Australia and New Zealand announced new packages of sanctions and additional financial assistance to Kyiv. This happened on the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Today marks four years since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This war has become the largest in Europe since World War II.
Ukraine considers sanctions against Alexander Lukashenka as a first step. A legal framework is being prepared for further strengthening of the sanctions policy due to support for the war against Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy announced that approximately seven thousand Ukrainians are being held in Russian prisons, where they are treated more harshly than political prisoners from other countries. He also stated Ukraine's readiness to assist in the release of Belarusian political prisoners.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine has neutralized some of the repeaters that helped Russians attack Ukrainians.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine wants to see a foreign contingent closer to the front line, not in rear cities. France and Britain are ready to provide a brigade each, and other countries are also expressing readiness.
Russia has de facto annexed Belarus and uses its infrastructure to attack Ukraine and destabilize NATO. Belarus has lost its sovereignty and is an accomplice in the aggression.
The Ministry of Finance of Belarus has published the parameters of the consolidated budget for 2026, where revenues will increase by 17% and expenditures by 15. 8%, with a deficit already included. The share of gratuitous receipts from foreign states has increased to 7.2%, which indicates dependence on subsidies from Moscow.
Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) from Russia and Belarus will be able to attend the closing ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. They are allowed to participate in a group, as athletes are not separated by country at the closing ceremony.
The Czech Paralympic Committee will refuse to participate in the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games. This is a protest against the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus under national flags.
The Ukrainian public broadcaster will not broadcast the opening ceremony of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games. This decision was made due to the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus under their national symbols.
Estonia and Latvia have begun implementing the Baltic Defense Line, purchasing 600 bunkers to fortify their eastern border. This project, worth 60 million euros, is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
On February 19, the US and Canada intercepted five Russian aircraft near Alaska. They remained in international airspace, not entering sovereign US or Canadian airspace.
The National Paralympic Committee of Ukraine announced a boycott of the opening ceremony of the XIV Winter Paralympic Games. Ukraine demands that the Ukrainian flag not be used at the ceremony, but will participate in the competitions.
The Belarusian delegation did not receive US visas to participate in the first meeting of President Donald Trump's Peace Council. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry expressed surprise at the failure to fulfill basic formalities.
Ukraine will not boycott the 2026 Paralympics; Ukrainian Paralympians will compete. The decision regarding participation in the opening ceremony will be announced later.
At the same time, the channel plans to show the opening and closing ceremonies and inform viewers about the context of the admission of athletes from the Russian Federation and Belarus.
The Italian government has expressed disagreement with the decision of the International Paralympic Committee to admit athletes from Russia and Belarus to the Milan-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games. Italy calls on the IPC to reconsider this decision.
The Polish Ministry of Sport and Tourism will not participate in the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games in Milan. This decision was made due to the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes using their national symbols, which is unacceptable in the context of aggression against Ukraine.
The Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs will extend the temporary ban on staying in the border area with Belarus for another three months, until March 4, 2026. This is due to migration pressure and the launch of meteorological balloons with tobacco products.
The President of Ukraine noted that he was unaware of the admission of Russians and Belarusians to the Paralympics, but his initial reaction was that it was "disrespectful. "
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine state that the admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes under national flags to the Paralympic Games is unacceptable. This decision undermines trust in international sports and justifies the crimes of the aggressors.
The Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine expressed gratitude to representatives of the governments of the countries of the "free world" who, according to him, will also not participate in the official events of the Paralympics.
EU Commissioner Glen Micallef refused to attend the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games due to the admission of athletes from Russia and Belarus under national flags. He called this unacceptable against the backdrop of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
The relevant ministry believes that the decision to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes to participate in the Paralympic Games under national flags is outrageous and effectively contributes to the "normalization" of Russia's war against Ukraine.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Lukashenka for his assistance in Russian aggression. Zelenskyy stated that Belarus is helping Russia circumvent sanctions and supplies components for missiles.
Georgia's "friendliness" rating towards Russia increased from 15 to 19. 4 points over the year, according to a study by a Russian institute. The country is now in the category of "Relatively friendly/unfriendly communication regimes."
Vilnius Airport suspended operations due to weather balloons from Belarus entering its airspace. This is already more than the tenth such incident since October 2025.
Six Russian and four Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete under national flags at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Milan-Cortina. Russia received six spots in para-alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding, while Belarus received four spots in cross-country skiing.
Poland will denounce the Ottawa Convention from February 20, 2026, to produce anti-personnel mines for border protection. The decision is part of the "Eastern Shield" strategy due to Russian aggression and the experience of the war in Ukraine.
