In a week when Ukraine appeared to have turned its narrative to one of success,

destroying a valuable Russian tank transporter ship in Crimea,

reality appears to be a second winter under sustained systemic Russian bombardment.

After weeks of relative calm Russian forces ushered in the new year by pounding Ukrainian cities.

Russia has launched one of its biggest aerial attacks on Ukraine since the war began,

killing at least 18 people in a wave of deadly explosions across the country.

While most of the world's attention is being gripped by the war in Gaza, it's a reminder

that the war in Ukraine continues without an end in sight.

It comes at a critical moment for Kyiv as continued military and financial support from the US and EU remain in doubt.

Welcome to Power Play, Politico's interview podcast,

where I talk to some of the most influential figures on either side of the Atlantic.

I'm Anne Michael Voi and in this edition I speak to the foreign minister of Latvia,

Christianis Karint, whose country shares Ukraine's pain, in the Baltics where Russian aggression

is too close for comfort.

Karen's also served as Latvia's Prime Minister from 2019 to 2023. Now he's making his pitch to lead NATO when

Jens Stoltenberg stands down as Secretary General later this year and he'll tell

me why he thinks it's time for NATO to have a new

broom. Well we've had NATO general secretaries coming from a handful of countries

for many years maybe it's time to say, you know, countries such as Latvia,

we have been now, this year we're coming on 20 years as a NATO member, we're certainly not a new member.

And when it comes to commitments we are about 2.4% of our GDP

investing into defense this year which is important I think for any Secretary

...