Russia attacks key Ukrainian energy infrastructure, EU backs Ukraine's accession to NATO, EU

Russia launched a large-scale aerial attack with precision weaponry on Friday, targeting key Ukrainian fuel and energy facilities, as confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The strike was a response to Ukraine's firing of the U.S.-supplied MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) against a military airport in the Rostov region on Wednesday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday described Russia's strike as one of the most severe assaults on Ukraine's energy network.

On the same day,the Ukrainian Air Force reported that the Russian military fired 94 missiles and 193 attack drones towards Ukraine from Thursday afternoon to Friday morning, with Ukrainian defenses intercepting 81 missiles and 80 drones. In addition, 105 Russian drones lost their targets due to electronic warfare countermeasures. On Thursday, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas, together with foreign ministers of several European countries, jointly issued a statement to voice their support for Ukraine in military, economy and finance. They also reiterated their support for Ukraine's accession to NATO and the European Union(EU). However, a small number of EU countries are still holding back on Ukraine's accession to NATO. 　　 On the same day, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov expressed Russia's strong opposition to Ukraine's NATO membership. 　 In an interview with the Time magazine published on Thursday, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said he "vehemently" disagreed with Ukraine firing American-supplied missiles deep into Russia, an act that would escalate the ongoing conflict. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday Trump's position aligns with Russia's stance.

The spokesman also reiterated Moscow's willingness to engage in negotiations to solve the Ukraine crisis.

"We have repeatedly said that a ceasefire by itself is not what we want. We want peace, which will come after our conditions are met and after all the goals we have set are achieved," Peskov said.

Russia attacks key Ukrainian energy infrastructure, EU backs Ukraine's accession to NATO, EU

Italian President Sergio Mattarella highlighted the significant ties between the upcoming Winter Olympic Games in Italy and the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, emphasizing the potential for collaboration between the two nations to convey a powerful message of peace and unity through the universal language of sport.

Mattarella noted that the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, the fourth Olympic Games to be held in Italy, present a unique opportunity for Italy and China to collaborate on a joint initiative promoting peace and unity, during an interview with the China Media Group (CMG) in Beijing aired Friday.

"The Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 has close ties with the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Milano-Cortina received the torch from Beijing and is prepared to hold the next Winter Olympics. This action jointly promotes a message of peace through the Olympic Games, which is the real meaning of the Olympics," he said.

The Winter Olympics have served as a catalyst for deepening cultural and practical ties between China and Italy, with the co-hosting of Winter Olympics-themed exhibitions in Beijing and Milan in 2022. This marked a significant milestone in the strengthening of bilateral relations, which has since been accompanied by a surge in people-to-people exchanges between the two nations.

Italy receives Winter Olympic torch from Beijing: Italian president