NATO

The Russian ambassador to China announced that Xi Jinping will visit Moscow in 2025. According to him, China and Russia plan to jointly counteract the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region.

NATO's Transformation Commander has stated the need to have weapons to respond to the Russian threat. Europe will not be able to defend itself with defense systems alone because of its size.

The Moldovan parliament has adopted the National Defense Strategy for 2024-2034, which recognizes Russia as the main threat. The document envisages an increase in defense spending and integration into EU military structures.

Following the damage to the EstLink 2 cable, Estonia plans to increase oversight of undersea infrastructure with NATO. The government held an emergency meeting and discussed protection measures with the allies.

Putin said that in 2021 Biden proposed to postpone Ukraine's accession to NATO for 10-15 years. The Russian dictator replied that it makes no difference to Russia whether it is now or in 10 years.

The Finnish authorities are investigating the involvement of the Eagle S tanker from the Russian “shadow fleet” in damaging the Estlink 2 submarine electric cable. The vessel was stopped in Finnish waters after the incident last Wednesday.

In seven Western European countries, support for Ukraine “until victory” has sharply declined. Most Europeans favor peaceful negotiations, even if it means Russia's control over some territories.

The Russian Foreign Minister said that freezing Russia's war in Ukraine would be futile and counterproductive, but Russia insists on a legally binding agreement.

Leaders of three frontline NATO countries have called on the alliance to increase defense spending. The countries are concerned about a possible decline in U.S. involvement in European security after the elections.

EU diplomats are skeptical about the possibility of deploying European peacekeepers in Ukraine without US involvement. The main obstacles are Russia's rejection and the difficulty of convincing the European population.

Romania's Defense Ministry denies that a Russian missile crossed its airspace on December 25. NATO surveillance systems did not detect any border violations, and an investigation is underway.

Britain's defense spending has increased by 14% over 10 years, while Iran, China, and Russia have increased funding by 57%, 60%, and 34%. London plans to increase spending to 2.5% of GDP.

The head of the Ukrainian Security Center called mobilization and involvement of civilians in the army the main challenges of 2025. To counter Russian attacks, Ukraine needs a large-scale supply of anti-personnel weapons.

69% of Ukrainians support joining the EU, which is 14% more than in February 2022. Support is highest among young people and residents of the Western and Central regions.

A new military standard for survival and capture avoidance training with three levels of difficulty has been approved. The program is based on NATO standards and includes survival training in various conditions.

The leader of Slovakia's opposition party, Branislav Greling, called Prime Minister Fico's visit to Putin a betrayal of the country. Greling emphasized that Fico does not represent the opinion of the entire nation in negotiations with Russia.

Advisor to the Presidential Administration Serhiy Leshchenko said that negotiations to end the war are inevitable, but Ukraine must be strong in them. The key condition is to receive an invitation to NATO and security guarantees from the United States and Europe.

Michael Carpenter said that Ukraine's membership in NATO could become a reality after the cessation of hostilities. He also supported the idea of creating a European military mission to guarantee Ukraine's security.

Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz ruled out the possibility of sending Polish troops to Ukraine. He emphasized that such decisions should be made through NATO, not by a group of countries.

The President of Ukraine has identified key tasks for diplomats for the next year. The priorities include work on NATO, sanctions against Russia and achieving a just peace by 2025.

At a meeting of EU leaders, a conflict arose between Scholz and Duda over the confiscation of 260 billion euros of frozen Russian assets. Germany opposes it because of the risks to financial markets, while Poland supports the idea.

Poland's Defense Minister has declared his readiness to shoot down Russian missiles only if they threaten Polish territory. The country has strengthened its air defense system and has the support of NATO allies to protect its airspace.

The German Defense Minister said there were no plans to send soldiers to Ukraine until the end of the war. At the same time, he did not rule out the possibility of deploying the Bundeswehr for a peacekeeping mission.

The Slovak prime minister said that Zelenskyy offered him €500 million from Russian assets for supporting Ukraine's accession to NATO. Fico also warned of possible measures against Ukraine over gas transit.

The Finnish Immigration Service is considering resuming the deportation of Ukrainians to safe regions. Currently, the threshold for making such decisions remains high, and Ukrainians retain the right to temporary protection.

The experts named Ukraine's key tasks for 2025, including scaling up military production and mobilization. They emphasize the importance of entering negotiations from a position of strength and with the support of partners.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry confirmed that it is working on organizing a phone call between Zelenskyy and Biden, but the specific dates are not yet known. They are planning to discuss the issue of inviting Ukraine to NATO.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry is working to create a coalition of countries to shoot down Russian missiles and drones in Ukrainian airspace. The Foreign Ministry spokesperson emphasizes that such actions are not an escalation or participation in the war under international law.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson reported on the active work on the delivery of air defense systems that Ukraine needs. Specific systems and their locations have already been identified for further delivery.

Norwegian NASAMS anti-aircraft systems have been deployed in Rzeszow, Poland, and F-35 aircraft have been sent to protect the logistics center. The mission will last until Easter with the participation of 100 Norwegian troops.