Interpol has issued an international arrest warrant for former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat, who was sentenced in France to two years in prison for money laundering. Moldovan law enforcement confirmed receipt of the request, but the country's Constitution prohibits the extradition of its citizens.
Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis won the 68th 'Best European Athlete' award, scoring 184 points. Ukrainian boxer Oleksandr Usyk took 14th-15th place with 16 points.
In the Paris metro, an undocumented immigrant from Mali wounded three women with a knife, one of whom was pregnant. Police detained the 25-year-old man, known to law enforcement for property crimes and sexual harassment.
France reported no direct contact between Emmanuel Macron and Vladimir Putin. Neither a phone conversation nor a visit by the French leader to Moscow is planned for now.
Ukraine has committed to reviewing the procedure for selecting the Prosecutor General in accordance with European practices, but this does not entail a competition. In economically developed European countries, the Prosecutor General is appointed by the government or the president.
Ukraine completed the 2025 harvest, gathering 57. 6 million tons of grain and 17.3 million tons of oilseeds. The total grain production is expected to be around 60 million tons after the corn harvest.
Great Britain, France, Germany, and Turkey are ready to send a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine after the war ends. This was confirmed by Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President's Office, who emphasized the need for international participation in deterring Russia.
British monarch Charles greeted the world for Christmas; he did not mention specific countries in his speech, but he included the Ukrainian carol "Shchedryk" in the video sequence.
Mykola Leontovych's score of "Shchedryk" has been exhibited at New York's Carnegie Hall. This became possible after the facsimile was transferred to the Carnegie Hall archive.
In 2025, mobile internet was disconnected more than 11,000 times in 80 regions of Russia, and daily in 25 of them. The authorities explain this by security requirements, but the real goal is the gradual digital isolation of Russia.
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 the eve of Christmas, the work of the French national postal service La Poste was paralyzed by a large-scale DDoS attack. The pro-Russian hacker group Noname057 claimed responsibility.
Representatives of the embassies of Great Britain, Germany, and France presented a joint creative greeting for the winter holidays, performing Mykola Leontovych's legendary composition in the Kyiv subway. The recording took place at the Zoloti Vorota station with the participation of Ukrainian musicians.
French President Emmanuel Macron held talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on strengthening Ukraine's defense capabilities. Consultations on security assistance will begin in early 2026 in Paris.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has noted a significant increase in food prices in the country, exceeding European levels. He promised to address the high markups by distributors and networks, calling on law enforcement agencies to investigate possible cartel conspiracies.
In Algeria, parliament supported a bill recognizing the 130-year French occupation as a war crime, demanding compensation and apologies. The document criminalizes the approval of colonialism and obliges France to deactivate nuclear test sites.
The European Union, France, and Germany have condemned US visa bans imposed on five European citizens, including former EU Commissioner Thierry Breton. The restrictions are related to their activities in combating online disinformation and hate speech, which Washington considers censorship of free speech.
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 countries of the "Alliance of Sahel States" are preparing for large-scale military operations, having created a joint battalion of 5,000 personnel. The junta leaders emphasize sovereignty and a break with former Western partners, choosing Russia as their main security ally.
France has approved a temporary law to prevent a government shutdown from January 1, as they failed to agree on a full budget. This measure allows the state to collect taxes and make critical expenditures, duplicating the fiscal parameters of 2025.
The Moscow clinic AltraVita offers women under 37 free artificial insemination with the sperm of Pavel Durov, who personally pays for the procedures. The billionaire has over 100 biological children in 12 countries and promises them an equal share of his $17 billion inheritance.
Switzerland has deported about 100 Ukrainian refugees, including the large Bohachuk family from Kharkiv, who were denied protection status S due to their previous stay in Lithuania. The Swiss migration service is demanding that they urgently leave the country, despite two years of living in Geneva and the children's adaptation to local schools.
Ukraine has developed Cabinet of Ministers resolutions that allow recognizing the results of Ukrainian children's education abroad without additional exams. Grades from foreign schools are recognized according to "conversion" scales, and the Ukrainian component can be studied remotely or in foreign centers.
As of early December 2025, official delegations led by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy have made over 50 foreign visits. The accounting of expenses for their organization is not kept separately, and information about the preparation of visits is restricted.
A cyberattack crippled France's national postal service, La Poste, three days before Christmas, blocking parcel deliveries and online payments. This caused significant difficulties for millions of people in the midst of the holiday season and dealt a blow to the company, which delivered 2.6 billion parcels last year.
The Italian antitrust authority has fined Apple 98 million euros for antitrust violations over its app tracking transparency policy. This policy violates European antitrust rules by abusing Apple's dominant position in the app store market.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the launch of a program to create a new generation aircraft carrier (PANG), which is to replace the Charles de Gaulle in 2038. The project, worth 10 billion euros, will be implemented by Naval Group SA, involving hundreds of enterprises, despite financial uncertainty in the country.
An employee of the Élysée Palace, responsible for storing silverware, has been arrested in Paris on suspicion of stealing silver items and porcelain worth approximately 40,000 euros. The stolen items, some of which are considered national cultural heritage, were allegedly offered for sale through online auctions.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin's schedule does not include a phone call with Donald Trump until the end of the year. Putin will hold bilateral meetings with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenka.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin is ready for dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to him, this is possible if there is mutual political will, which "can only be positively assessed."
