The countries of the European Union have agreed to provide Ukraine with 90 billion euros in aid for 2026-2027. This was stated by the President of the European Council, António Costa.
Chinese company ByteDance has entered into an agreement to transfer its US division to the joint venture TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC. American investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, will receive 45% of the shares of the new structure, which will be responsible for protecting user data in the US and content moderation.
Two FSB informants, exposed in Khmelnytskyi region in April 2024, have been sentenced to 12 and 10 years in prison. They installed hidden mini-cameras near operational airfields of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in western Ukraine to track combat aircraft.
The United States of America has removed several companies from the sanctions list that previously supplied sanctioned equipment to Russia, including for its military-industrial complex. Among them are Cypriot Veles International Limited, Finnish Hi-Tech Koneisto, as well as Dubai and Turkish companies.
In temporarily occupied Alchevsk, schools are not introducing quarantine despite the widespread outbreak of streptoderma among students. Parents are forced to attend classes, despite the risk of infection.
US President Donald Trump signed into law the defense policy bill for fiscal year 2026 with a record budget of $901 billion. The document allocates $800 million to Ukraine - $400 million for each of the next two years as part of the Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for the purchase of American weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Russian troops advanced in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions, according to DeepState. The enemy has made gains near Dronivka, Nykonorivka, Pankivka, and in Huliaipole.
The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution on human rights violations in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including Crimea and Sevastopol. 79 countries voted for the document, 16 were against, and 73 abstained.
The U. S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has fully launched the U.S.-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund, which will begin reviewing projects in 2026. The fund will focus on critical minerals, energy, transportation, logistics, and technology, attracting private capital.
As a result of the Russian attack on Odesa, a critical infrastructure facility and residential buildings were damaged, and part of the district was left without utility services. One person was injured and taken to a medical facility.
US President Donald Trump will sign into law on December 18 the defense policy bill for fiscal year 2026, which regulates military pay raises and measures to respond to geopolitical threats, and also provides for the allocation of $800 million to Ukraine for the purchase of American weapons.
The youngest victim of the Sydney shooting during the Hanukkah celebration was 10-year-old Matilda from a Ukrainian family. The girl died in the attack, which killed a total of 15 people.
European Union leaders have not reached an agreement on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Discussions on providing a loan will continue on December 19 at the summit in Brussels.
The European Union has agreed on a new law that allows migrant applications to be processed outside the EU and simplifies deportations. This expands the list of "safe third countries" and limits the possibilities of obtaining asylum in the European Union.
A new batch of 6,995 hearing aids has arrived in Ukraine for children and adults. The equipment is being prepared for free distribution to the regions during December-January.
The National Bank of Ukraine set the official exchange rate for the dollar at UAH 42. 3384, the euro at UAH 49.6291, and the zloty at UAH 11.7885 for December 18. In banks, the dollar is traded at UAH 42.10-42.50, the euro at UAH 49.40-49.97, and the zloty at UAH 11.55-12.10.
Over the past day, December 17, the Russian army lost 950 servicemen killed and wounded, as well as 484 units of equipment. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 18.12.25 amounted to approximately 1,193,300 personnel.
Tesla shares reached an all-time high of $489. 88 on December 16, up 3.1% for the day. The company's market value rose to $1.63 trillion, and Elon Musk's fortune reached $684 billion.
Six people were injured as a result of a drone attack on Cherkasy on the night of December 18. The enemy targeted critical infrastructure, damaging residential buildings and a sports complex.
The UK Ministry of Defence is stepping up preparations for sending a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine to support a truce. Funding has been allocated for training and equipment procurement to be ready for rapid deployment after peace agreements are concluded.
The American corporation Meta has announced an updated version of its AI smart glasses. The device allows for clearer perception of the interlocutor's speech in noisy environments and is integrated with Spotify.
On Thursday, December 18, an anticyclone will prevail in Ukraine, ensuring calm weather without significant precipitation. Air temperatures will remain high for this time of year, and fogs are possible in some regions.
US President Donald Trump, in an address to the nation, criticized his predecessor Joe Biden, stating that he inherited a "mess. " He did not touch upon the topic of Russia's war against Ukraine or events surrounding Venezuela.
On December 18, the US military struck a vessel in the Pacific Ocean that was transporting drugs. The operation resulted in the deaths of three people involved in drug trafficking and terrorism.
In Yalta, the lands of the Ai-Petri plateau, intended for the development of skiing, are massively being turned into private development. Despite promises to demolish illegal structures, no demolition has yet taken place.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that Donald Trump's statements exposed the true intentions of the United States towards his country, accusing them of seeking to appropriate oil, territories, and other assets. Maduro emphasized that Washington seeks to change the government in Venezuela and gain control over its lands and natural resources.
Ukraine receives reinforcements for its air defense systems amid attacks, including automated turrets and missiles to destroy Russian drones, totaling £600 million. The supplies include modern air defense systems, as well as RAVEN and GRAVEHAWK systems for protection against low-flying targets and deep strikes.
The US House of Representatives rejected two resolutions that questioned the military operations of the Donald Trump administration in the Caribbean region and were directed against Venezuela. One of the resolutions aimed to oblige Trump to withdraw troops from military actions in the Western Hemisphere.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine reallocated the 2025 budget, allocating over UAH 25 million for generators and equipment for cultural institutions. This decision will allow museums, theaters, libraries, and reserves to operate continuously during power outages.
On the evening of December 17, Russian drones attacked Odesa region, as a result of which at least seven people were injured. A nine-story residential building and an educational institution in Odesa district were damaged.
