World oil prices for Brent and WTI fell by more than 2% due to expectations of a significant supply surplus in 2026 and US diplomatic activity. Traders are selling off contracts ahead of the Zelenskyy-Trump meeting, where a peace plan will be discussed.
Thai Defense Minister Nakphanit flies to Cambodia for truce talks. The conflict has lasted three weeks, causing 98 deaths and half a million refugees.
China announced sanctions against 20 US defense companies and 10 top executives over arms sales to Taiwan. The sanctions include freezing the companies' assets in China and banning individuals from doing business.
Rosatom has for the first time purchased two turbogenerator units from the Chinese state corporation "Dongfang Turbine" for the Leningrad NPP. This indicates the technological degradation of Russian mechanical engineering and growing dependence on China.
In December, intelligence identified over 150 foreigners from 25 countries recruited into the Russian army, with about 200 more preparing to join. The main sources of recruitment are post-Soviet states and countries of the Global South.
Russia and Kazakhstan have postponed the first launch of the Soyuz-5 launch vehicle as part of the joint Baiterek space project for additional system checks. The Baiterek program is in its final stages, and the launch was delayed due to falling behind schedule and sanctions.
Silver hit $75 for the first time on Friday, with gold and platinum also setting record highs. This occurred amid speculative bets, expectations of US interest rate cuts, and rising geopolitical tensions.
The Japanese government has planned a record defense budget of over 9 trillion yen ($58 billion) to strengthen its defense capabilities amid tensions with China. The country is also developing long-range missiles and the SHIELD drone system to protect its coast.
Western sanctions have reshaped India's oil trade, reducing its reliance on Russian oil. Imports from Russia decreased by 17.8% in January-October 2025, while imports from the US increased by 83.3% and from the UAE by 8.7%.
After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, China did not distance itself from Moscow, but turned the Russian Federation into its raw material appendage. The head of the CPD, Andriy Kovalenko, noted that Russia is an instrument of strategic pressure for China.
Russia has postponed plans to triple its annual liquefied natural gas production due to international sanctions. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said that achieving the goal of producing 100 million tons of LNG per year would be delayed by several years.
The US naval blockade of Venezuela is disrupting oil exports, primarily bound for China. American forces are harassing tankers, forcing them to change course as part of an operation to pressure the Venezuelan government.
India is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in a network of roads, tunnels, and airfields along its disputed border with China. This is a response to the bloody clashes of 2020, which exposed the Indian army's logistical vulnerabilities.
The head of Ireland's defense and foreign policy departments has refuted a statement by the Military Intelligence Service (IMIS) that China is "hostile. " The minister emphasized the importance of economic cooperation and warned of the risks of isolating Beijing ahead of his upcoming trade mission.
US Democratic senators have urged Donald Trump not to recall nearly 30 career ambassadors, warning of a threat to national security. They believe this would create a vacuum that Russia and China would fill, leaving more than 100 embassies without leadership.
US President Donald Trump discussed Santa Claus's travels, which are tracked by the NORAD program, with children. During the conversation, he mentioned Ukraine along with China and Russia.
Volkswagen has unveiled the new ID. UNYX 08 electric crossover for the Chinese market. It features an 800 V ultra-fast charging architecture and a range of up to 730 km.
The militaries of Thailand and Cambodia have begun three-day talks to end a 16-day armed standoff that has killed at least 86 people. The goal of the meeting is to restore the truce previously brokered by Malaysia and the United States.
Roscosmos plans to build a stationary power source on the Moon by 2036. The project is being implemented jointly with China to provide energy for the future scientific base and lunar rovers.
The global economy is decarbonizing faster than expected, with record investments of $2. 2 trillion in 2025. Investments in clean energy exceed spending on fossil fuels, and renewable energy covers all new electricity demand.
China may be interested in the continuation of the war, as it weakens Russia and exhausts Europe. This allows Beijing to draw individual European countries into its dependence through investments.
Analysts warn that tariffs imposed by Donald Trump will slow global GDP and overload European ports. This will also lead to a massive review of supply chains by companies.
President Zelenskyy reported a correlation between Chinese satellite imagery of Ukraine's territory and Russian strikes on energy facilities. Ukraine views this as a factor prolonging the war.
President Zelenskyy received a report from the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, Oleh Ivashchenko, on Russian attempts to circumvent sanctions and the deployment of "Oreshnik" complexes in Belarus. The report also covered the state of Russian military production and cooperation with Chinese companies that provide space intelligence data.
Beijing is preparing a nuclear counterattack before enemy missiles explode, implementing an "early warning" system. The US views China's military buildup as a threat that makes its territory vulnerable.
China, transitioning to electric vehicles, exports surplus gasoline cars, filling markets in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Latin America. 76% of China's car exports are gasoline models, which allowed it to become the world's largest car exporter.
The Trump administration announced tariffs on Chinese semiconductor imports due to Beijing's pursuit of dominance, but postponed their implementation until June 2027. This decision is a result of an investigation into China's unfair trade practices.
On December 24, gold surpassed $4,500 per ounce for the first time, while silver and platinum also reached record highs. This is due to investments hedging geopolitical and trade risks, as well as expectations of interest rate cuts in the US.
Russia planned to build 2062 vessels by 2035, but funding has been secured for only 593, casting doubt on over 1500 projects. Ship construction in Russia is 2.5–3 times more expensive than in China due to low labor productivity and technological backwardness.
The Pentagon claims that China is undertaking a "historic" military buildup, making the US more vulnerable. This casts doubt on Trump's plans for limiting the nuclear arsenals of the US, China, and Russia.
