Friedrich Merz
Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in the UK for meetings with E3 leaders. After that, he will hold a bilateral meeting with Starmer and participate in a phone call with the leaders of Finland, Italy, NATO, and the EU, and then head to Belgium.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in the United Kingdom. He will meet with the British Prime Minister, the leaders of France and Germany, and then fly to Belgium.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that participants in peace initiative negotiations, mediated by the US, differ in opinions regarding the territorial issue. He emphasized that an agreement on the Ukrainian Donbas, including the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, has not yet been reached.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with his British, French, and German counterparts in London. This will be followed by a video call with EU and NATO leaders, and then a visit to Brussels for high-level meetings.
EU countries will have to allocate billions of euros to guarantee loans to Ukraine totaling up to 210 billion euros, with Germany providing support of up to 52 billion euros. The European Commission presented these figures after proposing a "reparation loan" for Ukraine of 165 billion euros from frozen Russian assets.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The meeting takes place amid fears that the US may pressure Ukraine to accept a peace deal with Russia.
Russia seized more than 500 square kilometers of territory in November, twice as much as last month. At the same time, with the onset of winter, analysts expect a slowdown in the Russian advance on the front.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he does not plan to leave politics in exchange for a possible pardon in corruption cases. He emphasized that his fate would be determined by the citizens of Israel.
European Union leaders will discuss the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine at a summit on December 18. Belgium has a special position on this issue, and the US is trying to block EU plans to use these assets.
Kirill Dmitriev, an adviser to the Russian dictator, reacted to media reports about German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's distrust of US mediation efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Dmitriev accused Merz of inciting war and sabotaging peace.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the importance of financial support for Ukraine for European security. She also stated that Belgium's situation regarding frozen Russian assets must be resolved in such a way that all European states bear the same risk.
The US is trying to block EU plans to use frozen assets of the Russian central bank to support a loan to Ukraine. Washington believes that these assets are necessary to secure a peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow.
European leaders are warning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to succumb to Russia's demands without ironclad security commitments from the United States. They advise clearly defining America's role in security guarantees for Kyiv before agreeing to Russia's demands.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever will hold talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine. Belgium expresses concerns about legal aspects and potential risks for its taxpayers.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz canceled a trip to Oslo to persuade Belgium to support a €165 billion "reparation loan" to Ukraine. The loan is proposed to be secured by frozen Russian state assets located in Belgium.
French President Emmanuel Macron will make his fourth state visit to China this week. Europe is seeking to strike a balance between economic and security threats from Beijing and its dependence on the world's second-largest economy.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed support for close relations with Poland, emphasizing European unity and a common stand against threats from Russia. Deeper cooperation in defense was discussed, including the protection of NATO's eastern flank and plans to sign a new defense agreement in 2026.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's trip to Moscow on November 28. Merz recalled that after Orban's previous visit to the Kremlin in July 2024, Russia intensified airstrikes on Ukraine.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that Ukraine will need strong armed forces and security guarantees after any peace agreement with Russia. He emphasized that Kyiv should not be forced to cede territory, and the most important guarantee is a well-equipped Ukrainian army.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will try to persuade US President Donald Trump to invite the Republic of South Africa to the G20 summit in Miami. Trump previously stated that South Africa would not be invited due to the persecution of the white population and the murders of Afrikaners.
US President Donald Trump will host the G20 at his golf resort in Miami next year, personally determining the guest list. He will not invite South Africa, which chairs the G20 this year and has incurred his wrath.
Germany is developing and implementing a secret 1,200-page "Operational Plan Germany" (OPLAN DEU) in case of war with Russia, which provides for the transfer of up to 800,000 NATO troops to the front line. The plan details logistics and defense, and also brings back a Cold War mentality, taking into account modern threats and infrastructure problems.
Germany has announced winter aid to Ukraine amounting to 170 million euros, as well as increased military support. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz noted that the total amount of German aid to Ukraine has reached 11.5 billion euros.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the continuation of communication with the American side regarding a potential peace agreement. He also discussed the development of the situation and coordinated further steps with German Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Donald Trump expressed readiness for a jointly developed peace plan for Ukraine. The talks in Geneva have concluded, but a breakthrough is not expected this week, adds the German leader.
German Chancellor Merz stated that the path to ending the war in Ukraine would be long, despite some progress in negotiations in Geneva. He emphasized the need for coordinated European action and Russia's participation in real negotiations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz opposed Russia's return to the G8, as envisioned in the US "peace plan" for Ukraine. He stated that no one in the G7, except the United States, wants Russia to return.
German Chancellor Merz expressed skepticism about the approval of the US peace plan by Thursday due to disagreements. He also proposed his own abbreviated plan for ending the war in Ukraine, the details of which have not been disclosed.
Immediately after the opening of the G20 summit, the leaders of Britain, France, and Germany met to discuss US President Donald Trump's plan for Ukraine. Other leaders from Europe, Australia, Canada, and Japan also joined the meeting, working on adapting the American plan.
European leaders are trying to buy time to develop a new ceasefire framework with Russia after the administration of US President Donald Trump set a deadline of November 27. They aim to rewrite much of the proposed plan, presenting it as constructive updates.