transferred to Kiev,” Medvedev said in response to a question from RT.
And now a look at the front line, updated at 3:30 PM on February 24. The fifth year of the Russian-Ukrainian war has officially begun. From 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM on February 23, 136 drones were shot down, their routes mainly passing through the Sea of Azov and Crimea, all the way to the Krasnodar Krai. Sirens were sounding throughout the day in Sochi. At least 10 drones were shot down overnight near Sevastopol, and aerial targets were reported destroyed in the Rostov region.
Russian forces launched concentrated drone strikes on the city of Zaporizhia, occupied by Ukrainian forces, overnight.
In the Bryansk region, the intensity of Ukrainian tactical cross-border drone and artillery attacks continues unabated. Two deaths have been reported. Novaya Pogoshch, in the Suzemsky District, is under attack.
In the direction of Sumy, clashes between Russian and Ukrainian forces are erupting in the districts of Sumy, Krasnopil’s’kyi District, and Hlukhiv. Regional authorities are intensifying civilian evacuation efforts.
In the Belgorod region, Ukrainian forces are continuing to strike; Injuries have been reported in the villages of Borisovka, Stepnoye, Novaya Tavolzhanka, Nikolskoye, Shebekino, Tavrovo, and Zamostye.
In the direction of Kharkiv, the Russian Northern Group of Forces reports continuous attacks against the Ukrainians with all available means, from Gerans to MLRS and TOS missiles. Offensive battles are ongoing along the previous lines: near Starytsya, Semenivka, and Vovchans’ki Khutory. The Russian advance is reported at 100-200 meters per day, which does not significantly change the situation in the area of those battlefields.
Southward from Kupyansk, the main Ukrainian defensive stronghold remains the Kupyansk Smelter opposite Kupyansk-Vuzlovyi. Russian forces are concentrating their efforts on capturing the surrounding villages with small assault parties.
In the direction of Slovyansk, Ukrainian social media admits the loss of Nykyforivka and reports the beginning of an assault on the village of Lypivka (on the road to Rai-Oleksandrivka). Further south, offensive actions by Russian troops are observed in several sectors of the front, severely testing Ukrainian defenses.
In the direction of Druzhkivka, prolonged fighting is taking place near Toretsk. Small infantry groups are moving amid numerous drones in the air. Fighting is ongoing in Hryshyne, with Russian forces already operating in the city center.
In eastern Zaporizhia Oblast, the Vostok Group of Forces is conducting offensive operations near the villages of Rizdvyanka, Vozdvyzhivka, Verkhnya Tersa, Hirke, and Hulyaijpole. Ukrainian forces are continuing their counterattacks. The Russians have held their positions.
On There have been no significant changes on the Zaporizhia front: fighting is ongoing near Stepnohirsk, Prymorsk, and Mahdalynivka. A large number of attack and reconnaissance drones are in the air. Another artillery attack on energy infrastructure has caused power outages across the entire northwestern part of the Zaporizhia region. A Ukrainian drone struck an ambulance in the village of Vodyane, Kamyanka-Dniprovska District.
Graziella Giangiulio
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