EU countries will have to allocate billions of euros to guarantee loans to Ukraine totaling up to 210 billion euros, with Germany providing support of up to 52 billion euros. The European Commission presented these figures after proposing a "reparation loan" for Ukraine of 165 billion euros from frozen Russian assets.
Hungary and Slovakia will file a motion with the European Court of Justice to overturn the RePowerEU plan, which provides for a complete ban on imports of Russian gas and oil. Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó stated that this step is due to the threat to secure energy supply and rising prices.
The European Commission lost access to its advertising account on the X social network after being fined 120 million euros for violating transparency rules. Company representative Nikita Bier stated that the account was blocked due to an attempt to exploit a vulnerability.
Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski recommended Elon Musk to go to Mars. This happened after Musk proposed the idea of dissolving the European Union, criticizing the EU for a fine of 120 million euros.
European Union leaders will discuss the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine at a summit on December 18. Belgium has a special position on this issue, and the US is trying to block EU plans to use these assets.
Lithuania revoked residence permits for 145 Russian citizens due to frequent trips to Russia and Belarus, guided by the law "On restrictive measures in connection with military aggression. " Among those deprived of residence permits is former human rights activist Mikhail Benyash, who visited Minsk to meet with his son.
Elon Musk reacted to the European Commission's decision to fine the social network X, stating that the European Union should be "abolished. " He believes that sovereignty should be returned to individual countries.
Hungary blocked the decision to issue Eurobonds to finance Ukraine, which was an alternative to the "reparation loan. " Belgium also opposes it due to fears of lawsuits from Russia.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of financial support for Ukraine for European security. She also stated that Belgium's situation regarding frozen Russian assets must be resolved in such a way that all European states bear the same risk.
Hungary has officially refused to issue Eurobonds to support Ukraine. This complicates the search for alternative sources of financing for Kyiv if the EU cannot use frozen Russian assets.
The European Commission has imposed a fine of 120 million euros on the social network X for violating the Digital Services Act. The reasons were the misleading design of the "blue checkmark", the opacity of the advertising repository, and the refusal to provide researchers with access to public data.
Euroclear CEO Valerie Urbain believes that frozen Russian assets should be used for peace negotiations rather than to finance a reparations loan to Ukraine. This would avoid complex legal risks and preserve leverage.
The European Commission has fined Elon Musk's X platform 120 million euros for transparency violations under the EU's Digital Services Act. This is the first fine imposed under the bloc's flagship content moderation law.
The US is trying to block EU plans to use frozen assets of the Russian central bank to support a loan to Ukraine. Washington believes that these assets are necessary to secure a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
The leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have stated the need for a joint decision on dismantling railway connections with Russia and Belarus. The presidents of the Baltic countries discussed this issue and handed it over to the ministers for further consideration.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will hold talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Belgium expresses concerns about legal aspects and potential risks for its taxpayers.
Spain, the largest pork exporter in the EU, has deployed soldiers and drones to contain swine fever near Barcelona. Due to the outbreak, Mexico and Japan have suspended purchases of Spanish pork, and 91 cities have been locked down.
The European Commission will open an antitrust procedure regarding the use of artificial intelligence in Meta-owned WhatsApp. The investigation will focus on the competitive implications of integrating Meta's AI assistant into the messenger.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz canceled a trip to Oslo to persuade Belgium to support a €165 billion "reparation loan" to Ukraine. The loan is proposed to be secured by frozen Russian state assets located in Belgium.
Spiegel reported that the Élysée Palace, in a statement to the German publication, denied that Macron had spoken of any betrayal.
MEPs are considering regulating energy drinks for minors due to health risks. Some EU countries already have age restrictions, but the European Commission notes that there is insufficient data for safe daily limits for children.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha announced significant progress on the issue of using frozen Russian assets. Ukraine hopes for a relevant decision to be adopted by the end of this year.
The Italian company Prada has successfully completed the acquisition of the fashion house Versace from the American Capri Holdings for 1. 3 billion euros. Versace, founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace, will now join Prada.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen informed the US administration about plans to develop a reparation loan system for Ukraine. This initiative involves using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine in 2026-2027, covering two-thirds of its needs amounting to 90 billion euros, with the possibility of providing 165 billion euros.
The European Commission is proposing a “reparation loan” of 165 billion euros to Ukraine, using frozen Russian state assets. This loan is part of a broader financial package worth up to 210 billion euros to support Ukraine.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that "almost all" of Belgium's concerns regarding a "reparation loan" for Ukraine have been addressed. This concerns the use of frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's needs.
The European Commission presented two solutions for financing Ukraine in 2026-2027: EU borrowing and a "reparations loan. "
The Chinese Foreign Ministry believes that using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine would not contribute to peace negotiations. Beijing opposes unilateral sanctions that violate international law.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the EU pays Russia 1. 5 billion euros monthly for fossil fuels. She emphasized that this amount has significantly decreased since the beginning of the war, but is still too high.
Three suspects in the corruption case, including Federica Mogherini and Stefano Sannino, have been released from custody. They are accused of fraud, corruption, and conflict of interest, but are not considered a flight risk.
