Ukraine has liberated 400 square kilometers, and 8 settlements on the southern front since January

Ukraine has regained control of eight settlements and about 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory since late January 2026, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported. After visiting the southern operational zone, Syrskyi said Airborne Forces and adjacent units advanced along the Oleksandrivka axis, a strategically sensitive area where Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts meet.

Despite the reported gains, Syrskyi described the battlefield situation as “complicated.” He said Russian forces continue to apply sustained pressure using artillery, drones, armored vehicles, and small assault groups attempting to infiltrate Ukrainian positions. Fighting remains intense as Moscow seeks to hold ground and press its broader offensive campaign.

A day earlier, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops had liberated 300 square kilometers (116 square miles) in a southern counteroffensive, though he did not specify the exact sector. Russia launched a renewed ground offensive in 2025, focusing heavily on Donetsk Oblast while expanding operations in Zaporizhzhia and pushing into southern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. The latest advances come as Kyiv faces growing pressure from the United States to consider territorial compromises as part of potential negotiations to end the war.

Management of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant to be discussed at next meeting with Russia and US

The next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, the United States, and Russia is expected to address the future management of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, according to a report by Ukrainska Pravda (UP). The outlet said energy specialists may be brought into the discussions, a possibility President Volodymyr Zelensky has confirmed.

Citing diplomatic sources, UP reported that negotiators are likely to tackle the sensitive question of who should oversee operations at the Zaporizhzhia facility and under what framework. The plant, Europe’s largest nuclear power station, has remained under Russian control since 2022, making its status a major sticking point in broader peace discussions.

Officials reportedly believe that once progress is made on technical difficulties such as energy management and security arrangements, pressure will grow for a high-level summit. Zelensky has already instructed his team to prepare for a potential leaders’ meeting in Geneva involving himself, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The EU failed to send Russia a powerful signal as Hungary blocked the 20th sanctions package

Today the European Union failed to adopt its 20th sanctions package against Russia after Hungary vetoed the proposal, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. The package was meant to send a strong message ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Hungary blocked the measure amid a dispute over Russian oil supplies through the Druzhba pipeline, which has been offline since late January following Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjártó said Budapest would oppose new sanctions until deliveries resume. Despite the setback, EU countries agreed to extend existing sanctions against Moscow through February 2027.