US seeks 'sustainable' peace in Ukraine to avoid new war in '2-4 years,' Rubio says

The Trump administration is working to attain a sustainable peace in Ukraine so that the war with Russia does not begin anew in two to four years, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Jan. 21.

"We are going to engage in making it (the war) end in a way that is sustainable, meaning we don't just want the conflict to end and then restart in two, three, or four years down the road," the recently confirmed top U.S. diplomat said on the CBS Mornings program.

"We want to bring stability."

U.S. President Donald Trump, who took office on Jan. 20, vowed to bring Kyiv and Moscow to the negotiating table and end the full-scale war nearing its third-year anniversary.

He has revealed few details on how he plans to achieve that goal, though Rubio repeatedly said that both Ukraine and Russia will have to make concessions.

"It is a stalemate. It's a war that was started by Russia, but it is now a stalemate, a protracted bloody conflict," Rubio said on CBS Mornings, adding that the war has been "incredibly destructive" for both Ukraine and Russia.

The secretary of state nevertheless said that Ukraine "is paying the biggest price of all to its energy infrastructure, to the people, the lives that are lost, to the millions of Ukrainians that have had to leave their countries and are living overseas."

‘It needs to end’ — State Secretary Rubio’s position on Russia’s war against Ukraine

As state secretary, Marco Rubio will oversee the implementation of the president’s foreign policy, including that relating to Russia’s full-scale war — which wasn’t directly referred to during Donald Trump’s inauguration speech.

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

Ukraine has struggled to contain the Russian advance as the battlefield began tilting in Moscow's favor in late 2024. Facing increasingly difficult manpower shortages, the Ukrainian military was forced to steadily cede ground to Russian forces in eastern Donetsk Oblast.

In turn, Russia is believed to have lost between 700,000-800,000 soldiers killed and wounded, though it demonstrated the capability to replace the losses with new contract soldiers. The country's economy also faces economic headwinds amid soaring inflation and tightening sanctions against its energy sector.

In a rare criticism, Trump said on Jan. 20 that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "destroying Russia" by not seeking a deal to end the war. The new U.S. president said he plans to soon meet his Russian counterpart, though he admitted uncertainty about whether the Kremlin's chief seeks a negotiated settlement.

Since his electoral campaign in 2024, Trump has repeatedly claimed that the full-scale invasion would not have started if he had been in office at the time and pledged to broker an end within 24 hours. He and his team have since shifted rhetoric and acknowledged complexities in resolving the war.

When asked about the expired 24-hour deadline, Rubio evaded commenting on any possible timeframe and merely said that ending the war would be the "priority" and "policy of the United States."

‘A team of attention-seekers’ — Ukrainians react to Trump’s Inauguration speech

Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president on Jan. 20, giving a speech containing a bombastic series of announcements and executive orders, not to mention the declaration of two national emergencies. Setting out the goals of his second term, with billionaires Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Me…

The Kyiv IndependentChris York

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General Staff: Russia has lost 823,980 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost 823,980 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 22.

This number includes 1,950 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,844 tanks, 20,485 armored fighting vehicles, 34,837 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,194 artillery systems, 1,262 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 23,039 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian soldier reports harsh conditions, fatal accidents in regiment; unit launches investigation

Key developments on Jan. 21: * Ukrainian soldier reports harsh conditions, fatal accidents in regiment; unit launches investigation * Ukraine attacks Russian oil depot, aviation plant, command post overnight, military says * Ukraine’s SBU detains chief military psychiatrist over suspected illici…

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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Supervisory board extends arms procurement head's contract, initiates audit following proposed merger

The supervisory board of Ukraine’s Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) extended a 1-year contract to Maryna Bezrukova, the current director of the DPA, the agency announced on Jan. 21.

The contract extensions comes after Defense Minister Rustem Umerov walked back on plans to merge the Defense Procurement Agency and the State Logistics Operator (DOT) into one agency, following a NATO statement said that the two agencies should be kept separate and two separate supervisory boards established "to perform their tasks and supporting their independence and anti-corruption policies."

In addition to the contract extension, the board said in a statement that it had initiated a "comprehensive audit of the Agency's activities," which will involved NATO's International Board of Auditors (IBAN).

Bezrukova, whose contract was extended by a unanimous vote, is a former employee of Ukraine’s energy company Ukrenergo, before being appointed to head the DPA.

Separate boards were set up for Ukraine’s lethal and non-lethal procurement agencies, complying with NATO standards, in the fall of 2024.

The defense procurement sector was reshaped in December 2023, aiming to meet NATO standards. The DPA, first established in August 2022, was to focus solely on lethal aid. Meanwhile, the DOT was formed to purchase non-lethal aid such as food and clothing.

Arms procurement head should keep post, supervisory board says

Defense Minister Rustem Umerov planned to merge the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) and the State Logistics Operator (DOT) into one agency but changed his mind after a NATO statement said that the two agencies should be kept separate and two separate supervisory boards should be established.

The Kyiv IndependentBoldizsar Gyori

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Russian attacks against Ukraine injure 15 over past day

Russian attacks against Ukraine injured at least 15 civilians over the past day, regional authorities reported on Jan. 21.

Russia attacked Ukraine with four Iskander-M ballistic missiles overnight, the Air Force said. Moscow also launched 131 Shahed-type drones and decoy drones, Ukraine’s Air Force reported on their Telegram channel.

Ukrainian air defenses reportedly shot down 72 drones, while 59 other drones were lost in the airspace without causing further damage.

Three people were injured in Russian attacks against Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Governor Serhii Lysak reported on his Telegram channel. These included two railway workers, Ukrainian Railways said.

Three people were also injured in Russian strikes in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin reported on his Telegram channel. The casualties were reported in Kostiantynivka, Lyman, and Druzhkivske.

Two police officers were injured during a Russian attack on Kharkiv Oblast, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported.

In Kherson Oblast, six people were injured in strikes against Kherson and 38 other settlements, according to Governor Oleksandr Prokudin.

A 49-year-old man was wounded in a Russian attack on the Vasylivka district of Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Governor Ivan Fedorov reported on his Telegram channel.

Russia’s primitive glide bombs are still outmatching Ukraine’s air defenses, killing more civilians

When a glide bomb exploded at an industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia on Jan. 8, the 13 dead, and 122 injured marked the highest number of civilian casualties in a Russian attack on Ukraine in almost two years. Despite being one of the most primitive and numerous weapons in the Russian

The Kyiv IndependentKateryna Hodunova

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General Staff: Russia has lost 822,030 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost 822,030 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 21.

This number includes 1,600 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,833 tanks, 20,477 armored fighting vehicles, 34,682 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,134 artillery systems, 1,262 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,050 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 22,898 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Trump sworn in as 47th US president, says he’s taking back Panama Canal; doesn’t mention Ukraine

“Golden age of America begins right now,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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Macron warns of prolonged Ukraine war, urges stronger European defense strategy

French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned on Jan. 20 that Russia’s war against Ukraine is far from over, as Donald Trump, who vowed to quickly end the conflict, assumed office again.

"Let us not delude ourselves," Macron said earlier during his New Year’s address to the French armed forces, according to AFP. "This conflict will not end tomorrow or the day after," he added, with the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion approaching next month.

Trump has previously pledged to end the war "in 24 hours" without detailing his plan and later extended the timeline to several months.

Speaking in Cesson-Sévigné in northwestern France, Macron emphasized the importance of strengthening Ukraine’s position. "It is essential to provide Ukraine with the means to endure and to negotiate from a position of strength in the future," he said. He also stressed the need to ensure Ukraine’s security and prevent a resurgence of war on its territory.

Macron renewed his call for Europe to take greater responsibility for its defense, a point he has often raised. "There can be no peace and security in Europe without Europeans," he said, referencing the war in Ukraine and Europe’s role in future negotiations.

Trump’s questioning of NATO commitments and his remarks about reducing support for Ukraine have sparked fresh urgency among European nations to reassess their defense capabilities.

In 2023, France approved a record 413-billion-euro ($450 billion) military budget for 2024-2030, marking its most significant defense spending boost in decades.

Macron also directed the government and armed forces to submit plans by May to mobilize more young volunteers to support the military. This appears to acknowledge the end of his long-championed universal national service project. "In order to build up this reserve, the Defense and Citizenship Day will be revamped," he added, without elaborating.

Currently, France requires all citizens to participate in a one-day "Defense and Citizenship" program at age 18, which introduces the country’s military forces and includes a French language test. Macron called for better efforts to identify willing volunteers.

During his 2017 presidential campaign, Macron proposed a month-long mandatory national service, aiming to expose young people to military life. The army’s lukewarm response led to the government pivoting toward a civic service initiative instead.

Trump sworn in as 47th US president, says he’s taking back Panama Canal; doesn’t mention Ukraine

“Golden age of America begins right now,” U.S. President Donald Trump said.

The Kyiv IndependentTim Zadorozhnyy

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General Staff: Russia has lost 820,430 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost 820,430 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Jan. 20.

This number includes 1,690 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 9,821 tanks, 20,454 armored fighting vehicles, 34,488 vehicles and fuel tanks, 22,074 artillery systems, 1,262 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,049 air defense systems, 369 airplanes, 331 helicopters, 22,768 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine hits 2 oil depots in Russia overnight; Zelensky sanctions top pro-Russian politicians

Key developments on Jan. 19: * Ukraine hits 2 oil depots in Russia overnight * Zelensky slaps sanctions on Ukraine’s top pro-Russian politicians * Lack of medical treatment, problems with unit transfers most common causes of appeals, new military ombudsman says * Ukrainian troops withdraw from,…

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150,000 Russian soldiers killed fighting Ukraine in 2024, Syrskyi says

Russian forces suffered their heaviest losses last year since the start of the full-scale war, with total military losses reaching 434,000 soldiers, including approximately 150,000 killed in combat during 2024, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said in a Jan. 19 interview with the Ukrainian news outlet TSN.

"In this year of fighting, (Russian President Vladimir Putin) lost more than in the previous two years of the war (combined)," Syrskyi said.

As of Jan. 19, Russia has lost a total of 818,740 troops since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine's General Staff reported. The estimate, which is broadly in-line with estimates made by Western intelligence agencies, likely includes those killed, captured, wounded, and missing.

Russia has gained ground in eastern Ukraine and Kursk Oblast over the past year but at the cost of heavy casualties.

Russian losses reached record highs in November and December, with a daily high of 2,030 troops lost in November, marking the highest daily loss since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.

Moscow does not disclose its casualty figures, though a Defense Ministry official recently let slip that the department received 48,000 requests to identify missing soldiers.

According to a joint investigation by BBC Russia and Mediazona, journalists have identified the names of 88,726 Russian soldiers who died during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to the outlets' conclusions for the year, 2024 will likely mark the "war's deadliest year," with a current count of over 20,000 confirmed deaths over the past 12 months — although final conclusions cannot yet be made as data on casualties continues to emerge.

In December, President Volodymyr Zelensky revealed in a rare statement that Ukraine had lost 43,000 soldiers on the battlefield since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion.

When asked during the wide-ranging interview about the Ukrainian losses, Syrskyi broadly replied that there were "many times" less Ukrainian losses than those sustained by the Russians.

At the current rate of Russian military casualties, Russian losses are expected to surpass 1 million troops within six months.

Ukraine producing its own air defense systems, Syrskyi says

“We have the capacities and capabilities to create, and we are working on creating, our own domestic air defense complex,” Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky said on Jan. 19.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

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Russia condemns 100-year partnership agreement between Ukraine and UK

Russia criticized a newly announced 100-year partnership agreement between Ukraine and the U.K., rejecting any cooperation between the two nations in the Azov Sea. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Jan. 18 declared such claims to the region a "gross interference" in Russia’s affairs, claiming they would face firm resistance.

The Kremlin expressed concern on Jan. 17 over potential deployment of British military assets in Ukraine under the agreement, particularly in the Azov Sea. Russia views the sea as part of its territory, citing its proximity to Russian borders, areas of southern Ukraine under Russian occupation, and Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Zakharova dismissed the agreement as meaningless from Russia’s perspective, calling it a "PR campaign" by Kyiv. She added that Moscow considers the Sea of Azov an "internal sea."

The partnership, announced on Jan. 16 during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Kyiv, includes commitments to strengthen military cooperation in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Sea of Azov. Starmer pledged to support Ukraine with robust security guarantees if negotiations for a ceasefire with Russia move forward.

The agreement marked Starmer’s first visit to Ukraine as prime minister and highlighted the U.K.'s continued support for President Volodymyr Zelensky. Starmer described the long-term partnership as a commitment to Ukraine’s security and sovereignty.

Russia’s objections underline ongoing tensions over control of the Azov Sea, a strategic waterway central to both economic and military interests in the region. Moscow’s position signals potential challenges to Ukraine and U.K.’s efforts to enhance cooperation in contested areas.

UK to play ‘full part’ in peacekeeping efforts in Ukraine, Starmer says

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he had discussed the possibility of deploying peacekeeping troops to Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelensky during their meeting in Kyiv.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert

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