Putin vs. the World

 Something unexpected happened on the way to Vladimir Putin’s plan to annex Ukraine.

The world united behind the Ukrainian people and stood up against him.

Russian forces have not been able to achieve the quick, decisive victory Putin envisioned, allowing public opinion all over the world to coalesce against the aggressor.

Now the possibility of peace talks suggest that a larger war may still be avoided, as Putin surveys his options and absorbs the sobering reality that he doesn’t even have the Russian population behind his military excursion, let alone any allies beyond the usual suspects.

The longer the Ukrainians hold out, the better the chance that Europe’s largest country may avoid ultimately falling under his control. Some sort of negotiated settlement remains a remote but distinct possibility.

Then, the recriminations will begin at the Kremlin, and Putin’s once-ironclad grip on power in Russia will begin to slip away.

TODAY’s HEADLINES (65):

1. Russia Advances on 3 Ukrainian Cities, but Meets Fierce Resistance (NYT)

2. Putin puts Russia's nuclear forces on high alert as fighting in Ukraine continues (CBS)

3. Ukraine has asked to "urgently" join the European Union, and demanded Russian troops withdraw from the country (CNN)

4. Ukrainian Forces Hold Kyiv as Talks With Russia Are Planned (WSJ)

5. Russian Central Bank to raise key interest rate from 9.5% to 20% (CNN)

6. US calls Putin's nuclear move 'unacceptable' (USA Today)

7. Russia faces major disruptions to oil, commodities flows without SWIFT (Reuters)

8. As over 100,000 rally for Ukraine, Germany plans for spending surge that may upend European security policy(WP)

9. Embattled Ukraine capital is encircled (AP)

10. EU shuts airspace to Russian airlines, will buy Ukraine arms (AP)NATO Response Force activated for first time (CNN)

11. Russian forces enter Kharkiv, second-largest city (WP)

12. After a night of heavy fighting, Ukrainian officials say they still control Kharkiv (NPR)

13. Kharkiv governor claims Russian troops repelled from city (Guardian)

14. UPS, FedEx Halt Shipments Into Russia (WSJ)

15. Ukraine claims 4,300 Russians have died in the whole invasion - this has not been verified (BBC)

16. Ukrainians return from abroad to fight Russian invasion (AP)

17. Putin’s War Ushers In Crisis for Russia — Despite the Kremlin’s efforts to obscure the offensive in Ukraine, the costs of the war were already evident in both economic and social turmoil. (NYT)

18. Russians hold anti-war rallies amid ominous threats by Putin (AP)

19. Antiwar protesters take to the streets around the world in support of Ukraine (NPR)

20. Ukraine announces talks with Russia as Putin puts nuclear forces on high alert (WP)

21. Russia struggles to take Kyiv and Kharkiv but pushes across Black Sea coast (Financial Times)

22. Turkey signals it could block access to the Black Sea (BBC)

23. VIDEO: Thousands Flee Ukraine Into Romania (AP, Reuters)

24. Putin Seems to Sideline Advisers on Ukraine, Taking a Political Risk — Authoritarian leaders rely on elite support to govern. Jeopardizing those relationships in wartime could be risky, experts say. (NYT)

25. In streets of war-rattled city, Zelensky seen as hero (WP)

26. Ukrainian and Russian negotiators agree to hold talks in Belarus (NPR)

27. Putin's end-game? Split Ukraine and install 'tame' leadership (Reuters)

28. Pentagon wants Moscow back channels to prevent nuclear escalation (Politico)

29. 368,000 Ukrainians flee to European countries, including some that previously spurned refugees (WP)

30. Russia's Ukraine attack forces Beijing into diplomatic dance (Reuters)

31. VIDEO: Iranians Protest Russian Invasion of Ukraine — Demonstrators expressed solidarity with the people of Ukraine and chanted “death to Putin” outside the Ukrainian Embassy in Tehran. The rally was a show of defiance to the Iranian government, a Russian ally. (AP)

32. Russian flights will be banned from the airspace of 20 European nations (WP)

33. ‘Everybody in Our Country Needs to Defend’ — Civilian volunteers and paramilitary groups are taking the fight to the Russian army in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. (NYT)

34. Europe facing humanitarian crisis of historical proportions - EU (BBC)

35. Ukraine Crisis Upends Investing Playbook for 2022 (WSJ)

36. Ukraine: what will China do? There are signs it is uneasy about Putin’s methods (Guardian)

37. Putin’s rule depends on creating foreign enemies — and domestic ‘traitors’ (WP)

38. Kremlin propaganda machine struggles to conceal Putin’s Ukraine war (Financial Times)

39. Why the U.S. Needs to Act Fast to Prevent Russia from Weaponizing Food Supply Chains (Politico)

40. Two top Russian billionaires speak out against invasion of Ukraine (Guardian)

41. BP quits Russia in up to $25 billion hit after Ukraine invasion (Reuters)

42. ‘A global financial pariah’: how central bank sanctions could hobble Russia (Financial Times)

43. How the Crisis in Ukraine May End — We’re still looking at a range of possibilities, including de-escalation and a great-power conflict. (Atlantic)

44. Russian anti-war protesters detained by police (BBC)

45. Putin’s Aggression Leaves His Right-Wing Fan Club Squirming (NYT)

46. Trump defends praise of Putin, makes strongest hint yet of a run for president in 2024 (WP)

47. EU steps up response to Putin over Ukraine invasion (BBC)

48. Global protests against Russia's invasion of Ukraine (NHK)

49. Ex-Trump national security advisor calls Putin a 'killer' at CPAC as his former boss praised Russia's leader as 'smart' (Business Insider)

50. Ukraine invasion spotlights the delicate state of democracy (AP)

51. Ukraine's government raises crypto worth $8 million in crowdfunding appeal (Reuters)

52. How Zelensky Gave the World a Jewish Hero (Atlantic)

53. Putin suspended as honorary president of International Judo Federation (NHK)

54. Sweden to send arms to Ukraine (BBC)

55. ‘Saturday Night Live’ opens with tribute to Ukraine (AP)

56. A Vulnerable SNL for a Vulnerable Time (Atlantic)

57. New Research Points to Wuhan Market as Pandemic Origin — Two new studies say the virus was present in animals at the Huanan seafood market in 2019. (NYT)

58. Capitol fence will return ahead of Biden’s State of the Union address (Politico)

59. These homes are off-grid and climate resilient. They’re also built out of trash.

    — What if climate change and the housing crisis already had a solution? What if we just need to reevaluate our relationship with the Earth — and with our garbage? A day at the Earthship Biotecture can make anyone a believer in a brighter, greener future. (WP)

60. This May Be the Driest Start to a New Year Ever Recorded in San Francisco (SFist)

61. MLB Lockout Day 87: Players Make the First Substantial Economic Move … and Then Everything Went South (Bleacher Nation)

62. Inside Biden’s pick of Ketanji Brown Jackson for the Supreme Court (WP)

63. Superhabitable planets (Space.com)

64. Some Reason to Hope, Even if We’re Not At the End of History (Politico)

65. There is no surer sign someone will be fired than their boss adamantly promising no one will be fired. (The Onion)