LIVE – War in Ukraine: Poland says West must “mobilize” its economy to arm Kiev

A “military operation”. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban echoed the formula used by the Kremlin, calling the Russian invasion of Ukraine “a military operation” on Thursday. “This is a military operation unless there is a declaration of war between the two countries,” the nationalist leader declared during his annual press conference. “When the Russians declare war on Ukraine, it will be war,” he added. “Strictly speaking, we will be happy as long as there is no war. If there is a war, there will be a general mobilization, and I don't wish that on anyone,” he concluded.

Russia must not “win”. Westerners “cannot allow Russia to win” in Ukraine, Emmanuel Macron insisted on Thursday, saying support for Kyiv must continue even if “it costs us”. At a Christmas dinner in front of French troops stationed in Jordan, he said, “You know what the balance of power is, and you measure what we cannot do and how much we cannot allow Russia to win. “What will tomorrow be like for us Europeans? “We will continue to help the Ukrainians, even if it costs us,” he concluded in front of the troops.

Explosion on cue. Andriy Iermak, head of Ukraine's presidential administration, said a residential building in Kew was hit by a Russian explosive drone on Thursday evening. “A residential building in Kyiv was hit by Shahed,” an Iranian-made drone that Moscow regularly uses for its attacks, he said. The incident took place in the Solomianskyi district, southwest of the capital, where “flames were on the upper floors” of the building, according to the capital's mayor Vitaly Klitschko. One person was hospitalized in the area and another received medical treatment at the site, he reported.