WAR IN UKRAINE: February 1, 2023
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: Day 343
The United States has found Russia in noncompliance with its New START Treaty obligations to facilitate U.S. inspection activities and convene the Bilateral Consultative Commission in accordance with the treaty timeline, says U.S. State Department
US President Joe Biden has ruled out providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, despite renewed calls from top Kyiv officials for urgent air support. Asked on Monday if the US would be sending the planes, Mr Biden said "no". The UK also said it was "not practical" for it to send its aircraft to Ukraine. Meanwhile, France's Emmanuel Macon said "by definition, nothing is excluded" ahead of meeting a Ukrainian minister - BBC
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov visited Paris for talks with French leaders on Tuesday, pushing for fighter jets to help Kyiv’s fighters fend off Russia’s nearly year-long invasion. When asked by reporters if France would consider sending fighter jets to Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that “nothing is excluded” but laid out multiple conditions before such a step could be taken. Those included that the equipment would not touch Russian soil, would not lead to an escalation of tensions and would not “weaken the capacities of the French army.”
Foreign Ministry: 120-140 Western tanks to be delivered. Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Ukraine would receive 120-140 tanks in the first round from its Western allies. Currently, the coalition of western allies includes 12 countries, but not all can be named publicly. The incoming tanks include Leopard 2, Challenger 2, and M1 Abrams models - Kyiv Independent
Budanov: Approximately 326,000 Russian soldiers currently fight in Ukraine. Chief of Defense Intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the Washington Post that approximately 326,000 Russian soldiers are currently fighting in Ukraine. According to Budanov, only 9% of Russia's long-range Kalibr missiles remain. Those numbers can't be independently verified.
A study shows how solidarity with Ukraine is developing in different countries. In Germany, it is noticeably declining. This applies in particular to the willingness to take in war refugees. Within the EU, only Belgium shows a comparable decrease - Die Welt
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has announced that a summit with the European Union will take place in Kyiv on February 3, which would send a "powerful signal" to Moscow and the world - RFE/RL
Russia will begin checks for weapons and explosives in cars in regions considered to have a high terrorist threat level, according to a presidential decree published on January 31.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has called a statement by Croatian President Zoran Milanovic that Crimea will never return to Ukrainian control "unacceptable."