
Vladimir Putin: “We Believe in Victory”
In his New Year’s speech, the Russian president said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine.

In his New Year’s speech, the Russian president said Russia believed it would win in Ukraine.

Speaking after the European Council summit, the French leader said Europe may need to “re-engage in a full-fledged dialogue with Russia, in full transparency with Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian president told reporters European leaders may also be present at the talks to be held on Friday and Saturday.

Vladimir Putin praised the Hungarian PM’s “balanced position” as the two leaders discussed Ukraine, energy, and a possible Budapest peace summit.

Hungary’s insistence on defending its energy security and its right to pursue peace talks offers a model of what a more balanced and sovereign Europe could look like.

Claiming to have “ended eight wars in eight months,” the White House deal-making and diplomacy continues,

“Peace without ceding parts of the territories that are currently in Ukraine is not possible,” the Slovakian PM said, “the Ukrainian president knows it, the American president knows it.”

Privately, diplomats acknowledge that while they don’t like it, they have no choice but to accept Trump’s plans.

The Budapest Summit could be a step closer to ending the conflict, but Brussels is unhappy because it isn’t on ‘friendly ground.’

Zelensky praised U.S. momentum after Middle East ceasefire and urged help to “stop this war.”