Notwithstanding its overwhelming advantages, the Russian military campaign in Ukraine is meeting stiffer-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian forces. What could the next stage look like?

Former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko granted an exclusive interview to FRANCE 24 from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, just a few kilometres away from Russian troops. Poroshenko, who was in power from 2014 to 2019, welcomed the "growing" Western support for his country, as well as the EU's decision to provide some €450 million in weapons to the Ukrainian military. He thanked EU leaders for their support, saying "we are not afraid of Putin" and "Putin is weak when we are together".

Former Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko said in an interview with FRANCE 24 from Kyiv that Russian President Vladimir Putin is "ready to use all possibilities" to achieve victory in Ukraine, including plans to target Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

We focus on the British papers, with outrage palpable over horrific images of children killed in Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Also, we look at cartoonists' adoring praise for Volodymyr Zelensky, who has risen from novice politician to defiant saviour of Ukraine.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili reacted to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Georgian leader said she was "not too convinced" by Russian President Vladimir Putin's assurances that he is willing to stop attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Zourabichvili added that the only party that is escalating the war in Ukraine is Putin himself.

The US president's State of the Union address comes amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He said "freedom will always overcome tyranny" and that Vladimir Putin's attack was "premeditated and unprovoked."

Exiled Russian Kremlin critic Mikhail Khodorkovsky said in an interview with FRANCE 24 from London that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is political "suicide" for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who "cannot win in Ukraine, even if he manages to take Kyiv or Kharkiv". This war is the result of an "emotional decision" by Putin, the former oligarch said.

Russia is facing a raft of financial sanctions after it invaded Ukraine. But it's spent years building up its economy to protect against such measures. We take a closer look at Vladimir Putin's fortress economy with Alistair Milne, Professor of Financial Economics at Loughborough University.

Vladimir Putin insists Russia's invasion of Ukraine is going "exactly as planned." But as the war now stretches into its second week, some military analysts say otherwise. Russian casualties are likely much higher than the Kremlin expected, and Moscow's troops have thus far failed to make major advances in the east and on the capital Kyiv. General Dominique Trinquand, the former head of France's military mission to the UN, joined us for Perspective to share his insights.

Shipments of Russian natural gas through the Yamal Pipeline have sharply declined, a week after Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Gazprom insists it's fulfilling all of its European contracts, but the data has underscored the EU's dependence on Russian energy imports. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says ending that reliance is now a priority. Also in the show: the Russian rouble falls to a new record low, and Western companies continue to cut ties with Moscow.

"We are not at war with the Russian people; we don't want the Russian people to suffer." So says the head of the European Parliament's Security and Defence subcommittee Nathalie Loiseau, as the EU looks poised to impose fresh sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. "It seems that Vladimir Putin is also at war with his own people," the top French MEP told FRANCE 24.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett was the latest international leader in Moscow to sound out Russia's Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine. Some see Bennett as a potential mediator between Moscow and Kyiv.