European Union

The President said that unity is the first element of Ukraine's Resilience Plan and Victory Plan. Zelenskyy emphasized that the internal unity of Ukrainians helped unite Europe and change the world's perception of the EU.

EU military spending in 2024 will amount to 326 billion euros, which is 1. 9% of the Union's GDP. 17 member states will sign agreements on joint air defense and military research and development projects.

Borrell announced that Ukraine will receive €45 billion in military aid and one million pieces of ammunition. The EU will train 75,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of winter.

The Polish Foreign Minister organizes a meeting in the Weimar+ format to discuss assistance to Ukraine. The meeting will discuss countering Russia's attempts to impose its vision of the outcome of the war.

Brussels sends a technical mission to assess the situation in Georgia. The country's president and opposition do not recognize the results due to massive violations and falsifications.

Three leading research groups predict a 1. 5°C rise in global temperatures in 2024. Experts recognize the impossibility of achieving the climate goal due to prolonged inaction.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister speaks at an EU Council meeting calling for tougher sanctions against Russia. Sibiga emphasized the importance of lifting restrictions on long-range strikes and fighting Russia's “shadow fleet.

The EU Council has adopted new restrictive measures against Iran due to military support for Russia. The restrictions apply to the export of components for missiles and UAVs, as well as ports and shipping companies.

The soft cheese from Quinta do Pomar was recognized as the best among 4786 cheeses from 47 countries. British cheesemakers were unable to participate due to customs restrictions after Brexit.

Farmers in 80 departments of France are protesting against the free trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur. The farmers are demanding to change the agreement due to non-compliance with the climate agreement and unequal production conditions.

Peskov said that allowing the United States to launch missiles deep into Russia would mean direct US involvement in the conflict. France and the EU are also considering allowing Ukraine to strike at Russian military targets.

EU High Representative Josep Borrell is in favor of allowing Ukraine to use Western weapons to strike at Russian territory. He plans to discuss this issue with EU member states at a meeting in Brussels.

The French representative said that Ukraine could be allowed to strike at Russian military targets. This applies to targets from which aggression against Ukrainian territory is carried out.

China's Foreign Ministry calls for a ceasefire after the US allows Ukraine to use long-range missiles. Beijing denies EU accusations of supplying drones to Russia.

The 14 member countries of the Artillery Coalition discussed a roadmap for meeting the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine until 2027. The goal is for Ukraine to achieve sustainable artillery capabilities and interoperability with NATO.

The Biden administration is considering imposing sanctions against Gazprombank. The US plans to ban American banks from cooperating with the Russian lender by the end of the month.

The EU is investigating information about a factory in China that produces drones for the Russian army. The European bloc is ready to impose sanctions against Beijing if the facts are confirmed.

Radoslav Sikorsky announced an important meeting in the Weimar Triangle Plus format next week in Warsaw. Representatives of Ukraine, France, Germany and other European countries are invited to the talks.

More than 2,000 soldiers of the Anna Kyivska Brigade have completed two months of training in France. The brigade received full equipment, including AMX 10 tanks, Caesar self-propelled artillery systems and other equipment.

The Hague hosted the third preparatory meeting for the establishment of an international Commission of Inquiry for Ukraine. Twelve new countries have joined the initiative, bringing the total number of states and the EU to 43.

The EU foreign policy chief has reported evidence of Chinese arms supplies to Russia for the war against Ukraine. The EU is considering imposing sanctions against Chinese companies, including asset freezes and entry bans.

The disbursement of a €4. 1 billion tranche of EU aid to Ukraine is pending approval by the EU Council. The European Commission hopes to make the payment by the end of 2023.

The Ukrainian government is attracting a concessional loan from the World Bank worth more than $1 billion, with support from Japan and Britain. The EU will allocate an additional €150 million for port restoration and other projects.

The European Union is developing a package of sanctions against tankers transporting Russian oil in circumvention of restrictions. It is planned to introduce fines for the trade participants and additional measures in early 2024.

The Prime Minister of Ukraine meets with the IMF mission led by Gavin Gray in Kyiv. Ukraine expects to receive a tranche of USD 1.1 bn in late December after fulfilling all structural benchmarks.

The European Commission has approved the disbursement of EUR 4. 1 billion to Ukraine under the Ukraine Facility after the required benchmarks have been met. The total amount of support for the year will reach EUR 16.1 billion after approval by the EU Council.

China's Landbridge Petrochemical plant has purchased 2 million barrels of African oil for delivery in January 2025. This unusual decision is attributed to the possible tightening of sanctions against Iranian oil and rising prices for Russian oil.

The German Ministry of Economy has ordered Deutsche Energy Terminal to stop supplying Russian LNG. The decision was made after the announcement of planned gas supplies from Russia to the Brunsbüttel terminal.

European leaders call on the Biden administration to provide more weapons and strengthen sanctions against Russia before the end of the presidential term. The EU is preparing for a possible reduction in support for Ukraine under Trump.

The EU foreign policy chief spoke out against a diplomatic solution that would marginalize Ukraine and the EU. Borrell emphasized the need to continue supporting Ukraine even if the US position changes.