Territorial concessions by Ukraine won't bring peace - Zelensky in Munich

Today at the Munich Security Conference, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that territorial concessions by Ukraine would not secure lasting peace, drawing a parallel with the 1938 Munich Agreement, which failed to prevent World War II. In his speech, Zelensky argued that dividing Ukraine in hopes of ending the war would be an illusion, just as sacrificing Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland to Adolf Hitler did not stop further aggression. He suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin was pursuing expansionist goals similar to those of past European aggressors and reiterated that Kyiv considers territorial concessions unacceptable. Zelensky also said that discussions about compromises are often framed around Ukraine alone, despite Russia’s continued demands, including calls for Ukraine to withdraw from parts of Donetsk Oblast it still controls.

Addressing questions about elections and governance, Zelensky said Ukraine could amend its Constitution and hold elections if a ceasefire were achieved, adding that Kyiv would also consider a truce if Russia were to hold elections. He stressed that Ukraine would do everything possible to make negotiations succeed but insisted that the outcome must guarantee genuine security rather than repeat past diplomatic failures, referencing earlier Russia-U.S. talks in Geneva in 2021 and in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2025. Zelensky also described the absence of European representation at the negotiating table as a serious mistake and said Ukraine was working to ensure that Europe’s interests and voice are fully included in the process.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Zelensky’s message was clear, emphasizing that Ukrainians remain determined and that Putin has not changed his objectives. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Russia’s appointment of Vladimir Medinsky to its negotiating team signaled that Moscow may not be genuinely seeking compromise. On the sidelines of the conference, Zelensky met Rutte to discuss continued funding for the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL), a mechanism signed by the U.S. and NATO in July 2025 to coordinate the purchase of critical military equipment for Ukraine.

Zelensky later said that €38 billion in military aid had been confirmed following a meeting in the Ramstein format and expressed hope for sustained support, particularly for air defense systems.

IMF has eased conditions for the new $8.1bn loan forUkraine

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has agreed to lower prior actions previously required for a new $8.1 billion loan for Ukraine, removing conditions related to value-added tax (VAT) rules for sole proprietors, duties on parcels, taxation of marketplaces, and the retention of the wartime levy. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said the revised terms were reached following a visit to Kyiv by IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

Svyrydenko said the new program is expected to be reviewed at the next meeting of the IMF executive board. Under the updated agreement with the IMF, the four previously required measures will now need to be implemented only after the board formally approves the lending package. She described taxation of individual entrepreneurs as the most sensitive aspect of the negotiations, noting that Kyiv had agreed with the IMF to raise the VAT threshold for sole traders to 4 million hryvnias (approximately $92,800), a level she said aligns with the highest threshold for VAT on goods in Europe.

According to the prime minister, the change means that roughly two-thirds of Ukraine’s sole traders will not be affected by the revised VAT rules. She added that the government plans to submit a consolidated tax bill to the Verkhovna Rada addressing marketplaces taxation, parcel duties, and the continuation of the wartime fee after martial law ends.

Russians attacked Ukraine with missiles and over 100 drones, hitting 11 locations

Russian forces launched an overnight attack on Ukraine on February 13–14, deploying an Iskander-M ballistic missile and 112 drones, Ukraine’s Air Force reported. The assault began at around 6:30 p.m. on February 13, with launches from Russia’s territory, as well as from temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk Oblast and Crimea. Approximately 70 of the unmanned aerial vehicles were identified as Shahed loitering munitions.

Ukraine’s air defenses, including aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare assets, unmanned systems units and mobile fire groups, were engaged in repelling the attack. As of 8:30 a.m., air defense forces had shot down or jammed 91 drones of various types, including Shahed, Gerbera and Italmas models.

Despite the interceptions, 18 drones struck targets at 11 locations, while debris from downed aerial threats fell at two additional sites. Ukrainian authorities did not immediately provide further details on the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.