Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken with Chinese President Xi Jinping, emphasizing the two countries’ close ties a day after Donald Trump was sworn in as the 47th U.S. president

Two Iranian cargo vessels carrying an ingredient for missile propellant will sail from China to Iran in the next few weeks, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing intelligence from security officials in two Western countries.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reaffirmed on Thursday the need to step up support for Ukraine, adding it was vital Russia did not win as it could result in Russian President Vladimir Putin 'high fiving' the leaders of North Korea and China.

Whether it is over TikTok, fentanyl or trade, Beijing might welcome a compromise to buy time to address its ailing economy and bolster its position globally.

Ukraine recently received a new Chinese ambassador, Ma Shengkun, and a new Ukrainian ambassador, Olexander Nechytaylo, has been appointed to China, although he has yet to receive agreement. Perhaps this development could bring some new dynamics to the Sino-Ukrainian relations.

With Donald Trump back as US president with his confrontational style, Chinese, European and Ukrainian leaders are expected to defend global cooperation on Tuesday at the annual gathering of the world's elites in Davos.

As China continues to boost Russia's war effort in Ukraine, Taiwan is grappling with rising Chinese pressure boosted by growing military cooperation from Russia. The deepening partnership is set to pose a new threat for U.

The two leaders have developed strong personal ties that helped boost relations between Moscow and Beijing, growing even closer after Putin sent troops into Ukraine in 2022.

Kyiv region. A Russian ballistic missile strike in Ukraine's capital on the morning of January 18 killed three people and wounded three others. Dnipropetrovsk region. On the morning of January 17, a Russian missile attack on the region's second-biggest city, home to more than 500,000 residents, killed four people and wounded 14 others.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has warned that a Russian victory over Ukraine would undermine the dissuasive force of the world’s biggest military alliance and could cost trillions of dollars to restore the organization's credibility.

The US president has already declared a national emergency at the border, as he begins his crackdown on immigration.