RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Ukrainian forces encircled in Kursk Region – Russia’s top general

Ukrainian forces in Kursk Region, western Russia, have been encircled and isolated, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said on Tuesday. He added that 86% of the territory has been liberated, and that the systematic destruction of enemy forces is underway.

Gerasimov reported on the situation in Kursk Region during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at one of the command posts in the area.

Over the past five days, Russia’s ‘North’ military grouping took control of 24 settlements and 259 square kilometers of territory, Gerasimov said. In certain areas, Russian forces have advanced and crossed into Ukraine’s Sumy Region.

He also said that the Ukrainian army suffered 67,000 casualties in the area.

Gerasimov added that in the nearest future Ukrainian troops would be defeated in Kursk and that Moscow’s forces would reach the border. He said that enemy soldiers were surrendering, with 430 prisoners already taken.

Putin stated that Ukrainian prisoners should be treated “as terrorists in accordance with Russian law.”

The visit came just hours after media reports about the liberation of Sudzha – the biggest city held by the Ukrainians in Kursk Region. Videos on social media appear to show Russian troops raising a flag in the city center. According to some reports, the fighting is ongoing in the western and northwestern outskirts of Sudzha.

Earlier this week, the Russian military recaptured 12 settlements and over 100 square kilometers of land in a surprise attack that also allowed them to retake Sudzha’s industrial zone. The operation was in preparation for months and involved around 800 soldiers walking several miles through an empty gas pipeline to infiltrate Ukrainian positions.

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Cautious Russia weighs Ukraine ceasefire plan as US tries to seal a deal

The Kremlin said on Wednesday it would review details from Washington about a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine before responding, while U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoped a deal would be struck within days.

As Moscow considered the plan, President Vladimir Putin, dressed in military fatigues, made a surprise visit to Russia's Kursk region for the first time since Ukrainian troops captured part of it last year.

With Putin's presence highlighting recent Russian advances in Kursk, Valery Gerasimov, head of Russia's General Staff, told the Kremlin leader his troops had repelled Ukrainian forces from 86% of the ground they once held in Kursk. Ukraine had hoped to use that territory as a bargaining chip in any peace talks with Moscow.

The U.S. on Tuesday agreed to resume weapons supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv said at talks in Saudi Arabia that it was ready to support a ceasefire proposal.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said it was carefully studying the results of that meeting and awaited details from the U.S.

Rubio said the United States was hoping for a positive response, and that if the answer was "no" then it would tell Washington a lot about the Kremlin's true intentions.

Speaking to reporters when his plane refueled in Ireland, Rubio said on Wednesday: "Here’s what we’d like the world to look like in a few days: Neither side is shooting at each other, not rockets, not missiles, not bullets, nothing ... and the talking starts."

Two people familiar with the matter said Russia has presented Washington with a list of demands for a deal to end the Ukraine war and reset relations with the United States.

The specific demands were not clear, nor whether Russia, which holds just under a fifth of Ukraine, was willing to enter peace talks with Kyiv prior to their acceptance.

The people said the demands were similar to previous Kremlin terms including no NATO membership for Kyiv, recognition of Russia's claim to Crimea and four Ukrainian provinces and an agreement that foreign troops not be deployed in Ukraine.

Rubio said that Europe would have to be involved in any security guarantee for Ukraine, and that the sanctions Europe has imposed would also be on the table.

After a meeting of five European defence ministers, British defence minister John Healey on Wednesday told reporters that work was accelerating on a "coalition of the willing from Europe and beyond" to support Ukraine. French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu said about 15 countries had expressed interest.

In Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy hailed this week's meeting in Saudi Arabia as constructive, and said a potential 30-day ceasefire with Russia could be used to draft a broader peace deal.

After Russian forces made gains in Ukraine in 2024, Trump reversed U.S. policy on the war, launching bilateral talks with Moscow and suspending military assistance to Ukraine, demanding that it take steps to end the conflict.

Tuesday's agreement signaled a major improvement in U.S.-Ukraine relations after a clash between Trump and Zelenskiy at the White House last month sent them to a new low, but it did not alter the issues underlying the conflict with Russia, Ukrainian sources said.

RUSSIA WANTS ITS ADVANCES TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 has left hundreds of thousands of dead and injured, displaced millions of people, reduced towns to rubble and triggered the biggest confrontation between Moscow and the West in six decades.

During Putin's visit to Kursk, Gerasimov told him Russian forces had regained 1,100 square kilometers (425 square miles) of territory including 259 square kilometers in the last five days.

Kyiv's forces have been on the verge of losingtheir foothold in Kursk. Their main supply lines were cut and they ceded control of the town of Sudzha.

Putin called for Russia's forces to swiftly retake any remaining area from Kyiv's troops. He also made it clear he was considering the creation of a buffer zone in Ukraine's Sumy region, across the border from Kursk.

Deep State, an authoritative Ukrainian site that charts the frontlines of the war, updated its battlefield map to show Ukrainian forces were no longer in control of Sudzha. However, it said fighting was continuing on the outskirts.

Ukraine's top army commander said on Wednesday that Kyiv's troops will keep operating in Kursk region as long as needed and that fighting continued in and around Sudzha.

Putin has repeatedly said he is ready to talk about an end to the war and Trump says he thinks Putin is serious, though other Western leaders disagree.

Reuters reported in November that Putin was ready to negotiate a deal with Trump, but would refuse to make major territorial concessions and would insist Kyiv abandon ambitions to join NATO.

Ukraine says the regions claimed by Moscow have been annexed illegally and that it will never recognise Russian sovereignty over them.

Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the international affairs committee of the Federation Council, the upper house of Russia's parliament, said on Telegram that Russia's advances in Ukraine must be taken into account in any deal.

"Real agreements are still being written there, at the front. Which they should understand in Washington, too," he said.

RT/Reuters

In the latest plot twist in the case involving Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, it turned out that the head of the Ethics Committee, Neda Imasuen, who read out the punitive statement against Akpoti-Uduaghan has a soiled professional record. Yes, the man who claimed a woman had to be punished for “bringing the Senate’s presiding office and the entire Senate into public opprobrium” is a walking bag of ethical violations, alleged fraud, and fugitive? Who could have thought?

First, I must confess a grudging admiration for Imasuen. It takes chutzpah to speak so self-righteously about a colleague whose supposed sins pale beside yours. The confidence with which he read the statement shows he has learned that the best way to deflect from the log in one’s eye is to shout the loudest at the appearance of a speck in another’s eye. We must thank him for exposing himself. If he had managed to keep his head down and his mouth shut, perhaps the can of worms spilling out of his orifices would have stayed within. It is bad enough that a character like that was elected a senator, but it is far worse that he also heads the ethics committee! Is it not too much of an irony that the sundry allegations against him were also about ethical violation—first disbarred for professional misconduct and absconded from the USA shortly after the FBI linked him to a multi-million dollar fraud? And only God knows what other scandal will come out of him if you keep shaking!

It would have been shocking if this was an isolated case, but no, the Senate that threw a fit over Akpoti-Uduaghan’s supposedly bringing them to disrepute is full of unsavoury characters like Imasuen. Even Akpabio himself has an extended record of corruption allegations that have been put in abeyance. As long as he continues to play the obsequious politics his handlers need him for, his case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission remains frozen. His status and influence are tied to his serving the President rather than democracy.

Imasuen’s case is, of course, also similar to that of former Speaker of the House of Representatives and current Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. He too was a lawyer in the USA suspended (and later disbarred) for violating professional trust. The decision to permanently terminate his law license was ratified the same year he became the chief of staff. Nobody, of course, is naïve enough to wonder for even a minute why the President would keep someone so tainted that close. The reason birds of the same disreputable feather must flock together is self-evident.

Imasuen knew who he was and what he had to hide, and that was why he could proclaim that the petition accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment was “dead on arrival”. To scrutinise the conduct of the Senate’s presiding officer was to risk exposing his unflattering flank. Despite the precedents that should have instructed the committee that suspending a senator for six months is unconstitutional, they insisted on towing a discredit path. Rather than at least giving Akpoti-Uduaghan a fair hearing, he pronounced an unnecessarily harsh punishment. He is another legislative officer merely playing quid pro quo with the tools of the institution.

Now that Imasuen had no moral standing to either sit on a committee regulating the ethics of the National Assembly or pronounce judgment on a colleague, can the decision on Akpoti-Uduaghan now be rescinded? That will be the fair thing to do in the light of developments.

It will be too complicated to get him out of the Senate based on the allegations of the crime committed elsewhere (which should have been raised before his election), but someone that ethically tainted is too unfit to have the privilege of regulating the ethics of an institution like the Senate. He should be removed from leadership positions and consigned to being just a floor member. If the concerns that certain actions by lawmakers can bring the Senate to disrepute are sincere, then Imasuen should be yanked from every position of responsibility. If the Senator’s case against Akpoti-Uduaghan was truly about instituting the rules she supposedly violated and not a personal attack on her, then the Senate should immediately move to relieve Imasuen of his position and recall every decision he made as the ethics committee leader.

That brings me to another point about the misogyny that has attended the Akpoti-Uduaghan case. I never knew so many bad-mannered and uncouth men could still appear on television in 2025 until recently. Under the pretext of commenting on legislative issues, all manner of scum bags went on TV to pour their misogynistic innards into the public space. It was a shame to see.

The most irritating commenter of the misogynistic lot is Mrs Oluremi Tinubu who thinks women suffer sexual harassment because they invite it. But when she had an altercation with fellow Senator Dino Melaye in 2017, and he made some demeaning comments bordering on sexual assault about her, was it also because she failed to set boundaries with him? Women like Mrs Tinubu are the exact reason I do not believe that pushing more women to occupy leadership positions will necessarily lead to female progress in the country. Those kinds of women play identity politics just to get into places of power only for their politics to pander to oppressive norms rather than disrupt them. Their understanding of “gender empowerment” never goes beyond the rudimentary idea of gifting women money and a few household items. Advocacy for women would be better off soliciting reasonable men than relying on these “pick me” women whose ideological incoherence set the course of feminine progress back by a century.

She is not the only woman whose intervention on this issue has been more of indulging male sensibilities than offering insights. I wished the women who appeared on television to speak on this issue had spoken the way some of the men did rather than merely pander. When men have gone on television to talk about this issue, some of them said the worst things and with utmost confidence too. I wish the women who got a chance did the same. Those men could say misogynistic things on television because they have never heard their stupidity echoed back at them. Women need to speak like them for them to get it.

For instance, if a man can say a woman’s beauty is a problem for her, then women too should point out how a man’s ugliness can also be a source of his problem! Another moron, seeking to delegitimise Akpoti-Uduaghan, blatantly lied that she has had six children by six men. Akpabio also once pulled that card on television when talking about a woman. If men can be so confidently coarse, women should be able to mirror their words back to them rather than being apologetic. Talk about the number of children the man has out of wedlock; ask him if he has stopped cheating on his wife. When they go low, do not go high; kick them in the face like rabid dogs.

One simpleton said this issue of sexual harassment undermines the credibility of women in politics, and it might get to a point where they ought to be tested for emotional stability to qualify for leadership. But does Imasuen’s case also not prove that men are professionally and ethically unqualified? From Bola Tinubu to Akpabio to Gbajabiamila, there is far more evidence to prove that men are too unscrupulous, venal and felonious to be leaders. It is not women who should be examined for mental stability before they are elected; it is men who should be made to undergo a virtue test with a psychiatrist to determine if there is something about their male hormones that predisposes them to avarice.

If women talk about men the way men talk about women, it will get to a point where obtuse men will finally begin to realise how ridiculous they sound when they talk about women.

Punch

Josie Hannett & Alex Bish

An Albanian national who travelled to the UK illegally has told the BBC how his life became "unbearable" after he ended up working on a cannabis farm.

Gzim, who wished to remain anonymous, was one of more than 12,600 Albanians who made the trip to the UK by small boat in 2022 - the peak year for English Channel migrant crossings.

Last year the number of Albanians that made the dangerous journey dropped to just 616 people, following a campaign by the UK and Albanian governments.

Gzim says he is speaking out to warn others, as the UK government relaunches a social media campaign aimed at warning Albanians who enter illegally of possible hardships in the UK.

He says he found a smuggler on TikTok who agreed to help him make the journey to England, and after travelling to France via buses, he arrived in Dunkirk, where a boat was launched to Dover.

He says his cousins, who were already in the UK, paid the smuggler £3,500 for him to cross the channel.

After being placed in a hotel, he says he was able to leave unnoticed to work on a cannabis farm.

He said: "I wanted a better life, to help my family, like all the other people who have done this journey.

"I knew the risks involved with this kind of business, but I hoped that I wouldn't be unlucky."

He says the cannabis farm was broken into and because of this he didn't get paid.

Gzim moved into a construction role where he says he felt forced to take a lower wage - not enough to cover his own expenses and support his family back home.

Five months after arriving in the UK he said it got so "unbearable" he decided to return to Albania.

He added: "I dreamed of other things. I hoped I would make it.

"Nobody wants to leave his homeland. Nobody wants to leave his people and his friends. But in Albania it is a war of survival and I didn't have any other choice."

New social media adverts are highlighting stories of migrants who entered the UK illegally "only to face debt and exploitation".

This approach originally started in 2023 under the Conservative government.

It followed a cooperation agreement signed by the UK and Albania under the previous government to try and reduce illegal migration.

The numbers on small boats had already started to fall before the agreement was struck.

The National Crime Agency said the reduction in crossings is due to a number of different factors, including law enforcement activity, deportations, diminished demand for travel to the UK and potential displacement to other methods.

Last year more than 2,600 people were returned to Albania, more than any other nationality.

Balkans expert Andi Hoxhaj told a committee of MPs in 2022 that he estimated about 40% of people leave Albania for "economic opportunities".

Lavdrim Krashi, an MP in the ruling Socialist Party, said some people had been lured on social media by promises of a better life in Britain.

He told the BBC: "The promotion was made to especially young people to come to the UK and if you make it there, don't worry about any finances because money really grows on trees, and we know that's not the case.

"The numbers travelling illegally has drastically reduced in the last few years, but always more can be done," he said.

"It's not in our interest to lose our young people, we want to make them thrive in the Albanian economy."

Families left behind

But there are also ongoing concerns about Albanians being trafficked into the UK.

They are still among the most common nationalities referred to the National Referral Mechanism as potential modern day slaves.

Jorida Tabaku, an opposition MP from the Democratic Party said: "When people go there they face a different reality.

"A lot of them are paying very much to go to the UK, a lot of them are leaving families behind because they are unemployed men."

Albanian TV journalist Eraldo Harlicaj says depopulation of the country has been an issue for years.

"We have lots of problems here again.

"Nothing has changed about Albania from 2022 when we had the peak of illegal migration," he said.

"Most of the young Albanians who wanted to go to England are in England, so we don't have any more to send."

Since 2022 the British Embassy has invested £6m in a project aimed at stemming the flow of people leaving northern Albania for a life of illegal working in the UK.

The New Perspectives programme is designed to create job and business opportunities.

Vasyl Chornyi, the team leader, said: "There are organised criminal groups using their social media, trying to lure people into trafficking scheme.

"Trying to change the narrative with a positive image that people can make their life here is extremely important," he added.

The project provides business mentoring and coaches people in employment and entrepreneurship skills.

Albert Halilaj, the Mayor of Kukës said: "The number of immigrants going abroad is falling down. The young people of Kukës are not looking to migrate anymore.

"Tourism is the sole focus of the future of Kukës, and i'd like to make a public call to all the immigrants abroad that they can return here and they will find support for their investments in every field."

The migration agreement with Britain has also resulted in closer co-operation to tackle people smuggling.

Head of the Albanian Border and Migration Police, Saimir Boshnjaku, said: "Albanian law enforcement officers have been deployed in the UK, especially in Dover, to support the British authorities".

A network of UK-funded cameras has also been installed on the Albania-Kosovo border to tackle illegal migration and criminal gangs.

The equipment includes a fleet of drones and number plate recognition cameras to recognise British vehicles which criminals use to avoid detection by the local police.

Minister for Europe, Stephen Doughty said: "By working directly with Albanian communities, we are discouraging the dangerous journeys to the UK.

"Together with tougher border controls and cracking down on people-smuggling gangs, the government is focused on the international challenge and delivering on its Plan for Change."

BBC

The 2024 State of the Nation Report has revealed that Nigeria’s life expectancy remains critically low at 54.6 years, significantly below the global average of 73.3 years. This is a stark difference of 18.7 years.

The report, released on Tuesday in Abuja, highlights the devastating interplay of economic hardship, widespread insecurity, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure as key factors driving this alarming statistic. Against the backdrop of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, which have exacerbated hunger and poverty, the report underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the nation’s deepening crises.

Economic Policies and Rising Poverty

President Tinubu’s administration has implemented a series of economic measures, including the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, which have led to skyrocketing inflation and a sharp increase in the cost of living. While the report notes a growth in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to N60.9 trillion in 2024, with a growth rate of 3.19%, the benefits of this growth remain starkly uneven. Approximately 63% of Nigerians continue to live in multidimensional poverty, struggling with inadequate access to healthcare, education, and basic living standards.

The economic policies, though aimed at stabilizing the economy, have disproportionately affected the most vulnerable populations. Rising food prices and unemployment have pushed millions deeper into poverty, with young people aged 15 to 24 years facing an unemployment rate of 8.4%. Young women are particularly affected, further exacerbating gender disparities in access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Insecurity and Its Toll on Life Expectancy

The report also highlights the pervasive insecurity plaguing Nigeria, with armed conflicts, banditry, and kidnappings cutting short lives across multiple geopolitical zones. Communities in the North-West, North-East, and parts of the South are particularly affected, with thousands displaced and many more living in constant fear. This insecurity not only directly contributes to mortality but also disrupts healthcare delivery, agricultural activities, and access to essential services, further worsening health outcomes.

Health Challenges and Gender Disparities

Communicable diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis remain significant contributors to Nigeria’s disease burden, negatively impacting life expectancy. The report notes a slight gender disparity in life expectancy, with women living an average of 54.9 years compared to men’s 54.3 years, consistent with global trends. However, women in rural areas face higher poverty levels, limited access to healthcare, and lower educational attainment, which further compounds their vulnerability.

The fertility rate, at 4.8 children per woman, remains among the highest in the world, with rural areas recording an even higher rate of 5.6. This reflects disparities in access to education and family planning services, as well as cultural norms that perpetuate early marriages and large family sizes.

Urbanization and Its Challenges

Urbanization continues at a rapid pace, with 54% of Nigerians now living in urban areas. While this shift is driven by the search for better economic opportunities and access to essential services, it has also led to infrastructure strain, pollution, and the growth of informal settlements. Cities like Abuja, Lagos, Kano which are rapidly expanding, face significant challenges in providing adequate housing, sanitation, and healthcare to their growing populations.

Call for Action

The report emphasizes the need for continued investment in healthcare, education, and social safety nets to address the root causes of Nigeria’s low life expectancy. It calls for targeted interventions to reduce poverty, improve access to healthcare, and address the gender and age disparities that perpetuate inequality. Additionally, the report highlights the urgent need to tackle insecurity, which remains a major barrier to development and a significant contributor to premature deaths.

Conclusion

Nigeria’s life expectancy of 54.6 years is a stark reminder of the nation’s ongoing struggles with poverty, insecurity, and inadequate healthcare. While economic growth is a positive indicator, the benefits must be more equitably distributed to ensure that all Nigerians can lead healthy and fulfilling lives. President Tinubu’s administration faces a critical juncture: to either recalibrate its economic policies to prioritize the welfare of its citizens or risk further entrenching the cycles of poverty and insecurity that continue to cut lives short. The time for decisive action is now.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended senator representing Kogi Central, has escalated her legal battle against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the international stage. During the Women in Parliament session at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting held at the United Nations in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed her allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of office against Akpabio, seeking justice and the intervention of global democratic institutions.

The lawmaker described her suspension from the Senate as illegal and expressed fears that she could be detained upon her return to Nigeria for speaking out at the international forum. Her suspension came after she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office, allegations he has vehemently denied.

The conflict between the two lawmakers reached a boiling point last Thursday when the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan following a seat arrangement dispute on February 20, 2025.

Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio and challenged her suspension in court. A Federal High Court in Abuja granted her an interim order restraining the Senate’s disciplinary committee from proceeding with its investigation, with the case adjourned to March 10, 2025.

However, on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Senate committee dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition against Akpabio, citing procedural violations and legal constraints. The committee declared the petition “dead on arrival,” but Akpoti-Uduaghan re-submitted the petition the following day, vowing to continue her fight for justice.

Allegations and Counteractions

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations have sparked a heated debate in Nigeria’s political landscape, with many calling for transparency and accountability in the Senate. Her decision to take the matter to the United Nations highlights the gravity of the situation and her determination to seek redress beyond Nigeria’s borders.

The Senate President has consistently denied the allegations, labeling them as baseless and politically motivated. Meanwhile, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team has argued that her suspension and the dismissal of her petition are attempts to silence her and undermine her quest for justice.

Implications for Nigeria’s Democracy

The case has drawn significant attention to issues of gender-based violence, abuse of power, and the treatment of whistleblowers in Nigeria’s political system. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s bold move to involve international bodies underscores the challenges faced by women in politics and the need for stronger mechanisms to address harassment and discrimination.

As the legal battle continues, the case serves as a litmus test for Nigeria’s commitment to upholding democratic principles and protecting the rights of its citizens, particularly women in leadership positions. The outcome of this high-profile dispute could have far-reaching implications for accountability and governance in the country.

Conclusion

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to bring her case against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the United Nations marks a significant escalation in her fight for justice. Her allegations of sexual harassment and abuse of office have ignited a national conversation about power dynamics, gender equality, and the rule of law in Nigeria. As the legal proceedings unfold, the case will undoubtedly remain a focal point in the ongoing struggle for transparency and accountability in Nigerian politics.

Israeli fire kills four Palestinians in Gaza, amid new ceasefire talks

An Israeli air strike killed four Palestinians in Gaza on Tuesday, the territory's civil emergency service said, as Arab mediators and the United States tried to hammer out differences between Hamas and Israel over a January 19 ceasefire agreement.

The Israeli military said its air force attacked "terrorists who were engaged in a suspicious activity on the ground in central Gaza and posed a threat to the force."

Israel sent a delegation to the Qatari capital, Doha, for more ceasefire talks, and Hamas leaders ended a round of talks in Cairo earlier this week. But there has been no sign of a breakthrough to resolve the disputes that threaten a return to armed conflict.

Fighting in Gaza has been halted since January 19 under a first phase of the truce, and Hamas has exchanged 33 Israeli hostages and five Thais for some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

Hamas wants to begin talks on a second phase that was supposed to reach an agreement over Israel's full pullout from the enclave. Israel demands that Hamas free the remaining hostages without beginning phase two negotiations.

On Tuesday, Hamas accused Israel of trying to cause famine in Gaza by continuing to suspend the entry of aid and also by its decision to sever its last working line of electricity to the enclave, a move that impacted a water desalination and sewage treatment facility.

"We call on mediators to pressure the occupation to abide by its pledges and open the crossings immediately, to ensure the flow of humanitarian aid and end the policy of collective punishment pursued by the occupation authorities against our people," it said in a statement.

Israel cut aid flows of food, medicine, and fuel imports earlier this month, a move it said was designed to pressure militant group Hamas in ceasefire talks. On Sunday, it announced an electricity cut, which aid groups say would deprive Gazans of clean water.

There is a risk that Gaza will experience another hunger crisis if Israel continues to block aid, the head of the U.N. Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA) in Gaza said on Monday, warning the situation is quickly deteriorating.

"I think the more we go ahead (with aid blockages), the more we will see the impact increasing on the population. And obviously, the risk ... is that we go back to situation we experienced months ago about deepening hunger in the Gaza Strip," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

The Islamist militant group carried out a cross-border raid into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering an Israeli offensive into the Gaza Strip that has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

Hamas militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

US to resume security support to Ukraine as Kyiv says it is ready to accept ceasefire proposal

The United States agreed on Tuesday to resume military aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Kyiv said it was ready to support Washington's proposal for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, the countries said in a joint statement.

After more than eight hours of talks with Ukrainian officials in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would now take the offer to Russia, and the ball is in Moscow's court.

"Our hope is that the Russians will answer 'yes' as quickly as possible, so we can get to the second phase of this, which is real negotiations," Rubio told reporters, referring to U.S. President Donald Trump.

The Kremlin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine three years ago, and Russia, which has been making advances, now holds around a fifth of Ukraine's territory, including Crimea, which it annexed in 2014.

Rubio said Washington wanted a full agreement with both Russia and Ukraine "as soon as possible."

"Every day that goes by, this war continues, people die, people are bombed, people are hurt on both sides of this conflict," he said.

How Moscow would respond was far from certain.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he is open to discussing a peace deal, but he and his diplomats have repeatedly stated they are against a ceasefire and would seek a deal that safeguards Russia's long-term security.

Putin told his Security Council on January 20 that there "should not be a short truce, not some kind of respite for regrouping forces and rearmament with the aim of subsequently continuing the conflict, but a long-term peace."

He has also ruled out territorial concessions and said Ukraine must withdraw fully from four Ukrainian regions claimed and partly controlled by Russia.

"Any agreements - with all the understanding of the need for compromise - on our terms, not on American," an influential Russian lawmaker said on Wednesday.

The Russian foreign ministry said after the U.S-Ukraine talks on Tuesday only that it did not rule out contacts with U.S. representatives.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who was in Saudi Arabia but did not participate in the talks, said the ceasefire was a "positive proposal," that covers the frontline in the conflict, not just fighting by air and sea.

WILL RUSSIA AGREE?

The Ukrainian leader said the ceasefire would take effect as soon as Russia agreed.

"When the agreements come into force, during these 30 days of 'silence,' we will have time to prepare with our partners at the level of working documents all the aspects for reliable peace and long-term security," Zelenskiy said.

Rubio said the plan would be delivered to the Russians through multiple channels. Trump's national security adviser, Mike Waltz, was due to meet his Russian counterpart in the coming days and Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff plans to visit Moscow this week to meet Putin.

On Tuesday, Trump said he hoped for a swift ceasefire and thought he would talk to Putin this week. "I hope it'll be over the next few days," he told reporters at a White House event to promote his close adviser Elon Musk's Tesla car company.

The U.S.-Ukraine agreement was a sharp turnaround from an acrimonious White House meeting on February 28 between the new Republican U.S. president, who has long been a Ukraine aid skeptic, and Zelenskiy.

In Tuesday's joint statement, the two countries said they agreed to conclude as soon as possible a comprehensive agreement for developing Ukraine’s critical mineral resources, which had been in the works and was thrown into limbo by that meeting.

Following that encounter, the United States cut off intelligence sharing and weapons shipments to Ukraine, underlining Trump's willingness to pressure a U.S. ally as he pivots to a more conciliatory approach to Moscow.

Trump said on Tuesday he would invite Zelenskiy back to the White House.

Ukrainian officials said late on Tuesday that both U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing had resumed.

EUROPEAN PARTNERS

A top aide to Zelenskiy said options for security guarantees to Ukraine were discussed with U.S. officials. Security guarantees have been one of Kyiv's key aims, and some European countries have expressed willingness to explore sending troops to Ukraine if necessary as part of the guarantees.

In the joint statement, Ukraine reiterated that European partners should be involved in the peace process. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will be at the White House on Thursday.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, who took part in the Jeddah talks, said that afterwards he talked to several European foreign ministers "about the outcomes of the milestone meeting."

On Wednesday, Sybiha travels to Poland, Ukraine's neighbour and a NATO member, that has been a steadfast supporter of Kyiv since the start of the war.

"It seems like the Americans and Ukrainians have taken an important step towards peace. And Europe stands ready to help reach a just and lasting peace," Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X.

Waltz said the initial resumption of military assistance for Ukraine would involve equipment from U.S. stockpiles approved by former U.S. President Joe Biden and stopped by Trump.

As the diplomacy plays out, Ukraine's battlefield positions have been under heavy pressure, particularly in Russia's Kursk region where Moscow's forces have launched a push to flush out Kyiv's troops, which had been trying to hold a patch of land as a bargaining chip.

Ukraine overnight launched its biggest drone attack on Moscow and the surrounding region yet, showing Kyiv can also land major blows after a steady stream of Russian missile and drone attacks, one of which killed 14 people on Saturday.

The Tuesday attack, in which 337 drones were downed over Russia, killed at least three employees of a meat warehouse and caused a short shutdown at Moscow's four airports.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Civilian death toll from Ukrainian mass-drone attack rises

The death toll from a major multi-wave Ukrainian drone attack on civilian sites in the area of the Russian capital has risen to three, after a 43-year-old man succumbed to his injuries in the hospital, Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyov reported on Tuesday.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, a total of 337 Ukrainian drones were neutralized on Tuesday night, with 91 of them intercepted over Moscow Region.

In a Telegram post, Vorobyov stated that the deceased man suffered a stomach wound, a broken shoulder, and a shin injury from shrapnel after drone debris fell into a parking lot. “Doctors fought for his life until the very end,”he wrote.

The man is survived by his wife and five-year-old son. “We will make sure the family is well taken care of,” Vorobyov said.

Like the other two victims of the drone attack, he was an employee of the Russian company Miratorg. A security guard was killed instantly, while two other men succumbed to their wounds in the hospital.

Moscow was hit by the largest-ever wave of Ukrainian kamikaze drones on Tuesday night. Russian air defenses intercepted hundreds of UAVs, according to officials.

At least one residential high-rise in the capital sustained damage from falling debris, Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin confirmed. Outside the city, multiple buildings were also damaged, according to Vorobyov.

The Russian Investigative Committee has officially classified the Ukrainian operation as an act of terrorism. Moscow claims Kiev has resorted to such tactics due to setbacks on the battlefield.

First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Defense Committee Aleksey Zhuravlev told RIA Novosti that the “Kiev regime is close to its death throes” and will increasingly desperately attack Russia to escalate the conflict.

The attack came just hours before high-level discussions between US and Ukrainian officials are set to start in Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration has accused Vladimir Zelensky of stalling Washington’s efforts to broker a truce with Moscow by refusing to compromise.

Reuters/RT

Europe has been warned, and warned again.

Still, it has been reduced to a near-fainting fit — and, in the case of one German official, actual tears — over the Trump administration’s tough words about its deficient military spending and its moves to begin negotiating on its own with Russia over the Ukraine war.

In response, French President Emanuel Macron called an emergency summit of European leaders, which his advisers insisted wasn’t an emergency summit at all, but merely a rapidly assembled informal meeting.

Whatever the nomenclature, there are signs that Europe is beginning to get the memo — or, more precisely, beginning to read a memo that it’s been sent repeatedly for years and buried somewhere under piles of documents celebrating its own so-called soft power.

Back in 2011, Europe received a stern talking-to from a bumptious US official who insisted that it faced “a dim if not dismal future” and that NATO was headed for “irrelevance.”

This rude American was none other than President Barack Obama’s defense secretary, Robert Gates.

As a holdover from the George W. Bush administration, Gates was a figure with unassailable bipartisan credentials, yet sounded a little like Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

“The blunt reality,” Gates said in his speech, “is that there will be dwindling appetite and patience in the US Congress — and in the American body politic writ large — to expend increasingly precious funds on behalf of nations that are apparently unwilling to devote the necessary resources or make the necessary changes to be serious and capable partners in their own defense.”

In the form of the second Trump administration, the patience has dwindled to almost nothing. 

Serious countries need serious militaries, and a military alliance like NATO depends on the capabilities of its member countries.

This is so obvious, it should go without saying, but it’s been an inconvenient truth for a Europe that has preferred to spend on everything else while relying on the might of the United States for security and power projection.

NATO countries vowed that they’d spend at least 2% of GDP on defense back in 2014, yet only 23 of 32 NATO members have reached the threshold.

Poland and the Baltic states are among the top spenders, while France and Germany barely make 2%, and Canada and Italy are beneath it.

The trend has been upward but nowhere near adequate. According to the New York Times, “There is consensus among officials and analysts that Europe lacks crucial elements of defense like integrated air and missile defense, long-range precision artillery and missiles, satellites and air-to-air refueling tankers.”

Is that all?

President Trump is calling for 5% of GDP for NATO members, which has all the hallmarks of a tactic to get Europe as high as possible even if they don’t reach this benchmark (the US itself spends about 3.4%). NATO is planning to make 3% or 3.5% its goal later this year.

Trump and his team prefer vinegar to honey in making their case around the world. It may be needlessly abrasive, but there’s no doubt that it gets people’s attention.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte told member countries to stop “complaining” and come up with concrete, positive ideas, while Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said “Europe’s security is at a turning point” and Europe needs “an urgency mindset” and “a surge of defense.”

Even if Trump were less insistent about spending and had warmer feelings about the alliance, the fact is the United States may at some point be consumed with responding to a crisis in the Pacific, and Europe will have to be prepared to defend its backyard regardless.

If Europe won’t spend more for the sake of its own security or the good of the alliance, it should — when its embarrassing panic subsides — at least do it out of self-respect.

New York Post