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During a significant diplomatic push, the former US president’s special envoy will travel to hold discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other leaders from Europe in Berlin this weekend, as Washington presses for a workable plan to halt the ongoing conflict.

Diplomatic Discussions and Ceasefire Efforts

Germany announced it will facilitate American and Kyiv delegations for preliminary consultations centered on a prospective ceasefire, ahead of a broader meeting involving EU officials and President Zelenskyy scheduled for Monday. In a public statement, Zelenskyy personally confirmed the upcoming meeting with the US representative Steve Witkoff: “Most importantly, I will be conferring with representatives from President Trump, and there will additionally be discussions with our European partners, with numerous leaders, about the establishment of peace – a political agreement to stop the war,” he declared.

Russian Demands for a Truce

Meanwhile, Russian senior diplomat Yuri Ushakov restated that Russia would exclusively give its blessing to a cessation of hostilities once Ukraine’s military pull back from parts of the Donetsk region they still control. Ushakov stated that Russian police and national guard troops would be stationed in parts of the Donbas region even if the zone becomes a DMZ under a potential settlement – a demand considered unacceptable for Ukraine.

Nighttime Strikes Target Ukraine's Critical Systems

During a related development, Russia attacked five oblasts in Ukraine during the night, focusing on the country’s power and maritime facilities, as stated by President Zelenskyy. He reported the attacks involved over 450 drones and 30 missiles. With the mercury hovering around zero degrees, Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, reported more than a civilians were left without power.

Additionally, an strike on the port city of Odesa led to storage facilities igniting, as stated by a senior Ukrainian official Oleksiy Kuleba. Local officials reported that two people were injured in attacks on the wider region.

Defense and Humanitarian Updates

Against a backdrop of increasing concerns about the Russian threat, Berlin announced it will dispatch a team of engineers to Poland to assist with a project to strengthen the nation’s eastern border. Poland, a key ally of Ukraine, unveiled plans last year to secure a long stretch of its border. The main task of the German soldiers will be “construction and engineering work,” a defence ministry spokesperson said.

Regarding a separate incident, around 480 people were evacuated from a train traveling between the Polish city of Przemysl and Kyiv following authorities responded to a report about a threat. Nobody was hurt, and authorities did not elaborate on the nature of the threat. Polish security services remain on high alert due to several incidents to sabotage trains on the route connecting Warsaw to the border with Ukraine.

In other news, Ukrainian naval officials alleged Russia of intentionally attacking a civilian ship from Turkey transporting sunflower oil to Egypt with a UAV on Saturday. The statement claimed the ship ‘VIVA’ was hit but able to continue its voyage, with all 11 crew injured.

Additionally, Kyiv received 114 detainees released by Belarus on Saturday, per the Ukrainian prisoner exchange body. The freed individuals are to get healthcare, and any Belarusian citizens who choose will be relocated to Poland or Lithuania.