Ukraine war latest: US provides update on next peace talks with Kiev

On Sunday, Kim Jong Un visited the Memorial to Ukrainian Fallen Soldiers.

North Korea has sent 14,000 troops to support Russia’s ongoing war, and at least 6,000 of them have reportedly been killed in combat.

The leaders visited the art studio and guided the creation of sculptures in the memorial hall.

EU countries have given final approval to a ban on Russian natural gas imports until the end of 2027, with the motion now becoming law.

This would make it legally binding for EU member states to sever ties with the former top gas supplier.

The policy was approved at a conference in Brussels on Monday, but Slovakia and Hungary voted against the law.

Hungary, which relies heavily on Russian fuel, said it would take the case to the European Court of Justice. The company imports about 90% of its natural gas from Russia.

The Finnish Border Guard said on Monday it would work with the European Union and the Baltic states to protect vital undersea infrastructure in the region.

“Competent authorities must have the ability and authority to intervene in situations occurring in territorial waters and exclusive economic zones,” the statement said.

The Baltic Sea region is on high alert following a series of disruptions to power cables, telecommunications lines and gas pipelines since Russia invaded Ukraine. In view of this situation, NATO has strengthened its presence in the Baltic Sea through frigates, aircraft and naval drones.

follow Russian strike On January 20, approximately 5,600 apartment buildings Kyiv Almost half of Kiev is considered without heat and electricity, affecting about one million people. The situation is so severe that the city has set up “warming tents” to help people stay warm in the freezing cold. Other cities were also attacked.

Debris from a drone fell in the city of Slavyansk-on-Kuban in Russia’s Krasnodar region, injuring one person and setting two businesses on fire, Russia’s Krasnodar regional emergency center said on Monday.

It did not specify which businesses were affected, but the city has a private refinery with a capacity of 100,000 barrels per day, providing fuel for domestic use and export.

The Russian Defense Ministry said that its air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 40 Ukrainian drones overnight, 34 of them in the Krasnodar region.

Discussions between Ukraine, Russia and the United States are expected to continue this weekend, according to U.S. officials.

“I think it’s a big step forward to bring everyone together,” a U.S. official said on Saturday.

“I think this confirms the fact that, number one, a lot of progress has been made so far in really defining the details that are needed to draw conclusions.”

Both Kyiv and the Kremlin said the talks were “constructive”.

They are expected to continue in Abu Dhabi on Sunday (February 1).

President Zelensky called on allies for more air defense support after another Russian attack on energy infrastructure left large swaths of the country’s capital without heat.

“This week alone, Russia launched more than 1,700 attack drones, more than 1,380 guided air bombs and 69 missiles of various types,” Zelensky said upon arriving in Vilnius on Sunday.

At least 1,330 buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kiev were without power after Russian air strikes.

Saturday’s attack targeted the country’s energy system, triggering explosions that knocked out power to 1.2 million homes.

The country is facing severe sub-zero temperatures.

“Russia’s main targets right now are our energy sector, critical infrastructure and residential buildings,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X/Twitter after the attack.

The Kremlin insists Ukraine will cede the entire Donbas region, according to a statement published by Russian state media on Monday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “As we all know, this is our consistent position and the position of our president. The territorial issue is part of the Anchorage solution and is of vital importance to the Russian side.”

Peskov said trilateral discussions between Russia, Ukraine and the United States were “constructive” but reiterated the importance of territory for a successful deal.

This issue has been a key sticking point in discussions over the past few weeks.