Donald Trump at his press conference in West Palm Beach, Florida, January 7, 2024 (Evan Vucci/AP)

Tuesday’s Coverage: Trump Envoy Postpones Trip to Kyiv

Map: Institute for the Study of War

UPDATE 1239 GMT:

Ukraine’s air defenses downed 41 of 64 drones launched by Russia overnight. Another 22 decoy drones were lost to electronic counter-measures.

The UAVs were intercepted over the Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Zhytomyr, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, and Kirovohrad regions.

UPDATE 1230 GMT:

China’s Shandong Port Group has banned US-sanctioned tankers.

Shandong Province in eastern China is home to many independent refiners which are the largest importers of oil from countries under U.S. embargo. Last year, the province took about 1.74 million barrels per day of oil from Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, accounting for about 17% of China’s imports.

UPDATE 1102 GMT:

Ukrainian forces attacked an oil depot in the Saratov region in western Russia overnight.

The operation targeted the Kristal Plant, used to supply fuel to the nearby Engels-2 airbase.

“The depot’s destruction creates significant logistical problems for Russian strategic aviation and reduces its ability to attack peaceful Ukrainian cities and civilian facilities,” Ukraine’s General Staff said.

Saratov Governor Roman Busargin said drone debris struck an unspecified “industrial facility” around 5:30 a.m. amid a “massive” drone attack.

The city of Engels lies around 600 km (372 miles) from the frontlines in Ukraine.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: Donald Trump has supported the Kremlin’s line that Ukraine must not be allowed to join NATO, and regretted that he cannot meet Vladimir Putin before he returns to the White House on January 20.

In a rambling, often incoherent 70-minute press conference on Tuesday, Trump said:

A big part of the problem is, Russia — for many, many years, long before Putin — said, “You could never have Nato involved with Ukraine.” Now, they’ve said that. That’s been, like, written in stone.

And somewhere along the line [US President Joe] Biden said, “No. They should be able to join Nato.” Well, then Russia has somebody right on their doorstep, and I could understand their feelings about that.

NATO members have expressed support for Ukraine’s eventual accession. However, at the autumn summit of the bloc’s foreign ministers, the US and Germany were among countries opposing an invitation for Kyiv at this time.

In the press conference, Trump also threatened military force to seize the Panama Canal and annex Greenland, and economic pressure to make Canada the 51st state of the US.

Earlier in the day, the Trump team postponed the visit of its envoy to Ukraine, Gen. Keith Kellogg, to Kyiv. No reason was given.

Ukraine Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said he was confident the visit would “take place in its own time”, with contact to “ensure that the meeting is meaningful as possible”.

Amid uncertainty over Trump’s position on aid to Ukraine, the Biden Administration is planning a “substantial” final weapons package for Kyiv.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will announce the package in Germany, during a meeting with representatives from about 50 countries supporting Ukraine.

US defense officials said the aid will not include all of around $4 billion remaining from the $60.8 billion authorized by Congress last April. They said about 80% to 90% of all stockpile equipment promised has been provided to Ukraine.