There's discontent in one corner of the EU after the bloc revealed its plan to ban the import of Russian gas. But while diplomatic wrangling continues, Ukrainian civilians are suffering Russian attacks during a particularly cold winter. Follow the latest below.
Tuesday 27 January 2026 14:50, UK
Our military analyst Michael Clarke is joining us for another live Q&A on all things Ukraine.
We'll get going at 1pm tomorrow, so you've got just about 24 hours to send us your queries.
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In the meantime, catch up with last week's instalment here...
Vladimir Putin has kept a low profile since holding talks on Ukraine with Donald Trump's envoys at the Kremlin last week.
Pictures are coming though of the Russian president taking part in a military ceremony in a snowy St Petersburg, to mark the anniversary of a liberation by Soviet forces during the Second World War.
Putin will meet Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow tomorrow, Russia's TASS state news agency reported.
We've been reporting throughout the day on deadly Russian strikes on the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
In their latest update, Ukraine's emergency service has confirmed that three people have now been killed in the attack.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing and rescuers are still clearing rubble at a damaged four-story residential building in the city, it said on Telegram.
A further 25 people were also injured in the strikes.
Finland's prime minister has suggested China could play a crucial role in helping to bring about peace in Ukraine.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the country, Petteri Orpo said Beijing and Chinese President Xi Jinping have the opportunity to help end the the conflict by influencing Vladimir Putin and reducing their cooperation with Moscow.
The comments appear at odds with China's defence minister, who was reported by state media earlier as saying Beijing would be willing to "strengthen strategic coordination" with Russia (see 12:25 post).
Ukraine's emergency service said two people have been killed in a Russian airstrike in the eastern Donetsk region.
The bodies of a man and a woman - both believed to be in their 40s - were recovered by emergency workers in the city of Sloviansk after five residential buildings were damaged in the attack.
A man in his 20s was also rescued,
Elsewhere, rescuers removed a woman's body from under rubble after a residential building was destroyed in the city of Kherson, the emergency service added.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said earlier several regions across Ukraine had been targeted in overnight Russian strikes (see 10:25am post).
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has shared more details on the trilateral talks between the US, Ukraine and Russia that took place in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
The meeting was discussed with Austria's chancellor Christian Stocker during a phone call this morning, Zelenskyy said on social media.
The three parties mainly discussed military issues but also spoke about security guarantees in the UAE.
"Ukraine's accession to the European Union is one of the key security guarantees not only for us, but also for all of Europe," Zelenskyy said.
"That is why we are speaking about a concrete date - 2027 - and we count on partners' support for our position."
Formal EU accession negotiations can only begin with the unanimous consent of all 27 member states, which has proved tricky for Ukraine with resistance from Viktor Orban's Hungary.
China's defence minister has told his Russian counterpart Beijing hopes to deepen its relationship with Moscow to improve their ability to respond to risks, according to state media.
In a video call with Andrei Belousov, Dong Jun said China was willing to work with Russia to "strengthen strategic coordination, enrich the substance of cooperation, and improve exchange mechanisms", Chinese news agency Xinhua reports.
Relations between Moscow and Beijing have grown steadily closer since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Bilateral trade between the two nations reached a record high of $245bn (£178bn) in 2024 as the Kremlin's trade with Western countries faced increasing sanctions and bans.
Vladimir Putin attended a major military parade in Beijing last year alongside Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Hungary and Slovakia will each file legal challenges against the EU's majority decision to ban Russian gas imports.
EU members states gave their final approval yesterday to ban the imports by late 2027, with the decision made via a qualified majority after Hungary and Slovakia voted against the proposal.
The bloc has been looking to reduce its dependence on Russia for natural resources since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with gas exports viewed as a key source of income for the Kremlin in funding its war.
Announcing the move, Hungary's foreign minster Peter Szijjarto pointed to EU law which states proposals must have the consent of all 27 EU member states.
Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico said both countries would submit lawsuits to the EU Court of Justice and will coordinate their actions.
For context: Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his government have long been seen as the most Kremlin-friendly of the EU member states, and have repeatedly sided against Ukraine's bid for EU membership.
Both Hungary and Slovakia remain heavily reliant on Russian oil and gas imports.
By Michael Drummond, foreign news reporter
The threat to shipping posed by GPS jamming and other interference is growing and there is a "real risk to life", experts have warned.
Hundreds of vessels are being affected every day, with disruption posing urgent risks to maritime safety.
The issue of interference to global navigation systems has rocketed in recent years, with disruption to aircraft perhaps more well-known than shipping.
Russia is accused of widespread jamming and spoofing operations in eastern Europe (Moscow has denied the accusations), but the problem has been observed all over the world.
Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a two-year loan of €90bn (£78bn) for Kyiv's defence and to keep basic services running.
Ukraine's Interfax news agency reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy's rival and former president, Petro Poroshenko, expressed hope the loan could be made available shortly, after meeting EU commissioner for defence and space Andrius Kubilius.
Poroshenko said on social media:
"[I] Thanked for the decision to allocate a €90bn loan to Ukraine to meet its immediate military needs through a cascade approach (through investments in the Ukrainian defence industry, purchases from European manufacturers, and, if necessary, from American arms manufacturers). I also expressed hope that the EU regulations on the use of the loan will be approved by the Council of Permanent Representatives of the EU this week."
For context: EU leaders agreed last month to provide the interest-free loan to Ukraine in 2026 and 2027 after failing to commit to using frozen Russian assets as a means of funding Kyiv.
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