Ukraine: USA Stops Tankers “Nothing Will Stop Us” – Live Ticker

Several Russian airstrikes since the beginning of January have damaged Ukraine’s energy supply so much that Kiev, Kharkiv and other cities have hardly any electricity or heating in severe frost. In the capital, more than 1,100 apartment blocks will not be able to be heated until spring. Companies keep operations running by using diesel generators.

All events surrounding the war in Ukraine in the live ticker:

7:25 a.m. – Pentagon: “Nothing will stop us” – US Marines seize oil tankers

The USA has seized an oil tanker in the Indian Ocean that had previously been noticed in the Caribbean. American marines captured the ship “Aquila II” without incident, the Pentagon said in Washington on Monday. The tanker was initially spotted in the Atlantic and violated the oil blockade against Venezuela imposed by US President Donald Trump.

The US Department of Defense announced on the online service X that the “Aquila II” was then “pursued and hunted”. This is the eighth tanker that the USA has detained since the oil blockade was declared. It went on to say that nothing would stop the War Department “from defending our homeland – even in oceans on the other side of the world.”

According to information from Washington, the Panama-flagged tanker is also under US sanctions in connection with the delivery of illegal Russian oil. According to Samir Madani, co-founder of the TankerTrackers.com platform, the Aquila II was among at least 16 ships that left Venezuela in January. This happened shortly after US troops detained Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

7:03 a.m. – Diplomatic circles: USA hands over two important NATO command posts to Europeans

According to diplomatic circles, the USA is handing over two important regional command posts at NATO to European states. Washington will hand over the management of the NATO command in Naples, which is responsible for the south, to Italy and the management of the command responsible for the north in Norfolk, Virginia, in the US state of Virginia, to Great Britain, as the AFP news agency learned from NATO diplomatic circles on Monday. In return, the USA will take command of the NATO naval forces based in Great Britain.

A NATO official said: “Allies have agreed on a new distribution of responsibilities for senior officers within the NATO command structure, in which European allies (…) will play a more prominent role in the alliance’s military command.” He did not give any details.

The redistribution of posts comes against the backdrop of a change in defense strategy pushed by US President Donald Trump: The US may want to reduce its troop presence in Europe and concentrate on other threats such as China.

Monday, February 9th

9:00 p.m. – Zelensky promises help to homeowners when purchasing generators

Given the devastation to Ukraine’s power grid, the Kiev government will help homeowners purchase generators and other energy sources. President Volodymyr Zelenskyj announced this after a consultation with Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko. The purchase of an autonomous power supply should become more affordable for owners’ associations of apartment buildings as well as for owners of single-family homes, said Zelenskyj in his video message in the evening.

In another program for companies, 20,000 applications for aid for the maintenance and repair of generators have already been received. In addition, half a billion hryvnia (almost ten million euros) in interest-free loans were granted to purchase generators, he said. However, the need is likely to be much greater and cannot be met with the numbers given by the President.

5:41 p.m. – EU diplomats are calling for sanctions on foreign ports for the first time

In connection with the transshipment of Russian oil, EU diplomats are proposing sanctions against ports in third countries for the first time. The ports of Kulevi in Georgia and Karimun in Indonesia will be blacklisted, according to a European External Action Service (EEAS) document seen by Reuters. The EEAS has developed the 20th sanctions package together with the EU Commission.

3:27 p.m. – Berlin calls on Kremlin to compromise in Ukraine

After the second round of Ukraine negotiations, the federal government called on Russia to be more willing to compromise. Germany would have “wanted clearer progress” at the talks last week in Abu Dhabi, said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius in Berlin. “Moscow continues to insist on maximum demands,” he said – and added: “We call on Moscow to refrain from doing so and to look for viable compromises.”

According to Ukrainian sources, the USA invited people to a new round of talks – this time in the United States. Zelensky said on Saturday that Washington had “suggested for the first time” that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators meet in the USA.

10:46 a.m. – Russia after assassination attempt on general: Suspects have confessed

According to the Russian secret service FSB, Poland was also involved in the attack on General Vladimir Alexeyev in Moscow. Both suspects arrested after the crime have now confessed to their involvement, the FSB said on its website website with. It is said that the shooter was hired by Kiev for the attack “with the help of Polish secret services” and his son, who lives in Poland.

7:17 a.m. – Russia is proposing gigantic economic deals to the US, says Zelensky

Zelensky warns of major economic deals between Russia and the USA, which, in his view, could also affect Ukraine. At a briefing to journalists at the weekend, he said that Moscow had promised the Trump administration bilateral agreements worth around $12 trillion.

Zelensky cites intelligence documents that outline a framework for economic cooperation between Washington and Moscow. He calls it the “Dmitriev package” – named after Kirill Dmitriev, the head of the Russian sovereign wealth fund and confidant of Vladimir Putin, who is also expected to play a key role in talks about a possible ceasefire. Zelenskyj sees indications that individual points could affect questions of sovereignty or security – and makes it clear: Kiev will not accept agreements about Ukraine without Ukraine.

Sunday, February 8th

6:10 p.m. – First drone produced in Germany in February

In mid-February, Ukraine expects the first Ukrainian drones from a production facility in Germany. “I will receive the first drone. This is a production line that is already working,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said during an appearance before students in Kiev. There is also already functioning production in Great Britain using “our Ukrainian technology”.

13:55 – “Only Trump can end war”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha is urging a direct meeting between President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian leader Vladimir Putin to clarify the final points of contention in the peace negotiations. But only US President Donald Trump has the power to bring about an agreement, Sybiha told the Reuters news agency in Kiev. “Only Trump can end the war.” Ukraine wants to accelerate efforts to end the four-year war and use the momentum of US-brokered talks before other factors such as the US midterm elections in November come into play.

1:50 p.m. – Orbán calls Ukraine “enemy”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has described Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia, as an “enemy”. “Ukrainians must stop constantly demanding in Brussels that Hungary be cut off from cheap Russian energy,” the right-wing populist said in a campaign speech in the western Hungarian town of Szombathely. “As long as Ukraine does this, it is our enemy,” he added, according to state news agency MTI.

Saturday, February 7th

3:05 p.m. – Next talks with Russia planned in the USA

According to Ukrainian sources, after the Ukraine negotiations in Abu Dhabi, the USA invited people to a new round of talks – this time in the United States. Washington has “suggested for the first time” that Ukrainian and Russian negotiators meet in the USA, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Meanwhile, widespread power outages occurred again in Ukraine as a result of massive Russian attacks.

The next meeting between the delegations of Ukraine, Russia and the USA is expected to be held in Miami next week, Zelensky said.

Washington has advocated for the Ukrainian-controlled areas in Donetsk to be declared a “free trade zone” in which neither country exercises military power. Zelensky said: “Even if we manage to create a free trade zone, we need fair and reliable rules.”

Neither side has yet reached an agreement on the future status of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Zaporizhia in southern Ukraine, which is currently in Russian hands.