Jan 09, 2026
3 min read
Moscow continues its frontal attacks while losing allies and influence around the world
War in Ukraine
Russia's diplomatic weakness raises Ukraine
Moscow continues to advance at the front, losing allies and global influence
The situation in Venezuela has temporarily displaced the war in Ukraine from the headlines, although it has had little impact on the local situation so far.Despite concerns that US attention may be diverted from the conflict in Europe, Washington remains deeply involved in ongoing diplomatic efforts to end the war.
"Donald Trump cannot ignore the issue now, because his success on the international stage will be assessed as part of the electoral process before the congressional elections to be held in the fall," said Vitaly Portnikov, a prominent Ukrainian political analyst, after attending the US delegation's Coalition of the Willing summit in Paris on Tuesday and continuing talks with Ukrainian representatives there.
The degree of US involvement in providing security guarantees to Ukraine against a possible new Russian invasion remains uncertain, as does whether the White House is finally willing to put more pressure on Moscow to actually stop the war.However, most Ukrainian observers believe that the American operation in Venezuela served to weaken Russia.
"This is the second time in the year Russia in its responsibility in itself. The first in the Assolean," Serge is at the end of Pravda European language.
Sidorenko recalls that Russia supplied Venezuela with weapons, including air defense systems, while former fighters of the "Wagner" mercenary group helped protect Maduro.Following the rapid capture of Maduro and the neutralization of Russian air defenses, Sidorenko points out that other dictators relying on friendship with Russia are asking themselves: "Are they really getting the protection they need from Moscow?"
When there is concern about the influence of the American work on international law, many point to the fact that the same law does not protect Ukraine from Russian intervention, as the world ignores Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014. On the other hand, the Kremlin can interpret the US's ignorance of the process of international law as another green light to act on its own.
Volodymyr Zelensky, however, remains hopeful, indicating that the operation in Venezuela could be a warning to Vladimir Putin.
axis of evil
Instability in Iran, which has supplied Russia with drone technology, could lead to the fall of another Russian ally, weakening what Ukrainians call the "axis of evil" and leaving Russia with only North Korea and, to some extent, China as its main supporters on the international stage.
And the hope in Ukraine is that if the U.S. takes control of the oil industry, further depressing crude oil prices and acting more aggressively against Russian oil tankers, it will undermine Russia's ability to finance an attack.
Until now, despite diplomatic efforts, Russia continues its attacks against Ukraine on the front lines and against its critical infrastructure.The Russian infantry continues to attack in small groups to reach half-destroyed buildings and hide from the Ukrainian drones, relying on their numerical superiority over the defenders.With temperatures below ten degrees Celsius, millions of Ukrainians only have uninterrupted access to electricity, although critical infrastructure, including hospitals, continues to function.
Ukraine responded with its own drone attacks on Russia's oil infrastructure and power substations, reaching Moscow and Leningrad regions in the first week of 2026.However, it needs more air defense and support from foreign partners, Zelensky said, as Ukraine and the United States seek an agreement on Russian claims and details of future nuclear power plants. The next talks are on Wednesday.
The need to prepare for the failure of diplomatic efforts prompted Zelensky to make changes in the defense sector.After appointing the head of the intelligence service Kirilo Budanov as the head of his presidential office, Zelensky fired Vasil Maliuk, the head of the security service, who is particularly famous for the daring operation "Cobweb" that destroyed Russian aircraft at four air bases up to 4,000 kilometers from Ukraine in June.34-year-old Mikhailo Fedorov will be the new defense minister, thanks to his "technical know-how" and his involvement in increasing the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, which are the cornerstone of Ukraine's national defense.
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War in Ukraine
Russian diplomatic weakness protects Ukraine
The war in Ukraine
