Russian invasion

Negotiations
Trump's envoy: Will meet Putin on Thursday

Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he says in an interview with CNBC according to Reuters.

- We have to go and meet with him on Thursday, he says in the interview.

Witkoff also says that it is Russia that requested the meeting. Last week, the Kremlin announced that it is preparing to receive Witkoff and Trump's other envoy and son-in-law Jared Kushner, to discuss Ukraine.

At noon on Wednesday, the Kremlin confirmed that Putin will meet with Witkoff.

Later, Witkoff also announced that he will meet with Ukraine at a later date, but did not give a specific date.

Voices about the threat
Rutte: Focus should be on Ukraine – not Greenland

– The main issue is not Greenland, the main issue is Ukraine, says Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General in Davos, according to The Guardian. He says he is “a little worried” that the focus is too much on other issues, while Russia continues to attack Ukraine.

The issue must be resolved in an amicable manner, and beyond that he does not want to comment on the situation surrounding Greenland. Instead, he says he is working on the issue “behind the scenes”.

However, he is not worried that NATO would collapse.

– NATO is crucial, not only for the defense of Europe, but also for the defense of the United States, he says according to AFP. 

The fighting
600,000 have been forced to leave Kyiv in the past month

Germany accuses Russia of war crimes in Ukraine after attacks on energy infrastructure during the coldest winter on record, reports AFP.

“The war is intended to consume Ukraine. It is a clear violation of international humanitarian law and in our opinion Russia is committing war crimes,” said government spokesman Steffen Meyer.

Temperatures could drop as low as minus 18 degrees Celsius in the next two weeks.

Half of Kyiv is without electricity, heating and water, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko is urging residents to leave, reports the Kyiv Post.

“The Russians want to cause a humanitarian catastrophe in our hometown, to make people freeze in the winter,” he told The Times.

According to Klitschko, almost 600,000 people have fled the city this month, out of a total of 3 million residents of Kyi