Trump claimed to have prevented nuclear wars worldwide between Pakistan and India, Iran and Israel, and Russia and Ukraine. But he has not yet rejoined the START agreements on nuclear weapons. Representatives of the Russian Federation and the United States have agreed that the two countries will abide by the terms of the New START Treaty for at least another six months during negotiations, Axios reports.
White House spokeswoman Carolyn Levitt has not confirmed whether the United States and Russia will continue to adhere to the New START Treaty during negotiations. “Not that I’m aware of,” Levitt replied when asked by a reporter if there was a tentative agreement with Russia to comply with the New START Treaty while negotiations for a new strategic arms control agreement were underway.
US President Donald Trump explained the state of play on the nuclear agreements: “The United States and Russia should not extend the New START Treaty, but rather work out a new agreement.”
Regarding the peace agreements, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: “I still believe Putin is a war criminal and that we have imposed sanctions on Russia, forcing them to come to the negotiating table.” A new meeting between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia could take place in the United States, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
In Europe, fears are growing that Russia could attack within a year, according to The Washington Post. Berlin and other capitals previously believed that Russia would not be able to threaten NATO’s eastern flank before 2029. Now there is growing concern that this could happen much sooner, before Europe can build up its military power. It is noted that the Baltic states, previously under Moscow’s control, are considered obvious targets. According to some European officials and experts, a new war could begin with an attack on Europe without a peace agreement with Ukraine.
Poland is ready to transfer its MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine in exchange for Ukrainian drones. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated this at a joint press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky. And speaking of drones, “a wall of drones is a utopia; it doesn’t exist,” said the Romanian Defense Minister, commenting on the idea of protecting Europe’s borders with drones. “This wall of drones, where someone, like in a video game, creates a curtain through which absolutely nothing can pass, is a utopia.”
Bratislava has been left completely defenseless after the transfer of MiG-29 fighters and air defense systems to Kiev, Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico said. Aircraft from Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic are now responsible for airspace security. This is due to the previous government’s decision to provide weapons to Ukraine “as a gift.” According to Fico, this was a “terrible abuse of power” that has left Slovakia in a desperate position: Bratislava is unable to defend its airspace. Hungary also commented: “If NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s words about sending Western troops to Ukraine after the end of the conflict come true, it would mean war between the West and Russia,” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said. Estonia will close two night checkpoints on the border with Russia for three months.
If some countries recognized our territories as Russian, they would gain nothing. In any case, not all countries will recognize them, Zelenskyy claims. This is how he commented on Russia’s demand that all countries recognize Donbas as Russian. “Ukraine has a Ukrainian president who signs the documents. It is not other leaders who sign documents important to Ukraine. Therefore, our territories are ours, despite their temporary occupation status,” he added.
From the Ukrainian delegation returning from Abu Dhabi, Umerov reported: “Ukraine and Russia intend to declare a complete ceasefire.” “Methods for implementing and monitoring the cessation of hostilities have already been discussed in the Emirates.”
And in this context, Zelensky approved new combat operations for the SBU and stated: “We will weaken the enemy.” “General Khmara reported on the operations of the Security Service of Ukraine. Excellent results, I approved the Service’s new work: new combat operations. We will continue to weaken the enemy,” he stated.
According to Ukrainian media, Kiev, half of the Left Bank, risks being without heating until the end of winter. The number of areas without heating is increasing. The Ministry of Energy has already reported that the most vulnerable area in Kyiv remains that served by Thermal Power Plant No. 4; 1,126 skyscrapers in the capital are without heating.
Regarding negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, Sergei Viktorovich Lavrov reiterated that: “Russia is ready to consider Ukraine a long-term neutral neighbor.” He also stated: “Russia has contacts with some European leaders, but they are not made public.”
French President Emmanuel Macron simply needs to call Russian President Vladimir Putin if Macron really wants to have a serious conversation, Minister Lavrov said in an interview with RT. “A couple of weeks ago, French President Emmanuel Macron again stated that he would call Russian President Vladimir Putin one day,” Lavrov noted. “This is not serious. This is pathetic diplomacy. If you want to call and talk about something serious, then call.” “The Russian president will always answer the phone and listen to any proposal, and only if it is serious,” the minister said. The Russian Foreign Minister emphasized that serious proposals “will not go unanswered.”
The Kremlin described the work on the Abu Dhabi agreement talks as constructive and at the same time very challenging. Dmitry Peskov noted that the work will continue.
In connection with the attempted assassination of General Vladimir Alekseyev, it is significant that Zelensky met yesterday with SBU Chairman Khmara, where, according to Russian social media sources, “he gave final approval for the operation against the Russian general.”
Russian Defense Ministry General Vladimir Alekseyev was shot in Moscow and hospitalized. An unknown assailant shot him several times in the back and fled. A criminal investigation into the attempted assassination has been opened. Alekseyev is the First Deputy Chief of the General Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces. “Alekseyev was reportedly shot in the back in the elevator lobby of a building on Volokolamsk Highway at 7:00 a.m.; the assassin fled,” according to Mash. The general survived and was hospitalized in serious condition.
According to Baza, a female assassin may have carried out the attempted assassination of General Alekseyev: this is a widespread theory among security forces, and the investigation is ongoing.
Lavrov, interviewed about the assassination attempt on the general: “Well, of course, I heard this news shortly before the start of negotiations, and I won’t make any predictions. It’s not my responsibility; it’s up to our country’s leadership to decide.” “But this terrorist attack has once again confirmed the Zelensky regime’s focus on constant provocations, aimed at disrupting the negotiation process, and a regime willing to do anything to convince its Western sponsors to keep pace with the United States in an attempt to prevent it from reaching a fair agreement.”
And now a look at the front line, updated at 4:00 PM on February 6. The shutdown of Starlink terminals used by the Russian Armed Forces by the Americans has negatively impacted communications in Russian units. Troops are urgently organizing backup, albeit less convenient, communications methods.
Belgorod suffered a missile attack overnight, damaging a thermal power plant. “There was significant damage to the energy infrastructure of the city of Belgorod, as well as the Belgorod, Rakityansky, Borisovsky, Grayvoronsky, and Yakovlevsky districts,” the governor reported.
Russian drones targeted targets in Gadyach in the Poltava region, Kovel in the Volhynia region, and Kropyvnytskyi. Explosions were heard in the Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
In the Sumy sector, the Northern Group of Forces is engaged in attacks in the same areas, reporting that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have concentrated a record number of drone crews in this sector with the aim of stopping it.
In the Belgorod region, 9 people were injured, including one soldier, by Ukrainian drone attacks. There are isolated reports of signs of a strengthening of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ forces in the Belgorod sector.
In the Kharkiv sector, the Northern Group of Forces continued to maintain the initiative on the same sections of the front.
In the Lyman sector, fighting continues for the town of the same name on the outskirts of the city. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are publishing an anti-crisis video showing a “flagship attack” from Dibrova.
In the Slovyansk sector, Russian forces continue to advance westward through Riznykivka and the village of Ozerne. The Ukrainian Armed Forces report on social media that Russian forces are advancing in Pryvillya. Russian offensive operations are taking place across a fairly broad front, so far involving several small assault groups in the face of Ukrainian drone activity.
From Kostyantynivka, where fighting is ongoing, more and more footage is arriving from Russian FPV drones operating via fiber optics from the city center.
In eastern Zaporizhia Oblast, the Vostok Group of Forces repelled nine Ukrainian counterattacks by separate assault groups, supported by tanks and armored vehicles, in the northern part of the assigned front, from the Kosivtseve-Ternuvate directions, and in the west, from Rizdvyanka, Ternuvate, and Zarichne.
Graziella Giangiulio
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