European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the preparation of new EU sanctions against Belarus. This is a response to hybrid actions against Lithuania, including an increase in the number of incursions by contraband balloons.
Canada has finally decided to join the EU's "Security for Europe" program with a contribution of €150 billion. This is the first time a third country will officially participate in the bloc's flagship joint procurement initiative.
Romania will have to independently deter the enemy in case of a Russian invasion; NATO troops will only be able to help after several weeks. This was revealed by military exercises in Cincu, which focused on ground combat.
Kaja Kallas expressed concern about possible pressure on Ukraine in peace talks and emphasized the importance of reparations credits from frozen Russian assets. She also supported Ukrainian anti-corruption institutions, stressing the importance of trust during the war.
The head of European Union diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, stated that Russia must pay compensation to Ukraine. She emphasized that fair reparations loans, backed by frozen Russian assets, should form the basis for compensation for damages.
Ukraine and the EU are launching the Brave1 – EU4UA Defence Tech grant program with a budget of 3. 3 million euros. The program will fund the development of defense technologies, including high-speed interceptors and radars to strengthen the protection of Ukrainian skies.
The EU warns the Donald Trump administration against granting amnesty to Putin or writing off Russia's war crimes, calling it a strategic catastrophe. The EU emphasizes the need to hold Russia accountable for crimes in Ukraine and supports the creation of a tribunal.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make a three-day state visit to China this week to persuade Xi Jinping to influence the Kremlin to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine. Paris also expects China to step up efforts to influence Russia and review trade imbalances with the EU.
A Land Cruiser 200 Prado belonging to a 41-year-old doctor of physical and mathematical sciences, a developer of targeting systems for long-range missiles, exploded in Moscow. The owner of the car, a specialist at the Moscow Research Institute "Polyus", is currently on a business trip.
The European Commission is developing a list of satellite services for EU military needs, which will be integrated into a new satellite constellation. The project envisages investments in satellites to provide high-quality Earth images at 30-minute intervals.
EU diplomacy chief Kaja Kallas stated that Belgium has legitimate concerns about the risks of a reparations loan for Ukraine, but other member states are ready to share these risks. The European Commission continues consultations with member states, including Belgium, on this issue.
The European Commission is consulting with member states on a "reparations loan," but Belgium is resisting. EU leaders must find a solution before the December 18-19 summit, as all options have weaknesses.
EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas stated that this week could be crucial for diplomacy regarding ending the war in Ukraine. This comes amid negotiations between US representatives and the Ukrainian delegation, and their trip to Moscow.
NATO is stepping up preparations for a possible confrontation with Russia, while the US is reducing its military presence in Europe. The number of American troops has already been reduced in Romania, and similar steps are planned in Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Hungary.
The number of possible cases of African swine fever among wild boars is increasing in Spain, threatening pork exports. Countries are already imposing import restrictions, and a third of export certificates have been blocked.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine has synchronized sanctions with the United States and imposed them against "Rosneft" and "Lukoil," as well as against other Russian companies and enterprises.
Ukraine and Norway have signed a document on joint production of Ukrainian drones, which will allow scaling up the capabilities of the Ukrainian defense industry. The pilot production line is planned to be deployed in 2026.
The European Union is investing 20 million euros in Moldova's air defense. This decision was made after Russian drones violated its airspace.
A Russian citizen suspected of hacking the IT systems of several Polish companies has been arrested in Poland. Poland records up to 4,000 cyberattacks daily, most of which are linked to pro-Russian groups.
The Palestinian Authority continues to pay money to imprisoned terrorists and their families, violating its commitments to Great Britain and the EU. Payments are made through a new social welfare program, which has caused concern for the European Commission.
The UK has announced the collapse of talks to join the EU's SAFE defense fund, a setback for the post-Brexit reset of relations. The country rejected EU demands to contribute billions of euros for access, despite the fact that its defense industry can still participate in projects under third-country conditions.
Two tankers, Kairos and Virat, carrying Russian oil and under sanctions, exploded off the coast of Turkey in the Black Sea. The causes of the incidents are unknown, and a rescue operation is underway.
North of the Turkish coast, the tanker Kairos, part of Russia's shadow fleet, was damaged and caught fire. The vessel, which is under EU and UK sanctions, was not carrying cargo at the time of the incident.
African swine fever has been detected in wild boars near Barcelona, Spain, marking the first case since 1994. This incident threatens pork exports to China, although the agreement allows restrictions only for the affected region.
An Italian court has ruled that plans to build a bridge between mainland Italy and Sicily violate environmental regulations and EU tender rules. The country's government is not abandoning the project, which is set to become the longest in the world and contribute to the region's economic development.
Belgium is slowing down the EU's decision to transfer frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, fearing legal claims from Russia and undermining trust in its financial institutions. This could also affect peace negotiations with Russia, which might refuse dialogue.
EU countries are increasing pressure on Belgium to unblock 140 billion euros of frozen Russian reserves. Belgium is accused of concealing information about tax revenues received from these assets.
The Asset Recovery and Management Agency has started collecting tender proposals for IDS Ukraine assets until December 12, 2025. The auction will take place on Prozorro in December 2025, with expected budget revenues of at least UAH 24 million per month.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever stated that the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine could harm a peace agreement. Belgium has not seen the legal wording from the European Commission, which will present a proposal this week on the use of the assets.
The European Commission is urging Western allies to speed up payments on a $50 billion loan to Ukraine. This comes as Belgium is stalling EU efforts to support Ukraine with a larger financing scheme using Russian assets.
