The U.S. secretary of state told the Financial Times that pressure from Beijing dissuaded Vladimir Putin from using nuclear weapons.

"We have reason to believe that China engaged Russia and said: 'Don't go there,'" outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Financial Times on Jan. 3.

Russia considered a nuclear strike on Ukraine. China has warned Moscow against using nuclear weapons, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Financial Times. He notes the United States was “very concerned” because Russian President Vladimir Putin was probably considering a nuclear option against Ukraine.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his Social Democratic Party (SPD) colleagues have criticised as false the statements by Roderich Kiesewetter, a politician from the opposition CDU party, alleging Scholz's intent to meet with Russian leader Vladimir Putin before 23 February.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday dismissed speculation from an opposition lawmaker about a possible trip to Moscow ahead of elections on February 23. "This is a false claim," said Scholz in Berlin.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz sharply rejected accusations by opposition CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter that he might visit Moscow. Spiegel informs that the government is preparing a lawsuit for slander.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russian leader Vladimir Putin's goal is to create discord between him and US President-elect Donald Trump and to complete the occupation of Ukrainian territory.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that US President-elect Donald Trump could be the first world leader to fly to Ukraine, but that this will happen after the war is over. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman Quote: "Yes,

US President-elect Donald Trump may be the first leader to visit Ukraine by plane. This would be symbolic, said Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the interview with Lex Fridman, American computer scientist and podcaster.