President Zelenskyy held a phone conversation with President of the European Council António Costa, discussing the negotiation track and the planned meetings of the Ukrainian team with the American side. Ukraine expects meaningful work to achieve a lasting peace.
Spiegel reported that the Élysée Palace, in a statement to the German publication, denied that Macron had spoken of any betrayal.
The European Commission is proposing a legal solution to avoid Belgium having to pay billions of euros if Hungary vetoes the extension of sanctions against Russia. This would allow €140 billion of frozen Russian assets to be used as a loan to Ukraine.
He emphasized the importance of progress in developing security guarantees and a long-term foundation for the stability of Ukraine and Europe.
European Council President António Costa will host an informal meeting of EU leaders on February 12 at Alden Biesen Castle, Belgium, to discuss Europe's competitiveness. The meeting will follow discussions on the European Commission's proposal for a pan-European industrial revival.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that Putin must agree to a ceasefire, otherwise Russia will face new sanctions. Also, according to him, the European Council may decide on frozen Russian assets as early as December 18.
According to the depository's management, this could scare investors in European government debt and lead to countermeasures from the Russian side.
European politicians have agreed to improve the welfare of cats and dogs, as well as to track their origin. The document establishes minimum rules for all member states regarding microchipping, registration, and the prohibition of mutilation.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Svyrydenko discussed with Pierre Elbron the prospects of a reparation loan, cultural cooperation, and the creation of joint ventures. Special attention was paid to a loan based on frozen Russian assets and the Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Fund.
The European Council has officially approved the EU's annual budget for 2026 with commitments of €192. 8 billion and payments of €190.1 billion. The budget is aimed at defense, migration, competitiveness, and crisis preparedness.
European Council President António Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reported significant progress in peace talks on Ukraine after consultations in Geneva. They emphasized the need for a long-term solution and the return of deported Ukrainian children.
EU leaders will be briefed this morning on peace talks to end the war in Ukraine after a weekend of rapid negotiations in Geneva. Officials have become more optimistic about peace, although details were scarce.
EU leaders will meet in Luanda to discuss the proposed 28-point US peace plan for Ukraine. This plan provides for territorial concessions and security guarantees, but Ukraine does not accept it.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a phone conversation with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, discussing the current course of the war and further steps of the European Union. The next steps will be a meeting of European leaders on the sidelines of the G20, and then in Angola at the EU-AU meeting.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy discussed US proposals for ending the war with President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. He emphasized the importance of joint efforts and coordination with partners.
European leaders are urgently coordinating a response to the US-Russia peace plan for Ukraine. The initiative has caused panic and concern among European officials, who believe it could force Ukraine to cede territory and limit NATO force deployment.
European leaders will gather on December 18 for the last EU summit in 2025 to address Ukraine's funding, aiming to avoid a funding shortfall by mid-next year. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for coordinated action, warning of costly alternatives.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sent a letter to EU leaders assessing Ukraine's funding needs for 2026-2027. This amount is 135.7 billion euros, based on the assumption that the war will end in 2026.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen confirmed the allocation of almost 6 billion euros to Ukraine under the ERA loan and the Ukraine Facility. The European Council also committed to covering Ukraine's financial needs over the next two years, considering three funding options, including a reparations loan based on immobilized Russian assets.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius suggested that drone sightings over Belgium could be related to discussions about the use of frozen Russian assets. Belgium holds 183 billion euros in Russian assets, which constitutes the majority of all Russian state assets in the EU.
The European Council and Parliament have agreed to accelerate investments in the EU defense industry as part of the ReArm Europe plan. Ukraine will gain access to the European Defense Fund for joint developments.
Ukraine is actively preparing for EU accession negotiations, with the support of 26 member states and working to change Hungary's position. Deputy Prime Minister Kachka stated that all six clusters will be ready for opening by the end of November, and completing negotiations by 2028 is a realistic goal.
The National Bank of Ukraine has set the official exchange rate of the dollar for November 5 at 42. 07 hryvnias, which is 3 kopecks more. The euro exchange rate is 48.33 hryvnias, and the zloty is 11.35 hryvnias.
The European Commission confirmed the commitments made at the EU summit to meet Ukraine's financial needs in 2026 and 2027, continuing work, including on a "reparations loan. " The issue will be discussed again at the European Council in December, after the Belgian Prime Minister blocked the use of frozen Russian assets at the October summit.
On November 4, a "EU enlargement summit" will be held in Brussels with the participation of leaders of candidate countries, including Ukraine. The future of European integration will be discussed live at the event.
The European Commission is examining the concerns of EU leaders regarding a "reparation loan" for Ukraine, particularly those expressed by the Belgian Prime Minister. This concerns the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine.
The European Commission will propose other options for supporting Ukraine after the EU summit failed to agree on a "reparation loan. " The main focus remains on frozen Russian assets, said European Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho.
The European Union is considering a plan to raise tens of billions of euros in common debt to support Ukraine. This comes after Belgium blocked the use of frozen Russian assets for financial aid to Kyiv.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that his government will never sign a loan guarantee for Ukraine for military expenditures. Slovakia will not spend a single cent from its own budget for these purposes, but is ready to help Ukraine with humanitarian issues.
EU member states supported the idea of introducing a minimum age for access to social networks. The European Commission is working on the technical basis for implementing age restrictions.
