With elections in April and polls showing the opposition ahead, Hungary's Viktor Orbán is exploring ways to retain power even if he loses.

He is considering shifting into the presidency and turning the largely ceremonial office into Hungary’s dominant political post, an idea he raised after meeting Donald Trump and that parliament has already helped facilitate by making removal of a president harder.

Opposition leaders are preparing for possible “constitutional engineering”.

Orbán has previously considered a presidential system after each of his past four victories, but this is the first time the prospect has surfaced while he faces a real risk of losing power.

Source: Bloomberg

Boris Johnson:

The only chance of ending the Russia-Ukraine war is to turn up the heat on Putin.

It’s no use for Europeans to blame Americans while Europe still buys Russian gas.

And no use us sitting in beautiful Bergen whimpering about Friday’s document.

Boris Johnson:

Unless we are weak, Putin has no serious chance of winning.

A snail would get to the Polish border faster than Putin’s troops at this rate.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

I will soon be back in Venezuela.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

I said that Venezuela has already been occupied by forces from totalitarian regimes such as Russia, Iran, Cuba, and criminal groups such as Hezbollah, the drug cartels, and the Colombian guerrilla.

As the regime seeks and gets support from these totalitarian regimes, we ask support from the democratic nations to cut resources that come from illegal activities and support the repressive apparatus.

Venezuelan Opposition Leader María Corina Machado:

Maduro is going out.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov resigned ahead of a parliamentary vote on the sixth no-confidence motion against his cabinet.

The decision followed large nationwide protests, where thousands demanded the government’s resignation.

NATO's Rutte:

We are Russia's next target.

NATO's Rutte:

I fear that too many are complacent, too many don't feel the urgency, and too many believe that time is on our side.

It is not.

NATO's Rutte:

Putin is in the empire-building business again.

He is throwing everything he has at Ukraine.

NATO's Rutte:

How is Putin able to continue his war against Ukraine? The answer is China.

China is Russia's lifeline, China wants to prevent its ally from losing in Ukraine.

Without China's support, Russia could not continue to wage this war.

NATO's Rutte:

We must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

Syria will not give up a single atom of dust of its territory… this is an oath we have sworn before the people.

📸 German Der Spiegel's new cover, displaying Trump and Putin:

Two villains, one goal.

How Trump and Putin are attacking Europe.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa:

I don’t want a Syria where the President decides everything, and I don’t think the people would accept that.

The Architects of AI are named TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year.

NEW: Senior U.S. officials will meet Saturday in Paris with counterparts from Ukraine, France, Germany and the U.K. to discuss Trump’s peace plan.

Zelensky and European leaders want a joint call with Trump, but it hasn’t been scheduled.

Source: Axios

Kremlin:

Putin spoke by phone with Maduro.

Putin expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and supported the course of Maduro’s government in defending national interests and sovereignty amid increasing external pressure.