The war in Ukraine is about to enter its fourth year. Will the new administration in Washington

bring it to an end? And what will that mean for the millions of refugees inside the war-torn country

and the territories Russia has occupied? Welcome to PowerPlay, Politico's weekly podcast, where we talk to some of the voices who will be shaping events this year on both sides of the Atlantic.

I'm Anne McHelvoy and if you haven't already, please add following this podcast to your late list of New Year's resolutions.

And with me this week is Tom Fletcher, United Nations Undersecretary. following this podcast to your late list of New Year's resolutions.

And with me this week is Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator.

Currently, he's in Ukraine, visiting war-affected areas and looking at the toll the conflict

has taken on the Ukrainian people and its infrastructure.

PowerPlay is actually the perfect podcast for Tom to be on.

He was senior foreign policy advisor to no less than three British Prime Ministers, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron,

before going on to be UK ambassador to Lebanon.

Tom Fletcher, with your new hat on.

Welcome to PowerPlay. Thank you. Thank you for having me. You're joining us from Kiev, Tom, where you've been visiting the north and the east of

the country, including the cities on the front lines that have been most devastated, Zaporizia,

Denepro, Danetz, Kharkiv. What struck you most on your travels?

I wanted to get straight out to the front lines and really understand what life is like for people

there. And obviously, the situation is changing all the time, you know, because the front lines are

moving. And so the needs are moving. And I met many of those evacuees, many of whom had lost everything, you know, because the front lines are moving, and so the needs are moving. And I met many of those

evacuees, many of whom have lost everything, you know, people whose houses have been destroyed,

they'd left without even their passports. It has struck me on this trip that, though, the world

is very weary of this war, of course, but it's the Ukrainians who are most weary because they're experiencing this

day in, day out, every week. Just this morning, we were arriving in Kiev and the sirens were going

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