Ukraine updates: Poland's Tusk visits Kyiv, pledges support

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will visit Ukraine on Wednesday, amid difficult relations between the countries following Fico's criticism of its war-torn neighbor.

His office that Fico would meet his Ukrainian counterpart in a city on the border with Slovakia. "In the morning, he will visit Ukraine and meet Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in Uzhhorod," the statement said, adding Fico would later travel to Berlin for talks with the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

Slovakia's populist leader is opposed to sanctions on Russia and since taking power has stopped sending military aid to Ukraine.

On Saturday, Fico said Ukraine was "not an independent and sovereign country" but was under "the total influence and control of the United States."  

Fico also said there was no military solution to the conflict since Russia's invasion nearly two years ago. Ukraine, he said, would have to give up some territory.

On Monday, Ukrainian foreign ministry's spokesman Oleg Nikolenko said there could be "no compromise on territorial integrity."

Ukrainian ports exported more agricultural products in December 2023 that at any other point since Russian invasion in February 2022, the British Ministry of Defense said in its latest intelligence update.

Growth is driven by reopening Ukraine's main Black Sea ports and creating a unilateral export corridor, it added.

"Ukraine has achieved this because it has largely prevented the Russian Black Sea Fleet from operating in the western Black Sea, where it is held at risk by Ukrainian missiles and uncrewed surface vessels," the update said.

According to the British ministry, Ukrainian exports exceeded the monthly volumes achieved during the UN- and Turkey-brokered Black Sea Grain initiative, which was subject to Russian inspections.

Current market confidence is supported by the UK-brokered reduction in insurance premiums and the announcement that Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have formed a naval countermeasures force, the update said.

Britain updated its travel advice for some regions of western Ukraine, giving the green light to essential travel after previously warning against visiting the entire country following Russia's invasion. 

The UK now advises against all but essential travel to the Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Chernivtsi regions in Ukraine, Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) said.

According to the FCDO statement, the change reflected Ukraine's resilience in the face of Russian attacks, and its strong air defence systems which were defending it against missile and drone strikes.

"The FCDO continues to advise against all travel to the rest of Ukraine including the capital Kyiv," the statement said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Kyiv on Monday that Ukraine and Poland will be able to resolve issues between the two countries, including matters relating to the recent protests on the Polish border,

"We discussed with the [Polish] prime minister that all critical issues that exist can be resolved at the level of governments, and work on this will begin shortly," Zelenskyy said at a joint news briefing alongside Tusk.

Tusk said that the countries had a common view on border issues that have hindered the transit of goods. 

Relations have been strained in recent months amid blockades by Polish truckers at the Ukrainian border, which threatened to hurt Ukraine's economy.  

Polish truckers and farmers feel threatened by a relaxed policy for Ukrainian freight traffic, which they say has undercut prices. 

Tusk added that Poland and Ukraine are ready to conclude talks on investments in joint production of ammunition and weapons.

Zelenskyy thanked Poland for supporting Ukraine. "We appreciate Poland's unwavering support and the new military aid package for Ukraine, as well as a new form of cooperation aimed at larger-scale arms purchases for Ukrainian needs: a Polish loan for Ukraine," he wrote on Twitter.

Poland's newly elected prime minister, Donald Tusk , arrived in Kyiv on Monday for surprise talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"For me, it is very important to build the feeling that Poland is the most reliable, most stable ally of Ukraine in this deadly clash with evil," Tusk said.

Tusk also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and attended a memorial service for Ukrainian soldiers who were killed in battle with Russia.

Poland has supported Kyiv militarily, while taking in the largest number of Ukrainian refugees since Russia launched its war on Ukraine in February 2022. 

However, tensions between Poland and Ukraine have recently erupted over a Ukrainian export policy, which Polish farmers say threatens their livelihood.

Tusk is seeking ways of mending ties with Ukraine. He had earlier expressed the desire to help Ukraine economically, yet without it coming at the expense of Polish businesses.

"There are some conflicts of interest, we know it well and we will talk about them, but not only in the spirit of friendship, which is obvious, but with the attitude to solve these problems as soon as possible, not to maintain or multiply them," Tusk said.

 

The United Nations is asking Russia on Monday to explain the fate of thousands of Ukrainian children believed to have been forcibly sent to Russia since that country's invasion of Ukraine. 

A regular review of Russia's record is set to take place at the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. The UN committee had sent its lengthy list of concerns to Russia back in 2023.

The committee aims to establish the number of children Russia claims to have "evacuated" to the Russian mainland or within Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine. 

It is also questioning Moscow over what it has done to protect "the right of such children to preserve their identity, including nationality, name and family relations."

Ukraine accuses Russia of forcibly deporting some 20,000 Ukrainian children to Russia. Moscow argues its aim was to protect these children from the fighting.

"Placements for evacuated children are arranged, first and foremost, at their request and with their consent," Russia said in a written response sent in October and shown to media by the UN on Friday.

Only some 400 children have been thus far repatriated.

The NATO military alliance this week is beginning preparations for the launch of its biggest military drill in decades.

The "Steadfast Defender" exercise will see the participation of some 90,000 soldiers, and is due to last from February until the end of May. The drill has been described as NATO's largest since the Cold War. Along with the troops, 50 ships, 80 fighter jets, 1,100 combat vehicles will be involved. 

NATO top commander Chris Cavoli said the drills would rehearse the alliance's execution of defense plans in response to a potential Russian attack. It would simulate how US troops could reinforce European allies on NATO's eastern flank.

NATO Military Committee Chairman Rob Bauer said the military alliance is using the exercise to "prepare for a conflict with Russia and terrorist groups."

All NATO members are taking part in the exercise, alongside Sweden, which is preparing for accession.

On Sunday, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the state RIA news agency that the exercises mark the "final and irrevocable return of NATO to the Cold War schemes, when the military planning process, resources and infrastructure are being prepared for confrontation with Russia." 

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy has put forth draft legislation that would grant foreign fighters Ukrainian citizenship.

Zelenskyy announced the proposed legislation on Monday. It would allow foreign nationals to acquire dual citizenship, unless they hail from Russia.

"Foreign volunteers who took up arms to defend Ukraine, all those who fight for Ukraine's freedom as if it were their homeland. And Ukraine will become such for them," Zelenskyy said in a post on social media.

Thousands of foreigners rushed to Ukraine at the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022 to fend off Moscow's attacks.

Ukraine's air defense systems repelled eight Iranian-designed attack drones launched by Russia, Kyiv said on Monday.

"The enemy attacked with eight attack UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) of the Shahed-136/131 type from the Primorsko-Akhtarsk region of the Russian Federation," the air force said in a statement. No immediate reports of damage were available.

Ukrainian officials have stressed that gaining control of the country's airspace was a priority for this year. Kyiv urged its Western allies to supply more air defense systems.

Russia blamed Ukraine on Monday for causing a fire at a gas terminal at the Baltic port of Ust-Luga last weekend.

The incident occurred near Russia's border with Estonia. The fire damaged a gas facility belonging to Novatek, Russia's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that Ukraine was "striking civil infrastructure," without providing any specific evidence. 

The gas terminal is located over 850 kilometers (530 miles) from Ukraine.

rmt,dh/wmr,jcg (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)