Zelenskyy “maybe the greatest salesman of any politician that’s ever lived,” Trump told a campaign event last week. “He just left four days ago with $60 billion [after signing a 10-year security agreement with President Joe Biden], and he gets home and he announces that he needs another $60 billion. It never ends.”
2. Putin’s winter attack on Ukraine
As soon as Rutte enters office, Ukraine will be calling him for help as winter approaches.
Over recent months, Russia has stepped up strikes against Ukraine’s thermal power plants and dams — infrastructure that takes months if not years to fully repair.
The Kremlin playbook is not new. During the first winter of wartime, between 2022 and 2023, Ukraine’s power grid was severely attacked.
The key, says NATO’s outgoing chief Stoltenberg, lies in more air defense systems that could protect energy suppliers, as well as maintenance staff working to repair damaged facilities.
NATO countries are also battling to send — or, in the case of Rutte’s own country, build — air defense systems. But Europe doesn’t have that many to send, progress in the U.S. was delayed in Congress, and countries close to Russia are less than willing to give up their air shields at this dangerous time.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
