Trump must include Kyiv in any talks to end war - Zelensky; air defences down 50 Russian drones, attack oil refinery

Ukrainian air defences downed 50 of 72 drones launched by Russia overnight and attacked one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, said Ukraine’s military on Sunday.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected protesters’ calls for his resignation on Saturday after tens of thousands demonstrated against his government’s policy shift closer to Russia.

Trump must include Kyiv in talks to end war, says Zelensky

US President Donald Trump could fulfil his promise to end the war in Ukraine, but only if he includes Kyiv in any talks, said President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday.

Zelensky also said the terms of any deal that might arise under Trump were still unclear — and might not even be clear to Trump himself — because Russian President Vladimir Putin had no interest in ending the war.

Trump, who took office on Monday, promised during his election campaign to end the war within his first 24 hours in the White House, without saying how. Aides have since suggested that a deal could take months.

Ending the war would not be possible unless Trump included Ukraine itself in any negotiations, Zelensky told reporters alongside Moldova’s president, Maia Sandu, a visiting ally.

“Otherwise it will not work. Because Russia does not want to end the war, while Ukraine wants to end it,” he said.

In a separate interview broadcast later on Saturday, Zelensky said he believed Trump truly wanted to see an end to the war, nearing the three-year mark next month.

“For now, we don’t know how this will happen because we don’t know the details,” Zelensky told Italian journalist Cecilia Sala, who was released this month after being detained for 21 days in Iran.

“I believe President Trump himself does not know all the details. Because I would say so much depends on what sort of just peace we can achieve. And whether Putin wants, in principle, to stop the war. I believe he doesn’t want to.”

Trump, he said, understood all the challenges associated with the peace process “and he is simply saying this has to end or it will get worse”.

Trump has expressed willingness to speak to Putin about ending the war, a contrast with the outgoing administration of Joe Biden, who shunned the Russian leader.

Kyiv, long worried about the prospect of its fate being decided by bigger powers without its participation, has said it is working to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and Trump.

Addressing journalists earlier alongside Sandu, Zelensky said he believed European allies should also be included in any future peace talks.

“As for what the set-up of the talks will be: Ukraine, I really hope Ukraine will be there, America, Europe and the Russians,” said Zelensky.

“Yes, I would really want that Europe would take part, because we will be members of the European Union,” he said. Ukraine and Moldova both submitted applications to join the EU days after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

On Friday, Putin said he would like to meet Trump to talk about Ukraine. He cited a 2022 decree from Zelensky barring talks with Putin as a barrier to negotiations.

Zelensky said on Saturday he had introduced this ban to stop Putin from forming channels of communication with other groups in Ukraine, which he said Russia had attempted, particularly those advocating separatist views.

“I therefore took an absolutely fair decision,” he said. “I am the president of Ukraine and the leader of these or any other talks and I banned all the others.”

Zelensky also said Ukraine was ready to offer coal to Moldova, which is gripped by an energy crisis after flows of Russian gas through Ukraine stopped in the new year. Moldova accuses Moscow of refusing to send gas by other routes.

“Russia’s latest move has been to orchestrate an energy crisis,” Sandu told reporters.

She said energy prices had shot up in areas controlled by her government, and the situation was worse in a region held by pro-Russian separatists who relied on Russian energy and were subject to daily power cuts.

Sandu said this was part of a calculated Russian strategy to sow chaos in Moldova and bring a pro-Russian government to power in Moldova.

Ukraine downs 50 Russian drones, attacks big oil refinery

Ukrainian air defences downed 50 of 72 drones launched by Russia overnight and attacked one of Russia’s largest oil refineries, said Ukraine’s military on Sunday.

Military and civilian authorities did not immediately report casualties or damages.

Zelensky said Russia had used 1,250 aerial bombs, more than 750 attack drones and more than 20 missiles to attack Ukraine over the past week.

“Only determination can stop such terrorists. We are constantly working with our partners to strengthen our defence capabilities and to reduce Russia’s ability to terrorise Ukraine,” said Zelensky on Telegram messenger.

“Long-range capabilities are crucial. Sanctions are essential. Lowering the price of oil is important. The key is to act in unity and protect lives with resolve,” he added.

Kyiv’s general staff said on Sunday its forces attacked Russia’s Ryazan oil refinery again last night and explosions and fire were reported in the target area.

“The Ryazan Oil Refinery is one of the four largest refineries in the Russian Federation,” it said on Telegram.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that its air defence systems destroyed 15 Ukrainian drones over Russia and two sea drones in the Black Sea.

It said eight drones were downed over the Ryazan region, six drones were destroyed in the Kursk region and one drone was hit over the Belgorod region overnight.

Ryazan governor Pavel Malkov said on Sunday there were no casualties in the latest drone attacks but authorities were still estimating the damage.

Slovak PM Fico rejects calls to quit amid growing protests

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico rejected protesters’ calls for his resignation on Saturday after tens of thousands demonstrated against his government’s policy shift closer to Russia.

Around 60,000 protested in the capital Bratislava on Friday, organisers estimated, and media said in total around 100,000 had turned out for rallies in cities across the country, the biggest demonstrations since Fico returned to power in 2023.

The protests come after Fico privately travelled to Moscow in December to meet Putin, a rare encounter for a European Union leader since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

“The government can only be changed if there are elections,” said Fico in an interview with the public broadcaster on Saturday when asked about the protests.

Fico’s leftist-nationalist administration accused progressive opponents this week of planning to escalate protests to try to overthrow the government illegally. Opposition parties and civic groups organising protests reject the accusations.

Citing information from intelligence services, Fico has alleged, without showing evidence, that there was a group of unidentified experts in Slovakia that had helped in protests against a pro-Russian leader in Ukraine in 2014 and Georgia last year.

He said on Saturday a list of people to be expelled was under preparation, without giving more details.

Protests were nearing levels seen in 2018 when the murder of an investigative journalist caused mass demonstrations and forced Fico’s resignation during an earlier stint in office.

Critics say the four-time prime minister’s ruling coalition is weakening democratic values, while shifting foreign policy away from EU and Nato allies and closer to Russia.

The civic group Mier Ukrajine (Peace to Ukraine), which organised Friday’s protests under the slogan “We are Europe”, will hold more demonstrations on 7 February.

Fico has defended his government’s foreign policy saying it seeks good ties with all sides, and while critical of some EU policies he has said policy was still determined by EU and Nato membership.

His fragile three-party coalition, which won 79 of 150 seats in 2023 elections, will be tested next week with an opposition motion of no-confidence due for debate.

On Friday evening, a junior ruling party expelled two members, and last year three deputies left the other junior coalition member, although they have supported the government in some key votes. DM