Venezuela Oil Exports Rise, Output Cuts Continue
Venezuela’s oil exports under a flagship $2bn supply deal with the U.S. reached around 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and st...
Ukraine will hand the United States a revised 20 point peace plan on Tuesday, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and key European leaders work to steer Washington’s ceasefire framework away from concessions they fear could lock in Russian territorial gains.
The push follows a hastily arranged meeting in London on Monday between Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The goal was clear: present a unified European front before the next stage of discussions with U.S. negotiators.
Kyiv is under pressure from the White House to move quickly toward a settlement as the conflict approaches its four-year mark. But European leaders believe the current U.S. backed draft leans too far toward Moscow’s demands, particularly on territory.
Zelenskyy confirmed the new plan contains 20 points and emphasised that Ukraine will not concede any of its land. He said Washington’s current “mood” is geared toward compromise, but the territorial question remains unresolved: “Of course, there are complex issues related to the territory, and a compromise has not yet been found there.”
Brussels backs Ukraine’s sovereignty and long-term security
After the London talks, Zelenskyy flew to Brussels for meetings with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. All three reiterated in public messages that any peace deal must respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and ensure its long-term security guarantees.
Zelenskyy described the discussions as “good and productive,” saying Kyiv, the EU and NATO were acting in a coordinated and constructive manner.
European capitals are also pushing for stronger economic pressure on Moscow. A British government source said the London meeting reviewed proposals to use the value of Russian assets frozen in Western jurisdictions. Leaders from Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden have urged the EU to move quickly on a stalled initiative to channel proceeds from those assets to support Ukraine.
U.S. security guarantees and fears of an imbalanced deal
Starmer, Macron, Merz and Zelenskyy are simultaneously trying to secure robust U.S. security guarantees that could help deter future Russian attacks. The publication of a U.S. ceasefire outline last month increased concern among European governments that Kyiv might be pushed into accepting terms that disadvantage Ukraine and create long-term instability on the continent.
For now, neither Ukraine nor Russia has shown willingness to sign the U.S. framework. American officials insist they are close to finalising a version of the deal, but gaps remain wide. “We stand with Ukraine and, if there was to be a ceasefire, it has to be a just and lasting ceasefire,” Starmer said at Downing Street. Macron and Merz echoed that sentiment, calling the current moment “decisive”.
Zelenskyy acknowledged the difficult task of keeping both Washington and European partners aligned: “There are some things we can’t manage without the Americans, things we can’t manage without Europe; that’s why we need to make some important decisions.”
Kyiv’s priorities for the next diplomatic phase
In a video address on Sunday, Zelenskyy told Ukrainians that a “new diplomatic week” was beginning. He said the focus would be on security guarantees, bolstering resilience, securing air defence and ensuring long-term financial support. Establishing common positions with allies ahead of negotiations is central to Kyiv’s strategy.
The diplomatic pressure comes at a challenging moment on the ground. Russian forces are pushing forward in the east, while intensified missile and drone strikes on energy plants and critical infrastructure have led to prolonged blackouts across Ukrainian cities.
U.S. envoys shuttle between Moscow, Miami and Kyiv
Washington’s latest engagement has been led by Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. They brought an updated proposal to Moscow last week, then held several days of talks with Ukrainian officials in Miami. Those meetings ended on Saturday with no breakthrough.
Zelenskyy said the conversations were constructive but difficult. Trump expressed frustration on Sunday, saying he was “disappointed” with Zelenskyy and accusing him of not fully reviewing the latest U.S. proposals.
Ukraine’s revised plan, the U.S. framework and Russia’s territorial demands remain far apart. As Kyiv prepares to present its updated document, the next rounds of diplomacy will determine whether a ceasefire can emerge that meets Ukraine’s core red lines and satisfies both European and U.S. expectations for a durable settlement.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
There was a common theme in speeches at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday (20 January). China’s Vice-Premier, He Lifeng, warned that "tariffs and trade wars have no winners," while France's Emmanuel Macron, labelled "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the U.S. "fundamentally unacceptable."
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, closed on Tuesday (20 January) after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rains left waters murky and more likely to attract the animals.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would “work something out” with NATO allies on Tuesday, defending his approach to the alliance while renewing his push for U.S. control of Greenland amid rising tensions with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
Venezuela’s oil exports under a flagship $2bn supply deal with the U.S. reached around 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and state-run PDVSA documents show, with shipments accelerating after Washington eased its blockade — but not enough for PDVSA to fully reverse output cuts.
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), has signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement worth up to $1.4 billion with Brookfield Asset Management on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, officials said.
A senior official at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said on Wednesday that roughly 6% of U.S. air travellers are not presenting identification that meets stricter federal standards, as the agency prepares to start charging passengers without enhanced ID a $45 fee from 1 February.
The United States is placing renewed emphasis on regional partnerships that offer predictability, security cooperation and economic continuity as instability deepens across the Middle East and parts of Eurasia
A fire alarm prompted the partial evacuation of the Davos Congress Centre on Wednesday evening while Donald Trump was inside the building attending the World Economic Forum, Swiss authorities said.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment