Europe Now brings you a special programme from Kyiv to mark the second anniversary of full-scale war in Ukraine. The fighting has killed and injured hundreds of thousands of people and left around a fifth of Ukrainian territory under Russian control, but this has not deterred Kyiv from seeking full membership of the European Union. In this first part of the show, we focus on Ukraine's reforms and its cultural heritage.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke to FRANCE 24 about the war in Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary this week of Russia's full-scale invasion.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre spoke to FRANCE 24 about the war in Ukraine ahead of the second anniversary this week of Russia's full-scale invasion. The conflict has prompted senior Scandinavian defence officials to warn about the heightened threat of war with Russia; while Norway is a founding member of NATO, Finland joined the alliance just last year while Sweden is in the process of doing so.

Almost two years on from Russia's invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of men have already been called up to fight and a new mobilisation bill is due to be debated by parliament this week. According to Anna Colin Lebedev, a senior lecturer at Paris Nanterre University and specialist in contemporary Ukrainian history, one of the major questions facing Ukrainian society today lies in the mechanics of the draft.

North Korea's regime is once again ratcheting up its war rhetoric against South Korea and the US. This time, however, some analysts warn the threat goes beyond the usual bluster from Kim Jong Un.

Ukraine claims it shot down a Russian A-50 reconnaissance aircraft. Analysts tell DW the weapons it could have used and lay out potential military consequences for Kyiv and Moscow if the claim is accurate.

Besides people, Ukraine's cultural heritage has also been a major casualty of the war. A German photo project is documenting destroyed and endangered buildings in a race against time.

Simon Shuster, a senior correspondent at Time Magazine, has spent the past few years tracking and following the inner workings of Zelensky and his entourage. Shuster believes Ukraine is doing all it can to continue to fight the Russian forces, even if Western aid begins to dry up. He joined us for Perspective.

Ecuadorian president Daniel Noboa says his country is 'at war' with drug gangs who are holding over 130 prison guards hostage amid an outburst of violence. Noboa intends to build new prisons and deport foreign prisoners.

The respected author of a new book on Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has told FRANCE 24 that he sees no peaceful solution to the conflict. Nicolas Tenzer is a non-resident senior fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis and Chairman of the Center for Studies and Research on Political Decision.

From an initial pledge of 5,000 helmets for Ukrainian troops following Russia's full-scale invasion, Germany is now delivering cutting-edge military technology — and will likely keep doing so in the new year.

The war between Israel and Hamas has radically changed the political landscape in the Middle East this year. For now, further Arab-Israeli rapprochements are on hold.