European Union

European Commissioner for defense Andrius Kubilius proposes to increase the EU defense budget to 100 billion euros. It is planned to modernize the defense industry and strengthen cooperation with NATO.

Near the Georgian parliament, activists decorated the Christmas tree with flags and photos of victims of previous protests. The frame of the Christmas tree was decorated with flags of Georgia, Ukraine, the EU and the United States, as well as photos of journalists and activists.

Rebels seized Damascus and the presidential palace, and Bashar al-Assad fled the capital. EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas called The Fall of the Assad regime evidence of the weakness of Russia and Iran.

4. 2 million Ukrainians received temporary protection status in the EU countries as of October 2024. Most of the Ukrainians were received by Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, where more than 2.5 million refugees live.

Salome Zurabishvili expressed concern about violations in the parliamentary elections during a visit to Paris. The opposition is protesting against the results, accusing the authorities of falsifying and detaining activists.

EU Council President Antonio Costa invited Volodymyr Zelensky to the EU leaders ' summit. The main topics of discussion will be the situation in Ukraine, the global position of the EU and migration issues.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry expressed solidarity with Romania over Russia's interference in the electoral process. Declassified data confirms the Kremlin's attempts to influence democratic processes in the EU and NATO countries.

The European Commission has warned Georgia about the possible suspension of the visa-free regime due to non-compliance with the conditions. The country needs to repeal restrictive laws and harmonize its visa policy with the EU.

European diplomats are preparing for a scenario where the United States, under the leadership of Trump, may stop helping Ukraine. Borrel recommends that Ukraine develop its own weapons production as the most effective way to continue the fight.

In Tbilisi, special forces forcibly pushed protesters away from the parliament building and are detaining them. Protests continue over the decision of the authorities to suspend the country's European integration.

The EU is in talks with the United States to ease sanctions against Gazprombank over the risks of gas supplies to Europe. Putin canceled the requirement to pay through this bank, but the issue of payments remains complex.

Oil prices in the EU have increased by 50% since the beginning of 2024 due to limited inventory and high demand. The cost of vegetable oils reached its highest level since 2022 due to a reduction in global supplies.

EU ambassadors were unable to agree on the 15th package of sanctions against Russia due to disputes over the import of petroleum products. Slovakia and the Czech Republic did not agree on the terms of exceptions for deliveries through Slovnaft.

The SBU (Security Service of Ukraine) detained a member of an international drug syndicate who was wanted by Interpol in the Lviv region. A citizen of an EU country had been hiding in Ukraine for 6 years from criminal liability for drug trafficking.

The Hungarian Information Office monitored OLAF representatives during their visits to the country in 2015-2017. Intelligence tapped phones, searched hotel rooms, and copied data from the laptops of European officials.

The Vega C launch vehicle successfully launched the Sentinel-1C satellite into 700 km orbit after a two-year upgrade. The launch took place from the Kourou Cosmodrome in French Guiana after the installation of a new French nozzle.

Police have completed an investigation into 11 members of a drug group who supplied drugs from the EU via mail. During 58 searches, prohibited substances worth UAH 5 million were seized.

Poland will focus on security, energy and competitiveness during its EU presidency from January 2025. Tusk called on Europe to be more "selfish" and solidarity in facing external challenges.

Chinese manufacturers are increasing the export of hybrid cars to Europe due to new tariffs on electric vehicles. Hybrid exports to the EU tripled, reaching 65,800 units between July and October.

Ursula von der Leyen plans to sign a large-scale trade agreement between the EU and MERCOSUR in Montevideo. The agreement will create a market of 700 million consumers, although France and Poland oppose it.

Ukrenergo has released a schedule of blackouts for December 6 due to the consequences of the Russian attack. For domestic consumers, there will be one or two queues of blackouts, for businesses - restrictions from 5:00 to 23:00.

The Kyiv City Council rejected a petition to allow traffic from the left to the right bank during the alarms. The decision to restrict traffic is made exclusively by the Kiev Defense Command and can be changed only on the recommendation of the State Emergency Service.

The new body will translate regulatory acts to adapt legislation to EU requirements.

Ukrainian biomethane could become an alternative to Russian gas on the European market. Ukraine is actively developing biomethane production with the support of the EU and adapting its legislation for its export.

The NBU has set the official hryvnia exchange rate at 41. 66 UAH/USD and 43.70 UAH/€. On the interbank market, the dollar is trading at UAH 41.63-41.67, and the euro at UAH 43.70-43.73.

Romanian intelligence services have uncovered a large-scale Russian campaign to support candidate Kelin Georgescu through TikTok. More than a million euros were spent on promotion through a network of paid accounts.

russian-Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov has voluntarily suspended his duties as president of the International Fencing Federation. This happened after his re-election to the post on November 30, where he received 120 votes.

NATO foreign ministers have agreed on a package of measures to counter cyber threats from the Russian Federation. Measures include sharing intelligence, additional training, and strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure.

Denmark will provide Ukraine with €6 million to restore damaged energy infrastructure through the Energy Support Fund. The country is one of the leaders in terms of the volume of assistance to Ukraine relative to its own GDP.

During the night, 22 protesters were detained in Georgia, 15 people were hospitalized. The total number of people detained since the beginning of the protests has reached 293, and 162 people have been injured.