Russia Intensifies Donbas Offensive as War Enters Fourth Month

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said 'most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas' ARIS MESSINIS AFP
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said 'most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas' ARIS MESSINIS AFP
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Russia Intensifies Donbas Offensive as War Enters Fourth Month

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said 'most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas' ARIS MESSINIS AFP
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said 'most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas' ARIS MESSINIS AFP

Russian forces on Tuesday stepped up their offensive on the last pocket of resistance around Lugansk in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, as the conflict entered its fourth month.

Since Moscow's invasion in late February, Western support has helped Ukraine hold off its neighbor's advances in many areas -- including the capital Kyiv -- but Russia is now focused on securing and expanding its gains in Donbas and the southern coast, AFP said.

"The coming weeks of the war will be difficult, and we must be aware of that," Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Monday in his nightly address after regional leaders and residents reported heavy bombardments.

"The most difficult fighting situation today is in Donbas," Zelensky said, singling out the worst-hit towns of Bakhmut, Popasna and Severodonetsk.

The governor of Lugansk, in Donbas, said that Russia has sent thousands of troops to capture his entire region and that Severodonetsk was under massive attack, warning residents that it was too late to evacuate.

"At this point I will not say: get out, evacuate. Now I will say: stay in a shelter," Sergiy Gaidai said on Telegram. "Because such a density of shelling will not allow us to calmly gather people and come for them."

Residents of Bakhmut, a crucial junction that serves as a command center for much of the Ukrainian war effort, told AFP of the aerial onslaught they had suffered.

"I looked up from my prayers and heard a frightening sound," 82-year-old Maria Mayashlapak said next to the splintered remains of her home.

"Every day I pray to God asking to avoid injuries. God heard me. God is watching over me."

- Davos appeal -
Zelensky said in his address that Russia has carried out nearly 1,500 missile strikes and over 3,000 airstrikes against Ukraine in the first three months of the war.

The president earlier warned elites gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos -- from which Russians have been barred this year -- that slow-walking military aid was causing unnecessary deaths as Ukrainians are "paying dearly for freedom and independence".

He said that 87 people had been killed in a Russian attack earlier this month on a military base in the north, in what would be one of the largest single recorded strikes of the war.

Western countries have sent huge amounts of weapons and cash to Ukraine to help it repel Russia's assault, and punished Moscow with unprecedented economic sanctions.

But Zelensky said via videolink that tens of thousands of lives would have been saved if Kyiv had received "100 percent of our needs at once back in February", when Russia invaded.

He also ramped up his demands that Moscow be cut off from the global economy, calling for an international oil embargo on Russia, as well as punitive measures against all its banks and the shunning of its IT sector.

- Guilty verdict -
A 21-year-old Russian soldier was on Monday found guilty of war crimes for killing an unarmed civilian and handed a life sentence by a Kyiv court, in the first verdict of its kind since the invasion began.

Vadim Shishimarin looked on from a glass defence box as he was sentenced in a trial followed around the world -- likely the first of many as Ukraine investigates thousands of alleged war crimes.

The sergeant from Siberia had admitted to killing a 62-year-old civilian, Oleksandr Shelipov, as he was riding his bike in the village of Chupakhivka in northeast Ukraine.

He claimed he shot Shelipov under pressure from another soldier as they tried to retreat and escape back into Russia in a stolen car on February 28.

But prosecutors stated he shot between three and four bullets with the intention of killing the civilian, and Judge Sergiy Agafonov sentenced him to life.

International institutions are also probing abuses allegedly committed by Russian forces in places such as Bucha and Mariupol, which have become emblematic of the destruction and suffering of the war.

- Counsellor quits -
Meanwhile, a counsellor at Moscow's mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Boris Bondarev, announced he was leaving his job after 20 years of diplomatic service in protest at Russia's invasion.

In the letter circulated to a number of diplomatic missions in Geneva and seen by AFP, he condemned the war as "not only a crime against the Ukrainian people but also, perhaps, the most serious crime against the people of Russia".

"Never have I been so ashamed of my country," he said.

More than six million people have fled Ukraine and eight million have been internally displaced since the war broke out, according to the United Nations.



Turkish, Greek Leaders Voice Desire to Resolve Issues After Talks

In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
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Turkish, Greek Leaders Voice Desire to Resolve Issues After Talks

In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)
In this photo released by the Turkish Presidency, Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, shake hands during their meeting in Ankara, Türkiye, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. (Turkish Presidency via AP)

The leaders of Türkiye and Greece voiced their desire to resolve longstanding maritime disputes hobbling ties during discussions in Ankara on Wednesday, as the NATO allies and historic rivals try to build on warming relations.

The neighbors have been at odds over a range of issues for decades, primarily maritime boundaries and rights in the Aegean, an area widely believed to hold energy resources and with key implications for airspace and military activity.

Following years of heightened tensions, a 2023 declaration on friendly relations prompted a thaw in rhetoric, though their maritime issues have remained unresolved and the two sides still disagree over ‌regional matters.

Speaking at ‌a press conference in Ankara with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, ‌Turkish ⁠President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said ⁠they had discussed their issues in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean "in an open and sincere way" during the talks.

"While the issues may be thorny, they are not unsolvable on the basis of international law. I saw that we were in agreement with my friend Kyriakos," Erdogan said.

He added that the two countries would continue working to achieve their goal of reaching $10 billion in bilateral trade.

Mitsotakis said he hoped circumstances would allow the sides to solve a dispute on ⁠the demarcation of maritime and exclusive economic zones in the Aegean ‌and eastern Mediterranean.

'IF NOT NOW, WHEN?'

"It is time to ‌remove any substantial and formal threats to our relations, if not now, when?" Mitsotakis said.

"Destiny has ‌appointed us to live in the same neighborhood. We cannot change geography, but we can ‌make it an ally, choosing convergence, dialogue and trust in international law... to build a future of peace, progress and prosperity for our people."

Despite the positive tone, Greece's foreign minister earlier said Athens planned to extend its territorial waters further, including potentially in the Aegean.

Shortly after, Ankara said it had issued ‌a maritime notice urging Greece to coordinate research activities in areas of the Aegean that Türkiye considers part of its continental shelf.

In ⁠1995, Türkiye’s parliament ⁠declared a casus belli — a cause for war — should Greece unilaterally extend its territorial waters beyond six nautical miles in the Aegean, a stance Athens says violates international maritime law. Greece says it wants only to discuss demarcation of maritime zones.

Mitsotakis also said the flows of migrants in the Aegean Sea had decreased by almost 60% last year due to cooperation between the two countries, adding this should be strengthened.

Fifteen migrants died in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Chios last week after their boat collided with a Greek coastguard vessel and sank in the Aegean Sea off the Turkish coast.

Türkiye is a transit country for migrants seeking to reach the European Union via Greece. Ankara says the EU has not fully delivered on commitments under a 2016 migration deal and Athens wants Türkiye to do more to curb irregular crossings.


US Energy Secretary in Venezuela for Oil Talks

Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
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US Energy Secretary in Venezuela for Oil Talks

Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)
Handout picture released by the US Embassy in Venezuela showing US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright (2-R) walking next to the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela, Laura Dogu (2-L), upon his arrival at Maiquetia International Airport in Maiquetia, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on February 11, 2026. (Handout / US Embassy in Venezuela / AFP)

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright arrived in Venezuela on Wednesday for talks with acting president Delcy Rodriguez and oil industry executives on harnessing the country's vast crude reserves.

Wright is the highest-ranking official in the administration of US President Donald Trump to travel to Venezuela since US special forces seized and overthrew longtime socialist leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

Trump has backed Maduro's former deputy Rodriguez to succeed the ousted leader, on condition that she abide by US demands, including granting the United States access to Venezuelan oil and ease state repression.

Welcoming Wright to Venezuela on X, the US embassy in the country said: "Your visit is key to advancing @POTUS's (Trump's) vision of a prosperous Venezuela."

It added that "the US private sector will be essential to boost the oil sector, modernize the electric grid, and unlock Venezuela's enormous potential."

A photo posted by the embassy showed Wright on the tarmac at Maiquetia International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas, together with the new US charge d'affaires in Venezuela, Laura Dogu.

Venezuela sits on about a fifth of the world's oil reserves and was once a major crude supplier to the United States.

But it produced only around one percent of the world's total crude output in 2024, according to OPEC, due to years of under-investment, mismanagement and US sanctions.

Washington eased sanctions on Venezuelan oil last month after Rodriguez's administration passed a law throwing open the sector to private investment.

Trump wants US oil majors to rapidly rebuild the sector and boost output by millions of barrels a day.


Trump Meets Netanyahu, with US-Iran Nuclear Diplomacy Topping Agenda

 President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP)
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP)
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Trump Meets Netanyahu, with US-Iran Nuclear Diplomacy Topping Agenda

 President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP)
President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the end of a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP)

President Donald Trump hosted Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Wednesday, with the Israeli prime minister expected to press him to widen US talks with Iran to include limits on Tehran's missile arsenal and other security threats beyond its nuclear program.

In his seventh meeting with Trump since the president returned to office nearly 13 months ago, Netanyahu was looking to influence the next round of US discussions with Iran following nuclear negotiations held in Oman last Friday.

Trump has threatened strikes on Iran if no agreement is reached, while Tehran has vowed to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war. He has repeatedly voiced support for a secure Israel, a longstanding US ally and arch-foe of Iran.

In media interviews on Tuesday, Trump reiterated his warning, saying that while he believes Iran wants a deal, he would do "something very tough" if it refused.

TRUMP SAYS NO TO IRANIAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS, MISSILES

Trump told Fox Business that a good deal with Iran would mean "no nuclear weapons, no missiles," without elaborating. He also told Axios he was considering sending a second aircraft carrier ‌strike group as part ‌of a major US buildup near Iran.

Israel fears that the US might pursue a narrow ‌nuclear deal ⁠that does not ⁠include restrictions on Iran's ballistic missile program or an end to Iranian support for armed proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, according to people familiar with the matter. Israeli officials have urged the US not to trust Iran's promises.

"I will present to the president our perceptions of the principles in the negotiations," Netanyahu told reporters before departing for the US. The two leaders could also discuss potential military action if diplomacy with Iran fails, one source said.

Iran has said it is prepared to discuss curbs on its nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions but has ruled out linking the issue to missiles.

Iran’s "missile capabilities are non-negotiable," Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader, said on Wednesday.

Netanyahu's arrival at the White House was lower-key than usual. He entered the building away ⁠from the view of reporters and cameras, and a White House official then confirmed he was inside ‌meeting with Trump.

GAZA ON THE AGENDA

Also on the agenda was Gaza, with Trump looking to ‌push ahead with a ceasefire agreement he helped to broker. Progress on his 20-point plan to end the war and rebuild the shattered Palestinian enclave has stalled, ‌with major gaps over steps such as Hamas disarming as Israeli troops withdraw in phases.

Netanyahu's visit, originally scheduled for February 18, was brought forward ‌amid renewed US engagement with Iran. Both sides at last week's Oman meeting said the talks were positive and further talks were expected soon.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ahead of the Oman meeting that negotiations would need to address Iran's missiles, its proxy groups, and its treatment of its own population. Iran said Friday’s talks focused only on nuclear issues.

Trump has been vague about broadening the negotiations. He was quoted as telling Axios on Tuesday that it was a "no-brainer" ‌for any deal to cover Iran's nuclear program, but that he also thought it possible to address its missile stockpiles.

Iran says its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, while the US and Israel have ⁠accused it of past efforts to develop ⁠nuclear weapons.

Last June, the US joined Israel's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities during a 12-day war.

Israel also heavily damaged Iran's air defenses and missile arsenal. Two Israeli officials say there are signs Iran is working to restore those capabilities.

Trump threatened last month to intervene militarily during a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests in Iran, but ultimately held off.

ISRAEL WARY OF A WEAKENED IRAN REBUILDING

Tehran's regional influence has been weakened by Israel’s June attack, losses suffered by its proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq, and the ousting of its ally, former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

But Israel is wary of its adversaries rebuilding after the multi-front war triggered by Hamas' October 2023 assault on southern Israel.

While Trump and Netanyahu have mostly been in sync and the US remains Israel's main arms supplier, Wednesday’s meeting could expose tensions.

Part of Trump's Gaza plan holds out the prospect for eventual Palestinian statehood - which Netanyahu and his coalition, the most far-right in Israel's history, have long resisted.

Netanyahu's security cabinet on Sunday authorized steps that would make it easier for Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank to buy land while granting Israel broader powers in what the Palestinians see as the heartland of a future state. The decision drew international condemnation.

"I am against annexation," Trump told Axios, reiterating his stance. "We have enough things to think about now."