NATO

The German Defense Minister announced that the next Ramstein meeting will be held in Brussels before the Munich conference. The future of the format will depend on the new US administration.

Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tähkna said that Ukraine's full membership in the EU and NATO would ensure the stability of the whole of Europe. He emphasized the need for investment in Ukraine's defense industry and economy.

Opposition parties in Slovakia announced an attempt to pass a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Robert Fico. The main reason was his trip to Moscow and the change in the country's foreign policy course.

Latvia has provided Ukraine with military aid worth over €501 million. The countries discussed further cooperation, including support for the defense industry, military training, and the creation of a transport corridor.

According to the KIIS, 46% of Ukrainians consider joining NATO a top priority, while 22% support the EU. During the year, the number of those who do not support membership in any union increased from 12% to 22%.

NATO launches a new military mission to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Secretary General Rutte announces the deployment of frigates, patrol aircraft, and a fleet of naval drones.

The future US Vice President J. D. Vance did not receive an invitation from Kamala Harris to visit the vice president's residence before the inauguration. Harris' team explains this by the absence of such a tradition during the pandemic.

Another power cable with anchor marks was found damaged in the Baltic Sea. Sweden's Defense Minister confirmed that this is the third damaged cable after the incident with the Yi Peng 3.

The NATO Secretary General noted the effectiveness of Ukrainian radar systems as an example of defense innovation. He emphasized the need to increase NATO defense spending from 2% to over 3% of GDP.

Joe Biden said that putin planned to seize Kyiv in three days, but the US president visited the Ukrainian capital instead. Biden emphasized the successes in supporting Ukraine and preventing a conflict between the nuclear powers.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that the creation of a separate European defense alliance would require 8-10% of GDP and 15-20 years. Instead, he promised to deepen cooperation between NATO and the EU.

The German police have launched an investigation into possible Russian espionage after detecting drones over military facilities in Bavaria. The incidents were recorded in Manching and Neuburg an der Donau.

The Swedish Armed Forces and Saab have developed a technology for autonomous swarms of drones of various sizes. The technology will be tested during the Arctic Strike exercise, and is designed for reconnaissance and object identification.

The President outlined the priorities for Ukrainian diplomats in 2025. These include strengthening military support, integration into the EU and NATO, sanctions against Russia, and the launch of the e-Consul.

At its congress in Saxony, the far-right Alternative for Germany party did not include a condemnation of Russian aggression in its program. 69% of the delegates voted against this initiative.

Sweden is sending three warships and a reconnaissance aircraft to a new NATO mission in the Baltic Sea. The mission is aimed at protecting submarine cables.

Ukraine is ready to hand over captured North Korean military personnel to Kim Jong-un in exchange for Ukrainian prisoners in Russia. Zelenskyy also offered alternative options for those Koreans who do not want to return.

Zelenskyy discussed with his partners the possibility of obtaining licenses for the production of air defense systems and missiles. The President emphasized the importance of the partners' fulfillment of the promised agreements on air defense for Ukraine.

Poland's Defense Minister supports the initiative to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP. Warsaw already allocates 4.7% of GDP to defense and calls on other countries to reach this goal within 10 years.

Ukrainian forces capture the first North Korean prisoners of war in the Kursk region. DPRK troops conduct large-scale assaults, ignoring drone attacks, resulting in significant losses.

Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister held talks with a delegation from the Italian defense industry. The parties discussed the possibility of purchasing Italian air defense systems with funds from frozen Russian assets.

The Danish government has sent messages to the Trump team about its willingness to discuss increased security in Greenland. Denmark emphasizes that the island is not for sale, but is open to dialogue about expanding the U.S. military presence.

The former British prime minister called Putin a dirty word because of his imperial ambitions for Ukraine and the Baltic states. Johnson said that Russia is no longer an empire, and this needs to be realized.

Germany is creating a fourth division within the Army to protect critical infrastructure. The new unit will include 6 terror defense regiments with a total of 6,000 personnel.

The head of the CCD stated that Russian air defense is ineffective in protecting strategic facilities. The Russian Federation conceals the real losses of air defense systems, including S300/S400 and Pantsir-S1.

NATO is stepping up technical surveillance in the Baltic Sea region after an incident involving damaged submarine cables. Two ships have already been deployed to protect the infrastructure.

Joe Biden will deliver his final speech on foreign policy achievements at the US State Department on January 13. The President will talk about NATO expansion, support for Ukraine, and cooperation with Asian allies.

The Swiss Federal Administration reported DDoS attacks on government websites on January 10, which resulted in a 45-minute outage. Previously, similar attacks were carried out by pro-Russian hackers.

NATO countries will not agree to Trump's proposal to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. A compromise decision of about 3% of GDP is expected at the summit in The Hague in June.

The President of Ukraine met with the President of Italy to discuss Euro-Atlantic integration and sanctions against the Russian Federation. Particular attention was paid to the issue of the return of kidnapped Ukrainian children and assistance to orphans in Italy.