German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the EU and India could sign a free trade agreement by the end of January after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The presidents of the European Commission and the European Council will visit India to sign the agreement if it is finally agreed upon.
President of the European Council António Costa stated that the security guarantees agreement is a key step towards achieving a just peace in Ukraine. He also emphasized that Ukraine's accession to the EU is an important security guarantee.
A clear US commitment to support Ukraine has been removed from the text of the joint statement adopted in Paris. Instead, the US commits to supporting forces in the event of an attack and providing intelligence and logistical assistance.
Ukrainian negotiators, led by National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov, held consultations in Paris with national security advisors from France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Turkey, with the participation of the US, NATO, the European Commission, and the European Council. The parameters of security guarantees, deterring Russian aggression, and the logic of further steps in the peace process were discussed.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Cyprus today, where the ceremony marking the country's assumption of the EU Council presidency will take place. He will meet with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and the President of the Republic of Cyprus.
President of the European Council António Costa will visit Paris on January 6 to participate in a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine. Leaders will summarize peace and security talks and agree on further support steps.
National security advisers from European countries have arrived in Kyiv. They will hold consultations on security and economic issues, and coordinate further steps with partners.
According to Kaliňák, Ukraine will never be in NATO. In his opinion, Ukraine will also have problems joining the European Union.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov announced preparations for a meeting of the "Coalition of the Willing" on January 3. Representatives from over 10 countries, NATO, the European Commission, and the European Council will take part, and American partners will join online.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov reported to President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the results of telephone conversations with American and European partners. Positions were coordinated and further meetings were planned for January, including a meeting on January 3 with the participation of more than 10 countries and international organizations.
Over the week, Russia launched about 1,300 attack drones, almost 1,200 guided aerial bombs, and nine missiles of various types at Ukraine, with the Odesa region being particularly affected. Ukraine is countering this Russian terror by receiving financial and security assistance from international partners.
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 President of Ukraine met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, where they discussed diplomatic contacts, economic cooperation, and defense projects, including joint drone production. The meeting took place during the Ukrainian leader's visit to Poland.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held his first official meeting with Polish President Karol Navrotskyi in Warsaw. The leaders will discuss security, economic, and historical issues.
The European Council decided to allocate 90 billion euros in funding to Ukraine for 2026-2027. The funds will be based on EU borrowings without the use of Russian assets and without the involvement of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
The European Union has agreed to finance Ukraine with 90 billion euros over two years. Ukraine will repay these funds only after receiving reparations from Russia, and frozen Russian assets will remain frozen.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed details of the agreement between EU leaders on providing financial assistance to Ukraine for 2026–2027.
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.
Technical groups at the EU summit are working to find ways to finance Ukraine, which could take hours. Discussions on a loan for Ukraine are moving in the right direction, a German official assessed.
The EU leaders' summit began with a delay due to negotiations between Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa with farmers. Leaders are discussing funding for Ukraine, defense readiness, and a trade agreement with Mercosur.
President of the European Council António Costa stated that a decision on supporting Ukraine would be made by the end of the EU summit. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen also confirmed that leaders would not leave the summit without an agreement on financing Ukraine for the next two years.
European Council President António Costa stated that the EU will not impose a reparation loan for Ukraine at the leaders' summit if Belgium opposes it. This is a departure from his previous position, where he noted that the scheme only required a qualified majority.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.
The European Commission is trying to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support a proposed loan to Ukraine, financed by immobilized Russian assets. De Wever expresses concerns about the risks to the Belgian economy if Russia tries to reclaim the assets.
The EU leaders' summit on Thursday will test whether the bloc can hold together or whether US President Donald Trump can divide it. Officials of the Trump administration have been pushing European governments to reject a plan to use 210 billion euros of Russian assets to finance Ukraine.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke cautiously about the role of European forces for Ukraine, noting that much would depend on Putin's actions. He supported the idea of a European military presence but pointed to unresolved issues regarding their deployment.
The EU has fulfilled its commitment to keep Russian assets blocked, as confirmed by European Council President António Costa. The next step is to ensure Ukraine's financial needs for 2026–2027.
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 President of the European Council, António Costa, is confident that a decision on financing for Ukraine for 2026-2027 will be made at the December EU summit. He noted that the bloc is "very close to reaching a decision" amid the proposal of two options: a "reparations loan" or EU borrowing.
The President of the European Council, António Costa, stated that Americans must respect the democratic choice of Europeans. This was a response to statements by US President Donald Trump regarding Europe.
