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Morning Headlines
NBC News: Intelligence suggests Putin is going through the motions and still thinks he can eventually control all of Ukraine, the sources told NBC News.
ISW: Russian officials in Saudi Arabia began what will likely be an ongoing effort to push the United States into accepting Russian offers of economic and investment measures in lieu of any actual Russian concessions on Ukraine.
Reuters: Russian forces attacked Ukraine's Black Sea port city of Odesa, leaving most of its residents without power, water or heating, Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov said early on Wednesday.
Reuters: Ukraine attacked an oil refinery in the city of Syzran in Russia's Samara region overnight, the regional governor said on Wednesday.
More News
Politico: EU countries are preparing a military aid package worth at least €6 billion for Ukraine as it seeks to shore up Kyiv's strategic position at the outset of U.S.-led talks with Russia.
The Kyiv Independent: Significant modifications have been observed in the Shahed-136 drones that Russia mass produces, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported on Feb. 18.
Reuters: Ukrainian forces have struck and knocked out a North Korean self-propelled howitzer on the eastern front of the nearly three-year-old war with Russia, Ukraine's military said on Tuesday.
The Moscow Times: Russian officials hope to take advantage of Trump’s eagerness to end the war in Ukraine to secure the most favorable deal for Moscow possible.
The Kyiv Independent: Canada is interested in partaking in conversations about security guarantees for Ukraine, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on Feb. 18.
Reuters: France plans to a host a second meeting to discuss Ukraine and European security on Wednesday, but has this time invited European countries not present earlier this week and NATO ally Canada.
AP News: U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Russia and the U.S. agreed broadly to pursue three goals: to restore staffing at their respective embassies in Washington and Moscow, to create a high-level team to support Ukraine peace talks and to explore closer relations and economic cooperation.
AFP: Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the United States expressed an interest in lifting sanctions on Moscow.
The Kyiv Independent: The European Union must take greater control of its sanctions policy against Russia as U.S. priorities shift, EU Economy and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said on Feb. 18.
AFP: "Europe can no longer fully rely on the United States to defend our shared values and interests, including continued support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," said a statement from the European People's Party, Socialists and Democrats, Renew and Greens.
Reuters: Poland's president said on Tuesday that U.S. officials had assured him that Washington did not intend to lower troop numbers in eastern Europe, as he gave a statement to reporters after meeting Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg.
FT: A notorious Russian ship under sanction for transporting arms from North Korea is set to enter the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, the first time that a vessel involved in arms-running for Pyongyang would have entered European waters (archive).
Reuters: Russia on Tuesday demanded NATO scrap its 2008 promise to one day give Ukraine membership of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance and dismissed the idea that NATO member forces could be keepers of the peace under some sort of ceasefire deal.
Politico: Russian state media couldn’t help crowing over the country’s return to the top table of international politics.
The Kyiv Independent: Two explosions took place on the oil tanker Seajewel, moored in the Italian city of Savona on Feb. 18, with the vessel allegedly transporting Russian oil to Europe, Italian publication IVG reported.
Reuters: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy postponed his visit to Saudi Arabia in order to not give "legitimacy" to Tuesday's meeting between U.S. and Russian officials in Riyadh.
The Moscow Times: Unidentified drones attacked a Russian-controlled air base in Syria overnight, Iran-linked media reported early Tuesday, as Moscow seeks to maintain its military presence following the ouster of its closest ally in the region.
Reuters Special Report: Behind a traveling photo exhibit in Germany about the suffering of children in the Russia-Ukraine war is a network connected to Moscow. It comes as officials in Berlin report an increase in Russian-sponsored interference ahead of German elections.
worth mentioning
‘The US is doing Russia’s work’ say ecstatic propagandists
EU antitrust chief says Trump has upended Europe-US relations
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