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Ukraine Invasion
Defense Policy / Programs
Foreign Policy
News Reports

Ukraine Invasion

• Russian aerial attacks hit Kyiv, Sumy VOA 25 Feb 2025 -- Multiple regions of Ukraine came under aerial attack from Russian forces overnight, with officials in Kyiv and Sumy saying Tuesday there were injuries and damage to buildings.
• 3 years into Ukraine crisis, path to peace still laden with challenges People's Daily 25 Feb 2025 -- As the Ukraine crisis enters its fourth year, a comprehensive settlement remains fraught with challenges, driven by deep-rooted geopolitical divisions and competing interests.
• Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (25 February 2025) Russia MoD 25 Feb 2025
• Press release on the Ukrainian crisis resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 25 Feb 2025
• Kremlin Casts Doubt After Trump Says Putin OK With European Troops In Ukraine RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025 -- The Kremlin has declined to confirm a statement by U.S. President Donald Trump saying Russia is ready to "accept" European troops in Ukraine as part of a peace deal, although it left room for a potential agreement.
• Russia 'Reactivates' Secret Soviet-Era Submarine Base In Occupied Ukraine RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025 -- In a video posted on Telegram in early February, two floating barriers are shown at the entrance to the natural harbor at Balaklava in Russian-held Crimea.
• Putin says not opposed to Europeans' involvement in Ukraine talks Press TV 25 Feb 2025 -- Russian President Vladimir Putin says he is not opposed to Europeans' involvement in talks to end the war in Ukraine.

Defense Policy / Programs

• China upholds self-defense strategy, says FM on Putin's remarks to discuss halving defense spending with US Global Times 25 Feb 2025 -- China is committed to peaceful development. Its limited defense spending is completely out of the need of safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, and the need of maintaining world peace, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday, in response to a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin's remarks on discussing halving defense spending with US, who also mentioned that China could join in.
• Chinese FM responds to Putin's remarks to discuss halving defense spending with US Global Times 25 Feb 2025 -- In response to inquiry that Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday that he is ready to discuss US President Donald Trump's proposal to halve defense spending for both Russia and the US, and Putin also mentioned that China could join in, whether China supports this proposal and whether related topic was discussed during phone conversation between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Putin on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that China has released readout regarding phone conversation between President Xi and President Putin.

Foreign Policy

• Analysis: Trump Rips Up Longstanding Rulebook Of U.S.-Russia Relations RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025 -- The outlines of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to reach a peace deal on Ukraine may still be faint, but the fault lines between Europe and Washington are beginning to show after a week of unprecedented rhetoric directed at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
• Xi says bilateral ties show China, Russia good neighbors, true friends People's Daily 25 Feb 2025 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Monday that history and reality show that China and Russia are good neighbors that cannot be moved away, and true friends who share weal and woe, support each other and achieve common development.
• China slams new sanctions of EU, UK, Canada on Chinese entities over Russia-Ukraine conflict Global Times 25 Feb 2025 -- China expressed firm opposition and lodged serious protests to EU, the UK and Canada over their latest sanctions on Chinese entities, which they claimed supported the Russian military. A spokesperson from China's Foreign Ministry emphasized that normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian businesses should not be interfered with or affected.
• China has lodged representations over Canada's sanctions on Chinese entities allegedly supporting Russia: FM Global Times 25 Feb 2025 -- In response to inquiry regarding Canada's announcement to impose sanctions against 76 foreign entities and individuals for providing dual-use items to Russia, including more than 20 Chinese entities, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that Canada imposing sanctions on Chinese entities is completely unreasonable and is a serious mistake, emphasizing that China firmly opposes this and has lodged solemn representations with Canada.
• FM responds to EU sanctions on Chinese enterprises, lodges serious protests to EU Global Times 25 Feb 2025 -- In response to a question about the EU's sanctions on Chinese enterprises, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Tuesday that he has made clear China's attitude regarding relevant practices of Canada, and has also elaborated on China's position on the Ukrainian crisis. "I want to emphasize that China's position of clearly opposing illegal unilateral sanctions is consistent," Lin said, adding that normal exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and Russian enterprises should also not be interfered with or affected.
• Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 25 Feb 2025
• Iran's president vows to accelerate cooperation with Russia Press TV 25 Feb 2025 -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has pledged to elevate Iran-Russia relations by fast-tracking bilateral agreements and maintaining constructive interactions on regional affairs.
• Hope And Fear In Iran As Russia's Lavrov Visits Tehran RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025 -- Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, after a meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, said Tehran would not bow to pressure from the United States, a day after Washington imposed new sanctions on Iran's oil industry.
• Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's statement following talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Abbas Araghchi, Tehran, February 25, 2025 Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 25 Feb 2025
• Russia's Lavrov in Tehran for talks with Iranian officials IRNA 25 Feb 2025 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has arrived in Tehran for talks with senior Iranian officials.

News Reports

• How To Protect The Baltic Sea From The Russian Shadow Fleet RFE/RL 25 Feb 2025
• Kremlin disinformation campaigns aim to discredit French military in Sahel, analysts say VOA 25 Feb 2025 -- On Feb. 20, Ivory Coast became the latest African nation to expel French troops, taking control of the last remaining French military base in the country.
• More Thai firms turning up on US sanctions list for trade with Russia VOA 25 Feb 2025 -- Thailand is emerging as one of Russia's main pipelines for machine and computer parts with the potential for military use, with a growing number of local companies accused of helping Moscow evade Western export controls meant to cripple its war on Ukraine.