Advanced search

Russian President Vladimir Putin may reconsider his position on continuing the war against Ukraine if the West can squeeze Russian oil revenues, according to a Reuters study. Despite the sanctions and restrictions, Russia had a positive trade balance of $51B last year. The situation may change if Ukraine’s allies can reduce Russia’s export earnings to the extent that it would lead to a deficit in the balance of payments. Exports could fall by $80B. However, the Russian Federation may refuse

Western countries limited the amount of weapons they provided to Ukraine to persuade Russian dictator Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the conflict, said the head of the Foreign Ministry of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis. However, as he admitted, these tactics did not work. At the same time, he supports the idea of sending foreign troops to Ukraine and believes that such initiatives can help deliver a win over Russia. According to the ISW, Russian invaders are likely to continue offensive actions to

Former US diplomat Philip Zelikow and a large group of international lawyers plan to publish an open letter next week arguing that the West is taking too narrow a view of customary international law. These lawyers have focused on the International Law Commission, which issued articles on the responsibility of states for their illegal acts. These articles discuss countermeasures that Ukraine can legally take against Russia. The document also states that Russia, by causing the international refugee crisis, food crisis,

said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell. Therefore, he called for an urgent increase in support for Ukraine. Borrell emphasized that EU member states should work with their defense enterprises to revise contracts and prioritize the supply of weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. “We must do more and do it faster,” the head of European diplomacy emphasized. Currently, the Russian Federation is trying to capture Avdiivka, a vital Ukrainian stronghold in the Donetsk region. The new commander-in-chief

The German government predicts that in the event of a victory by the Russian Federation in the war, the number of Ukrainian refugees will increase by 10 million, and Germany will be one of the most popular destination countries. At the same time, it is noted that the German government, in its forecasts, assumes that Ukraine has the military and financial capabilities to support its defense and ensure economic stability until the end of 2024. But the situation has been

The strategic focus is defense instead of the liberation of Ukraine’s territory. As WP reports, Washington’s new strategy will not be designed to reclaim the occupied territories but on helping Ukraine repel new Russian offensives. The new plan is a stark contrast to last year, when the US and its allies rushed to train Ukraine’s military and transfer modern equipment in hopes that it could quickly push back Russian forces. “This attempt failed, mainly because of the heavily fortified Russian

Moscow launched rocket attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Pavlograd, targeting civilian infrastructure. Seven deaths and at least 77 injuries were reported in these cities. In particular, 22 victims were injured in the capital, and two high-rise buildings, a private house, and a car were struck in the suburbs of the Bucha district, wounding three civilians. A rocket hit a residential high-rise in Kharkiv, killing five people and injuring over 50. In the attack on Pavlograd, a man was killed and

The FT writes that the US House of Representatives has approved a new bill that President Joe Biden signed to extend the government’s temporary funding until March and avoid a shutdown. Congressional leaders now hope negotiations on providing support for Ukraine will resume and a compromise will be found. To garner support from Republicans, the military aid package is expected to include measures to limit immigration at the border with Mexico. Meanwhile, key Biden aides warned members of Congress in

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevičs said at the summit in Davos that his country should work on the combat capability of its army and prepare for a hybrid war. “The defense industry should strengthen its potential for two reasons, to help Ukraine and to have more equipment and machinery for ourselves. Latvia will increase its defense spending – up to 3% of GDP by 2027,” Rinkevičs said. He added that it is also necessary to be ready for various provocations from

The Russian dictator Putin wants to destroy Ukraine, and after that, other countries bordering the Russian Federation may become targets of his aggression, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in Vilnius. “He wants to occupy us completely. The uncertainty of our allies providing financial and military aid adds to the courage and strength of the Russian Federation. We must understand that Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Moldova may be next if we do not defend our state. He will not stop until we

Time published a list of global risks for 2024, which included a “divided Ukraine.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine remains a “historical failure,” the article says. “This year, Ukraine will be de facto divided, and Russia now has the initiative on the battlefield and the material advantage. 2024 is a turning point in the war: and if Ukraine does not solve its personnel problems, increase its weapons production, and soon develop realistic military strategy, its territorial losses may increase,” Time

On January 2, Russian forces launched almost a hundred rockets of various types during their attack. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, reported that the Russians launched 99 missiles of various types into Ukraine, of which 72 were destroyed. From December 29 to January 2, Russia used almost 300 missiles and more than 200 Shahed-type drones against Ukraine, said the president of Ukraine. According to Zelenskyy, no other country has repelled such combined strikes, in which

The UK and other European countries want to help Ukraine and ensure that Kyiv can win its war with Russia without US support if Donald Trump comes to power and refuses to support Ukraine. According to The Times, Europe is desperately trying to increase production capacity to be able to send weapons and ammunition to Ukraine and deter the Russian Federation. It is said that some in the British government believe that all that is needed to defeat Putin is

Due to problems with allocating aid to Kyiv, European officials are considering the implications of a possible Russian victory in Ukraine, writes Bloomberg. Beyond the potentially catastrophic consequences for Ukraine, some European allies have begun to assess the impact of NATO’s failure in Europe’s largest conflict since World War II. In Europe, there are doubts about how reliable Washington’s defense promises will be. The consequences of such a strategic failure would be far more profound than those caused by the

The information published by Bild concerning Russia’s plans to occupy new Ukrainian territories during 2024-2026 corresponds with other data that has been received, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) confirmed. As Bild writes, Russia plans to capture most of the Zaporizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions, including Kharkiv, if possible, in 2025 and 2026. To achieve this goal, Putin is prepared to lose up to 100,000 troops in Ukraine each year. At the same time, according to ISW estimates,

Experts from a German foreign policy association expressed this opinion and added that Russia’s military potential is underestimated. The invaders have suffered the greatest losses in manpower and equipment, but Russia has a developed industrial base, which will allow the country to restore their military quickly. Then, the Kremlin could attack NATO countries, starting with the Baltic states. “Although Moscow could not achieve all its military goals, the war turned into the largest in Europe in 75 years. Moscow has

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sees the risks of decreased support against the background of the war in Israel and leadership changes in several European countries. However, he considers these as risks not only for Ukraine. “If we don’t help Ukraine, the war won’t end, we won’t have any strength, Russia will come back to destroy all of Ukraine and move further. And next will be the European Union and NATO countries,” he said. According to him, what is happening worldwide is

During his trip to Spain, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that any pause in Russia’s war against Ukraine could become a new critical moment. If Russia is given this pause and the opportunity to adapt, then in 2028, it may lead to a new war in Europe. “Apart from Ukraine, these are precisely the Baltic countries and those countries on the territory of which Russian contingents are present. This is clear information from our intelligence,” Zelenskyy added. The president also

 According to Ukraine’s air force, the southern city was hit by six Russian cruise missiles and 16 S-300 anti-aircraft missiles. The cruise missiles were fired from Russian Tu-22M3 and Su-35 fighter jets inside Russian-held areas of the Zaporizhzhia region. As a result of the attack on Zaporizhzhia, 13 people died, including a child, and 89 people were injured, including 11 children, reports Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko. According to the deputy, the search

 The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that European societies cannot afford to be war-weary because this is what Putin is counting on. According to Borrell, the governments of the EU member states should continue to follow the decisions they have taken, bearing in mind the sanctions already in place. “EU member countries decided to introduce restrictive measures against the Russian economy, and they must carry them out. In addition, they must maintain pressure on the Russian economy, realizing