UK defence secretary John Healey has expressed his hopes to be the first minister to deploy British troops to Ukraine in a bid to end the ongoing conflict.
Writing ahead of the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion he said “2026 must be the year this terrible war ends” in the Telegraph on Sunday.
“I want to be the defence secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine – because this will mean that this war is finally over,” Mr Healey said.
“It will mean we have negotiated peace in Ukraine. And a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.”
He added: “I am proud of our UK leadership. I am determined that we will make 2026 the year this war ends.”
The comments come after former prime minister Boris Johnson said the UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine immediately and had been “too slow” to respond to Putin’s aggression.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg alongside the former head of the military, Adm Sir Tony Radakin, the former PM said: "We've always delayed needlessly.
"We've then ended up giving the Ukrainians what they have been asking for, and actually it's always served to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Putin. I mean, the one person who suffers from escalation is Putin.”
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Key Points
- UK will ‘make 2026 the year war ends’ says defence secretary
- Special report: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
- One injured in Kyiv region as Russia targets energy sites
- Boris Johnson says UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now
- One dead, 24 injured in blasts in western Ukraine
- Ukraine accuses Hungary and Slovakia of ‘blackmail’ over power threat
One injured in Kyiv region as Russia targets energy sites
07:30 , Shahana YasminAt least one person was injured in the Kyiv region after Russia launched dozens of drones strikes as well as ballistic and cruise missiles overnight, Ukrainian officials said on Sunday.
Regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said damage was recorded in five districts around the capital, with more than a dozen houses affected.
The Ukrainian military said the attacks focused on energy infrastructure, with strikes also reported in Odesa and parts of central Ukraine.
Odesa governor Oleh Kiper said a drone attack caused fires at energy facilities in the Black Sea region, which were later extinguished.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power grid since the start of its full-scale invasion in February 2022, hitting thermal plants and substations in an effort Kyiv says is designed to weaken its ability to fight.
Boris Johnson says UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now
07:10 , Shahana YasminZelensky awards Paris mayor Ukrainian state honour
06:50 , Shahana YasminVolodymyr Zelensky has awarded Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo the Ukrainian Order of Princess Olga, 3rd Class, in recognition of her support for Ukraine.
“I awarded Anne Hidalgo the Order of Princess Olga, III class, and I am grateful to Madam Mayor for her comprehensive support of Ukrainians – including our athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games – as well as for advancing projects for Ukraine’s recovery on the global stage,” Zelensky said.
The award is a civil decoration bestowed for personal merits in state, social and cultural spheres.
Hidalgo has visited Kyiv multiple times since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion and has delivered humanitarian aid, including power generators, as well as worked on initiatives tied to inclusion and cultural cooperation.
In pictures: Russian drone and missile strikes hit Kyiv
06:30 , Shahana Yasmin Ukraine sanctions 225 captains linked to Russia’s shadow fleet
06:15 , Shahana YasminUkraine has imposed fresh sanctions on 225 captains of vessels tied to Russia’s “shadow fleet”.
President Volodymyr Zelensky signed decrees on Saturday targeting individuals from 11 countries, including Russia, India, and the Philippines, whose ships are said to have been moving Russian petroleum products in violation of sanctions imposed by the European Union, the G7, and other states.
“We will continue to consistently impose sanctions and make them global against everyone who helps Russia earn money for war,” he said in his address.
The move comes as the EU prepares its 20th sanctions package, which is expected to include a full ban on maritime services supporting Russian crude oil exports as part of efforts to reduce revenue that funds Moscow’s war effort.
UK prepared to deploy troops after ceasefire, says Healey
06:00 , Shahana YasminJohn Healey has said he wants to be the minister who deploys British troops to Ukraine, as “2026 must be the year this terrible war ends”.
Writing in the Telegraph ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion, Healey said: “I want to be the defence secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine – because this will mean that this war is finally over.
“It will mean we have negotiated peace in Ukraine. And a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine."
Britain and France have led discussions on a “coalition of the willing” that would send peacekeeping forces if a ceasefire is agreed.
An MoD spokesperson said the UK was working with more than 30 nations on plans for a multinational force and would put British troops on the ground “following the end of hostilities”.
It comes after former prime minister Boris Johnson called for non-combat troops to be sent immediately to demonstrate Western resolve.
UN says Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war
05:45 , Shahana YasminThe United Nations has warned that women and girls in Ukraine are reaching a “breaking point” after four years of conflict.
“Those energy blackouts, they are not just technical disruptions,” chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp told reporters in Geneva on Friday. “They directly undermine women's safety, protection, and economic security.”
Families have been left without heating, electricity, and reliable shelter amid brutal winter conditions.
Calltorp explained that extended darkness, lack of street lighting, and disrupted transport “severely restrict women’s mobility and increase exposure to harassment and accidents”.
UN Women reported that 2025 had been the deadliest year for women in Ukraine, with more than 5,000 killed and 14,000 since the war began in 2022.
Inside Nikopol: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
05:30 , Shahana YasminIn a harrowing dispatch from the frontline city of Nikopol – so close to Russian forces that few journalists have ventured there – World Affairs Editor Sam Kiley talks to children, parents and teachers who are hunted down daily by Putin’s deadly quadcopters, yet have somehow managed to survive.
‘The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school’
Four killed in Russian drone attack near Sumy border
05:15 , Shahana YasminFour people, including a 17-year-old boy, were killed in a Russian drone attack in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, local authorities said.
Sumy governor Oleh Hryhorov said on his Telegram that the strike hit the village of Znob-Novhorodske, less than 4km from the Russian border.
Two brothers were initially wounded by an explosive device dropped from a drone and were being transported to hospital when the ambulance was struck in a second attack, he said.
“On the way to the hospital, the Russians deliberately attacked the emergency vehicle with a strike drone,” Hryhorov said. Both brothers were killed.
A married couple also died in the strikes, bringing the total death toll in the region to four.
Emergency services tackle fires in Odesa after overnight strike
05:00 , Shahana YasminAir raid alerts issued nationwide after blasts in Ukraine capital
04:45 , Shahana YasminSeveral explosions were heard in Kyiv overnight after authorities warned that Russian ballistic missiles were heading towards the capital.
Air raid sirens sounded at 3.56am local time, with the first blasts reported around 4am, followed by further explosions at about 4.30am and again shortly after 5am, according to the Kyiv Independent.
“The enemy is attacking the capital with ballistic weapons. Please stay in shelters until the all-clear signal is given,” said Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv city military administration.
The air alert was later extended to all of Ukraine as Russian bombers took off, the Air Force said.
Russian missile hits US-owned Oreo factory in Sumy
04:30 , Shahana YasminA Russian missile struck a production facility owned by US snack giant Mondelez International in Trostyanets in Ukraine’s Sumy region on Saturday.
Ukraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha confirmed that no one was killed, but a production building had suffered damage.
Today, Russia struck another American business in Ukraine—a civilian production facility of Mondelez in Trostianets—one of the first major U.S. investments in Ukraine’s independent economy.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) February 21, 2026
The missile hit one of the production buildings. Fortunately, there were no casualties.… pic.twitter.com/cGS2n0GQFv
“This is not a military target, but a factory that has operated since the 1990s, producing globally known brands, employing Ukrainians, contributing to our and American economy,” he wrote on X.
“When Russian missiles hit such sites, they are not only targeting Ukraine. They are targeting American business interests in Europe.”
The Chicago-based company, which produces Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, Toblerone chocolate, and Trident gum had been damaged already in 2022. The facility resumed partial production of chocolate after repairs in 2023.
Ukraine says it hit missile plant deep inside Russia
04:15 , Shahana YasminUkraine has said it struck a major Russian missile production site more than 1,400km from its border, in one of the deepest reported attacks inside Russia since the start of the invasion.
Local health minister Sergei Bagin said 11 people were injured in the Udmurt Republic, with three taken to hospital. Regional head Alexander Brechalov confirmed damage to a facility but did not name it.
Ukraine’s General Staff later identified the target as the Votkinsk machine building plant, describing it as part of Russia’s military-industrial complex and saying a fire broke out on the premises.
The factory manufactures Iskander ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Special report: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
04:00 , Maira ButtThe Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station captured by Russia is a staging post for “hunting” trips against civilians.
Acting as a base for artillery within mortar range and a nearby drone pilot school, it looms so close to the city of Nikopol that one could almost pat the plant’s unstable nuclear domes.
Nikopol, still held by Ukraine, has seen its population halve to 50,000 since the war began. About 6,500 of those still living here are children.
Lying right on the front line, the city has been attacked every day for the last four years. Roads in are a gamble and gauntlet, a race along icy roads, in hope of avoiding an attack or a freezing crash.
The Independent’s world affairs editor reports from Zaporizhzhia:
‘The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school’
Ukraine accuses Hungary and Slovakia of ‘blackmail’ over power threat
03:45 , Shahana YasminUkraine has accused Hungary and Slovakia of “ultimatums and blackmail” after both governments threatened to halt emergency electricity supplies unless Kyiv restores Russian oil transit across its territory.
Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, said he would ask the state grid operator to cut emergency exports within two days if flows were not resumed. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán issued a similar warning earlier this week.
IF THE UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT DOES NOT RESUME OIL SUPPLIES TO SLOVAKIA ON MONDAY, ON THAT SAME DAY I WILL ASK THE RELEVANT SLOVAK COMPANIES TO STOP EMERGENCY ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES TO UKRAINE.
— Robert Fico 🇸🇰 (@RobertFicoSVK) February 21, 2026
Since the beginning of the war, Slovakia has been helping Ukraine. Around 180,000…
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said in a statement that these actions were “provocative, irresponsible, and threaten the energy security of the entire region”.
Russian oil deliveries to both countries via the Druzhba pipeline have been disrupted since 27 January, after Kyiv said a Russian drone strike damaged pipeline infrastructure in western Ukraine.
Bratislava and Budapest blame Ukraine for the prolonged outage.
Hungary and Slovakia together account for roughly half of European emergency electricity exports to Ukraine, which has relied heavily on imports as Russian missile and drone attacks have repeatedly damaged its energy grid.
Boris Johnson calls for immediate deployment of Western troops
03:30 , Shahana YasminFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has called for the immediate deployment of non-combat military personnel from the UK and its allies to Ukraine.
Speaking ahead of the four-year anniversary of the invasion, the former politician told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Ukraine’s allies had been “too slow” to respond.
“We've always delayed needlessly,” he said. “We've then ended up giving the Ukrainians what they have been asking for, and actually it's always served to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Putin. I mean, the one person who suffers from escalation is Putin.”
Military strategists have suggested that such a move could be interpreted by Russia as an escalation. Russian president Vladimir Putin has previously said that Russia is “ready right now” for war if Europe wants it.
The UK ministry of defence has said in response that it is planning for such a peacekeeping force under a “coalition of the willing,” in the event of a ceasefire.
ICYMI: Hungary says it will block a key EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil shipments resume
03:16 , Shahana Yasmin Hungary says it will block a key EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil shipments resume
Zelensky provides update on Nato discussions
03:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky provided an update on discussions with Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte on Saturday.
He shared that trilateral negotiations with the US and Russia had been discussed as well as the ongoing energy situation in Ukraine.
“We touched base on all key aspects of our diplomatic work, and I’m glad that, in many areas, our views align,” he wrote in a post on X.
“I shared updates on preparations for the next trilateral format with the United States and Russia, as well as what we know about possible shifts in the parties’ positions.
“We also discussed the energy situation and the need to continue work under the PURL initiative. I am grateful to every European country that invests in our defence through PURL. Thank you, Mark, for your support!”
Ukraine returns two more children from Russian occupation, authorities say
02:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian forces have returned two more children from the Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast, bringing the total of freed children from the region to 31 this year, authorities said
The head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported the children were returned under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which finds and returns Ukrainian children from occupied territories and Russia.
UK will ‘make 2026 the year war ends’ says defence secretary
01:20 , Joe MiddletonUK defence secretary John Healey has expressed his hopes to be the first minister to deploy British troops to Ukraine in a bid to end the ongoing conflict.
Writing ahead of the four-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion he said “2026 must be the year this terrible war ends” in the Telegraph on Sunday.
“I want to be the defence secretary who deploys British troops to Ukraine – because this will mean that this war is finally over,” Mr Healey said.
“It will mean we have negotiated peace in Ukraine. And a secure Europe needs a strong, sovereign Ukraine.”
He added: “I am proud of our UK leadership. I am determined that we will make 2026 the year this war ends.”
Hungary says it will block a key EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil shipments resume
01:00 , Maira ButtHungary will block a planned 90-billion-euro ($106-billion) European Union loan to Ukraine until the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline resumes, Hungary's foreign minister said.
Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since Jan. 27, after Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.
Hungary and Slovakia, which have both received a temporary exemption from an EU policy prohibiting imports of Russian oil, have accused Ukraine — without providing evidence — of deliberately holding up supplies.
Hungary says it will block a key EU loan to Ukraine until Russian oil shipments resume
Ukraine frontline mapped: Kyiv counteroffensive regained territory before fruitless US peace talks
00:01 , Maira ButtUkraine headed into the third round of direct talks with Russia and US mediators this week following a string of symbolic victories on the frontlines.
Two days of talks concluded abruptly on Wednesday, following lengthy discussions over territory the day before. Kyiv hailed progress in talks, though acknowledged that the two sides were still opposed on key issues.
There has been little progress in the talks to date, with Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky recently sharing his frustration that his country is “too often” asked to make concessions - as Moscow sticks to its maximalist demands.
With land still central to diplomacy, Ukrainian negotiators headed for Geneva this week emboldened by recent territorial gains on the battlefield.
Ukraine counteroffensive mapped: Kyiv regains territory before fruitless peace talks
Former UK PM Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine
Saturday 21 February 2026 23:43 , Maira ButtFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has called for troops from the UK and Europe to be deployed immediately to Ukraine.
Mr Johnson said non-combat forces should be stationed in peaceful regions to send a firm message to Russian president Vladimir Putin otherwise the Russian leader would “keep going” with the conflict.
Speaking ahead of the four-year anniversary of the invasion, the former politician told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg that Ukraine’s allies had been “too slow” to respond.
“We've always delayed needlessly,” he said. “We've then ended up giving the Ukrainians what they have been asking for, and actually it's always served to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Putin. I mean, the one person who suffers from escalation is Putin.”
Boris Johnson says UK should immediately send non-combat troops to Ukraine
Watch: Boris Johnson says UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now
Saturday 21 February 2026 23:00 , Maira ButtFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has said the UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now in a bid to “flip a switch” in Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s head.
Mr Johnson said the country should put boots on the ground in non-fighting zones, adding Ukraine’s allies have been “too slow” to send support to Kyiv.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg alongside the former head of the military, Adm Sir Tony Radakin, the former PM said: "We've always delayed needlessly,.
"We've then ended up giving the Ukrainians what they have been asking for, and actually it's always served to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Putin.
"I mean, the one person who suffers from escalation is Putin."
Ukraine officials to boycott Paralympics over Russia’s participation
Saturday 21 February 2026 22:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian officials are poised to boycott the upcoming Milano Cortina Paralympics next month, protesting the participation of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing under their national flags.
Ukraine's Sports Minister Matvii Bidnyi confirmed on Wednesday that while Ukrainian athletes will still take part in the 6-15 March games, no official representatives from Ukraine will attend the opening ceremony or any other event.
It comes after the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) decision on Tuesday, which cleared a combined total of 10 para-athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete. Six slots have been handed to Russia and four to Belarus.
Read more below:
Ukraine officials to boycott Winter Paralympics over Russia’s participation
Ukraine strikes a key industrial site deep inside Russia
Saturday 21 February 2026 21:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian drones struck an industrial site deep inside Russia on Saturday, and a Russian news channel reported the target was a key state-owned missile factory.
The attack took place in Russia’s Udmurt Republic, leaving 11 injured, three of whom were hospitalized, according to a Telegram post by Sergei Bagin, the local health minister.
“One of the republic’s facilities was attacked by drones” launched by Ukraine, regional head Alexander Brechalov said in another Telegram post. He added that the strike caused injuries and damage but did not name the site or give further details.
IMF board to weigh new $8.1bn Ukraine support package
Saturday 21 February 2026 20:15 , Maira ButtThe International Monetary Fund said its board will consider a new $8.1bn programme for Ukraine in the coming days after staff reached a preliminary agreement with Kyiv.
IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said Ukrainian authorities had completed the required prior actions, including submitting a draft labour code law to parliament and adopting the 2026 state budget.
She added that Ukraine’s economy is likely to grow below 2 per cent in 2025 and that Russia’s invasion “continues to take a heavy toll on Ukraine’s people and its economy”.
The proposed arrangement would form part of longer-term financial support as Ukraine continues to fund its wartime budget and stabilise its economy amid the ongoing war.
If approved, the board decision would allow further disbursements under the programme.
Ukraine’s women at breaking point after four years of war as attacks on energy and healthcare continue – says N
Saturday 21 February 2026 19:45 , Maira ButtRussia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure are directly undermining women’s safety, according to the United Nations.
“Those energy blackouts, they are not just technical disruptions,” chief of Humanitarian Action Sofia Calltorp told reporters in Geneva.
“They directly undermine women's safety, protection and economic security.”
Families have been left without heating, electricity and reliable shelter amid brutal winter conditions, with 65 per cent of Ukraine’s energy generation capacity according to the UN.
Ms Calltorp explained that extended darkness, lack of street lighting and disrupted transport “severely restrict women's mobility and increase exposure to harassment and accidents.”
UN Women reported that 2025 had been the deadliest year for women in Ukraine, with more than 5,000 killed and 14,000 since the start of the conflict in 2022.
Ukraine condemns 'blackmail' after Hungary and Slovakia oil threats
Saturday 21 February 2026 19:15 , Maira ButtUkraine’s foreign ministry has issued a statement hitting out against “blackmail” by Hungary and Slovakia over oil passing through a Russian pipeline.
Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since 27 January after Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.
Hungary threatened to block a €90bn loan until the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline resumed, Hungary's foreign minister said.
It was followed by threats by Slovakia to cut electricity to Ukraine unless oil continued to flow through the passage.
Ukraine condemned the “ultimatums” and “blackmail” over the comments in a response on Saturday.
Zelensky awards Paris mayor with special medal for 'comprehensive support of Ukraine'
Saturday 21 February 2026 18:45 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky met with Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo and awarded her with the Order of Princess Olga, III class, for her support for Ukraine on Saturday.
“We discussed diplomatic efforts to achieve a dignified peace, energy support, and the importance of Ukraine’s recovery,” Zelensky wrote on X.
“I awarded Anne Hidalgo the Order of Princess Olga, III class, and I am grateful to Madam Mayor for her comprehensive support of Ukrainians – including our athletes at the 2024 Olympic Games – as well as for advancing projects for Ukraine’s recovery on the global stage.”
Hidalgo has visited Ukraine during wartime and hosted Zelensky during talks in France.
I met with the Mayor of Paris, @Anne_Hidalgo.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 21, 2026
We discussed diplomatic efforts to achieve a dignified peace, energy support, and the importance of Ukraine’s recovery.
I awarded Anne Hidalgo the Order of Princess Olga, III class, and I am grateful to Madam Mayor for her… pic.twitter.com/w7WisgO4aN
Watch: Emergency services tackle fires in Odesa after overnight strike
Saturday 21 February 2026 18:15 , Maira ButtIn pictures: Protests take place across Europe in solidarity with Ukraine ahead of four-year anniversary
Saturday 21 February 2026 17:15 , Maira Butt Rishi Sunak reveals details of discussion with Zelensky as he urges UK to catch up on drone production
Saturday 21 February 2026 16:45 , Maira ButtFormer prime minister Rishi Sunak met with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky at the Munich Security Conference last week where the pair discussed the nature of Ukraine’s military strategy against Russia, according to an article Mr Sunak wrote in the Times.
Mr Sunak said he was left with the conviction that the UK and Europe must catch up to Ukraine in modernising its military weaponry.
“Drones have changed the nature of war,” he wrote.
“At the Munich Security Conference, Zelensky told me that 80 per cent of the casualties Ukraine is inflicting on the Russians are from unmanned vehicles.”
He added: “A recent Nato exercise, Hedgehog 2025, where Nato forces faced off against Ukrainian drone operators, revealed just how ill-prepared western forces are for this new way of war.”
Mr Sunak concluded: “The world has changed. Defence has changed. Warfare has changed. We must adapt, and fast.”
Kremlin continuing 'cognitive warfare' to convince the West a Ukraine loss is inevitable, says new report
Saturday 21 February 2026 16:34 , Maira ButtA report by the Institute for the Study of War has concluded that Russia is continuing a campaign of “cognitive warfare” to convince Western countries that Ukraine’s loss on the battlefield is inevitable.
“Russia is seizing small, rural settlements that lie along the Russia-Ukraine international border and presenting these seizures as alleged evidence of the prowess of the Russian military to further the false narrative that Russian victory in Ukraine is inevitable,” it wrote.
It provided an example, explaining: “Russian Chief of the General Staff’s Main Operations Directorate Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy claimed on February 20 that Russian forces have seized approximately 900 square kilometers and 42 settlements since the beginning of 2026.
“ISW has only collected evidence to assess that Russian forces have only seized 19 settlements and 572 square kilometers of total territory since the beginning of 2026 — a difference of 23 settlements and 328 square kilometers.”
Zelensky provides update on Nato discussions
Saturday 21 February 2026 16:15 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky provided an update on discussions with Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte on Saturday.
He shared that trilateral negotiations with the US and Russia had been discussed as well as the ongoing energy situation in Ukraine.
“We touched base on all key aspects of our diplomatic work, and I’m glad that, in many areas, our views align,” he wrote in a post on X.
“I shared updates on preparations for the next trilateral format with the United States and Russia, as well as what we know about possible shifts in the parties’ positions.
“We also discussed the energy situation and the need to continue work under the PURL initiative. I am grateful to every European country that invests in our defence through PURL. Thank you, Mark, for your support!”
Ukraine hits Russian ballistic missiles producer in Udmurtia, Kyiv says
Saturday 21 February 2026 15:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkraine's domestically produced Flamingo missiles hit a Russian plant manufacturing ballistic missiles in Russia's remote southern region of Udmurtia overnight, the Ukrainian General Staff said Saturday.
It said in a statement that the plant was located in Votkinsk, about 1400 km (800 miles) from Ukraine, and produced intercontinental ballistic missiles and short-range ballistic missiles. The Ukrainian military also said that it hit a gas processing plant in Russia's Samara region.
Editorial: President Trump is wrong. Ukraine can win this war
Saturday 21 February 2026 15:15 , Nicole Wootton-Cane President Trump is wrong. Ukraine can win this war
Special report: The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school
Saturday 21 February 2026 14:57 , Nicole Wootton-Cane ‘The only place to hide from Putin’s killer drones is our underground school’
UK should send non-combat troops to Ukraine now, former PM Johnson says
Saturday 21 February 2026 14:33 , Nicole Wootton-CaneThe UK should sent non-combat troops to Ukraine now, former prime minister Boris Johnson has said.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg, he said boots should be on the ground to "flip a switch" in Russian President Vladimir Putin's head.
He said: "If we can have a plan for boots on the ground after the war, after Putin has condescended to have a ceasefire, then why not do it now?"
Ukraine returns two more children from Russian occupation, authorities say
Saturday 21 February 2026 14:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian forces have returned two more children from the Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast, bringing the total of freed children from the region to 31 this year, authorities said
The head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, Oleksandr Prokudin, reported the children were returned under the Bring Kids Back UA initiative, which finds and returns Ukrainian children from occupied territories and Russia.
Zelensky meets with Nato chief as he prepares for further peace talks
Saturday 21 February 2026 13:30 , Nicole Wootton-CaneVolodymyr Zelensky has met with Nato chief Mark Rutte as he prepares for further peace talks with the US.
In a post on X, the Ukrainian leader wrote: “I spoke with @SecGenNATO Mark Rutte. We touched base on all key aspects of our diplomatic work, and I’m glad that, in many areas, our views align.
“I shared updates on preparations for the next trilateral format with the United States and Russia, as well as what we know about possible shifts in the parties’ positions.”
I spoke with @SecGenNATO Mark Rutte. We touched base on all key aspects of our diplomatic work, and I’m glad that, in many areas, our views align. I shared updates on preparations for the next trilateral format with the United States and Russia, as well as what we know about…
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) February 21, 2026
Hungary prepared to block key EU loan over oil row, minister says
Saturday 21 February 2026 13:05 , Nicole Wootton-CaneHungary will block a planned 90-billion-euro (£78.6 billion) European Union loan to Ukraine until the flow of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline resumes, Hungary's foreign minister said.
Russian oil shipments to Hungary and Slovakia have been interrupted since January 27, after Ukrainian officials said a Russian drone attack damaged the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian crude across Ukrainian territory and into Central Europe.
Hungary and Slovakia, which have both received a temporary exemption from an EU policy prohibiting imports of Russian oil, have accused Ukraine - without providing evidence - of deliberately holding up supplies.
In a video posted on social media on Friday evening, foreign minister Peter Szijjarto accused Ukraine of "blackmailing" Hungary by failing to restart oil shipments.
He said his government would block a massive interest-free loan the EU approved in December to help Kyiv to meet its military and economic needs for the next two years.
Trump ally strikes Alaska gas deal with Russian energy giant
Saturday 21 February 2026 12:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneAn American financier with connections to Donald Trump's family has reportedly signed a deal with Russian energy giant Novatek to develop natural gas in Alaska, despite ongoing Western sanctions against Moscow.
The agreement, reported by the New York Times, emerged after a meeting in August between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, where talks aimed to resolve the conflict in Ukraine.
During these discussions, US and Russian officials explored several potential energy deals.
Sources close to the talks suggested these business proposals were intended to incentivise the Kremlin towards a peace agreement in Ukraine and for Washington to ease sanctions on Russia.
You can read more below:
Trump ally strikes gas deal with Russian energy giant
Slovakia PM threatens to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine over oil row
Saturday 21 February 2026 12:15 , Nicole Wootton-CaneSlovakia Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday that if Ukraine does not resume oil supplies to the country on Monday, he will ask the relevant Slovak companies to stop emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine.
It comes after Ukraine halted all deliveries of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline at the end of January following claims of a Kremlin attack on the infrastructure.
Hungary and Slovakia have both opposed EU efforts to phase out Russian energy imports.
Ukraine strikes a key industrial site deep inside Russia
Saturday 21 February 2026 11:45 , Nicole Wootton-CaneUkrainian drones struck an industrial site deep inside Russia on Saturday, and a Russian news channel reported the target was a key state-owned missile factory.
The attack took place in Russia's Udmurt Republic, leaving 11 injured, three of whom were hospitalised, according to a Telegram post by Sergei Bagin, the local health minister.
"One of the republic's facilities was attacked by drones" launched by Ukraine, regional head Alexander Brechalov said in another Telegram post.
He added that the strike caused injuries and damage but did not name the site or give further details.
An unofficial Russian news channel on Telegram, Astra, said Ukrainian drones struck the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant, a major state defense enterprise. Astra said its claim was based on an analysis of footage from local residents.
There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities.
The Votkinsk factory, more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from Ukraine, produces Iskander ballistic missiles, often used in strikes against the country, as well as nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles.
Other Russian news channels posted videos and photos, which they said were from Votkinsk residents, showing black smoke rising from an industrial site and blown-out windows on buildings.
Another unofficial Russian Telegram channel, SHOT, which often quotes contacts in the security services, said residents of Votkinsk reported hearing at least three blasts during the night, as well as what they thought was the humming of drones.
