Ursula von der Leyen held talks with European leaders on support, security and reconstruction of Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of the country's accession to the EU.
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President Zelenskyy, after a conversation with Finnish President Stubb, emphasized the importance of real information for global intelligence agencies. He noted that Russia is spreading fakes to justify attacks on Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that a "coalition of the willing" will gather in Paris in early January 2026. The goal is to finalize the agreement on specific contributions of countries to security guarantees for Ukraine.
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.
After talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump named the European leaders with whom they communicated. He also recognized the war in Ukraine as the largest since World War II.
On December 27 and 28, severe snowstorms swept across the US and a number of European countries, leading to fatalities in Sweden and thousands of flight delays in the United States. Storm Johannes left hundreds of thousands of people without power in Scandinavia, and 11 centimeters of snow fell in New York.
Lithuania officially completed the procedure of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on December 27, which allows it to use and produce anti-personnel mines. The country plans to spend hundreds of millions of euros on the purchase and production of tens of thousands of units of ammunition.
President Zelenskyy discussed with his Finnish counterpart Stubb preparations for talks in the US, including a 20-point document and a recovery plan. The Ukrainian and American teams have made significant progress in developing security guarantees and an economic development strategy.
The draw for the group stage of the 2026/2027 Nations League will take place on February 12, 2026, in Brussels. The Ukrainian national team will compete in League B.
The Finnish Ministry of Interior has announced stricter criteria for obtaining a permanent residence permit, which will come into force on January 8, 2026. The changes include extending the period of residence to six years, mandatory proficiency in the state language, and stable employment history.
Alexander Stubb stated that Russia occupied less than 1% of Ukraine's territory in a thousand days of full-scale war. He noted that the Russian economy is in a bad state due to sanctions, which are a strong blow to the aggressor country.
The United States of America has removed several companies from the sanctions list that previously supplied sanctioned equipment to Russia, including for its military-industrial complex. Among them are Cypriot Veles International Limited, Finnish Hi-Tech Koneisto, as well as Dubai and Turkish companies.
Poland will begin producing anti-personnel mines for the first time since the Cold War. They will be deployed along the eastern border and exported to Ukraine.
The Latvian government will allocate 2. 42 million euros to strengthen the protection of Riga Airport from unauthorized drone flights. The project envisages the introduction of modern technologies for detecting, identifying, tracking and neutralizing drones.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke cautiously about the role of European forces for Ukraine, noting that much would depend on Putin's actions. He supported the idea of a European military presence but pointed to unresolved issues regarding their deployment.
The Russian Federation has been recognized as the least peaceful country on the planet, taking last place in the annual Global Peace Index (GPI) report. Ukraine and Sudan also made it into the top three most dangerous states.
Leaders of eight EU countries bordering Russia will demand targeted defense funding in the next long-term budget of the bloc at a summit in Helsinki. This is due to growing concerns about Russia's aggressive actions, which are testing their borders.
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.
Negotiations on a peace plan for Ukraine are about to begin in Berlin. Representatives from the US, Italy, France, and other countries are present at the meeting.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with his Finnish counterpart Alexander Stubb in Berlin. The leaders discussed the results of diplomatic work and coordinated common positions before meetings with partners.
Kaja Kallas emphasized the need for real troops and capabilities for Ukraine's security guarantees if the issue of NATO is not discussed. She stressed that these cannot be paper promises, but only tangible military capabilities.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb unexpectedly arrived at the Ukraine summit in Berlin. He met with American negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner at the Adlon Hotel.
Finnish President Alexander Stubb stated that a peace agreement for Ukraine is closer than at any time in the last four years. The US, Ukraine, and European countries are working on three key documents, including a 20-point peace plan, security guarantees, and a post-war reconstruction program.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is convening a summit in Helsinki to develop concrete measures to strengthen EU defense. Leaders of eight countries will discuss cooperation and forming a common position to secure funding.
Alexander Stubb stated that Americans and Europeans are looking for an еndspiel that will prove that Russia failed to achieve its strategic goals in the war in Ukraine. He named three key issues for a peace treaty: territory, security guarantees, and Ukraine's recovery.
US sanctions against Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft, which came into force on November 21, could cause a structural reorganization of the global oil sector. This will lead to the forced sale of assets and the redistribution of ownership of fields and refineries around the world.
The volume of aid to Ukraine this year may be the lowest since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. European military aid will not compensate for the deficit due to reduced support from the United States.
Republican Thomas Massie introduced a bill in Congress for the US to withdraw from NATO, considering it a relic of the Cold War. He proposes redirecting funds to its own defense rather than protecting "socialist countries."
Finland has purchased hundreds of SkyWiper Omni Max jammers and Airfence drone detectors to strengthen its defense capabilities. This is a response to the growing threat of drones after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and incidents in the airspace of other NATO countries.
