Vadim Khlyudzinsky
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin is ready for dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to him, this is possible if there is mutual political will, which "can only be positively assessed."
Elon Musk's fortune grew to $749 billion after the court's decision on Tesla options was overturned. This allowed him to become the first person whose fortune exceeded $700 billion.
The goal of Ukraine's attacks on Russia's "shadow fleet" tankers is to increase the risks and costs of transportation, as well as to pressure Russia's partners. Ukraine will pursue a "decisive policy" regarding attacks on tankers heading to Russian ports for oil.
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that Reuters' information about Putin's intentions to seize all of Ukraine and part of Europe is lies and propaganda. She accused the publication of spreading a false narrative to block Donald Trump's peace initiatives.
Special envoy of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, assessed the negotiations between the delegations of Russia and the US in Miami as constructive. "Discussions" with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continue on Sunday.
The United States of America has seized an oil tanker in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. This happened after US President Donald Trump announced a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the United States has enough power to force Russia to end the war against Ukraine. He emphasized that this could be a "diplomatic victory" for the US, and President Trump is "strong enough to do it."
The United Kingdom has cut funding for countering Russian propaganda in the Western Balkans from £40 million to £24 million for 2025-26. This funding is aimed at combating national security threats and strengthening democratic institutions.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin personally chose Steve Witkoff, a special representative of US President Donald Trump, as a key intermediary to promote his vision for settling the war against Ukraine. Witkoff suits the Kremlin due to his lack of political past and institutional ties, as well as his experience working with authoritarian regimes.
Residents of occupied Donetsk region complain about multi-hour queues at mobile operator service points due to mass blocking of numbers and forced re-registration of SIM cards. This is an element of total control over the communications of the population in the temporarily occupied territory.
President Zelenskyy stated that Viktor Orban is blocking Ukraine's EU accession due to an election campaign, realizing that membership is a guarantee of security. Kyiv and EU leaders consider membership in the bloc a strong security factor.
The number of citizens' appeals regarding violations of labor rights in Russia exceeded 70,000, which is 50% more than last year. Wage arrears reached 2.2 billion rubles, which is the highest level since August 2020.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán accused EU officials of wanting to harm Russia, comparing it to Hitler's Germany's invasion of the USSR. He stated that Europeans want to use the war in Ukraine to weaken Russia, seeing it as a threat.
Since the beginning of December 20, 220 combat engagements have been recorded on the front. Russian invaders launched 42 air strikes, dropping 101 guided bombs, and used 1684 kamikaze drones.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that European countries should directly engage in dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes the importance of fighting for the United States of America as an ally.
Sweden will provide Ukraine with $200 million in direct budget support by 2026. This funding will meet people's daily needs during the war, including critical public services.
The death toll from the enemy strike on Izium, Kharkiv Oblast, has risen to two: a 47-year-old man and his 42-year-old wife, a police officer, were killed. On December 20, at about 3:40 PM, the armed forces of the Russian Federation launched a guided aerial bomb attack, damaging an enterprise, a cafe, a Palace of Culture, a residential building, and cars.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not be able to independently finance an 800,000-strong Armed Forces. Partial funding of the army by partners is being considered as a security guarantee.
The National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate of the dollar at 42. 27 hryvnias, which is 1 kopeck less than on Wednesday. The official exchange rate of the euro is 49.52 hryvnias, and the zloty is 11.71 hryvnias.
The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine records a disinformation campaign regarding power outages in Ukraine. Russian resources spread claims about alleged unfair distribution of electricity and its sale to the EU.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan stated that Europe should help Ukraine make "certain difficult choices" to prevent greater losses. Turkey continues to facilitate negotiations between the parties, recalling the progress made in Istanbul in the summer.
On December 11, Russian troops suffered significant losses, including 1,400 soldiers, 1 aircraft, and 253 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 12.12.25 are estimated at 1,186,480 eliminated personnel.
On Friday, December 12, most of Ukraine is expected to have cloudy weather with clearings. Light rains are possible in the southeast, west, and north of the country, with air temperatures ranging from 0° to +12°.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov effectively rejected seven points of the 28-point peace plan proposed by the United States. This includes points regarding territorial exchange based on the line of contact and providing reliable security guarantees for Ukraine.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that he would not support the European Commission's proposal for a reparations loan to Ukraine using frozen Russian assets if the funds were to be used for military purposes. He sent a letter to the President of the European Council, António Costa, warning of a blockade of decisions regarding the financing of Ukraine's military needs for 2026-2027.
The US plans to intercept more vessels carrying Venezuelan oil after seizing a tanker this week. This increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
In temporarily occupied Dniprorudne, boiler house No. 1 is ceasing operations due to a voltage drop in the network to 160V, which leads to overheating of pump motors. This leaves residential buildings and social institutions without heating.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is preparing to become the country's president by amending the Constitution and endowing this position with new powers. This will allow him to maintain control over the country regardless of the results of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
On the night of December 12, Odesa was subjected to an enemy attack, as a result of which infrastructure was damaged. Part of the city was left without electricity and water supply, there is no information about casualties.
US President Donald Trump stated his readiness to help Ukraine with security guarantees for the implementation of a peace deal. He noted that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not like the peace deal, but his entourage was enthusiastic about the concept.