Day after US halts foreign aid, Zelenskyy says military aid to Ukraine continues

The future of US support to Ukraine remains a focal point as President Donald Trump begins his second term. Trump has repeatedly claimed that Russia’s invasion would not have occurred if he had been in office. However, under his previous presidency, fighting between Kyiv’s forces and Moscow-backed separatists intensified before the full-scale invasion in 2022.

On Thursday, Trump told Fox News that Zelenskyy “should have made a deal with Putin to avoid the conflict.” Trump also warned of imposing tariffs and sanctions on Russia if a resolution to end the war is not reached soon. Despite this, Zelenskyy expressed optimism, saying, “I believe President Trump’s desire to end the war can succeed, but it can only be done with Ukraine because Russia does not want to end the war, and Ukraine does.”

Escalation in the East

As Trump calls for peace talks, both Russia and Ukraine are doubling down on military efforts to secure favorable positions. Russian forces continue their grinding offensive in the Donetsk region, targeting Ukraine’s defences and capturing key settlements. On Friday, Russia’s Defence Ministry claimed that its troops had advanced into the center of Velyka Novosilka, though this has not been independently verified.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials reported further shelling in the Russian-occupied Kherson region, where three civilians were killed on Saturday. Moscow-installed governor Vladimir Saldo urged residents of Oleshky, near the frontlines, to remain indoors or seek shelter.

A Ukrainian serviceman with the Azov brigade carries a 155mm artillery shell to a self-propelled howitzer before firing toward Russian front-line positions in Ukraine’s Donetsk region on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Overnight, Russia launched two missiles and 61 Shahed drones at Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses intercepted both missiles and 46 drones, while 15 drones were neutralised through countermeasures. However, damage was reported in the Kyiv, Cherkasy, and Khmelnytskyi regions, with five people evacuated from a damaged apartment block in Kyiv.

In Kharkiv, Russian drones targeted multiple districts, causing casualties and disrupting water and electricity supplies. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that Russia deployed Molniya drones in the attacks, sparking fires. Three people, including two women and a man, were injured, according to regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

As both nations continue to push for territorial and military gains, the possibility of peace negotiations remains uncertain, with the international community closely watching the evolving situation.