Rutte: We’re coming up to the 4th anniversary of Russia's all-out war on Ukraine.

This is the harshest winter for Ukrainians in over a decade. It is -20°C in Kyiv. Russia is heavily targeting civilian infrastructure, leaving Ukrainians in freezing cold without heat or water. 1/ Rutte: Europe cannot provide enough of what Ukraine needs to defend itself today and to deter tomorrow.

Without flow of weaponry from the US, we cannot keep Ukraine in the fight. They provide interceptors to take down missiles going into Kyiv. 2/

Stoltenberg on Greenland: It’s serious when NATO's biggest ally, the US, is challenging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Denmark and Greenland.

Especially because the core mission of NATO is to protect borders and sovereignty. 1/ Stoltenberg on progress in Davos: When there are disagreements among NATO allies, it’s good to find different platforms for talking.

There have been some contacts between Denmark and the US. That's a good thing. 2/

Russia has just 3 Oreshnik missiles but is trying to scare Europe with a growing “arsenal”.

Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence (FISU): The system is a tool for intimidating Ukraine’s partners, but it's combat performance is dubious and relies on outdated technology — United 24. 1/ FISU: Moscow plans to start serial production of Oreshnik in 2026, aiming for at least five missiles per year. But its combat value is doubtful.

The system relies on Soviet-era designs, suffers frequent failures, and one launch reportedly flew without a proper warhead. 2/

Three Ukrainian officers carried out a solo assault in Lyman, and captured a Russian infiltration group — United24.

Officer “Fifteen”: “Orel” was wounded, but he didn't mention it when we were escorting the prisoners. He said he didn't want them to hear it and get any ideas. 1/ Three officers — Granat, Fifteen, and Orel, launched the operation after intel confirmed Russian troops inside the town.

Russians had set up a covert outpost in a basement, with antennas, radios, ammo, thermobaric grenades, and supplies — planning to hold until reinforcements arrived.

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The Pentagon has unveiled a new US defense strategy: Russia will remain a persistent but manageable threat to NATO's eastern members for the near future.

Russia suffers from demographic and economic issues. Moscow is not in a position to make a bid for European hegemony. 1/ Russia still retains deep reservoirs of military and industrial power. Russia has also shown that it has the national resolve required to sustain a protracted war in its near abroad. 2/

Stubb: We need to reverse the narrative that Putin is winning the war in Ukraine. He is not.

He tried to take over Ukraine. He failed. He tried to stop NATO from expanding. Also failed. He tried to keep NATO’s defense spending down. It’s now at 5%. 1/ Stubb: My big fear is that the Russians are going to say “nyet” [no to a deal on Ukraine].

Ukraine, the US, and Europe are now on the same page, there is a clear some progress in negotiations. But it is still unclear what the Russians are going to do. 2/

Historian Ferguson: We are in Cold War II. China has taken the place the USSR used to occupy. That’s the dominant strategic reality. Many misread Trump and misread the world.

It’s not about Europe, except that Europe can’t help Ukraine effectively without the United States. 1/ Ferguson: The reason the US won the Cold War was its alliances. What distinguished Trump is his disdain for allies and his view that they take advantage of the US.

For 50 years, American presidents said Europeans don’t pay enough for NATO. 2/

Applebaum: Trump fundamentally sympathizes with Putin, and in some ways with Xi as well.

He likes leaders who rule without checks and balances, without opposition, without critical media. He envies that. He would like to be like that. 1/ Applebaum: Trump’s entire business career was wrapped up with Russians and Russian money.

In New York real estate in the 1990s and 2000s, quite a lot of investment came from Russia, often via anonymous companies. He seems to be grateful for that. 2/

A Russian missile shut down a Kyiv heating plant — underwater.

Ukrainian divers crawled through a flooded tunnel buried beneath the Dnipro river and sealed missile-caused cracks by hand, Hromadske. 1/ On Jan 15, engineers showed divers a sketch.

A vertical shaft led into a square concrete tunnel, hundreds of meters long, underground and below river level. Only one person could pass. Seismic shock fractured about 30 meters of walls. Water flooded the plant. 2/

Russia has just 3 Oreshnik missiles but is trying to scare Europe with a growing “arsenal”.

Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence (FISU): The system is a tool for intimidating Ukraine’s partners, but it's combat performance is dubious and relies on outdated technology — United 24. 1/ FISU: Moscow plans to start serial production of Oreshnik in 2026, aiming for at least five missiles per year. But its combat value is doubtful.

The system relies on Soviet-era designs, suffers frequent failures, and one launch reportedly flew without a proper warhead. 2/

Kasparov: Russia is losing influence. Not because of Maduro, Iranians, or Syria, but because Ukraine survived, period.

Ukraine proved that Putin is not all-powerful.

In 2022, leaders of the free world — Biden, Scholz, Macron — were ready to give up.

1/ Kasparov: Trump betrayed Iranian protesters. He promised them that “help was on the way”. Then betrayed.

Tens of thousands were killed or arrested. The free world stayed paralyzed, while much of the media ignored Iran’s massacre, treating it as unimportant.

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Olena Janchuk, a former kindergarten teacher, can’t leave her apartment on the 19th floor in Kyiv for weeks.

She has severe rheumatoid arthritis, and the elevator is not working due to constant power outages from Russian attacks on energy plants — ProKyiv, AP. 1/ The apartment has frost on the windows from the inside

Lyudmila Bachurina, Olena’s mother: When the lights come on, I start turning on the washing machine, fill up water bottles, cook food, charge power banks.

It’s cold, but we manage. 2/

Anna, wife of a missing Ukrainian soldier: "I still text him. It’s really difficult to send texts in one way and not get a response. The silence is depressing.

I will believe until the very end that he is alive," — The Times. 1/ More than 150,000 soldiers on both sides remain missing.

Vadym, son of a missing soldier: "After a year and a half, I still don’t fully accept that he is missing.

I cried the first time only after a month." 2/

Ukrainian energy workers are repairing and operating power facilities under Russian missile and drone attacks.

They stay at control panels during strikes because a mistake or shutdown can leave entire cities without heat in winter — CNN. 1/ Oleksandr Adamov works next to equipment that has been hit dozens of times.

When alarms sound, he puts on a helmet and body armor and enters a steel capsule beside the control panel instead of evacuating. Someone must stay to keep the system stable. 2/

NATO is building a massive automated defense zone along its eastern border from Finland to Romania.

The Eastern Flank Deterrence Line uses sensors, robots, and AI to create a barrier against potential Russian aggression — Welt. 1/ German Brigadier General Thomas Lowin revealed the plan for the first time in detail.

The concept: a multi-layered, robotized zone near the Russian and Belarusian borders that enemies must overcome before reaching NATO troops. 2/

Ukrainian soldier Yuri Filtov: Ukraine gave away the 3rd largest nuclear arsenal for international guarantees. Gave up its missiles to Russia. Later they flew at us.

In 2014 Russia occupied Crimea. We counted on guarantees and international law. But it didn't work out. 1/ Yuri Filtov: We decided to close our eyes for this incident. What we see right now is a chain of events that are linked.

Now we are in a state where international law is not working anymore. We as Ukrainians have known that for a long time. 2/

Zelenskyy: I hope the US will not reduce pressure on Russia over this war for the sake of diplomacy.

Likewise, Europe must be resolute and continue sanctions pressure on Russia. Russian tankers transporting oil through the Baltic Sea must be stopped completely. 1/ Zelenskyy: Russian propaganda must be blocked. Russian schemes to circumvent sanctions must be cut off.

These are the minimum foundations for peace to be genuinely achieved. 2/

Zelenskyy: Bilateral security guarantees with the US — the document is 100% ready.

We expect our partners to be ready to provide the time and place for its signing. After that, the document will go to ratification in the US Congress and the Ukrainian parliament. 1/ Zelenskyy: The second set of security guarantees for Ukraine is European — the “Coalition of the Willing.”

And the most important — EU membership. These are economic security guarantees for Ukraine. 2/

Zelenskyy: Lukashenko, white spitz, has more rights than the people of Belarus. There was a chance in 2020 to change this, but support for Belarusians was insufficient. Now we all feel how much harder it is because of Belarus’s dependence on Moscow. 1/ Zelenskyy: Russian jet Shaheds operate against Ukraine, including from Belarusian territory. Communications for strikes are supported from Belarus. Russia uses Belarus as a testing ground to blackmail Europe and the world. Belarusian industry works for Russia’s war. 2/

A Crimean Tatar who fled occupied Crimea built a Ukrainian-made frontline buggy called "Dracarys." It is now used across the war zone — Suspilne.

Musa: "The name is literal. Dragons burned their enemies. With Dracarys, we burn ours." 1/ Musa had no background in cars or engineering. What started as an idea during the full-scale invasion became a working production line.

“I just decided I had to do something useful for our defenders. I’m an organizer by nature,” — Musa. 2/

Trump withdrew Canada’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace” after Ottawa said it would not pay the $1B contribution required for permanent members.

The UK, France, and Italy, have indicated they don't plan to join at this stage — The Guardian. 1/ Trump unveiled the “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, presenting it as a new international body. Permanent members are required to contribute $1B each.

It was initially described as temporary and focused on Gaza’s governance and reconstruction. 2/