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Combat Operations
Ukraine
Russia
United States
NATO
United Nations
Foreign Reactions
News Reports

Combat Operations

• Ukrainian drone hits oil pumping station VOA 18 Feb 2025 -- Russia shot down 21 Ukrainian drones late Tuesday, but a drone attack on an oil pumping station in southern Russia reduced oil supplies for Kazakhstan and the global market, Russian officials said.
• Russian drone attack hits central Ukraine apartment building VOA 18 Feb 2025 -- A Russian drone hit an apartment building in the central Ukrainian city of Dolynska, officials said Tuesday, injuring at least three people.

Ukraine

• Security Guarantees, Release of Prisoners and Food Security: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan President of Ukraine 18 Feb 2025
• Presidents of Ukraine and France Discussed Outcomes of European Leaders' Meeting in Paris President of Ukraine 18 Feb 2025
• The Second Round of the EU-Ukraine Security and Defense Dialogue Was Held in Brussels President of Ukraine 18 Feb 2025

Russia

• Report by Russian Defence Ministry on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (18 February 2025) Russia MoD 18 Feb 2025
• Press release on Russia-US consultations Russia Ministry of Foreign Affairs 18 Feb 2025
• Russia: US starts to better understand Moscow after talks in Riyadh Press TV 18 Feb 2025 -- Russia says the United States has started to better understand Moscow's position after the two sides moved toward agreeing to work together on ending the Ukraine conflict.

United States

• Secretary Rubio's Call with Transatlantic Quint Foreign Ministers US Dept. of State 18 Feb 2025 -- "Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom and the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, immediately following his meeting with Russia's foreign minister earlier today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia."
• Secretary Rubio's Meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov US Dept. of State 18 Feb 2025 -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today as a follow up to President Donald Trump's conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12. Secretary Rubio was joined by National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Special Envoy Ambassador Steve Witkoff, the team chosen by President Trump to reestablish the bilateral relationship.
• US, Russian officials meet to discuss Ukraine war, bilateral relations VOA 18 Feb 2025 -- Top U.S. and Russian diplomats met for several hours Tuesday in Saudi Arabia about relations between their countries and a potential end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
• Rubio: US looks for 'fair, sustainable' end to Russian war on Ukraine VOA 18 Feb 2025 -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the United States is working toward a "fair" and "sustainable" solution to end Russia's three-year war on Ukraine, but that both Moscow and Kyiv would have to make concessions to achieve peace.
• US, Russia hold 4.5-hour high-level talks, agree to push for ending Ukraine crisis Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- After a several-year pause in dialogue, high-level delegations from Russia and the US met on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the prospects for resolving the conflict in Ukraine and ways to break the impasse in bilateral relations, which according to TASS, lasted about 4.5 hours.
• U.S. Secretary of State in Riyadh for talks on Trump's controversial Gaza plan, Ukraine People's Daily 18 Feb 2025 -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Riyadh on Monday for talks with Saudi officials, focusing on a controversial U.S. proposal for Gaza, as part of his first Middle East tour as the top U.S. diplomat.

NATO

United Nations

• UNHCR: After three years of war, Ukrainians need peace and aid UNHCR 18 Feb 2025 -- Three years on, the full-scale war on Ukraine has taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, torn families apart, inflicted significant psychological trauma and devastated the country's economy and infrastructure.

Foreign Reactions

• France Prepares To Host Second Ukraine War Summit With Other European Countries, Canada RFE/RL 18 Feb 2025 -- France will host a second meeting to discuss the war in Ukraine and European security, but will invite Canada and other European countries not present at the earlier emergency summit this week in Paris.
• Chinese FM calls for political settlement of Russia-Ukraine crisis Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- In response to a question that the Trump administration has suggested to Ukraine that the US be granted access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals in exchange for US support and the Ukrainian side has rejected the offer as it did not include adequate security guarantees for Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that China hopes all parties can play a constructive role in accumulating conditions for a political settlement of the crisis and the realization of peace.
• China has always advocated for dialogue, negotiation, political settlement, FM on China's role in resolving Ukraine crisis Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- In response to a question regarding China's hope or potential role in a peace agreement to resolve the Ukraine crisis, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that regarding any dispute or conflict in the world, China has always advocated for dialogue, negotiation and political settlement.
• China is pleased to see all efforts toward peace, says FM on US-Russia talks on Ukraine Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- China is pleased to see all efforts that have been made toward peace, including the consensus reached by the US and Russia regarding peace talks and looks forward to the timely participation of all parties and stakeholders in the peace talk process, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun on Tuesday at a regular press conference.
• Chinese FM responds to whether China is considering sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- In response to media inquiries on report that American officials are suggesting non-European countries such as Brazil or China send their servicemen to peacekeeping force in Ukraine after the conflict ends and whether China is considering sending peacekeeping troops to Ukraine, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "We do not comment on hypothetical questions." China's position on the Ukraine crisis has always been fair, and has reiterated this position on multiple occasions, he added.
• China welcomes all efforts dedicated to peace in Ukraine: envoy Global Times 18 Feb 2025 -- China welcomes all efforts dedicated to peace in Ukraine, including the recent agreement reached by the United States and Russia to start peace talks, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, said on Monday.
• Saudi prince proving crucial to Trump efforts to end Ukraine, Gaza wars VOA 18 Feb 2025 -- Top U.S. and Russian officials wrapped up their meetings Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss a pathway to end the war in Ukraine, days before Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is set to convene a summit with leaders from Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss an Arab response to U.S. President Donald Trump's vow to take over Gaza.
• Upon HRH the Crown Prince's Directives, Riyadh Hosts Russia-US Talks SPA 18 Feb 2025 -- Upon directives from His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Riyadh today hosted talks between the Russian Federation and the United States of America, attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Minister of State and Cabinet Member Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban.
• "Türkiye will be an ideal host for potential talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S." Presidency of The Republic of Turkey 18 Feb 2025 -- Holding a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, President Erdoğan said: "Given the active diplomacy we have been pursuing for the past three years, our country will be an ideal host for potential talks between Russia, Ukraine and the U.S. in the upcoming period."

News Reports

• Why Is Saudi Arabia Hosting U.S.-Russia Talks? And Why Now? RFE/RL 18 Feb 2025 -- Saudi Arabia is hosting one of the most important diplomatic meetings between Russia and the United States in years.
• What We Learned From High-Stakes U.S.-Russia Talks In Saudi Arabia RFE/RL 18 Feb 2025 -- Top U.S. and Russian officials have finished their first talks on ending the war in Ukraine, with the Kremlin voicing new demands as Washington and Moscow agreed to move quickly to normalize their ties and begin negotiations around the nearly three-year conflict.