NATO

The Czech Ministry of Defense allocated 166. 8 billion CZK for defense in 2024, which is 2.09% of GDP. The opposition is demanding explanations for the transparency of December's spending.

Investigative journalist Khristo Grozev said that Putin may agree to Ukraine's membership in NATO in exchange for the withdrawal of US bases from Eastern Europe. He also suggests that the Kremlin's current tough stance is just a negotiating tactic.

The advisor to the head of the Presidential Administration explained why Ukraine needs international security guarantees, not just agreements with Trump. In 4 years, Putin may attack again when Trump is no longer president of the United States.

The President of Ukraine called naive the idea that putin wants to end the war. Zelenskyy also counts on the support of Trump, whom the russian dictator fears.

The President of Ukraine spoke about the need to use frozen Russian assets to develop the military industry. Zelenskyy also discussed various forms of security guarantees and the importance of international partnership.

The President noted that peace and reliable air defense systems are necessary for the resumption of air traffic.

Such a scenario would be a small success for Ukraine.

The Cameroon-flagged cargo ship Shunxing 39, owned by a Chinese company, damaged a communication cable near the port of Keelung. Taiwan asked South Korea for help in investigating the incident.

Since 2022, Finnish customs has launched more than 900 pre-trial investigations into the export of sanctioned goods to Russia. Recent cases include the illegal supply of drones and electronics worth hundreds of thousands of euros.

The USA prepared for the conflict in advance and secretly supplied weapons to Ukraine since September 2021. Among the weapons supplied were Stinger and Javelin, which played an important role in Kiev's defense.

The US Secretary of State announced his intention to put Ukraine on the path to NATO and warned of the risks of the ceasefire. According to him, the ceasefire will give Putin the opportunity to regroup for a new attack.

A large-scale opinion poll showed that Zaluzhnyi has 24. 29% of voter support, ahead of Zelenskyy and Tymoshenko. 73.4% of Ukrainians support peace talks, and 89% believe the country's direction is wrong.

A series of incidents in the Baltic Sea, including the shooting of a German helicopter and damage to an undersea cable, point to hybrid warfare by Russia. NATO recorded about 300 interceptions of Russian aircraft last year.

The President of Ukraine outlined the key elements of a just peace, including a powerful army and reliable security guarantees. Zelenskyy emphasized that NATO was the best option, and that guarantees without US participation would be weak.

Ukraine's president expressed support for the initiative to deploy a French military contingent, but believes that 2-3 more countries should be involved. Trump is positive about this idea.

On January 1, 2025, Ukraine stopped the transit of Russian gas through its territory. The EU declares its readiness for change, although the reaction of member states is mixed, ranging from support to concern.

The United States imposed sanctions on the Russian Center for Geopolitical Expertise and the Iranian Cognitive Design Production Center for disinformation during the election. The organizations created fake videos and news to manipulate voters.

President Zelenskyy said that the Hungarian and Slovak people support Ukraine, and their authorities should recognize the truth. He emphasized the importance of European unity and warned against cooperation with Russia.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte promised to increase military presence in the Baltic Sea after the incidents with the cables. Poland proposed to make the Baltic Sea a zone of enhanced NATO military control.

The Russian command has developed plans in case of war with Japan and South Korea, including a list of 160 targets. Documents from 2013-2014 contain targets for strikes on nuclear power plants, bridges, tunnels and industrial facilities.

NATO is stepping up its military presence in the Baltic Sea after submarine cables between Estonia and Finland were damaged. The alliance is treating the incident as a possible sabotage and is planning additional security measures.

Zoran Milanovic received almost half of the votes in the first round of the Croatian presidential election. The second round will be held on January 12, as no candidate has gained an absolute majority.

Trump unexpectedly chose his former rival Marco Rubio to be the US Secretary of State. Rubio changed his position on Ukraine from strong support to voting against additional funding.

The Finnish authorities have moved the Russian tanker Eagle S for a detailed investigation into the damage to the submarine cable. The vessel is suspected of damaging the Estlink-2 electric cable and four telecommunications cables.

Russia has practiced a scenario of an attack on Finland and the Baltic states using various types of troops. According to NATO, the attack could include strikes from the sea, land and air through Murmansk.

Swedish funeral associations are looking for additional land plots to bury 30,000 people in case of war. The Church of Sweden and the military recommend preparing for a crisis situation due to tensions with russia.

The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense announced the strengthening of security measures after the detection of damage to underwater communication cables. The Navy has increased patrols, and NATO will increase its military presence in the region.

NATO increases its military presence in the Baltic Sea after submarine cables are damaged.

Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar said the country was ready to facilitate the peace process between Russia and Ukraine. Putin also does not rule out the possibility of holding talks in Slovakia.

Romania's radar systems detected a small flying object that penetrated 6 km inland in the Tulcea County. The object stayed in the airspace for about 5 minutes, after which it disappeared from the radar.