Friedrich Merz
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced another round of coordination in the "Berlin format" with the participation of European and Canadian partners. He emphasized the advancement of the peace process and the need for transparency and honesty from all parties, including Russia.
German military equipment exports in 2025 decreased to 8. 4 billion euros, significantly lower than in the previous two years. The reason was a reduction in arms supplies to Ukraine to 1.14 billion euros.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a conversation with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The results of the meeting with President Trump and the Russian fake, which is trying to disrupt diplomacy, were discussed.
The President of Finland reported on negotiations in the US involving Zelenskyy, Trump, and other European leaders, including Macron and von der Leyen. The discussions lasted over an hour, focusing on concrete steps to end the war and achieve lasting peace.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with US President Donald Trump today at 8:00 PM. Approximately at 9:00 PM, Zelenskyy and Trump will hold a phone conversation with European leaders.
Why Keir Starmer was not present during Zelenskyy's phone call with European leaders, The Telegraph found out.
Ukraine needs strong positions on the front and in diplomacy so that the Russian dictator does not manipulate the end of the war. President Zelenskyy discussed priorities with Western partners and thanked them for their support.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. The main topics were preparations for a meeting with US President Donald Trump and the negotiation process for peace in Europe.
Frontline Robotics and German Quantum Systems are scaling up production of the Lens drone for tactical reconnaissance and target destruction. This bomber drone can carry up to 2 kg of payload over 10 km and is equipped with a gyro-stabilized camera.
The head of the German parliament's foreign policy committee, Armin Laschet, stated the need for a German-French initiative to coordinate European plans for a ceasefire in Ukraine. He emphasized that Europe must develop its own strong foreign and security policy, agreed upon with Ukraine, which could then be presented to Russia from a position of strength.
On December 19, the European Union approved €90 billion in funding for Ukraine, which the country will repay after receiving reparations from Russia. Journalists found out how this process took place.
The atmosphere for Ukrainians in Poland is deteriorating, as reflected in incidents and surveys. Support for Ukrainian refugees has fallen from 94% to 48%, and support for Ukraine's accession to the EU has dropped to 35%.
The German government plans to expand the functions of the Federal Intelligence Service, allowing it to carry out cyberattacks and sabotage operations abroad. This comes amid growing hybrid threats and the activity of foreign intelligence services.
The head of the European People's Party, Manfred Weber, stated that frozen Russian assets will be used to repay loans that the EU provides to Ukraine. He rejected US proposals for asset sharing, emphasizing that Russia must pay for its actions.
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.
German Chancellor's advisor on Ukraine, Günther Sautter, is heading to Florida for talks between the US and Russia. The talks concern a peaceful settlement of the war, where the US's 20-point plan will be discussed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz revealed details of the agreement between EU leaders on providing financial assistance to Ukraine for 2026–2027.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the EU plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine is “dead. ” According to him, not enough leaders supported the idea.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the importance of the EU's plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's defense. This will increase pressure on Putin and accelerate the end of the war, despite some countries' fears of possible reprisals.
On December 17, 2025, German lawmakers plan to approve a record package of arms contracts worth over 50 billion euros. This funding is aimed at creating the strongest army in Europe and covers basic equipment, high-tech weapons, and air defense systems.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Putin will sooner or later agree to the deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine. He also spoke about what, in his opinion, should be the West's reaction in the event of new Russian attacks.
The EU leaders' summit on Thursday will test whether the bloc can hold together or whether US President Donald Trump can divide it. Officials of the Trump administration have been pushing European governments to reject a plan to use 210 billion euros of Russian assets to finance Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz estimates the EU's chances of reaching an agreement on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's defense as "50-50. " EU leaders are expected to agree on the issue of using frozen Russian assets for a "reparation loan" to Ukraine at the summit on December 18-19.
The US President called the bloc's members 'weak', but joint action on funding for Ukraine would send a 'very strong signal', according to Kaja Kallas.
The spokesman for the Russian dictator, Dmitry Peskov, stated that Russia is not interested in a temporary cessation of hostilities. He noted that Moscow would not participate in short-term solutions.
Belgium opposed the European Commission's proposals to unblock a €210 billion loan for Ukraine, financed by frozen Russian assets. This dashes the EU's hopes for a deal before the leaders' summit, as Belgium considers the guarantees provided insufficient.
The German Chancellor called on EU member states to find a way to share the risks associated with the use of these assets.
The US is offering Ukraine security guarantees similar to NATO's Article 5, but with an implicit ultimatum to accept them now. This offer is an attempt to accelerate a peace agreement and allay fears of a future Russian attack.
Ukraine and the United States supported German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for a Christmas truce. President Zelenskyy emphasized that the implementation of this idea depends on Russia's political will.
European leaders, in a joint statement, agreed with Trump's peace plan for Ukraine, emphasizing the inviolability of borders. They called on Russia for negotiations and readiness for a ceasefire.