| ZELENSKY: 'ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE TO FORGIVE': In a three-hour interview with American podcaster Lex Fridman released on Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed deep disdain for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who he called a murderer, who took from Ukrainian families "the most precious thing" in their lives, their children. In an emotional exchange, after Fridman suggested "compromise is needed in order to reach an agreement" with Putin, Zelensky erupted. "And you're understanding the fact that he is not in jail after all the murders? He is not in jail, assuming all the murders, and no one in the world is able to put him in his place, send him to prison. Do you think this is a small compromise?" Zelensky said according to an English translation that appeared to have been generated by artificial intelligence. "No one will forget this. It's absolutely impossible to forgive him. We cannot get into the heart and soul of a person who lost their family. Nobody ever will accept this. Absolutely impossible." At the same time, Zelensky expressed confidence that President-elect Donald Trump will be able to negotiate a peace deal with strong security guarantees that will eventually provide for the return of Ukrainian territory now held by Russia. "Trump will be in the same situation as I was in 2019, precisely the same situation," Zelensky said in an apparent reference to his efforts to negotiate with Putin when he was first elected. "I want to end the war. We want a lasting peace for Ukraine. We must do this, the ceasefire — exchange people and then diplomatically return all territories, and we will do this through diplomacy." But Zelensky warned if Trump made a deal "at least for the territory we control" without security guarantees, the war would not actually end. "If he manages to make a ceasefire deal, three months later Putin launches a new wave of attacks…Why would Putin do it? Because today he's afraid of Trump, but once Trump manages, for example, to do a ceasefire deal without serious security guarantees for Ukraine, he will give a pass to Putin." "He does not want that," Zelensky said. "Trump and I will come to an agreement and … offer strong security guarantees, together with Europe, and then we can talk to the Russians." "We and Trump come first, and Europe will support Ukraine's position," Zelensky added. "I think that President Trump not only has will, he has all these possibilities, and it's not just talk. I really count on him, and I think that our people really count on him, so he has enough power to pressure him, to pressure Putin." The interview opened on an optimistic note with Zelensky expressing the belief that the war will end, and President Trump will be the first world leader to arrive in post-war Kyiv by airplane, when the airport reopens. "I think it would be symbolic, by airplane," he said. ZELENSKY SAYS TRUMP CAN END INVASION QUICKLY IF 'STRONG AND UNPREDICTABLE' BLINKEN: CEASEFIRE WILL NOT BE 'GAME OVER': Speaking to reporters in Seoul, South Korea, Secretary of State Antony Blinken — on his last official trip to Asia — warned that any ceasefire would not necessarily be the end of the war. "There is going to be, at some point, a ceasefire. It's not going to be in Putin's mind 'game over,'" Blinken said. "His imperial ambitions remain, and what he will seek to do is to rest, refit, and eventually re-attack." In an exit interview for a New York Times podcast, Blinken defended the Biden administration's response to Putin's 2022 invasion. "What we've left is Ukraine, which was not self-evident, because Putin's ambition was to erase it from the map. We stopped that. Putin has failed," Blinken told the Times' Lulu Garcia-Navarro, who asked if it was time to end the war. "These are decisions for Ukrainians to make. They have to decide where their future is and how they want to get there." "So what's going to be critical [is to] to make sure that any ceasefire that comes about is actually enduring is to make sure that Ukraine has the capacity going forward to deter further aggression, and that can come in many forms," Blinken said. "It could come through NATO, and we've put Ukraine on a path to NATO membership. It could come through security assurances, commitments, guarantees by different countries to make sure that Russia knows that if it re-attacks, it's going to have a big problem. That, I think, is going to be critical to making sure that any deal that's negotiated actually endures." UKRAINE BACK ON OFFENSE IN KURSK: While Russia has been slowly retaking territory it lost to Ukraine's surprise August offensive into the Kursk border region of Russia, Ukraine is back on the offensive, according to the Institute for the Study of War. "Ukrainian forces resumed offensive operations in at least three areas within the Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast and made tactical advances on January 5," the ISW said in its latest assessment. "Russian sources claimed that Ukrainian forces conducted multiple roughly company-sized mechanized assaults in the Berdin-Novosotnitsky direction (northeast of Sudzha) in three waves of attack using roughly a battalion's worth of armored vehicles." The small advances come as Russia continues to use its deadly glide bombs to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure and residential buildings in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. "The task remains unchanged, strengthening our air defense," Zelensky said in a video address Saturday. "Lives need protection here and now in Ukraine, and air defense systems must be operational for this purpose." Zelensky said he will ask for more air defenses at the 25th meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which will be held this week in Ramstein, Germany. "Dozens of partner countries will participate, including those capable of boosting our defense not only against missiles but also against guided bombs and Russian aircraft." CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Monday morning, Happy New Year, and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Christopher Tremoglie (@chriswtremo). Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE HAPPENING TODAY: A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER: The heavy snow falling in Washington this morning, with six to 12 inches predicted, is not expected to delay the constitutional duty of Congress to certify the results of Donald Trump's 312-226 Electoral College victory in the November elections. Lawmakers will meet at noon, and although security is tight with some 500 National Guards troops supporting the counting and certification of electoral votes, there is no expectation of any repeat of the events of four years ago, when hundreds of angry protesters stormed the capitol attempted to stop the count, believing the election had been stolen from Trump. At a private affair Saturday night, Trump hosted a viewing of a documentary called "The Eastman Dilemma," celebrating John Eastman, the lawyer who pushed for Vice President Mike Pence to reject some electors in 2020 to stop the certification of the results. "I’m a big fan of John Eastman. You know, he was right. He happened to be right," Trump said in a video from the event posted online. "That’s why they changed the law. Nobody wants to talk about that." On CBS's Face the Nation Sunday, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said it was "really sad" that Trump continues to insist he won the 2020 election, despite the lack of any evidence there was widespread voter fraud sufficient to have changed the outcome. "It's almost sick that he would be thinking that in 2020. He's won the election now. That will be clear … We will be accepting the results of the Electoral College. So he should be triumphant about that." Among Trump's campaign promises is a pledge to pardon many of the rioters on a "case-by-case" basis, including some who were convicted of what some argue was simple trespassing. "I assume that some of those people may not have engaged in the violent activities that some of the others did," Pelosi said, while arguing the effects of the riot went far beyond that one day. "As you know, he called out to these people to continue their violence, my husband being a victim of all of that. And he still has injuries from that attack. So it just goes on and on. It isn't something that happens, and then it's over," Pelosi said. "No, once you are attacked, you have consequences that continue. It's really a strange person who's going to be president of the United States who thinks that it's OK to pardon people who were engaged in an attack." BIDEN: 'WE CAN NEVER AGAIN TAKE IT FOR GRANTED': In an essay published in the Washington Post, President Joe Biden noted that as has happened in 2000, "the vice president of the United States, faithful to her duty under our Constitution, will preside over the certification of her opponent's victory in the November election." "Congress will gather to certify the results of a free and fair presidential election and ensure a peaceful transfer of power," Biden wrote. "It is a ceremony that for more than two centuries has made America a beacon to the world, a ceremony that ratifies the will of the voters." "For much of our history, this proceeding was treated as pro forma, a routine act. But after what we all witnessed on Jan. 6, 2021, we know we can never again take it for granted. Violent insurrectionists attacked the Capitol, threatened the lives of elected officials, and assaulted brave law enforcement officers," he wrote. "We should be proud that our democracy withstood this assault. And we should be glad we will not see such a shameful attack again this year." TRUMP: 'ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL: President-elect Trump has issued his marching orders to the new Congress calling for "one powerful Bill that will bring our Country back, and make it greater than ever before." "We must Secure our Border, Unleash American Energy, and Renew the Trump Tax Cuts, which were the largest in History, but we will make it even better," he posted on social media. "NO TAX ON TIPS. IT WILL ALL BE MADE UP WITH TARIFFS, AND MUCH MORE, FROM COUNTRIES THAT HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE U.S. FOR YEARS." House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already saluted smartly and promised to work to make it happen. "I respect Lindsey Graham and all my friends who kind of prefer a two-step strategy. The idea would be get something done on the border and maybe defense spending right out of the blocks very quickly in what we would call a skinny reconciliation bill, and then do the rest of it in a larger chunk later," he told Fox's Maria Bartiromo on her Sunday Morning Futures program. "But I think, at the end of the day, President Trump is going to prefer, as he likes to say, one big, beautiful bill." "There's a lot of merit to that, because we can put it all together, one big up-or-down vote, which can save the country, quite literally, because there are so many elements to it," Johnson said, a reversal from the demands of his caucus from the last Congress which demanded votes on individual appropriations bills. "It'll give us a little bit more time to negotiate that and get it right," Johnson said. "That doesn't mean that we won't come right out of the gates full-fledged right out of the beginning of the Congress. And so we will be addressing the border. We have got a number of bills just over the next two weeks, Maria, that we're going to address the low-hanging fruit, so to speak." Johnson said some of the border provisions are "so common sense" he may get Democrat votes, and be able to have legislation on the desk of President Trump when he takes office in two weeks. JOHNSON LAYS OUT AMBITIOUS TIMELINE TO PASS RECONCILIATION BILL FOR TRUMP AGENDA THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Zelensky says Trump can end invasion quickly if 'strong and unpredictable' Washington Examiner: Greenland leader calls for greater independence from Denmark as Trump seeks purchase Washington Examiner: Trump doesn't need 'warrior board' to reshape 'woke' Pentagon in his image Washington Examiner: Meet Pete Hegseth, the veteran culture warrior picked to lead the US military Washington Examiner: Michael McCaul proud of Foreign Affairs chairmanship, but is ready for 'flexibility to speak up' Washington Examiner: Israel shifts military focus to Houthis Washington Examiner: China's decades of cyberattacks on US military and government networks Washington Examiner: Chinese foreign ministry denies hacking US Treasury Department Washington Examiner: Johnson lays out ambitious timeline to pass reconciliation bill for Trump agenda Washington Examiner: Schiff hardens stance on Patel nomination: 'Should not be confirmed' Washington Examiner: Thune says whole panels could see background checks on Trump nominees Washington Examiner: Biden to officially block purchase of US Steel by Japanese company Washington Examiner: Plea deals for 9/11 masterminds upheld by military court Washington Examiner: Mike Turner vows Trump administration will find terrorists with ISIS ties in US Washington Examiner: Graham 'ready to go' to confirm Trump nominees: Nation is 'under attack' Washington Examiner: Trump pushing House GOP to combine reconciliation bills into one package Washington Examiner: Johnson stares down 2025 land mines after election as House speaker CBS News: Thune has privately told Trump that Hegseth has the votes to be confirmed as Defense Secretary, sources say The Hill: China fires shot across Trump's bow with defense sanctions AP: Soldier who died by suicide in Las Vegas told ex-girlfriend of pain and exhaustion after Afghanistan Task & Purpose: Conspiracy Theories About Suspects' Military Service Run Rampant After New Year's Day Violence New York Times: Drones, Exploding Parcels, and Sabotage: How Hybrid Tactics Target the West The War Zone: Ukrainian Su-27 Flanker Pilot's Rare Account of the Changing Air War New York Times: Ukraine Slows Firing of Missiles Into Russia as Trump Prepares to Take Office Washington Post: Killing the budget bill let China off the hook Defense News: Money, Musk, and Mission Creep: How Trump Could Shape DOD's Space Drift Defense One: Marines Still Targeting 2030 for Hornet Replacement, Despite F-35 Delays Defense News: Pentagon's 2025 Industry Investments Target Space, Biochem, and More Inside Defense: FY25 NDAA Directs Air Force, Navy to Reassess Air-to-Air Missile Inventory Requirements Breaking Defense: State Approves $3.64B Sale to Japan of Air-to-Air Missiles Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force Tests Subscale Model of Blended-Wing Body Jet, on Track for First Flight in 2027 DefenseScoop: With Growing Presence, DIU Continues Efforts to Lower Barriers for New Entrants Air & Space Forces Magazine: How Air Force Special Warfare Can Improve Its 'Soft' Skills The Hill: Biden Awards Medal of Honor to Seven US Army Soldiers Washington Post: On New Year's Day, the U.S. Navy rules the rhymes THE CALENDAR: TUESDAY | JANUARY 7 10 a.m. 2401 M St., NW — George Washington University Project for Media and National Security Defense Writers Group breakfast conversation with Jared Stout, chief government and external affairs officer, Axiom Space RSVP: [email protected] 12 p.m. — Henry L. Stimson Center virtual discussion: “The Hidden Costs: Transparency and the U.S. Arms Trade,” with Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX); Annie Shiel, U.S. advocacy director at the Center for Civilians in Conflict; Elias Yousif, deputy director, Stimson Center Conventional Defense Program; and Rachel Stohl, director, Stimson Center Conventional Defense Program https://www.stimson.org/event/the-hidden-costs 2 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “The Future of Irregular Warfare,” with Assistant Defense Secretary for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Christopher Maier https://www.csis.org/events/future-irregular-warfare 12:45 p.m. — Special Air Mission 39 arrives at Joint Base Andrews bringing the remains of former President Jimmy Carter to Washington. Schedule of events: - 1:15 p.m. — Motorcade with Carter and his family departs Joint Base Andrews en route U.S. Navy Memorial.
- 2 p.m. — Motorcade arrives in the U.S. Navy Memorial and Carter’s remains are transferred from the hearse to a horse-drawn caisson for a funeral procession to the U.S. Capitol.
- 2:15 p.m. — Funeral procession begins marching to the U.S. Capitol via Pennsylvania Ave.
- 2:40 p.m. — The procession arrives at the U.S. Capitol, where members of Congress pay their respects, with remarks from the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader.
- 3:45 p.m. — Carter begins lying in state in Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, where the public can visit 7 p.m. to midnight https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/
1:30 p.m. 1400 L St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “NATO and U.S.-Turkey Defense Cooperation in a New Era,” including the launch of the fourth issue of the Defense Journal. https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/report-launch-and-panel-nato-and-us-turkey WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 8 7 a.m. U.S. Capitol Rotunda — President Jimmy Carter lies in state for second day ahead of state funeral Jan. 9. https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/ 9:15 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Henry L. Stimson Center discussion: “The U.S.-Japan Alliance for the Future,” with former Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara https://www.stimson.org/event/the-u-s-japan-alliance-for-the-future/ 5:30 p.m. — American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research virtual discussion: “Russia’s Difficult Road to Freedom,” with Vladimir Kara-Murza, vice president of the Free Russia Foundation and former Russian opposition leader; and Leon Aron, AEI senior fellow https://www.aei.org/events/russias-difficult-road-to-freedom THURSDAY | JANUARY 9 | FEDERAL HOLIDAY 9 a.m. — Remains of former President Jimmy Carter depart the U.S. Capitol for the hour-long 10 a.m. state funeral service at the Washington National Cathedral in northwest Washington, after which Carter’s family and his casket travel to Joint Base Andrews and where Special Air Mission 39 returns Carter to Georgia for interment https://jtfncr.mdw.army.mil/statefunerals/ 9 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “What do people in Taiwan and the United States think about Taiwan’s security situation?” with Lu-Huei Chen, research fellow and director at National Chengchi University’s Election Study Center; Nathan Batto, associate research fellow and professor at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Political Science; Craig Kafura, director of public opinion and foreign policy at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; and Ryan Hass, director of the Brookings Institution’s China Center, senior fellow in foreign policy at the Brookings Institution’s Center for Asia Policy Studies and China Center and chair in Taiwan Studies at the Brookings Institution https://www.brookings.edu/events/what-do-people-in-taiwan-and-the-united-states-think FRIDAY | JANUARY 10 8:30 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: “How will artificial intelligence impact security relations between the United States and China? U.S. and Chinese perspectives,” with Andrew Forrest, co-founder of the Minderoo Foundation; Qian Xiao, deputy director of the Tsinghua University Center for International Security and Strategy; Ting Dong, fellow at the Tsinghua University Center for International Security and Strategy; Chuanying Lu, nonresident fellow and professor at the Tsinghua University Center for International Security and Strategy and Tongji University; Jacquelyn Schneider, fellow and director of the Hoover Institution’s Hoover Wargaming and Crisis Simulation; Ryan Hass, director of the Brookings China Center; Colin Kahl, foreign policy scholar at the Brookings Center for Security, Strategy, and Technology; and Chris Meserole, former Brookings expert https://www.brookings.edu/events/how-will-artificial-intelligence-impact-security WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 157 a.m. 2425 Wilson Blvd. — Association of the U.S. Army day long Hot Topic discussion: "Connecting the Industrial Base to the Tactical Edge, with Lt. Gen. Chris Mohan, acting commander, U.S. Army Materiel Command; Vic Ramdass, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy; Liz Miranda, executive deputy to the commanding general, U.S. Army Material Command; Maj. Gen. Michael Lalor, commander, U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command; Brig. Gen. Ronnie Anderson, commander, Joint Munitions Command; and Rich Martin, executive director of supply chain management at Army Materiel Command https://www.ausa.org/events/hot-topic/connecting-industrial-base-tactical-edge | | | | "I think that President Trump not only has will, he has all these possibilities, and it's not just talk. I really count on him, and I think that our people really count on him, so he has enough power to pressure him, to pressure Putin." | | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with podcaster Lex Fridman |
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