The price of Russian Urals oil has fallen to $34 per barrel, while Brent remains at $61. This drop may indicate the impact of US sanctions and negatively affect the Kremlin's revenues.
The European Commission will investigate Czech state aid for the construction and operation of two new nuclear power units in Dukovany. This initiative aims to accelerate decarbonization and eliminate electricity supply shortages, with planned commissioning in 2036 and 2037.
Russian natural gas exports to China via pipeline are expected to grow by a quarter this year, reaching 38. 6-38.7 billion cubic meters. However, this will not compensate for the drop in revenues from the loss of the European gas market.
Vice Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba is lobbying for the appointment of Ihor Zelinsky to the post of head of the State Aviation Service, despite his involvement in decisions that could have harmed Ukrainian aviation and effectively played into the hands of the Russian Federation. Zelinsky's appointment could become a strategic mistake for the state and obviously carries risks for national security in wartime.
Ukraine received 2. 3 billion euros from the EU under the Ukraine Facility, of which 2.1 billion euros are loan funds and 200 million euros are a grant. This is the sixth regular tranche intended to finance the state's priority social and humanitarian expenditures.
The former director of "Lymansky Forestry" has been served with a notice of suspicion of abuse of office. In 2023–2024, the forestry enterprise purchased 3,000 cubic meters of timber without production necessity, overpaying more than UAH 1.6 million in state funds.
A new service has been launched in the "Diia" application for veterans of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which allows them to receive compensation for car insurance. 50% of the cost is compensated by the insurance company, and the rest by the state, making the policy free.
The Japanese government will provide 1 trillion yen ($6. 34 billion) in support over five years for the development of its own artificial intelligence. A new company will be founded by about 10 firms, including SoftBank Group Corp., to create the country's largest AI foundational model.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of a program to create a new generation aircraft carrier (PANG), which is to replace the Charles de Gaulle in 2038. The project, worth 10 billion euros, will be implemented by Naval Group SA, involving hundreds of enterprises, despite financial uncertainty in the country.
US President Donald Trump is preparing to tighten immigration policies in 2026, anticipating billions of dollars in new funding. This comes amid growing public opposition and declining approval ratings for his policies.
President Zelenskyy stated that the allocation of a 90 billion euro interest-free loan to Ukraine for two years is a real financial security guarantee. The funds will be disbursed at 45 billion euros annually for two years and will be repaid from Russian assets.
Russia exported gold bars worth $961 million to China in November, which is a historical high. In total, for 11 months of 2025, China's import of Russian gold amounted to $1.9 billion.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte explained that the United States has a direct interest in maintaining its membership in the Alliance. He named three key reasons why NATO is important for US security.
Sweden will provide Ukraine with $200 million in direct budget support by 2026. This funding will meet people's daily needs during the war, including critical public services.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not be able to independently finance an 800,000-strong Armed Forces. Partial funding of the army by partners is being considered as a security guarantee.
EU taxpayers will pay €3 billion annually in interest on a loan to finance Ukraine's defense. The new plan will provide Ukraine with €45 billion next year, with the remaining funds to be paid in 2027.
Ukraine and Portugal have signed a statement on partnership for the production of naval drones. Portugal also supported a financial security guarantee for Ukraine worth 90 billion euros.
Japan has decided to provide Ukraine with additional financial support for the next year, totaling approximately $6 billion. President Zelenskyy thanked Japan and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for this decision, which will strengthen Ukraine's defense.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, at an away meeting in Zaporizhzhia, reallocated budget funds. Over UAH 700 million was directed to the restoration of medical facilities, energy autonomy of universities, safety of schoolchildren, and aid to affected regions.
EU leaders agreed on a plan to finance Ukraine through joint borrowing after 16 hours of negotiations. Politico named Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as the main "winners" of the summit.
The global oil market is experiencing an oversupply of "black gold," pushing oil prices down. A record 1.3 billion barrels of crude oil are in transit or awaiting buyers in the world's oceans.
As the source said, this time the “cotton” visited the drilling rig at the Rakushechnoye field (named after Valery Graifer).
Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command, Mike Utley, stated that the Alliance has an advantage over Russia but is not ready for prolonged hostilities. Member countries have recognized the problem and plan to invest in increasing resilience.
The Russian Federation plans to launch a single IMEI registry, which will link them to subscriber numbers starting in 2027. From 2028, only devices from the state database will be connected to the network, making mobile communications an element of state surveillance.
High-ranking Russian officials rejoiced after EU leaders failed to agree on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Instead, Kyiv will receive a €90 billion loan, while Russian funds remain blocked.
The European Union and its member states are ready to contribute to robust security guarantees for Ukraine, including through a Coalition of the Willing and in cooperation with the United States. The EU will address matters within its competence or those affecting its security, according to the European Council conclusions of December 18.
The European Council decided to allocate 90 billion euros in funding to Ukraine for 2026-2027. The funds will be based on EU borrowings without the use of Russian assets and without the involvement of the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
The number of patents in Russia has decreased by almost a quarter since the beginning of the war, reaching its lowest level in 20 years. Most state "innovative" projects are borrowed or adapted technologies, not genuine innovations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed details of the agreement between EU leaders on providing financial assistance to Ukraine for 2026–2027.
US President Donald Trump signed into law the defense policy bill for fiscal year 2026 with a record budget of $901 billion. The document allocates $800 million to Ukraine - $400 million for each of the next two years as part of the Security Assistance Initiative, which provides for the purchase of American weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
