As the war between Russia and Ukraine enters its 34th month, the conflict remains a focal point of global attention. With shifting alliances, military actions, and diplomatic maneuvers, the situation continues to evolve. Here’s a look at some of the most significant developments in early 2025, highlighting key events, military strikes, and diplomatic statements that have shaped the course of the war.
January 2025: Gas Exports, Military Strikes, and Presidential Remarks
January 1, 2025: The year started with a major disruption in Europe's energy supplies. Russian natural gas exports to Europe, which flow through Soviet-era pipelines across Ukraine, were halted after the expiration of a transit agreement. The state-owned Russian energy giant, Gazprom, confirmed that the supply cut-off, effective at 8:00 AM Moscow time, marked a significant escalation in tensions.
January 2, 2025: Ukrainian forces carried out a precision strike on a Russian command post in the Kursk region, causing significant damage and casualties. The attack was confirmed by satellite imagery, and Russian authorities reported damage to civilian structures.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed the ongoing conflict during a televised interview, stating that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump could play a pivotal role in halting the war. Zelenskiy expressed his belief that Trump's administration had the potential to stop Russian President Vladimir Putin and stabilize the front lines.
January 6, 2025: Russian forces claimed to have made significant territorial gains, including the capture of the Ukrainian town of Kurakhove in Donetsk. Meanwhile, Ukraine continued to strike deep into Russian-held territories, with a major attack on an oil depot in Engels, Russia, reportedly damaging critical infrastructure used by Russian bomber aircraft.
January 8, 2025: A Russian-guided bomb attack killed at least 13 people and injured 29 in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, highlighting the brutal nature of ongoing airstrikes.
January 9, 2025: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte emphasized the need to bolster Ukraine’s position for future peace talks, ensuring that when negotiations do begin, Ukraine will be in the strongest possible position to negotiate a fair and favorable deal.
February 2025: Tensions Rise, and Peace Talks Begin
February 3, 2025: The death of Armen Sarkisyan, a prominent pro-Russian paramilitary leader from eastern Ukraine, in a bomb attack in Moscow, further deepened the geopolitical rift. The attack, which took place near the Kremlin, raised concerns about the security of Russian officials and their involvement in the conflict.
February 8, 2025: The Ukrainian military claimed responsibility for downing a Russian SU-25 fighter jet in the Donetsk region, signaling Ukraine’s growing capacity for aerial warfare despite Russian air superiority.
February 12, 2025: In a significant diplomatic development, U.S. President Donald Trump revealed that both Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy had expressed a desire for peace during separate phone calls. Trump ordered U.S. officials to initiate talks aimed at bringing an end to the conflict, signaling a potential shift toward diplomacy.
February 13, 2025: However, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy firmly rejected any peace deals that did not include Ukraine at the negotiating table. He stated that Ukraine would not accept agreements made without its involvement, ensuring that its sovereignty and territorial integrity would be at the center of any discussions.
February 14, 2025: The Chornobyl Attack and Zelenskyy's Diplomatic Stance
On February 14, a Russian drone strike caused significant damage to the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, raising fears of radiation exposure. This attack marked a dangerous escalation in the use of weaponry, targeting critical infrastructure with far-reaching consequences.
Later the same day, Zelenskyy arrived in Munich, Germany, for the Munich Security Conference, where he discussed the ongoing war and reaffirmed Ukraine's stance on peace negotiations. He made it clear that Ukraine would only engage in talks with Putin once a common plan had been agreed upon with Trump and European leaders, underlining Ukraine’s determination to protect its sovereignty.
February 17, 2025: Russian Diplomatic Criticism
Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s Foreign Minister, publicly criticized European involvement in peace talks, questioning the role of European countries in the negotiations. Lavrov’s comments came ahead of U.S.-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia, further illustrating the tense diplomatic environment surrounding the conflict.
Meanwhile, European leaders met in Paris to discuss the possibility of a peace settlement, although Russia reiterated its stance that no territorial concessions would be made, while Ukraine rejected any peace deals that excluded its participation.
The Path Forward: A Fragile Hope for Peace
As the war in Ukraine continues into 2025, the conflict shows no signs of abating. While military actions continue on both sides, there is growing international pressure for diplomatic engagement. U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls for peace, combined with Ukraine's insistence on being included in the negotiations, suggest that a fragile path to peace may be emerging, but significant challenges remain. As the world watches closely, the fate of Ukraine and the broader geopolitical landscape hang in the balance.
While Ukraine and Russia remain locked in conflict, the involvement of international powers, especially the United States, will likely play a decisive role in determining the future of the war. How the next months unfold will be crucial in shaping the outcome of this devastating conflict.
China’s exports are expected to have grown 5% in June as manufacturers hurried goods abroad ahead of a 12 August deadline that could see the U.S. re...
U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is set to arrive in Kyiv on Monday for a week-long visit, Ukrainian outlet Novyny.LIVE reported on Frid...
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport and Afghanistan's Ministry of Public Works have reached an agreement on the construction of a new railway line to c...
Two of China’s biggest electric-vehicle makers may have to return a combined 373 million yuan (about $53 million) in state aid after a government au...
Uzbekistan and the State of Eritrea signed a Joint Communiqué on the establishment of diplomatic relations through their respective UN Missions....
China’s exports are expected to have grown 5% in June as manufacturers hurried goods abroad ahead of a 12 August deadline that could see the U.S. restore punitive tariffs, a Reuters survey of economists indicates.
U.S. special envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, is set to arrive in Kyiv on Monday for a week-long visit, Ukrainian outlet Novyny.LIVE reported on Friday.
Two of China’s biggest electric-vehicle makers may have to return a combined 373 million yuan (about $53 million) in state aid after a government audit said nearly 22,000 cars sold up to 2020 should never have qualified for clean-energy incentives.
China said it is ready to "continuously" boost strategic coordination with Moscow. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday that Beijing is prepared to help safeguard both countries’ security and development interests.
Australian researchers have pioneered a low-cost and scalable plasma-based method to produce ammonia gas directly from air, offering a green alternative to the traditional fossil fuel-dependent Haber-Bosch process.
A series of earthquakes have struck Guatemala on Tuesday afternoon, leading authorities to advise residents to evacuate from buildings as a precaution against possible aftershocks.
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
The 17th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) was successfully held in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, highlighting the region’s revival and the deepening economic cooperation among member states.
Dozens of international and domestic flights were cancelled or delayed after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted on Monday, but Bali’s main airport remains operational.
Washington and Ottawa are once again at odds, as President Trump unveils a sharp new tariff on Canadian goods—citing drug trafficking and trade disputes just weeks ahead of a key deadline.
France recorded over 100 drowning deaths in just one month — a 58% rise from last year — as unusually high temperatures drove more people to water, public health officials say.
Migration offset natural decline for the fourth consecutive year, pushing the European Union’s population to an historic high of 450.4 million in 2024, according to Eurostat figures released on Friday.
Germany’s public debt is projected to climb from 62.5% to 74% of GDP by 2030, driven by record defence and infrastructure spending, according to a report by the European rating agency Scope.
The global oil market may be tighter than headline supply-demand figures suggest, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said Friday, citing rising refinery activity and seasonal summer demand as key drivers of short-term market pressure.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment