Revealed: Trump and Putin’s $12 trillion partnership plan & wargaming a Russian attack on NATO with Lt Gen Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army Europe

Revealed: Trump and Putin’s $12 trillion partnership plan & wargaming a Russian attack on NATO with Lt Gen Ben Hodges, former commander of US Army Europe

Day 1,446.

Today, in a rare public outburst against the Trump administration, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accuses the United States of “backtracking” on the so-called Anchorage Agreement, under which Washington allegedly agreed to pressure Ukraine into ceding parts of the Donbas that Russian forces have failed to capture after nearly four years of war. We examine President Zelensky’s comments suggesting that a new White House peace deadline may be linked to Donald Trump’s US midterm election campaign, and report on how Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is seeking to leverage the war in Ukraine to shore up domestic political support. And later, we speak to the former commander of US forces in Europe, retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, about the state of the war and how prepared Europe and NATO are for a potential Russian move on the Suwałki Gap.


Contributors

Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor of Defence). @DomNicholls on X.

Francis Dearnley (Executive Editor for Audio). @FrancisDearnley on X.

With thanks to Lieutenant General (Retired) Ben Hodges (former commander of US forces in Europe). @general_ben on X.


SIGN UP TO THE ‘UKRAINE: THE LATEST’ WEEKLY NEWSLETTER:

http://telegraph.co.uk/ukrainenewsletter

Each week, Dom Nicholls and Francis Dearnley answer your questions, provide recommended reading, and give exclusive analysis and behind-the-scenes insights – plus maps of the frontlines and diagrams of weapons to complement our daily reporting. It’s free for everyone, including non-subscribers.


CONTENT REFERENCED:

A small Russian force could break Nato, it’s being said. As a US general, here’s my take (Ben Hodges in The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/05/russian-wargame-nato-defeat-suwalki-gap-general-ben/


Russia offered US £9tn co-operation deal, Zelensky says (The Telegraph):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/07/us-gives-june-deadline-peace-ukraine-russia/


Would the US military obey Trump on Greenland? US General Ben Hodges answers (Battle Lines episode):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mcz_bDmXjE


The German wargame (Die Welt):

https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article6984a7189d88d6e920be111f/ernstfall-podcast-wargame-exposes-gaps-in-germanys-response-to-a-hypothetical-russian-attack-on-lithuania.html


Russia accuses US of backing out of alleged Ukraine territory surrender agreement (The Telegraph):

https://kyivindependent.com/russia-accuses-us-of-backing-out-of-alleged-ukraine-surrender-agreement/


Washington Post GoFundMe:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-washington-post-international-employees


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Episoder(1082)

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Day 1,393.Today, as EU leaders meet to decide what – if anything – to do with frozen Russian assets, we examine just how consequential this moment could be for the bloc and for European security more ...

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Russia: Trump has ‘promised us Ukrainian territory’

Russia: Trump has ‘promised us Ukrainian territory’

Day 1,392.Today, as Russia attempts to insist that one of its $400 million submarines was not destroyed by a Ukrainian sea drone — in a manner that appears to prove the opposite — we bring you inside ...

17 Des 202554min

US offers Ukraine ‘platinum’ NATO-style security guarantees in ‘breakthrough’ & Kyiv blows up $400m Russian submarine with underwater drones

US offers Ukraine ‘platinum’ NATO-style security guarantees in ‘breakthrough’ & Kyiv blows up $400m Russian submarine with underwater drones

Day 1,391.Today, we assess what some are calling a “breakthrough” in talks between Europe, Ukraine, and the United States, after reports that Washington is offering Kyiv security guarantees equivalent...

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Zelensky gives up NATO ambitions in peace deal ‘concession’ & the missile-sized weak spot in Russia’s air defenses

Zelensky gives up NATO ambitions in peace deal ‘concession’ & the missile-sized weak spot in Russia’s air defenses

Day 1,390.Today, after another weekend of intense diplomatic activity, we take you to Berlin, where President Zelensky is meeting the American delegation – joined by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz –...

15 Des 202543min

BONUS: ‘Russia fears one thing above all’, with Christopher Miller, Dr Jack Watling & Orysia Lutsevych OBE

BONUS: ‘Russia fears one thing above all’, with Christopher Miller, Dr Jack Watling & Orysia Lutsevych OBE

Today, in a special bonus episode, we bring you a panel Francis Dearnley recently moderated at the Frontline Club in London – a renowned meeting place for anyone passionate about foreign affairs, host...

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NATO chief: Prepare for war with Russia

NATO chief: Prepare for war with Russia

Day 1,387.Today, as Russia attempts to convince the world – or at least Donald Trump – that they are inexorably taking territory, President Zelensky has visited the north-east city of Kupiansk, which ...

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