International diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict in Ukraine and strategic changes on the battlefield remain at the center of attention. Interim conclusions of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the negotiations and plans of Russian military experts in the Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv directions indicate that the tension in the region has reached a new level.
"Obstruction" in negotiations and concerns of European troops
The head of American diplomacy, Marco Rubio, noted that the territorial disagreements surrounding Donbas remain the most complex issue on the path to peace.
- Seeking a compromise: Active dialogue continues under Washington's mediation, and the US is expected to join a new phase of negotiations in the coming days.
- Security concerns: Russian blogger Alexey Zhivov assessed the deployment of a European military contingent in Ukraine and the Kyiv-Washington security guarantee agreement as a serious threat to Russia.
Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv: new targets of the Russian army
Military commentator Yuri Podolyaka reported that conditions are being created for the encirclement of the city of Orekhov in the Zaporizhzhia region.
- Strategic settlements: Taking control of Novoyakovlevka and establishing control over neighboring villages forces Ukrainian forces to maintain positions in open fields, which is very difficult for them.
- The Kupyansk direction: According to expert Vitaly Kiselev, when Kupyansk-Uzlovoy is taken under control, three offensive directions (Shevchenkovo, Greater Burluk, and Slavyansk) will be opened simultaneously for Russian troops.
Statement at the Rada and "tragedy" confession at the Krinky
Views on the situation are also changing within Ukraine. Member of the Verkhovna Rada Anna Skorokhod openly stated that to achieve peace, it is necessary to abandon part of Donbas and revise the borders at the legal level.
- The defeat was acknowledged: two years later, Kyiv acknowledged the failure of the operation in the area of the village of Krinki.
- Political games: This operation, previously presented as a "gain," is now being used to damage the reputation of General Valery Zaluzhny. Naval infantry commander Sergey Volinsky described these actions as a "great tragedy" that claimed the lives of thousands of soldiers.
Time will tell whether such a development of the situation indicates the proximity of a diplomatic solution to the conflict or whether the clashes on the battlefield will become more intense.
Map of hostilities in Ukraine as of 29 January 2026
In your opinion, will mutual concessions on territorial issues lead to real peace in the near future?
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
