**Ukraine and Russia May Reach Ceasefire This Year**
Ukrainian military intelligence head Kyrylo Budanov believes that Ukraine and Russia will reach a ceasefire this year. In an interview with Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev, published on February 18, Budanov said that despite the opposing positions of Kyiv and Moscow, he thinks a ceasefire is possible.
**US Pushes for Peace Agreement**
U.S. President Donald Trump has been pushing to mediate a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. However, his efforts have raised alarm in Kyiv and Europe due to Ukraine’s exclusion from recent talks with Russian officials. A meeting of the American and Russian delegations took place in Saudi Arabia on February 18, followed by a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
**NATO Membership Remains Complicated**
Budanov stated that the issue of NATO membership remains “very complicated” for Ukraine. He also questioned the effectiveness of deploying a peacekeeping mission to Ukraine, saying that such steps have never met expectations in other war-torn countries.
**US Envoy Visits Ukraine**
Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine, met with top Ukrainian military and government officials as part of his visit to the country. The meeting aimed to reaffirm EU support for Ukraine.
**Russian Strikes Target Energy Facility**
Russian aerial strikes targeted an energy facility in Odesa Oblast overnight, leaving 49,000 consumers without power. This is just one example of Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine.
**Ukraine and Russia Seek Peace**
Budanov believes that a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia will happen this year. He also stated that the Russians want to see the war end, but have the upper hand due to their control of territory.