The White House warned that the US has only enough authorised funding for one more aid package to Ukraine this year before Congress would be required to greenlight new contributions to Kyiv. More than 40 former top US and Nato diplomats and defence officials have urged Congress to approve new aid for Ukraine, warning that losing its war with Russia would be disastrous for Ukraine and threaten the security of the US and its allies.
Ukraine’s top general issued his strongest criticism to date of Zelenskiy’s decision to fire all of Ukraine’s regional military recruitment heads in August in a corruption crackdown, Interfax Ukraine reported. Asked by reporters on the sidelines of an event on Monday about whether the decision affected mobilisation levels, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Valerii Zaluzhnyi bemoaned the recruitment chiefs’ sacking. “These were professionals, they knew how to do this, and they are gone,” Interfax Ukraine cited him as saying.
Zaluzhnyi also said the situation on the frontline of the war had not reached a stalemate, despite comments published last month in which he described the war as moving towards a new stage of static and attritional fighting. Asked on Monday whether he considered the battlefield situation now a stalemate, Zaluzhnyi replied “No”, Ukraine’s RBC media reported.
Zaluzhnyi declined to comment on whether Ukraine plans counteroffensive operations over winter. “This is a war, I can’t say what I plan, what we should do. Otherwise, it will be a show, not a war,” he was quoted as saying.
Finland signed an agreement to enhance military cooperation with the US, saying it saw a long-term threat from Russia, a day after Russia issued a warning over Helsinki’s recent entrance into Nato.
The EU adopted a new package of sanctions on Russia that include an import ban on Russian diamonds, officials said. The package is the 12th packet levelled at Moscow since it launched its invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the new sanctions would “truly reduce” Russia’s economic foundation for war. The sanctions are designed to reduce Russia’s access to revenues, metals and technology used to sustain its war effort.
The EU will hold an extraordinary summit on 1 February to discuss its multi-annual budget, including funding for Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel said. EU leaders agreed last week to open membership talks with Ukraine, but they could not agree on a 50bn euro ($54.6bn) package of financial aid for Kyiv due to opposition from Hungary.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has urged traditionally male professions to employ more women, to reduce major labour shortages exacerbated by thousands of soldiers being called up to fight in Ukraine. “Girls represent a huge reserve for Russia. In sectors where they are not yet working, they need to exploit their potential to the fullest,” Putin said.
Russia has placed the renowned detective novelist Grigory Chkhartishvili – known under the pen name Boris Akunin – on its list of individuals identified as terrorists or extremists for his criticism of Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Chkhartishvili, 67, has long been critical of Putin.
French President Emmanuel Macron will discuss topics including Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East with British foreign secretary David Cameron on Tuesday, the Élysée Palace said in a statement.
Moldova prime minister Dorin Recean said Moscow was the country’s biggest security threat, and that an upgraded anti-aircraft defence system is needed to counter threats from Russia. “If the Kremlin decides to attack us, just what are we going to do?” Recean told a TV8 interviewer. “Neutrality will not protect Moldova.”
Polish truckers resumed their blockade of one of the main crossings at the Ukrainian border, a protest leader said, a week after it was temporarily lifted. Polish drivers have been blocking several crossings with Ukraine since 6 November, demanding that the EU reinstate a system whereby Ukrainian companies need permits to operate in the bloc and the same for European truckers to enter Ukraine.
