Ukraine-Russia war latest: German military says Putin is rapidly rearming for possible attack on Nato

Putin waved at Mr Xi over the call as he proposed outlining plans to develop the “comprehensive partnership and strategic cooperation” between Russia and China, strengthening a geopolitical alliance which seeks to weaken western hegemony.

In a video released by the Kremlin of the conversation, Putin said: “I agree with you that cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is based on a broad commonality of national interests and a convergence of views on what relations between major powers should be.”

Read the full wrap of all the latest in Russia and Ukraine:

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has criticised the purchase of Russian Gas, taking aim at Slovak prime minister Robert Fico.

Europe must “step up and do more long-term work to secure real energy independence”, Mr Zelensky told the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

“You can’t keep buying gas from Moscow while also expecting security guarantees, help and back-up from the Americans,” Mr Zelensky added.

“That’s just wrong. For example, the Prime Minister of Slovakia is not seeking access to US gas, but doesn’t lose hope to enjoy the US security umbrella.”

As always with Donald Trump, caricature is the easy route. It takes some chutzpah and self regard to deliver a line like “I was saved by God to Make America Great Again”.

And, frankly, the way Trump spoke later about the pardoning of those imprisoned for the attempted insurrection on January 6 was reprehensible. These were people who stormed the Capitol, injuring police officers along the way, and were then found guilty in courts of law. To keep calling them the “J6 hostages” – as he did – as though they were on par with the three Israelis who were kidnapped on 7 October and freed from the tunnels of Gaza a couple of days ago is grotesque and offensive.

Ukraine will not agree to Russian demands that it drastically reduces the size of its military in a future peace agreement, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Mr Zelensky warned that Russian president Vladimir Putin would demand that Ukraine reduce its military five-fold.

“This is what he wants. We will not allow this to happen,” Mr Zelensky said.

US senator Marco Rubio has emphasised that the Trump administration will push an ‘America First’ programme.

“His (Trump’s) primary promise when it comes to foreign policy is that the priority of the United States Department of State will be the United States, it will be furthering the national interest of this country,” Mr Rubio said after being sworn into office by vice president JD Vance.

A China hawk and a staunch backer of Israel, Mr Rubio said the foreign policy goal under Mr Trump will be “the promotion of peace. Of course, peace through strength, peace and always without abandoning our values”.

He is also the first person of Hispanic origin to serve as the top diplomat in the US.

A Russian court has ordered Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank International to pay 2 billion euros (£1.7 billion) in damages for a collapsed deal.

The ruling is a blow to the largest western bank in Russia, which has made billions in profit during the nearly three years of war in Ukraine.

The bank has provided a payment bridge for Russia’s middle class and companies into the West, but will now be forced to set aside a large sum as it challenges the ruling.

Sat in the courtroom as the ruling was read out were armed men in balaclavas, along with those involved in the case.

“This is a final warning to all Western companies that you cannot do business with Putin’s Russia,” said Helmut Brandstaetter, a liberal Austrian lawmaker in the European Parliament.

Ukraine is working to set up a meeting between presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump, but not date has yet been confirmed, Mr Zelensky said on Tuesday.

“The teams have been working on a meeting, they are currently in the process,” Mr Zelensky told an interview panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

One area where the Trump administration and Labour are likely to clash is on defence spending. The president has said he feels the US spends more on defence than most Nato countries, calling for a new target of fie per cent GDP.

This is up considerably from the current two per cent target. The UK currently pledges 2.3 per cent, with intentions ro raise it to 2.5 per cent by this year. Given the tight economic contraints outlined by the Treasury, it’s unlikely calls to increase this futher would be welcomed by UK officials.

The president has also said he would like to bring the war in Ukraine to a speedy end – and will now be able to use the US’s massive expenditure on Zelensky’s forces as a bargaining chip in discussions.

But some of his comments have prompted concern that Mr Trump may cede key Russian demands as part of a deal. This could include granting Vladimir Putin’s regime large regions of the country, or deferring Ukraine’s Nato membership bid. The incoming president has previously said that he “understands [Russia’s] feelings” about having “somebody right on their doorstep.”

If the war in Ukraine does move from military support to a possible peacekeeping operation, the prime minister has said that the UK will play “full part” in the plans.

Russia will return with an army 10 times the size of the one which invaded Ukraine in 2022 if a diplomatic solution does not have strong security guarantees, Volodymyr Zelensky has warned.

Russian president Vladimir Putin will return to Europe to fully occupy all countries which formerly made up the USSR, Mr Zelensky added.

He will then do what he did with Crimea in Ukraine, by seizing territory and using it to make demands and issue ultimatums, the Ukrainian president told world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

He also criticised European countries for having a significantly smaller economic output than Russia, despite having more factories.