Overview
- President Trump urged Volodymyr Zelenski to strike a deal with Russia and to hold presidential elections before the summer.
- Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. and Europe "belong together," called for greater European self‑defense, and questioned whether Moscow is serious about ending the war.
- Zelenski said Ukraine could arrange voting after a couple of months of ceasefire and only with solid security guarantees, adding that dividing Ukraine would not deliver peace.
- A U.S.-mediated Ukraine‑Russia round is scheduled for Feb. 17–18 in Geneva following earlier limited contacts in Abu Dhabi.
- European leaders praised Rubio’s softer tone yet pressed for stronger, more independent defense, while Rubio also met China’s Wang Yi in a signal of broader diplomatic outreach.