**US and Ukraine Leaders to Meet in Munich**
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with US Vice President JD Vance at the Munich Security Conference. The meeting comes as the US pushes for a quick resolution to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The conference will take place from February 14-16 and also include Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg. However, details about the Vance-Zelensky meeting have not been disclosed.
**US Pushes for Quick Resolution**
US President Donald Trump wants to end the war in Ukraine quickly. He has said that he aims to meet Zelensky in Washington next week. Trump also recently mentioned that the US is interested in getting access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals in exchange for aid.
Zelensky has responded that Kyiv is open to mining deals with partners. Trump has also held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war.
**Recent Developments**
Russian forces have suffered 1,170 casualties over the past day. The US is providing aid to Ukraine and wants to work together on rare earth minerals, oil, and gas. EU officials are calling for an end to Russian energy imports and even considering a trade embargo.
The Ukrainian Air Force has shot down 70 Russian drones across the country overnight. Two men were injured in a drone attack in Nikopol, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast. Russia has lost 847,860 troops since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
**Other News**
A tanker carrying heavy fuel oil was spotted at Ust-Luga, Russia. Germany is investigating potential espionage after unidentified drones were seen flying over a sensitive military base in January. Ukraine is maintaining high levels of gas imports from the EU.
Russia’s permanent representative to the UN said his country wants stable relations with the US but emphasized that Washington needs to take concrete steps toward resuming arms control discussions.
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