Ukraine-Russia conflict newest: Trump claims it’s Zelensky, not Putin, holding up peace deal

Crews have been working across the clock to revive energy and heating provides struck by Russia final week, significantly within the capital, Kyiv.

Repairs to 1000’s of residence buildings have been compounded by bitterly chilly situations.

At evening, Ukrainians have been shivering by temperatures near -20C in one of many coldest winters in years.

“The results of Russian strikes and deteriorating climate situations are extreme,” Mr Zelensky wrote in English on the social media platform X.

Russia has claimed it has gained greater than 100 miles of territory within the final month.

Chief of basic workers Valery Gerasimov stated that the 116 sq. miles of Ukrainian territory had been captured for the reason that yr started.

The nation says it has gained 4,125 miles of Ukrainian territory in 2025.

US-brokered peace talks proceed, however Donald Trump has blamed Ukraine’s chief Volodymyr Zelensky for delays.

The positioning of a Russian drone strike close to the statue of Stepan Bandera, one of many founders of the Group of Ukrainian Nationalists, amid Russia’s assault on Ukraine, in Lviv, Ukraine on Thursday 15 January 2026.

Russia remains to be ready for a response from the US to informally lengthen the final remaining nuclear arms treaty between the international locations, the Kremlin stated on Thursday.

The New START treaty will expire in three weeks and President Donald Trump has not responded to Russian chief Vladimir Putin’s supply proposed in September.

“No, we now have not obtained a response. We’re definitely awaiting a response to Putin’s initiative; we contemplate this a vital matter,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov advised reporters.

Earlier this month Trump advised the New York Occasions “if it expires it expires” and that he would substitute it with a extra formidable take care of China.

The settlement binds events to a set restrict on strategic weapons that every get together can use to focus on the opposite’s vital political and navy centres within the occasion of a nuclear conflict.

It at the moment caps deployed strategic warheads at 1,550 on both sides with not more than 700 deployed floor or submarine-launched missiles and bomber planes.

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has backed Ukrainian chief Volodymyr Zelensky after Donald Trump accused him of holding up peace talks with Russia.

“It’s Russia who rejected the peace plan ready by the US, not Zelensky,” he wrote in a put up on X/Twitter on Thursday.

“The one Russian response had been additional missile assaults on Ukrainian cities. For this reason the one resolution is to strengthen stress on Russia. And also you all comprehend it.”

Poland’s airspace was violated by stories of Russian drone incursions final yr, prompting the nation to demand a no-fly zone.

Britain’s authorities has stated it’s contemplating a response to Russia’s expulsion of one in all its diplomats after accusations that the particular person was an undeclared officer for the UK’s spy service.

“This isn’t the primary time the Kremlin has made malicious and baseless accusations towards our workers,” the international workplace stated in an announcement.

“Their focusing on of British diplomats comes out of desperation and actions like this undermine the essential situations required for diplomatic missions to function.”

After President Donald Trump blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for holding up negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, the Kremlin has come out to assist his statements.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated Russia would welcome White Home envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner as soon as a date for a go to had been agreed upon.

Emergency restore crews are working flat out to revive energy within the Kyiv area of Ukraine, after relentless Russian barrages on power infrastructure left Ukrainians on the mercy of the coldest winter in years with energy outages in subzero temperatures.

Turkey will deploy fighter jets to Estonia and Romania, its defence ministry stated on Thursday.

The four-month deployment happening between August and November 2026 will likely be adopted by an analogous rotation by Romania from December 2026 to March 2027.

The scheme is a part of Nato’s enhanced air policing missions following repeated Russian violations of allied airspace final yr.

A British diplomat has been kicked out of Russia over allegations of spying, in keeping with the international ministry.

The person – who was accused of working undercover for Britain’s spy service – has been given two weeks to go away the nation.

“It was once more confused that Moscow wouldn’t tolerate the actions of undeclared British intelligence officers in Russia,” the international ministry stated in an announcement on Thursday.

“A warning was additionally issued that if London escalates the scenario, the Russian facet will give a decisive ‘mirror’ response.”