EDVIN KORNELIUS
Premium member
Corporate Finance • Growth • Strategy • Innovation • Future
The Institute of Directors EKTOS
Denmark
Jan 17, 2026
On the way back from frozen Kyiv and partially frozen Lviv, allow me to share a few observations and thoughts.
Unfortunately, it appears Russia has managed to significantly damage the energy infrastructure of major Ukrainian cities – electricity, heating, and water supply in Kyiv are very poor, which has a significant impact on residents of Kyiv and the surrounding regions, while there are constant lethal strikes by Russian drones or missiles.
Poor power supply, as well as electronic warfare, affect the speed and sometimes even the availability of mobile internet, taxi and navigation apps.
Compared to Kyiv, the situation in Lviv is better, but there are still problems…
Although I haven’t personally experienced this, trains can be delayed for long periods.
Infrastructure in Kharkiv, Dnipro, Odesa, and other major cities in eastern Ukraine is in worse condition due to much more intense Russian bombing.
When traveling to Ukraine, it’s useful to bring extra warm clothing and several powerful power-banks. Another practical tip: carry some hryvnias for using public restrooms and paying for taxis if apps don’t work and / or cards aren’t accepted. Outside of cities, cell phone service may be nonexistent, and don’t expect LTE, 5G, or even 3G.
Despite all of the above, Ukrainians are, as usual, acting bravely – no panic, no talk of capitulation. Conversely, the intensified Russian bombings are further uniting people and strengthening their resolve to continue defending their land. The level of resilience and adaptation to harsh conditions is incredibly high.
Thinking about the future in the current circumstances is difficult, but…
Given the extremely cold winter, the Russians will likely continue bombings, and Trump will likely continue to pander to the Kremlin and accuse Zelenskyy.
For now, the Europeans / we are still pretending not to be at war with Russia and still do not do doing little to help Ukraine. A few days ago, Zelenskyy admited that Ukraine lacked the missiles and other weapons to defend Kyiv from the latest bombings, although the situation is reportedly improving.
The betrayal of Ukraine has become part of US foreign policy. The Europeans are divided and still far from doing everything they can. Approving new big loans to Ukraine but failing to provide adequate weapons to protect Ukraine makes little sense if at all.
It’s a shame that Europe has proven so weak and divided – still unable to find its dormant strengths and reserves of resilience.
Aren’t European leaders ashamed to finally get serious and do more?
Look how united and ready the Europeans are to defend Greenland, and even Italy’s far-right PM Meloni could not silence them.
But Ukraine is also vitally important to Europe. Just as they are willing to defend Greenland, Europeans must defend Ukraine. And every Russian missile launch only increases the overall cost of Ukraine’s future reconstruction, so Europeans will pay more and more!
Ukraine #Future #Geopolitics
……………………….
The Kremlin hailed what it said looked like the desire of Italy, France and Germany to resume dialogue on Ukraine with Russia as a “significant shift” which matched its own view of how the situation should evolve.
British Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper has signalled London does not agree that the time is right to re-engage, however, telling POLITICO that she had seen no evidence that Moscow wants peace in Ukraine.
“As for Britain, yes, Britain continues to take a radical stance,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, when asked about the apparent shift in some European attitudes towards the idea of talking to Moscow.
“Nonetheless… the statements by the three leaders (of Italy, France and Germany) represents significant progress from our perspective,” said Kremlin’s spokesman Peskov, who said that such a shift, if it reflected those countries’ strategic vision, was in line with how Russia believed things should evolve.
Moscow had an ongoing dialogue with the US about so far unsuccessful efforts to get a peace deal in Ukraine, he added, but no such dialogue currently existed with European governments.
If we succeed, in the longer term, in once again finding a balance with Russia – if peace prevails, if freedom is guaranteed – if we succeed in all of this, ladies and gentlemen, then the European Union, and we in the Federal Republic of Germany as well, will have passed another major test.
Pro-Trump / pro-Kremlin Italian PM Giorgia Meloni said earlier this month that Europe should restart dialogue with Russia to try to win more influence in negotiations over Ukraine, saying the EU should appoint an envoy to deal directly with Putin.
President Emmanuel Macron has also spoken of the possibility of re-engaging, talking in December of the necessity for a “fulsome dialogue” with Moscow within weeks if a robust and lasting peace for Ukraine was not reached in the meantime.
This week, according to German media, Chancellor Friedrich Merz called Russia a European country, saying he hoped ties between the EU and Moscow could be rebalanced…
As I wrote earlier, for now, the Europeans / we are still pretending not to be at war with Russia and still do not do doing little to help Ukraine.
The betrayal of Ukraine has become part of US foreign policy. The Europeans are divided and still far from doing everything they can. Approving new big loans to Ukraine but failing to provide adequate weapons to protect Ukraine makes little sense if at all.
It’s a shame that Europe has proven so weak and divided – still unable to find its dormant strengths and reserves of resilience👇
RussianWar #Ukraine #Germany #EU #Europe #ForeignPolicy
Comment from :
Christopher J. Wajnikonis P.E. (TX), CEng (U.K.)
Aero-Hydrodynamics
Gdańsk University of Technology
Greater Houston
Here is a RECENT, COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGIC SUMMARY from the Institute for the Study of War:
« NATO can still contest Russian initiative in Europe at a relatively low cost and risk. »
« The idea that some amount of non-military pressure can compel Putin to end the war will continue to be tempting and will continue to fail. »
« The Kremlin’s strategy, unlike ours, recognizes Russia’s vulnerability to momentum. The Kremlin’s main effort is ensuring that we never think in terms of seizing the initiative against Russia: that we discuss tactics, not strategy; focus on reactive countermeasures, not proactive and sustained campaigns; and deploy individual measures, not massed effects. »
« To deter and win future wars, America must be able to seize the initiative against any actor it may need to fight. Wars are rarely won through reactive approaches. »
« NATO is both behind the curve of the Russian threat and also underutilizing the opportunity to contest Russian initiative at a relatively low risk and cost compared with the challenge it will face when the rate of the Russian attacks can grow exponentially as Russia turns greater focus and more resources toward Europe. »
Having seen our Western ‘handling’ of this war during the last 4 years, Putin must be now convinced that he can easily get Western Europe too.
And he will, slice by slice, unless Europe stops him NOW, when he is overextended.
Europe has fresh Army & modern stealth fighters he cannot bite. Europe hasn’t got numbers, but Ukraine has. Ukraine must be armed to the teeth by Europe & the NFZ would do the rest.
Europe & Ukraine complement each other well. Europe will need strong & independent Ukraine to keep ruZZia in check after Putin is defeated.
Tomorrow it will be too late. The war in Europe will be even bloodier & the result might be uncertain, because that war would be triggered by Putin according to his timetable.
Europe might even capitulate without a fight & become a poor ruZZian province. Few in Europe understand what that would mean for them… Ukraine is fighting because she does!
Tony Giraudo
Go UK 🇬🇧!!! The point of the spear when it comes to Russia. Thank you Brits for supporting Ukraine 🇺🇦 ❤️ 🙏.
Jens T.
We will remember who sided with the enemy and destroyed Europe. It’s sad to see. 💩🤮
Robin Craib
The lack of resolve by Europe is amazing. How many times has outreach to Russia been tried ? Russian foreign pols of every description continue to make the most aggressive colonial statements about Ukraine learning lessons and changing the way it ‘thinks’. Gross to think people want to talk to them.
So called “Russia” is a Mongol Branch, not European. Peter I and Catherine II both tried “European” but they could not change the Mongol DNA of their und*rlings …
The Europeans are united and ready – to defend Greenland.
Different story with Ukraine though; on this topic they remain as feckless as ever.
Even a rotten putlerist regime in the WH; aka Kremlin West, has still not forced them to deal with the pressing problem of nazi putlerstan.
Read the Gary Kasparov quote above. There is no alternative solution to what he advocates.
Chris Wajnikonis says :
“Europe has fresh Army & modern stealth fighters he cannot bite. Europe hasn’t got numbers, but Ukraine has. Ukraine must be armed to the teeth by Europe & the NFZ would do the rest.”
As I have said before, Nato is dead; Krasnov is burying it.
What we need is a REAL, not notional “coalition of the willing.”
The current one will only activate in the extremely unlikely event of a just peace deal, so it’s pointless and actually dangerous, since it just encourages putler to step up his genocide.
We need to establish a European army that fulfills the sole purpose that Nato long ago abandoned : the defence of Europe from fascist ruZZia.
The senior service would be Ukraine; but then integrated with the armed forces of the willing volunteers.
It should consist of Ukraine, the UK, the Balts, the Scandies, Germany and France. Poland should join but probably won’t.
Also : CANZUK needs to be activated : “the proposed alliance of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom to form an international organisation or confederation.” (Wiki).
It’s not U.S. policy, it’s the pedophile’s.
“It’s a shame that Europe has proven so weak and divided – still unable to find its dormant strengths and reserves of resilience.”
I am starting to be convinced that even if, say, a Baltic country gets attacked, or another NATO member, the response from Europe would be slow, weak, and pathetic. The EU is weak and pathetic, and so is NATO, which is on life support at the moment.
“Given the extremely cold winter, the Russians will likely continue bombings, and Trump will likely continue to pander to the Kremlin and accuse Zelenskyy.”
Yes. Isn’t that absolutely maddening to have a putler-rimmer in the WH?
“Isn’t that absolutely maddening to have a putler-rimmer in the WH?”
100%