Law enforcement officers exposed a scheme to legalize over UAH 578 million obtained from defense contracts. Enterprise officials acted in collusion with a "conversion center," withdrawing budget funds through forged documents.
EU diplomacy chief Kallas said that EU leaders will discuss financing Ukraine at Thursday's meeting, where a reparation loan is the most likely option. This loan will be based on frozen Russian assets, avoiding the use of taxpayer money.
The European Union is facing a critical week as it tries to protect Ukraine from an unfavorable peace deal imposed by the US and Russia, and to save a multi-billion euro loan financing agreement for Ukraine. EU leaders will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and American officials in Berlin to discuss a peace deal, and will also fight for support for the lending plan among European governments.
Ukraine has for the first time purchased the innovative drug pembrolizumab for the free treatment of melanoma. Deliveries are expected from June 2026 under a managed access mechanism.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will seek another path to end the war with Russia if peace talks do not yield results. He emphasized the need for a realistic approach to the peace process, noting that financial support from EU partners continues to arrive.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban criticized the EU's initiative to use frozen Russian assets, calling it dangerous and equating it to a declaration of war, and also accused European leaders of a misguided financial approach to supporting Ukraine.
The head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Oleh Ivashchenko, reported that Russia intends to increase the serial production of the Oreshnik ballistic missile and modernize its warhead. More than 50 enterprises of the Russian military-industrial complex are involved in the production of the missile, and funding is provided by the Russian National Welfare Fund.
The average expenditure on education per child in Sub-Saharan Africa is 200 euros, while in Europe and North America, these figures are significantly higher. This 40-fold gap exceeds the gap in GDP per capita, deepening the global wealth hierarchy. The report indicates that the richest 10% own 75% of global wealth.
The new Prime Minister of the Czech Republic, Andrej Babiš, stated that the country would not guarantee financing for Ukraine. He noted that the Czech Republic needs funds for its citizens and is lobbying for the restoration of access to preferential loans under the SAFE program.
Petr Fiala, the outgoing head of the Czech government, announced that the goal of supplying 1. 8 million large-caliber shells to Ukraine has been met. The new Czech government may discontinue this initiative, despite the president's support.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine is starting payments in case of death or injury of journalists while performing their professional duties. The first payment will be received by the father of journalist Viktoriia Roshchyna, who died in Russian captivity. The program is provided for in the state budget for 2026.
Switzerland has decided to purchase fewer F-35 fighter jets from the US than planned to keep costs within the approved limit. The country faced additional costs of up to 1.3 billion Swiss francs due to rising energy and raw material prices.
Several railway sections on the approaches to Pivdennyi port have been de-energized due to Russian strikes. The enemy is trying to limit exports through Ukrainian seaports by attacking railway infrastructure.
The Cabinet of Ministers allocated UAH 1. 8 billion from the reserve fund for the maintenance of important roads in frontline regions. Additionally, UAH 665.4 million was directed to purchase fuel for 9 frontline regions, which will ensure the operation of backup power sources.
The EU Council has agreed to apply a fixed duty of 3 euros on parcels worth up to 150 euros imported into the EU, starting from July 1, 2026. This measure aims to eliminate unfair competition and risks for consumers.
According to preliminary information, SBU drones damaged critical equipment on both ice-resistant platforms, leading to the suspension of production processes.
The European Union has agreed to indefinitely freeze Russian central bank assets held in Europe. This removed a significant obstacle to using these funds to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia.
The European Commission is ready to include the guarantees that Belgium is demanding for the use of immobilized assets of the Russian central bank. This will allow Ukraine to be provided with a "reparation loan" to compensate for war damages.
Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov admitted that budget subsidies cannot last indefinitely. This indicates a rejection of the "war economy" concept and a weakening of Russia's economic dynamics.
Lawyer Ihor Yasko spoke about two ways to re-register a car in Ukraine: offline at a Ministry of Internal Affairs service center and online through "Diia". He detailed the cost, necessary documents, taxes and fees, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each method.
In 2026, utility tariffs in Russia will increase by almost 18% on average, and in some regions by more than 40%. This is due to the fact that the Kremlin can no longer cope with financing the war.
NABU detectives and SAPO prosecutors exposed an organized group that embezzled over UAH 24 million from the state enterprise "Izmail Sea Commercial Port". The scheme involved the port director and representatives of controlled supplier companies.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov has announced his intention to resign after a wave of protests, intensifying political chaos ahead of the country's entry into the eurozone. This decision will not affect Bulgaria's entry into the eurozone on January 1.
The National Bank of Ukraine kept the key policy rate at 15. 5% on December 11. This decision was made due to concerns about rising inflation and the stability of the foreign exchange market.
The European Union is developing strategies to persuade Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever to support the allocation of 210 billion euros to Ukraine. If Belgium continues to block the plan, it may be ignored at the EU level, similar to Hungary.
From December 11, UAH 1,000 of "Winter Support" can be spent on food products. The first to take advantage of this opportunity are customers of two retail chains.
Former SAPO prosecutor Stanislav Bronytskyi revealed details of a high-profile agreement, approved by the High Anti-Corruption Court on July 5, 2024, concerning the case of former Yanukovych government official Vladyslav Kaskiv and his entourage.
Thousands of Bulgarians have once again taken to the streets to protest against the minority government, accusing it of failing to tackle corruption. The demonstrations continue amid preparations for the introduction of the euro and an upcoming no-confidence vote.
Every Ukrainian man and woman aged 40 and over will receive a personal invitation in Diia on the 30th day after their birthday. After accepting the invitation, UAH 2000 will be credited to the Diia.Card, which can be used exclusively for health screening.
Chipmaker Intel has lost its appeal against a European Union antitrust decision. However, the court reduced the fine imposed on the company two years ago by a third, cutting it by 140 million euros.
