O’Brien’s Warning: Trump, Putin, and the Escalation of War Crimes in Ukraine

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.

Why the G7 Still Enables Russia’s Arctic LNG and Why Action Is Urgent

Photo: Russian icebreaker Tor in the ice-covered port of Sabetta

This summary is based on Euromaidan Press – “The Arctic is melting, Ukraine is bleeding, and G7 ‘climate leaders’ still won’t quit Yamal LNG”

Ukraine Targets Russian Arctic Energy

Ukraine has introduced new sanctions against Russia’s Arctic fossil fuel projects, which continue to fund the Kremlin’s war and deepen the climate crisis. Yet the G7 and the European Union have still not fully sanctioned Yamal LNG, one of Russia’s most profitable energy ventures.

What Yamal LNG Is and Why It Matters

Yamal LNG is a major liquefied natural gas project in the Arctic that extracts, freezes, and exports natural gas using icebreaking tankers. It is one of Russia’s largest revenue sources and remains central to financing the war against Ukraine.

Arctic LNG 2 and Ongoing Expansion

Arctic LNG 2, although sanctioned earlier, has still come online. Together with Yamal LNG and Sakhalin 2, it represents Russia’s growing strategy to increase LNG exports through the Arctic and bypass traditional trade routes.

How Arctic LNG Fuels the War and Climate Crisis

Between 2022 and 2024, Yamal LNG paid an estimated 9.5 billion dollars into Russia’s budget, enough to purchase significant amounts of military equipment. Europe still buys the majority of Yamal LNG under long term contracts, while Western and Asian shipping fleets keep Russia’s Northern Sea Route fully operational.

Partial Measures Are Not Enough

The United Kingdom plans to restrict maritime services for Russian LNG starting in 2026, but without coordinated G7 action, Russia can shift exports to Asian markets. Japan and South Korea continue relying on LNG from Yamal and Sakhalin 2, weakening the effect of European sanctions.

A Call for International Coordination

Ukrainian experts urge unified sanctions targeting Yamal LNG, Arctic LNG 2 and Sakhalin 2. They also recommend restricting LNG tanker access to the Northern Sea Route and improving tracking of energy shipment origins to prevent rerouting.

A Dual Threat to Security and Climate

The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average. Russia is exploiting the region to finance its war and accelerate climate destabilization. Without strong and coordinated action from the G7 and the European Union, Russia will continue profiting from Arctic LNG at the expense of both Ukraine and global climate stability.

Immediate international action is essential before these crises reach irreversible tipping points.