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.
France is under pressure to finance Ukraine using €18 billion in Russian sovereign assets, whose location Paris has concealed for over two years. These assets, mostly immobilized in private banks, represent the second-largest accumulation of frozen Russian central bank assets in Europe.
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.
The UN Security Council will hold a new open meeting on Ukraine on December 9 at 10:00 local time. The initiative was supported by Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, and South Korea at the request of Slovenia, which chairs the Security Council.
UK Cabinet Minister Pat McFadden stated that the principle of negotiations between European leaders and the President of Ukraine in London is to give Kyiv the opportunity to decide its own future. These negotiations are a "turning point" for achieving a just peace and security guarantees for Ukraine.
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.
Benin's Interior Minister Alassane Seidou announced the thwarting of an attempted coup organized by a group of soldiers. Earlier, the military announced the removal of President Patrice Talon and the dissolution of the government.
FIFA has released the schedule for the 2026 World Cup group stage, highlighting matches with the highest expected temperatures, particularly in Inglewood and Philadelphia. Some teams, such as South Korea and Canada, will benefit from convenient logistics, playing consecutive matches in the same location.
The Swedish navy detects Russian submarines in the Baltic Sea almost every week. Sweden is preparing for a possible increase in their number if a ceasefire is reached in Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Russia's massive strikes on Ukraine on December 6, emphasizing the need to pressure the aggressor for peace. He will meet with the leaders of Ukraine, Great Britain, and Germany on December 8 to discuss the situation and US mediation.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as the leaders of France and Germany, at Downing Street. The meeting will take place amid negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine and discussing post-war security guarantees.
The Institute for the Study of War believes that Russia is intensifying covert and overt attacks on Europe, which is part of preparations for a possible war with NATO. Five unidentified drones flew over a French nuclear submarine base on December 4.
Three new Ukrainian-language audio guides have appeared in Romania, France, and Belgium, announced First Lady Olena Zelenska. Now, 115 Ukrainian audio guides are operating in 59 countries worldwide.
French marines opened fire on five unidentified drones that flew over the Île Longue naval base, where France's nuclear submarines are stationed.
Trial tests of deep-sea mining lead to a significant decrease in biodiversity. The number of animals in the tracks of mining equipment decreased by 37% compared to untouched areas.
The German Bundestag has passed a new military service law that provides for a two-tier system with voluntary service and possible conscription. This is intended to increase the size of the Bundeswehr, as 18-year-old men will receive notices of readiness to serve.
French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized the unity of Europe and the US in supporting Ukraine, rejecting reports of a possible betrayal of Washington. He refuted skepticism about peace talks, stressing the importance of cooperation.
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.
Tesla registrations in Europe fell by 12. 3% in November, reaching about 17,000 cars. Excluding Norway, the decline was 36.3%, while in Norway sales increased by 175%.
India will pay about $2 billion to lease a nuclear submarine from Russia, concluding a decade of negotiations. The deal provides for the delivery of the vessel within two years, although the contract was signed in March 2019.
A poll has shown that almost half of Europeans consider Donald Trump an “enemy of Europe,” and more than two-thirds believe their country would not be able to defend itself in the event of a war with Russia. Most respondents support EU membership and believe that Brexit has harmed the United Kingdom.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed hope that China would support a "winter" moratorium on strikes against critical infrastructure. This concerns Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy sector.
At a meeting with Macron, Xi Jinping reaffirmed China's support for a ceasefire in Ukraine. He hopes for a peaceful settlement, acceptable to all parties.
MEPs are considering regulating energy drinks for minors due to health risks. Some EU countries already have age restrictions, but the European Commission notes that there is insufficient data for safe daily limits for children.
French President Emmanuel Macron met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Beijing, where he sought to achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine and discussed trade relations. Macron called for a rebalancing of trade ties and cooperation with the G7.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov discussed security guarantees for Ukraine and Europe with national security advisors from key European countries, as well as representatives of the EU and NATO, in Brussels. The parties agreed on further consultations to achieve lasting peace.
The shortage of flu vaccines at the beginning of the 2025-2026 epidemic season is due to the world's transition to trivalent vaccines. Ukraine received 236,667 doses of flu vaccines, but their quantity on the private market was less than usual.
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.
President Zelenskyy met with Eric Trappier, President of Dassault Aviation. They discussed the localization of military aircraft production, particularly Rafale fighter jets, in Ukraine.
After a meeting in France with President Macron, Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine seeks to end the war, but in such a way that Russia does not receive "rewards" for it.
