Ukraine could trade Kursk oblast in Russia for a part of occupied Ukrainian land - Zelenskiy

President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Guardian that he is open to territorial exchanges if U.S. President Donald Trump successfully negotiates peace between Ukraine and Russia. The interview, published on Feb. 11, comes as discussions on ending the conflict intensify.

Ukraine launched a surprise incursion into Russia's Kursk Oblast in August 2024, initially capturing 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles) of territory. Although Ukrainian forces have lost about half of that area, recent offensives have regained 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles). Zelensky emphasized that Ukraine holds strategic Russian territory that could be pivotal in future peace talks.

"We will swap one territory for another," Zelensky said, without specifying which Russian-occupied areas Ukraine would seek in return. "All our territories are important; there is no priority," he added.

The push for negotiations has gained momentum since Trump took office on Jan. 20. Trump's administration aims to end the war within 100 days of his inauguration, according to Keith Kellogg, Trump's special peace envoy for Ukraine. Kellogg is scheduled to visit Ukraine on Feb. 20 after attending the Munich Security Conference.

Trump recently announced plans to meet with Zelensky in Washington. The U.S. president also mentioned that access to Ukraine's rare earth minerals could be part of future aid discussions, which Zelensky said Kyiv would consider.

Trump has reportedly spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and expressed confidence in a concrete plan to end the war. "I hope it's fast. Every day, people are dying. This war is so bad in Ukraine. I want to end this damn thing," Trump told the New York Post.

6 injured in a Russian airstrike on a village in the Kharkiv region injured six civilians, including a child

On Feb. 11, Russia launched an airstrike on the village of Zolochiv in Kharkiv Oblast, injuring at least six people, including a 12-year-old boy, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Three of the injured were hospitalized, while others received medical care at the scene. The strike, involving guided aerial bombs, hit a residential house around 11:27 a.m. local time. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage.

Zolochiv, home to 7,700 residents before the war, is located about 15 kilometers (10 miles) from the Ukraine-Russia border and 35 kilometers (20 miles) from the city of Kharkiv. The region remains a frequent target of Russian missile, drone, and bomb attacks from across the border and Russian-occupied territories.

Russians droped aerial bombs on Sumy Oblast - two people killed

On February 11, Russian forces carried out an airstrike on civilian infrastructure in the Krasnopillia hromada of Sumy Oblast, killing a 40-year-old man and a 30-year-old woman, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The attack, which occurred around 3:00 p.m., involved two guided aerial bombs. The Sumy Oblast Prosecutor's Office reported that an agricultural company, several vehicles, and a building were damaged in the strike.

Trump's tariffs will hit Ukrainian steel in March, Kyiv is looking for a solution

Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yuliia Svyrydenko, announced that Ukraine will continue collaborating with its partners to seek a favorable solution for the steel industry before new U.S. tariffs come into effect.

On February 10, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a decree imposing a 25% tariff on Ukrainian steel and aluminum imports, effective March 12, 2025. The decree cancels Ukraine's previous exemption, citing that the exemption benefited European manufacturers more than Ukrainian ones. Trump pointed out that Ukraine's share of U.S. steel imports remained at 0.5%, while the EU's share rose from 11.2% to 14.8%.

Svyrydenko emphasized that the Ministry of Economy had worked hard to avoid these tariffs and acknowledged the negative impact they would have on Ukraine's steel industry, already weakened by the ongoing war with Russia.

She reiterated Ukraine's commitment to finding a resolution before the tariffs take effect.