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Ukraine can trade territory in potential peace negotiations with Russia: Zelensky

Russia Ukraine War

Ukraine launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially capturing around 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory. While Ukrainian forces have since lost roughly half that area, they recently advanced 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) in the region in a new offensive.

The Ukrainian military continues to hold Russian territory that could play “an important part” in future negotiations, Zelensky previously said.

“We will swap one territory for another,” Zelensky told The Guardian, without specifying which Russian-occupied land Ukraine would seek in return.

“I don’t know, we will see. But all our territories are important, there is no priority,” he added.

Talk of ending Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has increased as US President-elect Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.

The new administration aims to end Russia’s war against Ukraine 100 days from inauguration, Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special Ukraine peace envoy, has stated.

According to sources in Ukraine’s President’s Office, cited by RBC-Ukraine, Kellogg will visit Ukraine on Feb. 20 after the Munich Security Conference.

The US president has recently revealed he aims to meet Zelensky in Washington the following week. He also recently added that the US wants access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for aid. Zelensky has responded that Kyiv is open to mining deals with partners.

Trump has also allegedly spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war.

The US president told the New York Post he had a concrete plan to end the war, adding, “I hope it’s fast. Every day, people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing.”

Jordan, Arab states oppose Palestinian displacement: King Abdullah after Trump meeting

“I stressed that my foremost commitment is to Jordan, to its stability and to the well-being of Jordanians,” Abdullah posted on the social platform X after departing the White House.

“I reiterated Jordan’s steadfast position against the displacement of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. This is the unified Arab position,” he continued.

“Rebuilding Gaza without displacing the Palestinians and addressing the dire humanitarian situation should be the priority for all.”

Abdullah described Trump as a “man of peace” and added he was “instrumental in securing the Gaza ceasefire. We look to US and all stakeholders in ensuring it holds.”

“We will continue to play an active role with our partners to reach a just and comprehensive peace for everyone in the region,” he wrote.

Abdullah’s comments deal a blow to Trump, who has for the past week been pushing a vision for the US to take control of the Gaza Strip and rebuild it while Palestinians move elsewhere in the region.

Trump met in the Oval Office earlier Tuesday with Abdullah. Trump remained adamant that Palestinians did not even want to live in Gaza and would relocate to Jordan, Egypt and elsewhere. And he insisted the United States would “have” Gaza, while offering few specifics on how it would acquire the territory without spending any money or deploying troops.

“We’re not going to have to buy. We’re going to have Gaza. We don’t have to buy. There’s nothing to buy. We will have Gaza,” Trump told reporters.

“It’s a war-torn area. We’re going to take it, we’re going to hold it, we’re going to cherish it. … It’s going to be for the people in the Middle East. But I think it could be a diamond.”

One aspect of Trump’s plan that has run into stiff opposition in the Arab world is his declaration that Palestinians would relocate to Jordan and Egypt while Gaza is rebuilt. He has also offered mixed signals about the long-term fate of Palestinians.

On Tuesday, Trump was again insistent that Palestinians did not want to live in Gaza.

“It’s not where I want them to live, it’s going to be where we ultimately choose as a group. And I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Jordan. I believe we’ll have a parcel of land in Egypt. We may have some place else,” Trump stated, adding, “But when we finish our talks, they’re going to have a place where they live very happily and very safely.”

“They don’t want to be in the Gaza Strip. But they have no choice. They have to be.”

The king of Jordan sought to temper expectations around Trump’s proposal during their meeting, saying Egypt and other Arab nations expect to present a proposal to the United States.

“This is something that we as Arabs will be coming to the United States with something that we’re going to talk about later to discuss all these options,” Abdullah said.

Leaders in the region have said efforts to displace Palestinians or move them into neighboring countries are a nonstarter. Egypt and Jordan — countries with peace treaties with Israel — oppose absorbing more Palestinians, stressing it poses a security risk, is destabilizing and threatens to provoke mass opposition.

Jordan already houses about 3 million Palestinians, many of whom have been displaced by prior wars.

Abdullah on Tuesday stated that Jordan would take in 2,000 sick Palestinian children, which Trump praised as a “beautiful gesture.”

Hamas says committed to Gaza ceasefire accord, Israel not fulfilling its obligations

In a statement published on Telegram, Hamas also rejected US President Donald Trump’s remarks suggesting the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza under the pretext of reconstruction, calling them “racist” and an “invitation to ethnic cleansing” aimed at erasing the Palestinian cause.

Since Jan. 25, Trump has repeatedly suggested that Palestinians in Gaza should be taken in by regional Arab nations such as Egypt and Jordan, an idea rejected by both the Arab states and Palestinian leaders.

Hamas stressed: “The plan to expel our people from Gaza will not succeed and will face a unified Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic stance rejecting all displacement schemes. All plans for forced displacement will fail.”

The group reiterated that it remains committed to the ceasefire agreement as long as Israel does, emphasizing that the deal was brokered and guaranteed by Egypt, Qatar, and the US, with international oversight.

“The (Israeli) occupation is the party that has failed to meet its commitments, and it bears full responsibility for any delays or complications,” Hamas added.

On Monday, Trump warned “all hell” will break out if all Israeli captives in Gaza were not released by 12:00 p.m. (10:00 GMT) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to Hamas following a four-hour security Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, announcing that he had ordered the military to mobilize forces in and around Gaza.

“This deployment is happening as we speak and will be completed as soon as possible,” Netanyahu stated in a televised statement.

He vowed that if Hamas did not release the captives by Saturday noon, “the ceasefire will end, and the Israeli military will resume fighting at full force.”

While Netanyahu did not specify the number of hostages he expected Hamas to release, Israeli Army Radio, citing unnamed officials, reported on Tuesday that if Hamas freed three captives on Saturday, the first phase of the agreement would proceed.

On Monday, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced that the release of Israeli hostages scheduled for Saturday had been postponed indefinitely, citing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

The three-phase ceasefire deal has been in place in Gaza since Jan. 19, halting Israel’s genocidal war that has killed more than 48,200 people and left the enclave in ruins.

In phase one of the truce, which runs until early March, 33 Israeli hostages are to be released in exchange for a number of Palestinian prisoners. The sixth Israeli-Hamas swap was scheduled for this week.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Yemen’s Houthis warn they are ready to attack Israel if Gaza war continues

Yemen Houthi

Leader Abdel-Malik al-Houthi said in a televised speech on Tuesday that the group was “ready to launch a military intervention at any time in case of escalation against Gaza”.

“Our hands are on the trigger,” he added.

The Houthis, who control most of western Yemen, including capital city Sanaa, have launched attacks throughout the Gaza war in stated solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Since November 2023, the group has carried out more than 100 attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and launched missiles and drones towards Israel. It said it would limit attacks after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal aimed at ending the war last month.

But the fragile deal, still in the first of three phases, is looking increasingly shaky amid Israel’s repeated violations of its terms.

On Monday, Hamas announced that it would stop releasing Israeli captives over the violations, which include killings, restrictions on allowing wounded people to leave Gaza for treatment, and a failure to allow in sufficient aid. The group added it would continue to honour the terms of the agreement if Israel comes into compliance.

The situation spiralled further, with US President Donald Trump saying that if Hamas did not release all Israeli captives by noon on Saturday, he would propose cancelling the truce and “let hell break out”.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated Trump’s threat, saying in a video statement that the military would “return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated”.

Speaking after a four-hour cabinet meeting, the Israeli leader also added he had ordered Israeli troops to gather “inside and around the Gaza Strip”.

Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz had already instructed the military to be at the highest level of readiness in Gaza.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed a confirmed nearly 48,200 people and injured 111,640, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to at least 61,700 people, saying thousands who were missing under the rubble are now presumed dead.

Russia releases jailed US national Marc Fogel

The deal to release Fogel, who was designated as wrongfully detained by the US State Department, was negotiated by President Donald Trump, Special Envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff, “and the President’s advisers,” according to a statement from national security adviser Mike Waltz.

The statement did not provide any details about the “exchange,” other than to say it was “a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.”

“We were treated very nicely by Russia, actually,” Trump said in the Oval Office later Tuesday.

“I hope that’s the beginning of a relationship where we can end that war and millions of people can stop being killed,” he added.

The White House posted a photo late Tuesday of Fogel stepping off a plane at Joint Base Andrews with an American flag draped across his shoulders.

In an extraordinary move, Witkoff personally went to Russia to bring back Fogel, Waltz’s statement indicated. There has been no known high-level US travel to Russia since the start of the war in Ukraine in February 2022.

Witkoff, who is Trump’s Middle East envoy and didn’t have previously known official dealings with Russia, was involved in part because he leveraged relationships in the Middle East to further the agreement, according to two people briefed on the discussions.

Witkoff has crisscrossed the region in recent months working on the Gaza ceasefire accord, notably in Qatar, a primary mediator. Doha was involved in helping Witkoff and the administration with Tuesday’s exchange deal through introductions Qataris made to Russian intermediaries, the people briefed said.

“By tonight, Marc Fogel will be on American soil and reunited with his family and loved ones thanks to President Trump’s leadership,” Waltz’s statement read.

Fogel worked for nearly a decade as a history teacher at the Anglo-American School in Moscow, where children of US diplomats were among his students.

He was arrested in August 2021 at an airport in Moscow after he was found carrying cannabis. He had traveled into the country with about 17 grams of cannabis, which his family and lawyer said was recommended by a doctor to treat “severe spinal pain.”

In June 2022, he was found guilty in a court just outside Moscow of committing “large-scale drugs smuggling” and given a 14-year sentence at a Russian hard labor camp. The same court held the trial of detained WNBA player Brittney Griner, who was released in a prisoner swap in December 2022.

Fogel was not included in multiple prisoner swaps under the Joe Biden administration, including one in August that saw the release of journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that while Fogel’s release and an end to the war in Ukraine are not linked, he thinks it’s a good sign that Russia was willing to cooperate.

“It’s a long way to go between here and there. It’s not going to be easy,” Rubio said of ending the war.

“And again, I don’t want to claim that what’s happening here tonight is in any way the first step towards that, but I do think it’s a good sign that the Russians were willing to do something in this regard, and hopefully we can build on that in the days to come.”

Rubio added he didn’t think anybody can assign a timeline to the nearly three-year war ending.

“We don’t just want to see it end. We want to see it end in a way that’s sustainable.”

The news of the “exchange” with Moscow comes as Trump has suggested he could try to bring about an end to the war in Ukraine in ways that are unsettling to Kyiv.

Iran UN Envoy condemns Trump’s threat to use force against Tehran

Iravani said Trump’s reckless and inflammatory statements flagrantly violate international law and the UN Charter.

“Upon the instructions from my Government, I am writing to draw the Security Council’s attention to deeply alarming and irresponsible remarks made by the President of the United States, in which he openly threatened the use of force against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Iravani stated.

Trump said he would prefer to make a deal with Iran rather than “bombing the hell out of it,” in a media interview published on Saturday.

“I would like a deal done with Iran on non-nuclear. I would prefer that to bomb the hell out of it,” Trump told the New York Post, adding, “They don’t want to die. Nobody wants to die.”

In yet another belligerent statement, during an interview with Fox News on Monday, Trump reiterated the same language of war.

“I would like to make a deal without bombing them.”

Iravani stated that Trump’s “reckless and inflammatory statements flagrantly violate international law and the UN Charter, particularly Article 2(4), which prohibits threats or use of force against sovereign states.”

The Iranian diplomat also slammed Trump’s so-called maximum pressure” policy against Iran as a blatant violation of fundamental principles and norms of international law.

“Such provocation is further compounded by the so-called ‘maximum pressure’ policy, outlined in the National Security Presidential Memorandum (NSPM) of 4 February 2025. This policy reinforces unlawful, unilateral coercive measures and escalates hostility against Iran, blatantly violating fundamental principles and norms of international law,” he added.

Iravani called on the Security Council not to remain silent in the face of such brazen rhetoric and condemned it unequivocally.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran firmly rejects and condemns this reckless threat. The UN Security Council must not remain silent in the face of such brazen rhetoric, as normalizing the threat to use force sets a dangerous precedent and must be unequivocally condemned,” he said.

He warned that any act of aggression against Iran will have severe consequences, for which the US will bear full responsibility.

He emphasized that Iran will resolutely defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests against any hostile action.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran warns that any act of aggression will have severe consequences, for which the US will bear full responsibility. As a responsible member of the United Nations, committed to upholding peace, security, and international cooperation, Iran will resolutely defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national interests against any hostile action,” Iravani added.

Trump’s threats came a few days after he signed an order seeking to cut Iran’s oil exports to zero, while also claiming that he wanted to work towards a nuclear deal.

The directive is part of broader sanctions re-imposed after Trump unilaterally withdrew Washington from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018.

Also responding to Trump’s threat, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that the country “does not seek war… but will not yield to foreign pressure.”

He further criticized the US president’s claim of willingness to hold talks with Iran while simultaneously restoring his so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran.

“Trump says let’s have a dialogue, and then … he signs and announces all possible conspiracies to bring the [Islamic] Revolution to its knees,” Pezeshkian added.

Israel threatens to resume ‘intense’ fighting if captives not returned

Gaza War

“The military will return to intense fighting until Hamas is finally defeated,” he said in a video statement after a four-hour cabinet meeting.

“Last night, I ordered the IDF to assemble forces inside and around the Gaza Strip,” he added.

The statement comes a day after US President Donald Trump threatened to cancel the ceasefire if Israeli captives are not released, telling reporters on Monday that “all hell is going to break out” if they are not returned.

The statements come after Hamas announced it would delay the release of the next tranche of captives “until further notice”, accusing Israel of failing to comply with the terms of the truce deal.

Trump had also expressed frustration at the conditions of the recent batch of Israeli captives released by Hamas, noting his scepticism regarding whether the remaining captives are alive.

“I think a lot of the hostages are dead,” he said.

Trump has stated that he doesn’t think Hamas will return the captives and reiterated that if they aren’t returned, then “all bets are off”.

Israel’s war on Gaza has killed a confirmed nearly 48,200 people and injured 111,640, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. The Government Media Office has updated the death toll to at least 61,700 people, saying thousands who were missing under the rubble are now presumed dead.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November last year for Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

Moscow claims Kiev plotting to drag NATO into war

In a statement on Tuesday, the SVR claimed that Kiev plans to use Russian-made naval mines to orchestrate an explosion involving a foreign vessel in the Baltic Sea. The alleged goal is to blame Moscow and prompt NATO to restrict Russia’s access to the Baltic on the pretext of ensuring maritime security.

NATO has been increasing its military activities along Eastern Europe’s borders in recent years, citing security concerns over Russia. Last month, it announced plans to expand its presence in the Baltic Sea, launching a new mission to safeguard undersea infrastructure following a series of disruptions and damage to cables between member states.

Russia, which perceives the Baltic Sea as a strategic area for its naval operations and energy exports, has vowed to do everything necessary to protect its interests. Last year, Nikolay Patrushev, the former head of the Russian Security Council who currently serves as an aide to President Vladimir Putin, warned that NATO is using its newest members, Sweden and Finland, to turn the Baltic into an “internal sea” under Western control.

Moscow has stressed that it has no intention of attacking any NATO member states, but has criticized the military buildups on its border. It has also warned that direct confrontation between Russia and NATO could escalate into a nuclear conflict, adding that it will respond to any hostile moves.

In its statement, the SVR also alleged that Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), in collaboration with intelligence agencies from several European countries, is planning attacks on Russian “non-systemic opposition” figures and businessmen residing abroad.

The plan reportedly involves recruiting perpetrators from Asian and Middle Eastern countries, offering up to $20,000 for participation, with instructions to blame the Russian intelligence services if apprehended.

Russia has accused Ukraine of planning various provocations in order to blame Moscow. Ukraine has dismissed the claims as propaganda. In recent months, Russia’s security services have on numerous occasions arrested Ukrainian agents tasked with targeting prominent public figures.

The SVR cited reports indicating that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and his associates are willing to resort to provocations to preserve their positions.

“To this end, the Kiev regime will not only actively hinder peace settlement processes but is also prepared to extend hostilities far beyond Ukraine’s borders,” it noted.

Zelensky remains in office despite his term expiring last May. He has refused to step down and postponed elections, citing martial law, which was imposed in 2022 following the escalation of the conflict with Russia.

In a separate report this month, the SVR claimed that NATO is exploring ways to remove Zelensky from power by undermining his credibility before potential elections next year. It claimed that some Western officials see him as a roadblock to peace talks with Moscow.

Moscow has expressed willingness to engage in peace talks, though Putin has insisted that negotiating with the current Ukrainian leadership will not have any legal meaning.

Iranian journalists Elaheh Mohammadi, Niloofar Hamedi granted Leader’s amnesty

Journalists Nilufar Hamedi (l) and Elaheh Mohammadi (r)

According to the statement, their cases were reviewed and placed in the proposed list of pardons, which was subsequently approved by Iran’s Supreme Leader after being submitted by the head of the Judiciary.

The Judiciary also stated that Mohammadi and Hamedi had written a letter to the Chief of the Judiciary, expressing remorse for their past actions.

In the letter, they pledged not to engage in any unlawful activities and expressed regret for their previous conduct, which had led to their convictions.

Mohammadi had received a 6-year sentence for cooperating with the hostile government of the United States, 5 years for conspiracy against the security of the country, and 1 year for propagating activities against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Hamedi had been sentenced to 7 years for collaborating with the hostile government of the United States, 5 years for conspiracy against the country’s security, and 1 year for propagandizing against the Islamic Republic of Iran.

UN Secretary-General stresses resumption of hostilities in Gaza must be avoided ‘at all costs’

António Guterres

“We must avoid at all costs the resumption of hostilities in Gaza that would lead to an immense tragedy,” Guterres said.

He also called on Hamas to follow through with the scheduled release of hostages next Saturday.

Guterres emphasized the need for “both sides” to uphold the ceasefire and resume “serious negotiations in Doha for the second phase.”

The UN chief’s remarks came amid heightened concerns over the fragile truce, as international mediators work to secure lasting peace in the region.

A three-phase ceasefire has been in effect in Gaza since January 19, pausing Israel’s assault that has killed over 48,000 people and devastated the region.

In the first phase, lasting until early March, 33 Israeli hostages are set to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, with the sixth swap planned this week.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over war crimes in Gaza.

US President Donald Trump has warned that the Gaza ceasefire deal should be cancelled if all the Israeli captives are not released by Saturday.

His statement came after Hamas suspended the next release of captives held in Gaza indefinitely, accusing Israel of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement, including by continuing to kill Palestinians and obstructing the delivery of humanitarian aid.

The moves sparked protests in Tel Aviv, while the Israeli military says it has cancelled leave for its troops and is increasing its forces around the Gaza Strip.