Russia and Ukraine have traded fresh strikes amid mounting international pressure to end the ongoing conflict, as the Kremlin confirms that President Vladimir Putin will meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in the coming days.
The developments mark a significant moment in the protracted war, with Trump pushing for what he has called a “breakthrough” to bring about a resolution. Fighting, however, shows no sign of slowing.
Rail hub struck and drones launched
On Thursday, Russia announced it had hit a key railway hub in Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region. Moscow claimed the railway station was being used by Ukrainian forces to transport weapons and military equipment to the Donbas front lines.
Ukraine, in response, reported a series of drone attacks on Russian military targets, including landing craft, radar systems, and air defence facilities in occupied Crimea. Kyiv officials said the strikes were part of a coordinated drone campaign aimed at degrading Russian logistics and defensive capabilities.
The tit-for-tat strikes come just days before the anticipated meeting between the Russian and U.S. presidents, signalling the ongoing volatility on the ground despite high-level diplomatic moves.
Putin–Trump talks confirmed
The Kremlin officially confirmed that President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump will meet “in the coming days.” The announcement follows growing speculation over the U.S. president’s increasingly assertive stance on ending the war.
Trump has expressed frustration with Putin’s unwillingness to engage in negotiations and recently threatened to impose new sanctions- not only on Russia but also on countries purchasing Russian exports if Moscow does not agree to terms aimed at de-escalation. The sanctions are reportedly scheduled to take effect on Friday.
Putin, meanwhile, suggested that preparations for the talks are being supported by a number of countries. He specifically mentioned the United Arab Emirates as one of the mediating parties, after meeting UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan at the Kremlin on Thursday.
Zelenskyy holds firm
While Trump has stated that Putin does not need to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy directly, Kyiv has remained firm on its position. President Zelenskyy confirmed that he spoke with Trump earlier this week and that both sides “share a clear and common position that the war must end.”
Zelenskyy has repeatedly maintained that no negotiations can succeed without Ukraine’s direct involvement. Ukrainian officials have also called for guarantees on sovereignty and territorial integrity before any ceasefire or agreement is considered.
The latest diplomatic push follows a three-hour meeting earlier this week in Moscow between President Putin and Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff. Details of the discussion remain confidential, but officials suggest it laid the groundwork for the upcoming presidential summit.
A pivotal moment
As airstrikes continue and tensions simmer on the battlefield, the scheduled Putin–Trump meeting may represent one of the most significant diplomatic openings since the outbreak of the full-scale war.
Whether the talks will yield substantive results or merely serve as another symbolic gesture remains to be seen. But with threats of renewed sanctions, growing war fatigue, and intensified international mediation, global eyes are now firmly fixed on the days ahead.
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Moscow’s major airports have experienced widespread flight delays and cancellations due to heavy snowfall and icy conditions, disrupting travel across Russia, Europe, and the Caucasus.
Ukraine’s military has rejected Russian claims that its forces have captured the towns of Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region and Huliaipole in the Zaporizhzhia region, calling the statements false and part of a disinformation campaign aimed at foreign partners.
Russia plans to modernise its nuclear triad, strengthen ground forces, and develop a universal air defence system as part of its new State Armament Programme for 2027–2036, the Kremlin announced on Friday.
Russia is likely preparing to station its new nuclear-capable Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missiles at a former airbase in eastern Belarus, a move that could extend Moscow’s strike reach across Europe, according to an exclusive Reuters report.
New York placed the state under emergency measures on Friday as a powerful winter storm brought the heaviest snowfall since 2022, disrupting travel across the north-east of the United States.
A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck offshore near Taiwan’s north-eastern county of Yilan late on Saturday, shaking buildings across the island, including in the capital Taipei, authorities said.
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