Europe Prepares for At Least Six More Years of Putin

Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg’s daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union.

As Vladimir Putin prepares to be sworn in today for another six-year term, NATO is labeling his decision to order combat drills with tactical nuclear weapons “dangerous and irresponsible.” Meanwhile, the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine has become a part of everyday life for Russians and permeated every level of society in the increasingly isolated country. Neither international pressure nor the harshest government repression in decades has been enough to turn the public against Putin — posing a challenge for Ukraine’s US and European allies as they race to provide more aid. Far from protesting, many Russians are rallying around the flag.