Zelensky's Push for Extended Conflict Tied to ‘Personal Survival’ – Report

Zelensky's Push for Extended Conflict Tied to ‘Personal Survival’ – Report

Sputnik

Media reports earlier said that Zelensky is poised to continue fighting despite the Ukrainian military’s huge losses and the Russian army’s ongoing advance on all front lines. 

Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly announced Ukraine’s readiness to fight Russia “for another three years" just as “the repercussions of the corruption investigations are increasingly hitting him,” Junge Welt writes.

It remains unclear what Zelensky hopes to gain from this, the newspaper reports, suggesting that the leader of the Ukrainian regime apparently hopes to “politically outlive Trump and find a more supportive US administration.”“

This speculation could, of course, backfire—for example, if the current Vice President JD Vance were to succeed Trump. Or if the Ukrainian army's capacity and willingness to resist don't last another three years,” Junge Welt sums up.

Zelensky rejects territorial concessions to Russia

Zelensky rejects territorial concessions to Russia

RT

Kiev will never rescind its territorial claims on formerly Ukrainian regions lost to Russia and is set on seizing them back in the future, Vladimir Zelensky has stated, once again ruling out withdrawing from Donbass.

In an interview with the BBC published on Monday, Zelensky reiterated his refusal to withdraw from the areas of Donbass still under Ukrainian control, claiming such a move would only “divide” the country’s society.

A withdrawal has been one of the key Russian demands and the main issue of the ongoing US-mediated talks between Moscow and Kiev. Moreover, the Ukrainian leader said the country remains set on getting back all the territories it has lost to Russia. 

“We’ll do it. That is absolutely clear. It is only a matter of time,” he stated.  

Zelensky admitted that Ukraine is currently unable to accomplish this because it lacks both sufficient funds and troops.  

“To do it today would mean losing a huge number of people – millions of people – because the [Russian] army is large, and we understand the cost of such steps,” he said. “And we also don’t have enough weapons. That depends not just on us, but on our partners.”  

The Ukrainian leader repeated his longstanding talking point about getting all the territories within the 1991 borders, when the country became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Seizing all the land back would constitute “victory of justice for the whole world,” Zelensky asserted.

The territories in question include Crimea, which broke away from Ukraine in the aftermath of the Western-backed 2014 Maidan coup and joined Russia via a referendum shortly after. The Donetsk (DPR) and Lugansk (LPR) People’s Republics declared their independence early on in the post-Maidan conflict in then-Ukrainian Donbass. The DPR and LPR joined Zaporozhye and Kherson Regions in being incorporated into Russia in late 2022 following referendums in which the overwhelming majority of the regions’ respective populations supported the move. 

While Russia controls the entire territory of the LPR, Kiev’s forces still hold roughly 20% of the DPR. Moscow’s control of Kherson and Zaporozhye remains partial, with the respective namesake capital cities of the two regions held by Ukraine.

Israel's New Threat: The Turkish Noose Replacing The Iranian Crescent

Israel's New Threat: The Turkish Noose Replacing The Iranian Crescent

 PIERRE REHOV/GATESTONE INSTITUTE

While much of the world's attention remains fixed on Iran and its Shi'ite axis, another geopolitical realignment is taking shape -- more quietly, more pragmatically, and potentially just as consequential for the US, Israel and the Middle East.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has launched an ambitious diplomatic offensive aimed at unifying the Sunni world under Ankara's leadership. The objective is not merely reconciliation with former rivals. It is the construction of a Sunni diplomatic and strategic "wall," or "noose," around Israel, replacing the Iranian "Shi'ite crescent" with a new configuration of Sunni power.

In early February 2026, Erdogan embarked on a Middle East tour that signaled a turning point. On February 3, he visited Saudi Arabia. On February 4, Egypt. On February 7, Jordan's King Abdullah II was received in Istanbul. These meetings were not symbolic. They marked the culmination of a "normalization" process that has been unfolding since 2022, as Turkey repaired relations that were damaged by its earlier ideological support for the Muslim Brotherhood and confrontations with Gulf monarchies.

The Turkish-Saudi reconciliation is particularly significant. Following years of tension after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, Ankara and Riyadh have now moved decisively toward strategic cooperation. Discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman produced major agreements, including a $2 billion Saudi investment in renewable energy projects in Turkey, targeting 5,000 megawatts of solar capacity. Defense cooperation was expanded to include technology transfers for Turkish drones and air defense systems. Bilateral trade is expected to reach $50 billion.

Erdogan has emphasized "growing strategic trust" in confronting regional instability -- from Syria to Gaza. Turkish and Saudi officials increasingly frame Israel as a destabilizing actor in these theaters. The emerging partnership is not merely economic; it reflects coordinated positioning against perceived external threats, with Israel explicitly cited.

Egypt represents an even more dramatic shift. After a decade of hostility -- triggered by Turkey's support for the Muslim Brotherhood following the 2013 ouster of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi -- Erdogan's visit to Cairo marked the end of a long freeze. Turkey and Egypt have now signed a $350 million military framework agreement covering joint weapons production, intelligence sharing, and military exercises. Turkish air defense systems and munitions are slated for delivery, and bilateral trade is projected to reach $15 billion.

Strategically, Egypt's participation transforms the coalition's scope. As the guardian of the Suez Canal and a dominant actor in North Africa, Egypt provides logistical leverage capable of influencing maritime routes critical to Israel's economy. Discussions between Erdogan and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi reportedly included Gaza, Syria, and Africa--regions where both countries share concerns over the influence of Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Jordan, long a security partner of Israel despite persistent political hostility at home, has also been drawn into closer alignment with Turkey. Joint statements have emphasized peace in Syria and Gaza and highlighted "common concerns" about regional stability. A future Erdogan visit to Amman is under discussion, underscoring Jordan's integration into Ankara's growing network.

On February 9, 2026, the foreign ministers of Turkey, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates issued a joint communiqué condemning what they called "Israeli expansionist policies in occupied territories" and calling for Islamic unity. Israeli media outlets such as Ynet interpreted the statement as evidence of a "coalition of interests against Israel," with Turkey playing the unifying role.

Some analysts describe an emerging "Sunni axis," or noose, influenced by Muslim Brotherhood ideology; backed by Turkish military power, financed by Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and designed, by expanding into Gaza, to encircle and finish off Israel. The isolated Turkish-Qatari alignment of 2017-2021 appears to have evolved into a broader strategy of economic and diplomatic influence, channeling of neo-Ottoman ambitions.

In Libya, once divided between Turkish-backed Tripoli and Egyptian-supported Marshal Khalifa Haftar, Ankara and Cairo are now aligning to stabilize the country and limit UAE-supported militias perceived as close to Israel. In Sudan, near Egypt's southwestern border, the Sudanese civil war continues. Turkey provides logistical and intelligence support, aligning with Saudi Arabia to potentially threaten Israeli access to the Red Sea.

In Somalia, Egypt has increased its military presence to approximately 10,000 troops after Israel's December 2025 recognition of Somaliland. Turkey maintains its largest overseas military base in Mogadishu, training Somali forces and developing military infrastructure. A Saudi-Somali defense agreement strengthens this axis, positioning it near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait -- a chokepoint vital to global trade and Israeli shipping. The stated objective is securing the Red Sea against "foreign military presence." The unstated implication is the containment of Israel.

This evolving configuration represents a transformation of what was once considered the "moderate Sunni camp" -- historically aligned with the United States and tolerant, if not friendly, toward Israel -- into a broader Islamic coalition capable of exerting diplomatic, economic and military pressure. Israeli analysts increasingly describe it as the replacement of Iran's Shiite axis with a Sunni bloc influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood.

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US refuelers, cargo planes spotted at Ben Gurion Airport amid Iran tensions

US refuelers, cargo planes spotted at Ben Gurion Airport amid Iran tensions

The Times of Israel is liveblogging Monday

As part of the United States’s massive buildup of military forces in the Middle East, American refueler and cargo planes are spotted at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.

The tankers and cargo planes arrived at Ben Gurion in the past day.

There is no comment from Israeli authorities regarding the American military deployment at Israel’s main civilian airport, and it is unclear if the planes are here temporarily as part of a stopover.

According to the Military Air Tracking Alliance, a team of about 30 open-source analysts that routinely analyzes military and government flight activity, more than 85 fuel tankers and over 170 cargo planes have headed into the region since mid-February, as US President Donald Trump considers whether to take possible military action against Iran.

Saudi message may pave way for US strike on Iran

Saudi message may pave way for US strike on Iran

Danny Zaken

According to a diplomat from the region, Riyadh has conveyed a message that it is no longer blocking a US move against Tehran and is not ruling out the overthrow of the regime. The shift comes amid American pressure and a sense that Iran is dragging its feet in negotiations. However, Saudi Arabia is unlikely to join any military action for fear of an Iranian response.

Saudi Arabia has shifted its stance on the possibility of a US military strike against Iran and is no longer opposing such a move, according to a diplomat from the region. Riyadh is also not ruling out the overthrow of the regime in Tehran, the source said, though it is unlikely to join any military action for fear of Iranian retaliation.

The message was recently conveyed to Washington after mounting American pressure and amid a growing perception that Tehran is stalling in negotiations. According to the diplomat, the Saudis made clear they would no longer block a US strike.

The position marks a departure from Riyadh's recent stance. Saudi Arabia had repeatedly stressed that it was not interested in regional escalation and had made clear it would not allow its territory to be used for an attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had also held talks with Iran's leadership and sent conciliatory messages as part of an effort to prevent deterioration.

In addition, Riyadh has coordinated with other Gulf states to reduce tensions, including through security dialogue and regional contacts. The backdrop has been concern over a potential Iranian response targeting Saudi oil facilities and critical infrastructure, a scenario that has materialized in the past.

Against that backdrop, the latest message to Washington reflects a shift in tone and approach, even if it does not signal willingness to take part directly in military action.