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00:00A new fast-growing wind-driven wildfire has broken out in mountains north of Los Angeles
00:06triggering more evacuations.
00:11Ukrainian soldiers say more weapons are urgently needed on the Donetsk frontline as Russia
00:16appears to ready itself for more attacks.
00:22Donald Trump sat down with Fox News' Sean Hannity to give his first interview as U.S.
00:27President.
00:30Almost three years into the full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine and we are hearing
00:35this year the messages from President Zelensky and the administration with some narrative
00:40changing.
00:41Ukraine is now speaking more from the position of a strong partner and the position of power
00:45addressing the world.
00:46Yes, you're absolutely right.
00:50Three years, practically three years of the war.
00:54And of course, no more than presidents, no more than Ukrainians want to end this war.
01:02But end this war by just peace.
01:05And of course, we are listening and we appreciate the readiness for the activity of the new
01:16president of United States, new administrations to really make its reality to end this war
01:23with just peace.
01:25And of course, why it's not, it's not, I can't say that it's change of the, of the, of the
01:30our narratives or it's our, our positions.
01:34Our position is absolutely clear from the very beginning.
01:37We are victim of these aggressions and we really want to restore the just peace.
01:44We want to end this war.
01:49And of course, in the, this year in Davos, the president's speech and his address was
01:58especially for this momentum for the Europe.
02:03And I saw that in some articles it was titled, the general message from his speech is Europe
02:12wake up because it's necessary to keep this unity.
02:16It's necessary to be together, Europe, United States, this Ukraine and go to the peace for
02:22the force.
02:23Donald Trump, during the debate in the summer, he refused to say whether he sees the end
02:27of the war in Ukraine as Ukraine's victory or what he says, the end of the war in Ukraine.
02:33Do you think he sees the end of the war as the victory of Ukraine?
02:37You know, I think it's not necessary, not in the statements of the president Trump of
02:43other leaders to try to found exactly victory.
02:49We are very clear and the president Trump is a strong leaders and I absolutely sure
02:56and we can hear it from him, from the new administration, the people who was nominee
03:03for new administration, what they are understanding.
03:07Everybody understand that this war, it's necessary to end it by just peace.
03:12We know in the speech of the presidents, in the statements of the Ukrainian officials,
03:19we always said that victory, it's equal of just peace.
03:25It's mean that for us, it's no alternative.
03:31We are absolutely clearly understand what is just peace for Ukraine.
03:36I absolutely hope that our partners in the same positions, because, but you know, wars
03:45it's wars, most important it's actions.
03:49But what we see, we see we still have huge support for Ukraine in American society.
03:58We see the very impressed figures of the support of the people in the Europe, but of
04:07course it's necessary to work what we are doing, to work, to talk, to explain why we
04:13are so looking for the consultation and continue dialogue already with the new administrations,
04:22because we want to lose any days, any hours.
04:27It's important.
04:28Unfortunately, this terrible war is continue.
04:30Do you think it can be the end of this war within the next six months, as we've heard?
04:35I want, I don't like to mention exactly the terms and believe me, I think nobody in this
04:43planet know exactly when it's ended, because if it will be depends of Ukraine, of the all
04:51democratic world, it will be finished tomorrow.
04:55But unfortunately, Putin, Russia want it to end.
05:01They don't change their plan.
05:04And this is the war for Russia.
05:06It's not the war for territory.
05:09It's war again democracy.
05:11It's war again free world.
05:13They want to destroy Ukraine.
05:16But three years, we still fighting, we still strong, we still brave.
05:24And I absolutely sure, what we get this just peace, together with our friends and together
05:30with our partners.
05:37Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the frontlines in Donetsk and the Donbass region say more
05:41weapons are urgently needed to fend off Russian aggression and territorial advances.
05:47They say the Kremlin is accumulating its forces, likely readying itself for further assaults
05:52and occupation of territory.
05:55The soldiers say they need more NATO standard howitzers with 155mm caliber shells.
06:02They argue those are highly effective on the battlefield and enable them to repel Russian
06:06advances and protect their positions at range.
06:12Meanwhile on the battleground, Russia continues to pummel Ukrainian cities on a daily basis.
06:18An attack on Mykolaiv injured at least two civilians, according to local officials.
06:23They say the drone strikes caused some damage to properties, resulting in a loss of power
06:27and heating to some homes in the cold months of winter.
06:31Another wave of drone attacks targeted the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy.
06:35At least three were injured as Iranian-made Shahed drones blasted the city, including
06:40a five-year-old child.
06:42More than 40 buildings, some of them residential, sustained damage, as well as a production
06:47facility.
06:53Russian President Vladimir Putin had a call on Tuesday with Chinese President Xi Jinping,
06:58as both leaders prepare to deal with US President Donald Trump.
07:03The two leaders emphasized their strong personal ties, which Putin said do not depend on the
07:08current international environment.
07:10At the same time, Xi expressed hope for positive ties with the US in a call he had with Trump
07:30on Friday, something China's foreign ministry spokesperson restated after Trump's inauguration.
07:37China is willing to strengthen dialogue, communicate, manage differences, and expand mutual benefits
07:49cooperation in accordance with the principles of mutual respect, peace, and co-operation.
07:51I hope the US and China will move forward together to promote a stable, healthy, and
07:58sustainable development of Sino-US economic relations.
08:00Russia's top diplomat said the interests of the United States haven't changed with Trump
08:04taking office.
08:22Putin has also noted that Moscow is open to dialogue with the Trump administration on
08:26the conflict in Ukraine, emphasizing the need to respect Russia's interests.
08:35The European Union needs to boost its defence spending to prepare for the worst and be able
08:41to defend itself alone if needed, according to the bloc's top diplomat, Kaya Kallas.
08:47She said EU member states spent a collective average of 1.9% of their GDP on defence, while
08:54Russia was spending 9%.
08:57There should be no doubt in any of our minds that we need to spend more to prevent war.
09:05But we also need to prepare for war.
09:08We need to improve our capabilities.
09:10We need our defence industry to produce what we need.
09:14We must prepare for the worst.
09:17Over the next decade, Kallas said the EU will need at least 500 billion euro to remain competitive
09:23in defence.
09:24But so far, only around 13 billion euro has been earmarked in the EU's long-term budget
09:30from 2021 to 2027.
09:42Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk says Europe needs to spend more on defence.
09:48Speaking in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Tusk mentioned Trump's statements
09:53about the 5% of GDP as the new NATO defence spending target, saying that the Europeans
09:59should see this as a challenge.
10:11His speech inspired his fellow members of the European People's Party.
10:16It's a pragmatic, clear, determined vision that puts us in front of responsibilities,
10:22that invites us not to take a step back, but to take a step forward, aware of our potential.
10:28So no longer asking others what to do for us, but asking ourselves to do something for ourselves
10:33because Europe is a great power and that obviously puts others in trouble if we are able to strengthen
10:40But Tusk's words were not so popular among the progressive political spectrum, especially
10:47when he spoke about the EU's Green Deal, an ambitious roadmap to achieve climate neutrality
10:53by 2050.
10:54Security is also sticking to the legislation that we have adopted.
11:00That is legal certainty and it's against the European way forward to step back when it
11:08comes to our commitment, strong commitment for a Green Deal, which is to be fair, the
11:14green transition to a decarbonised economy.
11:17It's not about reviewing our own legislation.
11:21It's about, of course, understanding facts, but never giving up when it comes to be first
11:27and in the forefront to the highest commitment against climate change.
11:34The EU's priorities are now clear as it sets up for its six-month presidency of the Council of the EU.