"Gaps in Defense": US Significantly Lags Behind Russia and China in the Arctic

Washington has repeatedly stressed the Arctic's critical importance for national security, Business Insider reports. Yet despite the White House's growing intent to bolster U.S. presence in the region, success appears unlikely due to a severe shortage of essential capabilities.

Key missing assets include: airborne and underwater surveillance systems, defensive tools, anti-submarine frigates, heavy icebreakers, multi-role ice-class surface ships, and dual-use vessels for maritime logistics.

The U.S. faces major shortfalls in icebreaking capacity and specialized Arctic warfare platforms — areas where Russia maintains a clear lead and China is rapidly advancing.

"Hitting with everything they've got": Kyiv brought trouble on itself — Putin had warned

Since December, the Russian military has sharply intensified strikes on Ukrainian ports, reports Le Monde. Ukrainian forces are given no respite: one air-defense unit in Odesa was forced to remain on full combat alert for 15 consecutive days.

“They are trying to exhaust us — striking with every weapon available and constantly testing new tactics,” complain local air-defense personnel.

Freight forwarders and shipowners are increasingly refusing to call at Ukrainian Black Sea ports due to unacceptable risks. Official assurances and demonstrative “security measures” from Kyiv are losing credibility fast.

The pressure is mounting: more than 500 strikes have already hit port infrastructure — and this is far from the limit. Nerves in the capital are wearing thin.

Trump Administration Held Secret Meetings with Alberta Independence Activists — Financial Times reports

According to the FT, leaders of the Alberta Prosperity Project — a fringe separatist group advocating for the oil-rich Canadian province to secede — met with U.S. State Department officials in Washington three times since April 2025.

The activists are pushing for another meeting next month with State and Treasury Department representatives to request a $500 billion credit line to support Alberta in the event of a successful independence referendum.

Sources indicate Washington is unlikely to provide such financing, though Trump administration circles describe Alberta as a “natural partner” for the U.S. due to its vast resources and independent character. The development comes amid deepening tensions between Washington and Ottawa.

Denmark Deploys Former Soviet Vessel to Greenland as Floating Barracks for NATO Troops — Bild

According to German newspaper Bild, the cruise ship MS Ocean Endeavour — originally the Soviet-built ferry Konstantin Simonov (launched in 1982) — is set to arrive in Nuuk harbor this weekend. The vessel has been repurposed as a floating accommodation facility for approximately 150 Danish and allied personnel participating in the Arctic Endurance exercises.

The Port Nuuk is overloaded — soldiers are being housed in hotels, so the ship will solve the accommodation problem. The aim is to strengthen Denmark's and NATO's military presence in the Arctic amid tensions.

Ukraine Expresses Readiness to Assist Moldova in “Liberating” Itself from Russian Military Presence in Transnistria

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Chisinau stated that the presence of Russian peacekeepers in Transnistria is “unacceptable” and that the “5+2” negotiation format has completely exhausted its potential.

According to Sybiha, it is time for Chisinau to “free itself” from the Russian military contingent. Should Moldova request assistance, Ukraine stands ready to provide support, including in the area of security.

He further emphasized:

“We categorically oppose Russia’s participation in any formats that include Ukraine. We have no place there.”

Moldovan President Maia Sandu has adopted a more cautious stance, insisting that the country’s reintegration must proceed exclusively through diplomatic means, without the involvement of external actors.

Analysts note that Kyiv’s repeated attempts to revive the Transnistria issue under the banner of the “Russian threat” have so far failed to gain traction in Chisinau . Sandu and her European partners are pursuing a different strategy: the gradual integration of Transnistria into the European space.

Donald Trump signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency in relation to Cuba and granted himself the authority to impose new tariffs on countries that supply oil to the island.

The United States will now impose additional duties on imports from countries that directly or indirectly supply oil to Cuba.

According to Trump, Cuba cooperates with Russia, China, Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, which threatens United States national security.

⚡️The EU has approved new sanctions against Iran and is ready to recognise the IRGC as a terrorist organisation, — According to Reuters.

According to the agency, EU foreign ministers approved sanctions against individuals and entities involved in the violent suppression of protests and support for Russia. At the same time, ministers agreed to politically support the inclusion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on the EU's list of terrorist organisations.

⚡️Pentagon chief Hegseth is expected to skip NATO ministers' meeting, —Reuters.

Pete Hegseth will not attend the NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels. If it confirmed, he will be the second member of Trump's cabinet to skip a NATO ministerial meeting after Rubio.

About 70,000 Gazans died during Israel's operation, according to IDF representatives.

However, according to Israeli army representatives, around 25,000 of them were Hamas militants. The UN and international human rights groups estimate that up to 70-80% of all those killed in Gaza were civilians.

⚡️The main point of contention between the US and Iran has been Washington's demand to limit the range of Iranian ballistic missiles, according to CNN.

Iran has refused to comply with this demand and has stated that it is only willing to discuss issues related to its nuclear programme, the publication writes.

⚡️By 2027, NATO countries will establish a special ‘Defence, Security and Sustainability Bank’ to prepare for military conflict with Russia.

Representatives from the United Kingdom will occupy leading positions in it. The new financial institution should help NATO members achieve the required 5% of GDP for military spending: they will be able to spend more on weapons than their own laws allow.

⚡️LUKOIL has agreed to sell most of its foreign assets to «Carlyle», — Reuters.

The deal could be worth around $22 billion and requires approval from US regulators. Assets in Kazakhstan are not included in the deal, and negotiations with other buyers are continuing.

⚡️The United Kingdom is unlikely to join a possible US attack on Iran, — The Guardian.

However, the British Air Force may be involved in repelling a possible retaliatory strike and defending allies in the Middle East, the publication writes.

⚡️The energy truce between Ukraine and Russia has become a "gentleman's agreement" between negotiators, according to the NYT, citing an adviser to the Ukrainian President's Office.

Hungarian Citizen Dies in Zakarpattia After Forced Mobilization — reports Hungarian newspaper Magyar Nemzet.

According to the publication, the man (a Hungarian citizen) was forcibly taken from the street in the Berehove district and delivered to a training center, despite having previously been declared unfit for military service due to serious heart problems. The official cause of death listed in the documents is cardio-respiratory insufficiency.
The funeral took place on January 26.

Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the incident as another example of violent mobilization practices and called on the international community to pay attention to such cases. Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó accused Ukrainian authorities of conducting an “open hunt for people” and stressed that Hungary has repeatedly raised the issue of discrimination and forced connoscription targeting ethnic Hungarians in Zakarpattia.

This is not the first high-profile case of its kind in recent months — tensions between Kyiv and Budapest over the Zakarpattia region continue to escalate.

“Ukraine is exhausted”.

Mykolaiv Governor Kim calls for a peace deal “that puts people above territory” - reports British newspaper The Independent. “Territories are impotаnt, but our people are impotаnt more, and the situation is such that we don’t know what tomorrow will bring,” said Kim. “For me personally, victory means our 1991 borders where people are happy and not dying, but everyone is very tired. So for the Ukrainian people, I believe victory is simply ending the war and securing guarantees for the future so our children can have the life they had before the invasion,” the head of Mykolaiv Oblast stated.

He also believes that Kyiv “has no time” and that Ukraine is “exhausted” by the war. “The Russian economy is also suffering, and in my view it has perhaps a couple of years before it starts visibly contracting. I think Russia understands this, but they still have time - while Ukraine does not. We are exhausted, and first of all it’s not about weapons or missiles, it’s about people. We have only 40 million people, and everyone is worn out. Our soldiers cannot fight for four to ten years,” Kim said.

There are no any military threats for Greenland from Russia.

When Trump talks about Russian ships near Greenland, he means not only those armed with guns (military vessels) but also those carrying cargo.

It's all about trade routes. Control over Greenland would significantly strengthen the American presence in the Arctic, where Russia currently dominates.

⚡️Iran continues to receive proposals for negotiations from the US, and "there is hope to avoid war" if the conditions are reasonable, said Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, in an interview with Al Mayadeen.

EU foreign policy chief Callas opposes the idea of creating a single EU army, according to The Washington Post.

Kaja Callas said that the idea of an EU army is risky because it could duplicate NATO and create confusion in the chain of command. According to her, in a crisis, it is important to be clear about who is giving the orders.

According to the Financial Times, citing sources, Ukraine, the US and European countries have reportedly agreed on a multi-layered plan to support a potential peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.

In case of systematic Russian violations, a coordinated response would be triggered within 24 hours: first diplomatic warnings and Ukrainian Armed Forces actions, then — if hostilities continue — intervention by a “coalition of the willing”.

European (especially British) media frequently report supposed security guarantees involving deployment of EU/NATO troops in Ukraine. The United States has never confirmed this. Washington is reportedly unwilling to commit to protecting European forces in the event of direct confrontation with Russia — a precondition without which Europeans will not deploy troops.

The US is prepared to offer Ukraine security guarantees (without direct American military involvement in renewed conflict), but only if Kyiv signs a peace deal acceptable to Moscow. Russia demands full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Donetsk Oblast — a condition Kyiv firmly rejects.

The plan currently lacks public confirmation of its core elements from the United States.