Residents queue for hot food after Russian attacks on Kyiv, Ukraine, January 23, 2026

EA-War and Politics 24 VideoCast: Putin’s Last Chance to Conquer Ukraine?

Saturday’s Coverage: Amid 3-Way Talks, Russia Launches Mass Strikes on Kyiv and Kharkiv

Ukraine and Russia have agreed to a second round of US-brokered talks, despite Moscow’s massive missile and drone strikes trying to break Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

An American official said the discussions will resume in Abu Dhabi on February 1. They declared:

I think getting everyone together was a big step. I think it’s a confirmation of the fact that, number one, a lot of progress has been made to date in really defining the details needed to get to a conclusion.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky posted:

However, the Kremlin maintained its demand for Ukraine’s surrender of territory, notably the rest of the Donetsk region in the east of the country, as Russia carried out its aerial assault on civilian areas.

Vladimir Putin’s foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov, “Russia will continue to consistently pursue the goals set for the special military operation on the battlefield, where the Russian armed forces hold the strategic initiative.”

A Russian official told the State outlet TASS of the “most complicated” matter: “This issue remains to be the most complicated. The withdrawal of the Ukrainian military from Donbas [the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine] is important and various security parameters are being considered regarding this issue.”

Moscow’s missiles and drones murdered a woman and injured at least 31 civilians — four in Kyiv and 27 in the second city Kharkiv — early Saturday.

Around 80% of the country faced emergency power cuts after Russia fired at least 396 aerial weapons, including 250 attack drones and 21 ballistic and cruise missiles.