Photo: President Donald Trump addresses members of the media in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, Tuesday, January 20, 2026. (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok), dated January 20, 2026, by The White House
This summary is based on Phillips O’Brien’s Substack article entitled, “Weekend Update #171: The Week Trump Helped Putin Commit Two War Crimes — Negotiating Over Ukraine, Europe Must Be There; US Sanctions Again, Really?”
O’Brien argues this week was defined by a dangerous mix of Russian escalation and U.S. political messaging that benefited Moscow. He says Trump promoted the false idea that Putin had agreed to pause attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid, while Russia was actually preparing two of the largest back-to-back missile and drone strikes of the war, devastating civilian power and heating infrastructure during extreme cold.
The article also warns that the U.S. and Russia may be discussing Ukraine’s future without Ukraine at the table, prompting Zelensky to call for Europe to play a direct role in negotiations.
Finally, O’Brien highlights Trump’s repeated public falsehoods, including misleading claims about India cutting off Russian oil, and criticizes the media for treating these statements as credible.
Overall, O’Brien’s update is a stark reminder of how propaganda, diplomacy, and mass attacks on civilians are colliding, and why Europe cannot stay on the sidelines.