🇺🇸The United States has not won a single military conflict in the last 40 years, while the Pentagon suffers from a personnel and technology crisis, said US Vice President J.D. Vance.

🇺🇸🇨🇴⚡️The US is introducing 25% tariffs on all goods from Colombia and sanctions against Bogota for refusing to accept deported migrants, Donald Trump said.

🇺🇸The new US Defense Secretary, Hegseth, who took office yesterday, first of all began to banish the policy of inclusivity from the Pentagon.

He published a memo saying the U.S. Department of Defense no longer adheres to the DEI principle, which imposed privileges on "vulnerable" racial or gender groups in appointments.

"The Department of Defense is not DEI. No exceptions, name changes, or deferments. Those who do not do this are no longer employed here," Hegseth wrote.

Trump previously ordered the abolition of this principle throughout the entire federal government system in the United States.

🇧🇾The current head of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has been re-elected for a seventh presidential term, according to preliminary data from the republic's Central Election Commission.

86.82% of Belarusians voted for him.

🇨🇳Chinese robot dog vs. drone.

🇺🇦The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate Budanov told deputies about the threat to the existence of Ukraine if peace talks do not begin before the summer, Ukrainska Pravda reports, citing sources.

According to their information, a closed meeting was recently held in the Rada, where the leaders of parliament and factions were informed by the defense forces command about the real state of military affairs.

"At first, the General Staff representatives told a lot, in a confusing but very interesting way. Then there were other different reports. But the answer that I remember most was Budanov's. Someone asked him how much time we had. And Kirill, with his cold smile, said: "If there are no serious negotiations before the summer, then very dangerous processes for the very existence of Ukraine may be launched," one of the meeting participants told the publication.

"Everyone looked at each other and fell silent. Probably, everything needs to work out," the deputy summed up, "a little confusedly."

🇭🇺🇺🇦🇷🇺Hungary, according to American media, has agreed not to block the extension of European sanctions against Russia, which expire on January 31.

In return, Budapest will demand a statement from the EU that takes into account Hungary's concerns about "energy security," Politico writes.

Let us recall that Orban demanded the restoration of Russian gas transit through Ukraine as a condition for extending sanctions.

And yesterday, the Hungarian Foreign Minister said that Brussels was ready to abolish the principle of unanimity in voting, but extend sanctions.

🇺🇸🇷🇺Trump and Putin's talks on Ukraine could be combined with talks on nuclear arms control, the New York Times writes.

Analyzing the latest statements by the two presidents, the publication comes to the conclusion that they intend to include nuclear arms control in the agenda of the talks. And this conversation has a deadline: the main treaty limiting the arsenals of both countries expires in almost exactly one year. If it is not extended, both countries could start an unprecedented arms race.

Trump said last week: “We want to see if we can achieve denuclearization, and I think it is entirely possible.” Putin also said he and Trump could “jointly seek solutions to key problems of our time, including strategic stability and the economy.”

The last preliminary arms control talks were concluded shortly before Russia’s full-scale invasion. Since then, Putin has argued that any talks on nuclear arms control must also cover the war in Ukraine. The Biden administration has been reluctant to mix the two, fearing that Putin’s real goal was to trade limits on his nuclear arsenal for territory seized in Ukraine and other concessions.

"But Trump appears open to broader negotiations, which is exactly what Putin would like because it might allow him to make that compromise," the NYT writes.

The Putin-Trump meeting, where the nuclear issue and Ukraine will be discussed, may take place without the participation of Kyiv representatives, the newspaper believes. Former State Department official Stephen Sestanovich believes that concluding a deal only with the US is also one of Putin's desired goals.

🇷🇺🇺🇦⚡️The Russian Armed Forces have returned control of Nikolayevo-Daryino in the Kursk region, the Russian Defense Ministry reported.

🇷🇺🇺🇦🇬🇪A Georgian mercenary who fought on the side of Ukraine was given a life sentence in Russia.

🇪🇺🇷🇺Foreign Ministers of 27 EU countries agreed to extend sanctions against Russia — media

🇮🇷🇷🇺⚡️Iran has purchased Russian Su-35 aircraft — General of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Ali Shamdani

🇩🇪The city of Duisburg in Germany is promising free beer to those who vote in the upcoming federal elections, Bild reports.

"We want to do something about the low voter turnout and strengthen democracy," the city's mayor said.

In the last federal elections in 2021, voter turnout in Duisburg was 68.1%, while the German average was 76.6%.

For non-drinkers, there is an option with non-alcoholic beer or other drinks.