In January 2026, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) launched a blistering attack on Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, labeling him the “Constantinople Antichrist,” “antichrist in a cassock,” and “devil in the flesh,” while accusing him of British-backed efforts to undermine Russian Orthodoxy in the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) and potentially Montenegro.
Ukraine
Russia accused Ukraine of launching a drone strike on the Greek-managed tanker Matilda near the CPC terminal in the Black Sea, with the vessel hit by two drones while in ballast; a second Greek-operated tanker, Delta Harmony, was also targeted in the area with no injuries reported and only minor damage sustained
Unidentified drones hit two Greek-owned oil tankers in the Black Sea on Tuesday, one of which was…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy congratulated Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides on assuming the EU Council presidency for the first half of 2026, urging strong decisions to advance Ukraine’s EU membership—a key security guarantee amid ongoing peace efforts.
In his pre-recorded New Year’s address for 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated the “Blue Homeland” doctrine, warning: “We are closely monitoring increasing provocations in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced he is ready to hold a nationwide referendum on a U.S.-backed peace plan to end the war with Russia, but only if Moscow agrees to a ceasefire of at least 60 days to allow for secure preparations and voting.
Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, a senior Russian General Staff officer, was killed in a car bomb explosion in Moscow.Investigators are probing possible Ukrainian involvement.
Ukraine’s SBU carried out a daring drone strike on the Oman-flagged tanker QENDIL, part of Russia’s shadow fleet, in neutral Mediterranean waters off Greece—over 2,000 km from Ukraine
Russia has damaged four Turkish-owned civilian vessels in the Black Sea over 48 hours in apparent retaliation for Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil tankers, marking a dangerous escalation in attacks on commercial shipping.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has welcomed the EU’s decision to indefinitely freeze €210 billion in Russian sovereign assets, enabling a €165 billion funding mechanism to support Ukraine’s defence and state operations.
A civilian cargo ship caught fire in flames after a Russian missile and drone attack struck the port of Odesa, Ukraine’s key Black Sea hub.
The IAEA announced that Chernobyl’s protective New Safe Confinement has lost its ability to contain radioactive materials after severe damage from a February drone strike, urging comprehensive repairs despite no current radiation increase.
A senior Kremlin official has warned that the EU’s plan to seize or leverage £80bn in frozen Russian assets for Ukraine could be treated as a casus belli, raising the risk of wider conflict in Europe as peace talks stall and Russia steps up military pressure on the battlefield.
Two tankers carrying Russian oil products were struck in suspected Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Turkey’s Exclusive Economic Zone in the Black Sea, escalating risks for shipping routes near Turkish waters.
Turkey and the UK have deepened military ties with a new TAI-BAE Systems drone deal, while Greece counters by signing a major UAV co-production agreement with Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly confirmed Moscow possesses Donald Trump’s full 28-point peace plan for Ukraine – a document that was already circulating before the Alaska summit and which Kyiv has so far refused to accept.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says Europe has not been formally briefed on reported US–Russia peace talks over Ukraine, warning that any plan requiring Kyiv to give up territory is unacceptable. Speaking at the New Economy Forum, he also highlighted Greece’s balanced stance between Washington and Beijing and noted that southern Europe is now outperforming northern economic leaders such as Germany and France.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to discuss strengthening bilateral ties, expanding cooperation in shipping and exports, and boosting investment flows between the two countries.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced major defence, financial and energy commitments following his visits to Greece, France and Spain, including guaranteed gas supplies from Greece, a major aviation deal with France and enhanced air-defence support from Spain.
The Trump administration is finalising a secret US-Russia peace plan that would force Ukraine to halve its army, surrender advanced weapons, and cede the rest of Donetsk in exchange for security guarantees and reconstruction aid.
A Turkish-flagged LPG carrier carrying 4,000 tons of gas was struck by a projectile while unloading at Ukraine’s Izmail port on the Danube, triggering a major fire and forcing the evacuation of all 16 crew members with no injuries reported – just two days after Greece finalized an LNG supply agreement with Ukraine.
Greece is seriously eyeing Ukraine’s battle-proven “Sea Baby” naval drones capable of carrying 2 tonnes of explosives over 1,500 km — a potential game-changer for Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean security.
Greece and Ukraine signed a Declaration of Intent for US LNG supply from December 2025 to March 2026, enhancing regional energy security via the Vertical Corridor.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Athens today for high-level talks with PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, focusing on the strategic Alexandroupoli-Ukraine natural gas corridor amid heightened security and citywide gathering bans.
Greece approves €199.4M package to Ukraine via Czechia, including 60 surplus M110A2 203mm howitzers, 150,000 shells, and Zuni rockets from reserves, funding its own modernization without impacting readiness amid parliamentary scrutiny.
In a heated parliamentary session, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reaffirmed Greece’s stance against military involvement in Ukraine while addressing key foreign policy issues, including Palestine recognition and the OPEKEPE scandal. Read the full exchange and government defenses.
Greece is reportedly facing growing pressure from NATO and the United States to consider transferring part of its Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet fleet to Ukraine. According to Ukrainian media, the issue is politically sensitive for Athens as it could impact Greece’s relations with Russia and its own defense capabilities.
NATO is urging Greece to transfer Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine to strengthen its air defenses against Russia’s invasion. The potential deal, facilitated through intermediaries like France or Germany, aligns with NATO’s Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, allowing Greece to replace donated jets with newer U.S. systems. A decision may be reached before the November NATO summit.
Ukraine has declared a state of emergency at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant after Russian shelling cut power to the New Safe Confinement, which encases the damaged reactor 4 from the 1986 disaster, raising concerns about nuclear safety.
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis and former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson clashed over the Ukraine war at the Thessaloniki Metropolitan Summit, with their heated debate going viral on social media, garnering over 3.5 million views.
