Poland to boost army to 500,000 troops by 2039 amid Russia tensions
Poland plans to expand its armed forces to 500,000 by 2039, including 300,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists, officials said Friday. The en...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House to discuss military support for Ukraine amid its ongoing war with Russia.
The day began with a bilateral working lunch in the White House Cabinet Room. Zelenskyy discussed Tomahawk cruise missiles and other U.S. defence systems to strengthen Ukraine’s military capabilities. He also proposed a swap of Ukrainian drones for Tomahawks, noting Ukraine has “thousands” of drones but lacks long-range missiles. Trump said the U.S. would consider such an exchange, adding, “We build our own drones, but we also buy drones from others, and they make very good drones.” Zelenskyy told Trump he is “confident with your help we can stop the war” and highlighted meetings with American energy companies ready to assist in rebuilding Ukraine’s power infrastructure. His delegation also spoke with U.S. defence contractors about strengthening air defence amid escalating Russian drone and missile strikes.
Zelenskyy publicly called for a ceasefire, saying Ukraine “needs a ceasefire,” and appealed directly to Trump, saying he “has a chance to finish this war.”
Diplomatic engagement with Moscow
Trump confirmed Hungary will host his next meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, explaining he “chose Hungary for the Putin meeting because we like Orban.” He said he believes Putin “wants to make a deal,” but acknowledged the possibility the Russian leader could be stalling: “I’ve been played all my life by the best of them… But I think he wants to make a deal.” On Tomahawks, Trump described them as “very dangerous weapons… one of the most accurate” and stressed the U.S. must retain enough for its own defence. When asked about possible land swaps to end the war, he said, “You never know… War is very interesting. You never know.”
Security and other remarks
During the meeting, Trump referenced a recent strike on a “drug-carrying submarine” and joked about a hypothetical “tunnel from Russia to Alaska,” saying he would “have to think about that.” U.S. Senator Marco Rubio described the regional security situation as an “ongoing narco-terrorist operation.”
The meeting and lunch mark the latest high-level engagement as Ukraine continues pressing for U.S. support while Trump signals willingness to negotiate with both Kyiv and Moscow.
At least four people were injured after a large fire and explosions hit a residential building in the Dutch city of Utrecht, authorities said.
A railway power outage in Tokyo disrupted the morning commute for roughly 673,000 passengers on Friday (16 January) as two main lines with some of the world's busiest stations were halted after reports of a fire.
Iran reopened its airspace late on Wednesday after a near five-hour closure that disrupted airline traffic, amid heightened concerns over possible military escalation involving the United States.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that the international situation is worsening and that the world is becoming more dangerous, while avoiding public comment on events in Venezuela and Iran.
A SpaceX capsule carrying a four-member crew home from orbit in an emergency return to earth necessitated by an undisclosed serious medical condition afflicting one of the astronauts splashed down safely early on Thursday (15 January) in the Pacific Ocean off California.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Friday that allied supplies of air defence systems and missiles were insufficient as Russia prepares new large-scale attacks.
Poland plans to expand its armed forces to 500,000 by 2039, including 300,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists, officials said Friday. The enlarged force would feature a new high-readiness reserve unit.
Kyiv is facing its most severe wartime energy crisis, with the capital receiving only about half the electricity it needs, Mayor Vitali Klitschko told Reuters on Friday.
White House announced on Friday the formation of a technocratic committee to oversee the transition of power in the Gaza Strip as part of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the conflict in the territory.
Venezuela confirmed that 47 soldiers died during a U.S. military operation earlier this month that captured President Nicolás Maduro.
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