Late last month, ballistic missiles from Russia along with a hail of drones attacked Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. It was a heavy night; the sky lighting with dramatic shadows of Ukrainian anti-aircraft weapons doing their best to intercept Russia’s weapons. It was the first night in a few years that I went down to the bomb shelter to sleep.
At about 3am, the noise was too close to where I am staying, so I descended the stairs to the underworld. It’s a place most Ukrainians have learnt to live with for the past three years. The terrible irony is that the attack on the capital happened hours after the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. Nearly 1,000 prisoners of war were released from captivity and came home, reunited with family.
For a brief moment, there was hope.
In Kyiv, once people came out of the shelters (and many – so used to attacks – stay in bed, hoping for the best), there was much talk of an upscale to the war, with Moscow putting maximum pressure ahead of the ongoing negotiations. There were projections of heavy bombing to come in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kherson and other parts of Ukraine. Indeed, Russia launched one of its largest air attacks on the country about a week ago.
Following the initial round of failed peace talks in Istanbul, the Russian leadership wanted to send a strong message before the current round of negotiations. The Kremlin also sought to demonstrate its drone capacity – fibre optic drones that are even deadlier than the earlier generation, which could creepily chase soldiers in their cars and through doors.
This week, however, Kyiv launched a surprise drone attack on several Russian air bases hosting nuclear-capable strategic bombers. Several experts say that Ukraine has delivered a heavy blow to the Russian military. This dangerous escalation to the war has made serious negotiations even more urgent. While the two sides did meet in Istanbul this week, there was sadly no breakthrough other than a deal to swap more prisoners.
The war has cost so many lives. According to the Kyiv Independent, it is now estimated that Russia has lost more than 900,000 troops. According to the report, it has also lost 10,852 tanks, 22,622 armoured fighting vehicles, 49,639 vehicles and fuel tanks, 28,201 artillery systems, 1,395 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,169 air defence systems, 372 air planes, 336 helicopters, 37,177 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine. This is not including the losses following Ukraine’s recent drone strikes.
Meanwhile, the Russian economy is in tatters.
There is no doubt Ukraine has made enormous sacrifices for the western world – with loss of life and territory, as well as economic and humanitarian hardship. But all wars must end justly; and negotiations must be fair.
What Moscow has so far proposed will never be accepted by Ukraine’s embattled leadership – or its people. Russia’s requests have not changed from the start of the war: no Nato membership for Ukraine; a “Kremlin-friendly” government in Kyiv; complete ownership of Crimea; and control of the four provinces presently under its occupation.
Ukraine, having lost an estimated 300,000 people fighting against all of the above, will never give in to those demands. “Too much has been lost to even consider giving up the [Temporarily Occupied Territories of Donbas],” one Ukrainian friend told me last week. “Even suggesting it means you are something like a traitor.” “Too many young men and women have died to accept negotiations that only fuel Moscow’s colonialism,” said another.
A walk through Maidan Square, the site of the 2014 Revolution for Dignity in Kyiv, shows exactly how painful Ukraine’s sacrifice has been. Hundreds of blue and yellow flags sit next to photos of some of the fallen – men, women, most very young. There are sections for foreign fighters – French, American British and others – and families wander, placing flowers near the flags. It’s a sombre place and a reminder of what Ukraine has at stake.
Ukrainians are weary. They see negotiations largely as a joke – a chance for US President Donald Trump to exercise his “art of the deal” – in this case, getting enormous financial payback in Russia. He posted on Truth Social after speaking with Russian President Vladimir Putin last month, saying: “Russia wants to do largescale [sic] TRADE with the United States when this catastrophic ‘bloodbath’ is over, and I agree. There is a tremendous opportunity for Russia to create massive amounts of jobs and wealth. Its potential is UNLIMITED.”
Meanwhile, key European powers – who are terrified of what they see as Russia’s expansion goals – are looking at fresh sanctions on Moscow. Suggestions that negotiations be held in the Vatican and mediated by Pope Leo XIV have been called “a bit vulgar” by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Mr Lavrov apparently is more focused on continuing “technical” talks in Istanbul this week.
I would like to say there is hope that the war will end soon, but everything I see from the ground tells me that is not going to happen.
In Kharkiv last week, I spent time with the police who in addition to their normal duties, are now tasked with investigating war crimes – nearly 183,000 incidents in Ukraine, according to the Office of the Prosecutor General. Kharkiv is only 40 kilometres from the Russian border, and it has been hit badly. Half of the pre-war population of 2 million people have fled; and Moscow is said to want to take both Kharkiv and Sumy regions quickly.
Seeing the police work in their basement bomb shelters, identifying victims in mass graves using mobile DNA units, made me see the tenacity and the courage of the Ukrainian people.
Every day at 9am, in the western city of Lviv, people stop in their tracks to pause in remembrance of those who have fallen in this war. Cars halt; even on the trains, people pause and rise, silent for one minute. It’s a moving moment and a reminder of how war destroys society at every level; how decent diplomacy must prevail to sit and negotiate how they will end.
Even if the Trump administration is losing patience with the war, and is now focused on the Middle East, the rest of the world should not. Ukraine deserves all the help it can get to bring this terrible war to an end.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The biog
Favourite book: Men are from Mars Women are from Venus
Favourite travel destination: Ooty, a hill station in South India
Hobbies: Cooking. Biryani, pepper crab are her signature dishes
Favourite place in UAE: Marjan Island
BRIEF SCORES
England 353 and 313-8 dec
(B Stokes 112, A Cook 88; M Morkel 3-70, K Rabada 3-85)
(J Bairstow 63, T Westley 59, J Root 50; K Maharaj 3-50)
South Africa 175 and 252
(T Bavuma 52; T Roland-Jones 5-57, J Anderson 3-25)
(D Elgar 136; M Ali 4-45, T Roland-Jones 3-72)
Result: England won by 239 runs
England lead four-match series 2-1
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
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Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Analysis
Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.
The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement.
We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
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Sheikh Zayed's poem
When it is unveiled at Abu Dhabi Art, the Standing Tall exhibition will appear as an interplay of poetry and art. The 100 scarves are 100 fragments surrounding five, figurative, female sculptures, and both sculptures and scarves are hand-embroidered by a group of refugee women artisans, who used the Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery art of tatreez. Fragments of Sheikh Zayed’s poem Your Love is Ruling My Heart, written in Arabic as a love poem to his nation, are embroidered onto both the sculptures and the scarves. Here is the English translation.
Your love is ruling over my heart
Your love is ruling over my heart, even a mountain can’t bear all of it
Woe for my heart of such a love, if it befell it and made it its home
You came on me like a gleaming sun, you are the cure for my soul of its sickness
Be lenient on me, oh tender one, and have mercy on who because of you is in ruins
You are like the Ajeed Al-reem [leader of the gazelle herd] for my country, the source of all of its knowledge
You waddle even when you stand still, with feet white like the blooming of the dates of the palm
Oh, who wishes to deprive me of sleep, the night has ended and I still have not seen you
You are the cure for my sickness and my support, you dried my throat up let me go and damp it
Help me, oh children of mine, for in his love my life will pass me by.
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
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Six large-scale objects on show
- Concrete wall and windows from the now demolished Robin Hood Gardens housing estate in Poplar
- The 17th Century Agra Colonnade, from the bathhouse of the fort of Agra in India
- A stagecloth for The Ballet Russes that is 10m high – the largest Picasso in the world
- Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1930s Kaufmann Office
- A full-scale Frankfurt Kitchen designed by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, which transformed kitchen design in the 20th century
- Torrijos Palace dome
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Why seagrass matters
- Carbon sink: Seagrass sequesters carbon up to 35X faster than tropical rainforests
- Marine nursery: Crucial habitat for juvenile fish, crustations, and invertebrates
- Biodiversity: Support species like sea turtles, dugongs, and seabirds
- Coastal protection: Reduce erosion and improve water quality
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Price: From Dh2,099
