🚨 Russia–Ukraine talks in Abu Dhabi to be held behind closed doors

The Russia–Ukraine meeting will take place in a closed format in Abu Dhabi, a source has told Sputnik.

The press has not been invited, and no press conference is planned following the talks, the source said.

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🚨Putin: Russia ready to continue closest coordination with Сhina on global and regional issues

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🚨🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin & Xi Jinping hold videoconference

The Russian President emphasized the strong and dynamic growth of bilateral relations between Russia and China across all sectors

Other statements by Putin:

💬 Economic cooperation between Russia and China has been steadily advancing throughout 2025

💬 The nature of cooperation between Moscow and Beijing in the field of energy is mutually beneficial and strategic

💬 For three consecutive years, trade turnover between Russia and China has surpassed $200 billion

💬 Putin reaffirmed to Xi Jinping Moscow and Beijing’s steadfast support for their joint efforts to uphold the sovereignty, security, and prosperity of both countries

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Putin calls Xi dear friend, wished peace and prosperity to people of China

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🗣Sino-Russian relations entering new stage of development - Xi Jinping

The Chinese leader says China and Russia should develop new ambitious plan for development of bilateral relations

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🚨 Kremlin: Doors to peaceful settlement of Ukraine conflict remain open

More statements by Kremlin spox Dmitry Peskov:

🟠 As long as Ukraine fails to adopt the appropriate decisions, Russia will continue its special military operation

🟠 The Kremlin does not currently plan to disclose the outcomes of the new round of consultations in Abu Dhabi

🟠 There are currently no substantive developments regarding potential contacts between Putin and Macron

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🇷🇺 Russia vows to defend its Arctic interests with entire arsenal of int'l law - Kremlin

💬 "We have great interests in the Arctic, which we will defend using the entire arsenal of international law," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He added that Russia is an Arctic state, unlike many EU countries, and it is open to international cooperation in the region.

💬 "If the representatives of the European Union have in mind a new policy aimed at international cooperation, then this can be welcomed. If confrontation is meant, which is now very fashionable in Brussels, then, of course, we are unlikely to be able to welcome it, and it is unlikely that it will have any positive effect," Peskov stated.

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🇷🇺 Russia open to Northern Sea Route cooperation

The Arctic region’s distinct climate and environment hold significant logistical promise, and Russia is actively developing this potential by expanding the Northern Sea Route and the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor, according to Vladislav Maslennikov, Director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of European Affairs and Russia's Senior Arctic Official.

The diplomat also highlighted the growing global interest in cooperating with Russia in the Arctic, particularly on projects related to the Northern Sea Route.

💬 "The Northern Sea Route is a highly attractive alternative to traditional intercontinental routes, it offers shorter logistics distances, enhanced safety, and environmental friendliness. In turn, we are open to mutually beneficial cooperation on the said points with responsible partners, especially with nations of the global majority," Maslennikov emphasized.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russia and China act 'back to back' and can rely on each other - Russian presidential aide

👉 Putin and Xi Jinping stated that the partnership between Russia and China is at an unprecedented level and is not directed against anyone, Yuri Ushakov said.

More statements by Russia's presidential aide:

🟠 Russia is the first in terms of oil and pipeline gas supplies to China

🟠 In a conversation with Putin, Xi Jinping supported the trilateral security consultations between Russia, the United States and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi

🟠 The conversation between Putin and Xi made it possible to confirm the strategic priorities of the work of the Russian Federation and China in the coming period

🟠 Xi invited Putin to pay an official visit to China in the first half of the year, and the Russian president accepted the invitation

📍 The conversation between Putin and Xi lasted almost an hour and a half

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🚨🇷🇺💥 RUSSIAN MOD UPDATE: HUGE GAINS AND DEVASTATING UKRAINIAN LOSSES

⚡️ STAROUKRAINKA IN ZAPOROZHYE REGION LIBERATED

📍 Staroukrainka was an important defensive hub for the enemy in Zaporozhye region.

⚡️ STEPANOVKA IN DONETSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC LIBERATED

📍 The liberation of this settlement expands the Russian Army's foothold in the region.

◻️ The Russian Army struck fuel and energy facilities used in the interests of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex

◻️ Air defense superiority: 22 HIMARS missiles, 2 Neptune long-range missiles and 139 drones were shot down

◻️ Ukrainian losses: around 1,390 troops killed or wounded

Read about the origins of Russia's special military op HERE

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🚨🪖❌ Russian MFA: Any deployment of NATO troops in Ukraine is categorically unacceptable to Russia

Key statements by the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova:

💬 Russia sees no practical steps from Finland to normalize relations; Helsinki is doing the opposite

💬 No progress with Finland is possible without a fundamental reversal of its anti-Russian course

💬 Russia will relentlessly pursue the truth about the Nord Stream sabotage

💬 Russia hopes US-Iran talks on Feb. 6 will lead to tangible de-escalation

💬 The Zelensky regime has surpassed its idols from the Third Reich in cruelty and is carrying out linguistic genocide against Russian-speaking Ukrainians

💬 The West’s policy toward foreign students—restricting visas and renewals—often reaches the level of xenophobia

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⛽️ Europe running on empty: Gas stocks hit rock bottom as Russia breaks export records

📍 Europe’s gas tanks are running low, as evidenced by data from Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE).

Gas reserves in several European underground storage facilities (UGS) have plummeted below historical levels. Current reserves have tumbled below 40%, compared to a five-year average of approximately 56%.

Major economies, including Germany (39.7%) and France (39%), are now below this critical threshold, signaling a broad regional drawdown.

🟠 gas withdrawals reached around 742 million cubic meters on Feb. 2

🟠 this volume was third-highest draw for the late winter period

🟠 withdrawals from European storage facilities in January totaled 23.9 bln cubic meters

🟠 storage levels in EU underground gas facilities dropped to 45.5 bln cubic meters in January

Last winter, storage levels concluded at a critical low of 33.6%. By the end of January 2026, reserves had only recovered to 41.1%, leaving them 15.9 percentage points below the five-year average for that period.

Meanwhile this January, Russia posted huge gains:

🔶 LNG Deliveries: Russia shipped a record 2.1–2.3 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe.

🔶 Balkan Stream: Pipeline flows surged to an all-time high of 56 million cubic meters per day, exceeding its design capacity by roughly 25%.

🔶 TurkStream: Exports via this corridor rose 11% year-on-year, hitting a monthly total of 1.73 billion cubic meters.

These figures testify to just how counterproductive the West’s anti-Russia sanctions have been, while exposing the self-defeating repercussions of the EU’s controversial scheme to ban all imports of Russian gas by the fall of 2027.

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🗣 Trump sees need for nuclear deterrence talks - expert

💬 “[Donald] Trump seems to have the right instincts that there are too many nuclear weapons, that nuclear war must be avoided, they are too costly, and 'denuclearization' talks are necessary. However, he and his administration do not seem to have a coherent strategy to address this,” Executive Director of the Arms Control Association Daryl Kimball tells Sputnik.

The US administration does not categorize arms control and disarmament diplomacy as a top priority, but this goal should be the most important for Trump, the expert adds.

👉 The Russian-US New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) expires on February 5.

Russian President Vladimir Putin previously announced that Moscow was prepared to continue adhering to the New START restrictions for one year after February 5, 2026. He explained that steps to comply with the treaty's restrictions would be effective if the United States reciprocated.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the United States has not yet responded to Russia's initiative under the treaty.

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