Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv retaking territory, Zelenskyy says, as Nordic leaders urge Putin to end the conflict

The Ukrainian president, citing a report by senior commanders, noted for the first time the Veles operation using pipelines in Ukraine's northeast. He also referred to an air assault operation in eastern Ukraine and the Vivaldi operation further north, designed to prevent Russian advances in key areas. Zelenskyy emphasized that Kyiv's battlefield position was the strongest it had been in some time.

Nordic Diplomatic Push

The leaders of Finland and Norway phoned Russian president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday to urge him to end the war in Ukraine. The call was an attempt to influence the diplomatic process after US president Donald Trump stunned allies by agreeing to buy Russian diesel, plunging ties with Ukraine to their lowest point in 18 months.

Escalating Attacks

While a localized ceasefire appears to be holding in Ukraine's south, Russian strikes damaged a university campus and Kyiv's important Southern Bridge overnight. A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that Russia had hit the bridge with four Iskander ballistic missiles. Zelenskyy described this as a serious escalation against Ukrainian logistics.

Kyiv plans to allocate 1 billion hryvnias ($22 million) to build water crossings over the River Dnipro that divides the capital into two parts, as Russia escalates its attacks on bridges. Energy facilities, logistics and infrastructure in 10 other regions had also been attacked overnight.

Regional Security Concerns

Romanian president Nicusor Dan has called an alleged Russian sabotage plot last month a grave violation of the Nato member's sovereignty and security. Three foreign nationals – two Belarusians and one Ukrainian, all residing in EU countries – are being investigated in connection with a fire in central Brasov County that damaged commercial premises.

France has temporarily relocated a maritime patrol aircraft to Romania to help identify navigation dangers and bolster protection of critical energy infrastructure in the Black Sea. At least eight cargo ships have been hit near the coasts of Romania and Bulgaria in the past three weeks, with about 34 sailors reported dead or missing.

Allied Support

Poland will host a maintenance centre for the US-made Patriot air-defence system, the only one outside the US. Poland, a Nato member bordering Ukraine, serves as a major logistics hub for military aid sent to Kyiv's allies. Pope Leo XIV's chief almsgiver, Monsignor Luis Marín de San Martín, began a three-day visit to Ukraine Tuesday, bringing winter clothes, blankets and food for distribution.