Published February 2, 2025last updated February 2, 2025Volodymyr Zelenskyy urges Western support by pointing to the sheer number of airstrikes across his country this week. Plus, the US reportedly wants Ukraine to hold elections by the end of the year if possible. Follow DW.
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Volodymyr Zelenskyy has held meetings with European partners in recent weeks about a possible peacekeeping missionImage: Efrem Lukatsky/AP Photo/picture alliance Skip next section What you need to knowWhat you need to knowUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western allies to continue supporting his embattled country by pointing to extensive airstrikes across Ukraine this week alone.
The top US official for Ukraine and Russia said he would hope to see Ukraine hold elections by the end of the year if Kyiv and Moscow can agree to a ceasefire deal.
Follow our blog for the latest on Russia’s war in Ukraine on February 2:
Skip next section Ukraine and Russia trade blame over deadly attack on boarding school in KurskFebruary 2, 2025
Ukraine and Russia trade blame over deadly attack on boarding school in KurskUkraine has accused Russia of launching a deadly attack on a former boarding school in Russia’s Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces have been holding territory for five months now.
The Ukrainian military said Saturday that the Russian air force struck the building in the town of Sudzha, killing at least four and seriously injuring four others. Ukrainian servicemen rescued at least 84 people from the rubble of the building.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Moscow had bombed the boarding school where civilians were sheltering and preparing to evacuate.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense claimed in the early hours of Sunday that it was Ukrainian forces that had launched a missile strike on the school, saying that the missiles were launched from Ukraine’s Sumy region.
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Skip next section US wants Ukraine to hold elections by end of year if possible — reportFebruary 2, 2025
US wants Ukraine to hold elections by end of year if possible — reportThe US wants Ukraine to hold elections, potentially by the end of the year, especially if Kyiv can agree a truce with Russia in coming months, President Donald Trump’s top Ukraine official told Reuters news agency.
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, said that Ukrainian presidential and parliamentary elections, suspended during the war with Russia, “needs to be done.”
Trump and Putin: A deal at Ukraine’s expense?To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Skip next section Germany will need to boost defense spending, NATO chief saysFebruary 2, 2025
Germany will need to boost defense spending, NATO chief saysNATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told Germany’s mass-circulation Bild newspaper that Germans have “done a lot right since the war began in Ukraine.”
“But given the size of the German economy, we naturally want them to do a lot more,” Rutte told Bild’s Sunday papers, adding “Germany has toincrease defense spending, that will be necessary.”
Germany is Ukraine’s second-largest military backer after the US, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has refused to budge on two of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s key requests.
One, supplying German- and Swedish- made Taurus long-range missiles to Ukraine and second, inviting it to join NATO quickly.
Scholz refuses to match US on long-range weapons for UkraineTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Skip next section Russia carried out 1,400 airstrikes this week, Zelenskyy says February 2, 2025
Russia carried out 1,400 airstrikes this week, Zelenskyy says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed for more Western support to beat back Russian forces, saying Russia carried out more than1,400 airstrikes on Ukraine this week alone.
“Every day, Russia attacks Ukraine with drones, missiles and aerial bombs,” Zelenskyy said in a statement posted to Telegram.
He added Russia carried out aerial assaults using 50 missiles, nearly 600 drones and more than 760 glide bombs this week.
At least 13 killed in Russian attack on ZaporizhzhiaTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
“Russia will not stop on its own. The world must force it to end this brutal and unprovoked aggression,” Zelenskyy wrote.
“Strengthening our defense is absolutely necessary. We need better protection — air defense systems, long-range weapons and sanctions pressure,” he added.
Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Associated Press on Saturday that leaving Ukraine out of any possible peace talks in the nearly three-year-long war would be “dangerous.”
Zelenksyy’s remarks followed comments Friday made by Trump, who said American and Russian officials were “already talking” about ending the war.
Trump has vowed to end the fighting in Ukraine within six months of taking office, saying Friday that his administration has had “very serious” discussions with Russia.
rm/wd (Reuters, AP)
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