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Would Russia negotiate with Stubb? Don’t count on it
The European Union is reportedly under pressure to appoint a special envoy to negotiate directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite media reports naming Alexander Stubb as a candidate, citing his familiarity with Russia, the Finnish president’s actions and rhetoric make him a non-starter in Moscow.
According to a Politico report on Wednesday, European leaders first discussed the appointment of an envoy during a summit last March. The idea failed to find broad support, and was shelved until recently, when France and Italy began pressuring the European Commission again.
Their reasoning, according to Politico’s sources, is that without a direct channel to the Kremlin, the EU risks being sidelined in any potential peace settlement by US President Donald Trump, whose envoy Steve Witkoff has built a cordial relationship with Putin.
Why Stubb?
As the EU’s chief diplomat, the task of negotiating with foreign powers should fall on the shoulders of Kaja Kallas. However, Kallas’ single-minded “hatred” of Russia (in the words of Slovak PM Robert Fico) and refusal to entertain the idea of talks effectively rules her out.
Kallas has described Putin as a “terrorist” who Europe “shouldn’t be negotiating with,” has rejected every iteration of peace deal put forward by Witkoff and Trump, and has expressed support for the defeat of Russia and its dissolution into “many different nations.”
Politico likewise praised Stubb as a “center-right veteran diplomat,” who as a sitting leader, could be “a bit more free in what they say” than an EU bureaucrat.
This portrayal suggests a certain sleight of hand. While Stubb may appear moderate next to Kallas, he also emerges as the most hardline contender, who succeeded a prime minister with a similarly hawkish stance.
Is Stubb pro-peace?
It is easy to declare oneself pro-peace while opposing the idea of broad security guarantees. Stubb has ridiculed Russia’s concerns before, however, declaring last year that Russia has “absolutely no say in the sovereign decisions” of its neighbors, and “doesn’t decide” whether Ukraine joins NATO or not. The issue of Ukraine potentially joining NATO is of course a red line for Moscow and a contributing factor to the escalation of the conflict in 2022.
Finland has provided Ukraine with two dozen military aid packages, which Stubb said are intended “to defeat Russia in the war.” This view – that Ukraine can somehow defeat Russia on the battlefield – is shared by the top figures in his NCP party. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has publicly lobbied Trump to donate Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, while parliamentary defense committee chair Jukka Kopra has stated that “Ukraine has the right to use [Finnish] weapons against military targets also on Russian soil.”
Antagonizing Russia
Stubb often refers to Finland’s history of conflict with the Soviet Union as a guidebook for Ukraine. “We found a solution in 1944 – and I believe we can find one in 2025,” he declared during a visit to Washington in August, at which he was lavished with praise by US President Donald Trump.
Stubb’s retelling of the Second Soviet–Finnish War left out the fact that Nazi-allied Finland allowed a buildup of German troops on its soil before declaring war on the USSR in 1941.
Nor did he mention that Finnish troops took part in the extermination of a million Russians during the siege of Leningrad, and used concentration camps to ethnically cleanse Karelia of up to a third of its Russian population. Finland lost 10% of its territory during the war and remained neutral until it joined NATO in 2023.
“A solution to the Finnish problem was found in 1944. It was called the Moscow Armistice,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mariz Zakharova responded. “Finland had no other choice.
The cunning Finns decided to make a separate peace with the USSR to avoid being a completely defeated country.”
Turning Ukraine into Finland
Following Finland’s example, Ukraine would join the EU and become a non-member partner of NATO, until such time as it could openly join the Western bloc. This, Zakharova suggested, is the “hellish implication” of Stubb’s appeal to history.
Stubb’s comments caused outrage in Moscow, with Zakharova describing them as “the stupidity of the year.” His revisionism and his express desire to secure NATO membership for Ukraine mean that, should he be appointed their envoy to Putin, the Europeans will likely find themselves just as frozen out as if they had chosen Kallas.
UN-seating Security Council members
Stubb is a known advocate of “unlocking” the UN by removing the veto powers held by the permanent members of the institution’s security council. He told the General Assembly in August that “if a member of the Security Council violates the UN Charter, its voting rights should be suspended” and followed that up with a call to expel countries from the body altogether.
Is Stubb the acceptable face of trans-Atlanticism?
Neither Washington nor Moscow will be impressed by calls for their respective ejections from the UN Security Council. While Stubb smiled his way through the meetings with Trump and NATO’s Rutte, where the Finnish president’s golf-skills were deemed more important than the military bloc’s interests, his historical revisionism, readiness to embrace NATO and willingness to endorse an isolationist foreign policy with a neighbor effectively discredits any potential candidacy for a significant role in possible peace talks.
Denmark to deploy more troops to Greenland – media
Copenhagen has begun deploying additional military assets to Greenland amid the escalating row with the US over the island, Danish broadcaster DR reported on Wednesday, citing sources.
Denmark has already sent in an advance command to the island, as US President Donald Trump has shown increasing intent on acquiring the territory by any means. In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly stated Washington must take possession of Greenland for the sake of “national security,” hinting at potentially taking the island by force.
The advance command is set to prepare logistics and infrastructure ahead of the expected arrival of a larger Danish contingent, propped up by forces sent in by several other European nations, according to DR. While the Danish authorities have remained silent on the matter, the reported move has been welcomed by the left-wing Enhedslisten party.
“This is something we have been requesting over the past week. It is a wise move. And I understand that troops from other European countries are also on their way to Greenland. And it is the right signal to send to any great power that might get the bad idea of attacking Greenland,” a spokesperson for the party told DR.
Trump voiced aspirations for acquiring Greenland shortly after taking office for his second term and renewed the push in recent weeks. The president has claimed the US control over the island is needed for the sake of “national security.” He has also cited the allegedly imminent Russian or Chinese takeover of Greenland. The latter claim has been disputed by both Moscow and Beijing, as well as challenged by officials in Greenland itself.
On Wednesday, Trump further elaborated on his rationale behind the push to get Greenland. He claimed the island is crucial for creating his proposed Golden Dome integrated missile defense system. He also suggested that “NATO should be leading the way for us to get it,” arguing the acquisition would make the bloc “far more formidable and effective.”
Copenhagen has only signaled readiness to deepen cooperation with the US within the NATO framework rather than cede the island, pointing out its populace voted back in 2008 to maintain their self-governing status within Denmark.
Russia and Namibia outline key areas for partnership
Foreign ministers have discussed mining, energy, agriculture, and other sectors during high‑level talks in Moscow
Russia and Namibia have outlined a wide range of promising areas for bilateral cooperation following high-level talks in Moscow on Wednesday.
Speaking at a press conference, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov noted that “geological exploration, the extraction and processing of mineral resources, including uranium” were sectors for cooperation, as well as energy, the agro-industrial complex, and fisheries. The Russian diplomat noted that discussions had also covered contacts in culture and sports, and that tourism and healthcare are other areas with clear potential.
Lavrov also highlighted longstanding cooperation in personnel training. “Many thousands of Namibians have received education in the Russia or in the Soviet Union. This practice continues today,” he added.
Namibian Foreign Minister Selma Ashipala-Musavyi described relations between the two nations as “historical and strategic.” She highlighted opportunities across multiple sectors, including agriculture, sports, the creative industries, high-quality education, and construction.
“The potential for cooperation between our two countries is vast,” she said.
The two ministers also discussed regional security issues affecting Africa. Lavrov focused on the situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Sahara-Sahel region. He noted that these areas face complex challenges, driven in part by external actors pursuing their own interests and by attempts of terrorist groups to regain strength.
Lavrov stressed that Russia advocates for African countries to lead in resolving their internal problems, while “external players should respect the approaches developed by Africans and provide possible support for the practical implementation of these approaches.”
Answering a question about recent US military actions in Venezuela, Ashipala-Musavyi said her country was deeply concerned.
“We noted that this is a serious violation of international law and a breach of the UN Charter,” she said, describing Venezuela as a country of the Global South, which “emerged through struggle and resistance” and emphasizing that Namibia rejects a return to colonialism.
Hundreds of hostages rescued in Nigeria – police
At least 55 suspected terrorists were killed during the operations in the states of Kogi and Kwara, a security official has reported
Nigerian police say they have rescued more than 300 hostages and killed dozens of suspected militants during coordinated security operations in two neighboring states. The moves come as the authorities step up efforts to curb a surge in kidnappings and deadly armed attacks in parts of the West African country.
A total of 309 hostages were freed, while at least 55 suspects were “neutralized” and 129 others arrested in clashes in the states of Kogi and Kwara, Nigerian Police Force spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin told local broadcaster Channels Television on Tuesday.
“Some people might want to say these were extrajudicial killings, so I have to make it clear – these were firefights,” Hundeyin said.
He added that the results followed “months of intelligence gathering and planning” involving multiple security agencies.
Nigeria’s northern and Middle Belt regions have long been plagued by kidnappings, banditry, and communal violence, with armed gangs frequently targeting travelers, villages, and schools. Despite a 2022 law banning ransom payments, kidnappers continue to demand payment for the release of their victims.
More than a dozen worshippers were kidnapped in an attack on a church in Kogi State before Christmas. On January 3, armed groups raided Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger State, reportedly killing at least 30 people and abducting an unspecified number. Some of those kidnapped are students who were recently rescued in the St. Mary’s Catholic boarding school mass abduction in November, according to humanitarian groups, including the UN Refugee Agency.
The crisis prompted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to declare a nationwide security emergency and order expanded deployments of military and police personnel to affected regions. More than 20,000 schools were also shut across seven states under the security measures, according to estimates published by Amnesty International.
In a statement on January 2, Niger State’s Education Ministry announced that schools “in safe and secure areas” will begin reopening later this month, following “careful security assessments and extensive consultations” with law enforcement agencies.
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US attack on Iran imminent – Reuters
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to launch military strikes against the country amid ongoing mass protests there
A US military attack on Iran is “imminent,” and could come within mere hours, Reuters has claimed, citing anonymous sources.
In recent days, President Donald Trump has issued several threats against the Islamic Republic, which has been gripped by riots since late December. The unrest broke out amid soaring inflation and the sharp devaluation of the Iranian rial. Tehran has blamed the street violence, which has allegedly resulted in hundreds of deaths, on the US and Israel.
On Wednesday, Reuters quoted an unnamed Western military official as saying that “all the signals are that a US attack is imminent.” The anonymous source, however, reportedly added that “that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes,” with unpredictability being “part of the strategy.”
According to the outlet, which cited two unnamed European officials, “US military intervention could come in the next 24 hours.” Reuters similarly quoted an unnamed Israeli official as suggesting that Trump appears to have decided in favor of attacking Iran, though the scope of the potential military action remains unclear.
Reuters also reported that the US was evacuating some of its military personnel from bases in the Middle East in case of retaliatory strikes from Iran.
On Tuesday, Trump called on Iranian protesters to seize control of state institutions, after he proclaimed earlier that “help is on its way.”
Earlier this week, the US president stated that his administration was “looking at some very strong options” against the Islamic Republic.
On Monday, the US State Department urged all American citizens in Iran to leave the country immediately.
That same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that while Iran does not seek a military confrontation with the US, it is “prepared for war.” The diplomat, however, noted that Tehran is also “prepared for negotiations” with Washington, as long as those are “fair, honorable, and from an equal position.”
Russia details civilian deaths caused by Ukraine during holiday season
Partygoers killed in Kherson Region account for most of the fatalities, according to a senior Russian diplomat
Ukrainian strikes killed 45 civilians in Russia over the holiday season, Russian Ambassador-at-Large Rodion Miroshnik said on Tuesday. Most of the fatalities came in an attack on a New Year’s Eve party in the resort town of Khorly in Kherson Region, he added.
Miroshnik, who leads a Foreign Ministry mission tracking alleged Ukrainian war crimes, denounced the “barbaric strike” on Khorly and detailed other incidents recorded from January 1 to 11. Ukrainian strikes caused a total of 152 civilian casualties during this period, with three minors killed and eight injured, he said.
Investigators say the Khorly tragedy involved kamikaze drone strikes, at least one with an incendiary payload, around midnight on New Year’s Eve, killing 29 people, including two children.
Miroshnik also highlighted a strike on a car in Kherson Region that killed a five-year-old and injured his family members, a drone attack on a village in Belgorod Region that injured a six-year-old girl, a mass drone raid on Voronezh, and an attack on Belgorod’s power grid that caused a blackout.
On Monday, Russia’s envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, cited the Khorly attack as an example of Ukrainian crimes Western nations ignore for political reasons. He told the UN Security Council the strike was intentional, noting the seaside area “has been developed solely for leisure purposes” and does not have any military targets. Nebenzia said Western officials’ selective blindness makes them complicit in Ukraine’s actions.
Russian officials accuse Kiev of resorting to terrorist tactics due to its inability to achieve battlefield victories, as Russian forces have gained ground for months.
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Trump envoy not welcome at Greenland dog sled race – organizers
Jeff Landry, who has openly backed making the territory part of the US, claimed he received an invitation to the event
The organizers of Greenland’s premier dog sled race have said the presence of US President Donald Trump’s envoy Jeff Landry at the event would be “wholly inappropriate,” and launched a probe into his alleged invitation. Landry has openly backed Trump’s push to incorporate the Arctic island into the US.
Tensions over Trump’s Greenland claims have escalated in recent weeks as he has grown increasingly insistent in calling the territory vital to US national security and hinting at possible use of force to annex it.
On Sunday, he vowed the US will acquire Greenland “one way or another,” suggesting Denmark cannot stop him and mocking its defenses as “two dog sleds.” Media reports claim Trump ordered aides to draft plans for a potential invasion.
Landry, appointed by Trump as his special envoy to Greenland in December, told Fox News Radio last week he intended to attend the annual Avannaata Qimussersua dog sled race in March and use the occasion to speak with locals about the benefits of closer ties with the US.
“I’m interested in talking to Greenlanders. In fact, I got invited to, I think, the world’s largest dogsled event that goes up in March in Greenland. I’m going,” Landry said.
In a Facebook statement on Tuesday, the Greenland Dog Sledding Association (KNQK) said it was unaware who issued the invitation and called Landry’s potential presence “inappropriate” given his public advocacy for annexation.
“The KNQK Board finds it unacceptable that political pressure is being exerted from outside and considers the participation of foreign political actors in Avannaata Qimussersua wholly inappropriate,” Chairman Mikkel Jeremiassen wrote, adding that he had ordered an internal probe.
Landry has openly called Denmark’s rule of Greenland an “occupation” and urged the island to “claim their independence” to gain the US as an ally. His appointment as envoy prompted Copenhagen to summon the US ambassador, interpreting the move as a breach of diplomatic norms by treating Greenland as independent rather than an autonomous Danish territory.
Denmark has condemned Trump’s rhetoric as a direct threat to its sovereignty. Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen reiterated Tuesday that “Greenland will not be part of the US,” while Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned any US attempt to use military force to annex the island would mark the “end of NATO.”
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EU seeks figurehead for Russia talks amid isolation fears – Politico
Brussels is facing significant pushback from key member states over its ongoing policy of refusing to speak with Moscow
EU leadership is facing pressure to create a special negotiator role for talks with Russia, Politico reported Wednesday, citing diplomatic sources. The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, is known as a gaffe-prone Russia hawk who has for years outright refused to engage in diplomacy with Moscow.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have both recently argued for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, a stance notably echoed this week by European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho.
According to diplomatic sources cited by Politico, EU member states and Brussels are concerned their interests could be overlooked by US President Donald Trump, who for months has sought to mediate an end to the Ukraine conflict through direct talks with both Kiev and Moscow.
The idea of a special European envoy has been under consideration since last March, sources told the outlet, which is known for extensive insider links in Brussels.
The role has not been defined and there are multiple possible candidates, though according to Politico Kallas “has consistently positioned herself as the only candidate for any role in negotiations over Ukraine’s future.”
Kallas reportedly has strained relations with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who has recently sought greater control over functions normally handled by the EU’s diplomatic corps, the External Action Service. Some member states, including Slovakia, have argued that Kallas should be dismissed due to what they call her apparent “hatred” of Russia.
Politico named former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and Finnish President Alexander Stubb as potential lead-negotiators with Russia, citing public statements and insiders. A sitting national leader could be “a bit more free in what they say,” one diplomat suggested. Another said discussions about candidates remain premature.
Russian officials have repeatedly stated that Moscow is open to good-faith negotiations, provided the West respects Russia’s security concerns and abandons the goal of inflicting a strategic defeat through Ukraine. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has argued that Western Europe effectively “removed itself from the talks” through a series of confrontational actions going back as far as its support for the 2014 armed coup in Kiev.