Germany

Thomas B. , a 54-year-old BND worker, was found dead in his apartment in Islamabad after two days of absence. Traces of blood were found on the body, although the official cause of death has not yet been determined.

At its congress in Saxony, the far-right Alternative for Germany party did not include a condemnation of Russian aggression in its program. 69% of the delegates voted against this initiative.

Boris Pistorius denied information that the Chancellor had blocked a €3 billion military aid package. The minister confirmed that the new aid package is being agreed upon by the government.

A Ukrainian delegation headed by Minister Matviy Bidnyi held a meeting in Turin to discuss cooperation in the field of student sports. They discussed preparations for the 2025 Universiade and the development of sports infrastructure.

Croatia's incumbent president, Zoran Milanovic, won the second round of elections with 74. 68% of the vote. His opponent Dragan Primorac received only 25.32% of the vote.

German Foreign Minister Baerbock spoke out against reducing the financing of arms deliveries to Ukraine from €7 billion. She also criticized Russia's use of a "shadow fleet" in the Baltic Sea.

Poland's Defense Minister supports the initiative to increase NATO defense spending to 5% of GDP. Warsaw already allocates 4.7% of GDP to defense and calls on other countries to reach this goal within 10 years.

The Norwegian government has presented a crisis and war preparedness plan with more than 100 measures. The plan includes increasing the number of conscripts, building shelters, and strengthening cybersecurity.

Dmytro Pidruchnyi took 4th place in the sprint and 6th place in the pursuit at the World Cup. At both award ceremonies, the athletes displayed the Ukrainian flag.

Olaf Scholz of the SPD and Alice Weidel of the AfD have become official candidates for the post of German Chancellor. Scholz promises social reforms, while Weidel proposes radical changes in the economy and migration policy.

Germany is creating a fourth division within the Army to protect critical infrastructure. The new unit will include 6 terror defense regiments with a total of 6,000 personnel.

Germany is conducting a rescue operation of the Eventin tanker from the Russian “shadow fleet” that ran aground off the northern coast. The vessel was carrying 100,000 tons of oil and lost its ability to maneuver due to an engine failure.

The damaged Russian tanker Eventin with almost 100,000 tons of oil ran aground off the island of Rügen. Zelensky called the vessel an “oil bomb” and called for the Russian tanker fleet to be stopped.

Russia uses more than 1,000 vessels to circumvent sanctions, which is 17% of the world's oil tanker fleet. The shadow fleet has brought Russia more profit than Ukraine has received in international aid since the beginning of the war.

British scientists have found that a wife's higher income increases the risk of mental disorders in a couple by 8%. This especially affects men, increasing the likelihood of mental problems by 11%.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks. He will discuss with Zelenskyy the possibility of deploying international peacekeepers after the war ends.

The tanker Eventin with 99,000 tons of Russian oil lost control off the island of Rügen in the Baltic Sea. The vessel is part of Russia's “shadow fleet” used to circumvent sanctions.

The German Foreign Ministry and Defense Ministry prepared a plan for additional military assistance to Ukraine worth 3 billion euros. Chancellor Scholz did not approve the initiative, explaining that there is sufficient funding for 2025.

Sebastian Kaleta criticized the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's reaction to candidate Navrotsky's statement on Ukraine's accession to the EU and NATO. He called for the Ukrainian ambassador to be summoned because of “interference in the electoral process.

Senior Russian military and security officials advocate escalation of hostilities in Ukraine instead of negotiations. Despite significant losses, they are calling on Putin to intensify military efforts and hold partial conscriptions.

Ukraine's Defense Minister Umerov announced that the next Ramstein will be held in February. The format of the meeting may change due to the change in the US administration, but several European countries are ready to co-chair.

U. S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin emphasized the importance of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, but declined to comment on its future after the change of administration. At the last Ramstein meeting, the US announced a $500 million aid package.

Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak announced the preparation of a new package of military assistance for Ukraine. The "Ramstein" meeting also approved 8 roadmaps for the Ukrainian Armed Forces until 2027.

German Defense Minister Pistorius announced new deliveries of air defense systems and armored vehicles to Ukraine. It is also planned to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in Germany during the year.

Mark Rutte arrived at the Ramstein base to discuss providing Ukraine with the necessary equipment. Among the key issues is the distribution of aid among the allies, including Germany's contribution of 30 billion.

The President called on partners to invest in the production of Ukrainian drones, emphasizing their efficiency. Ukraine plans to produce 30,000 long-range drones and 3,000 missiles in 2024.

The Hub for Women Entrepreneurs in Brovary continues to operate, refuting rumors of moving to Kyiv. All initiatives and intensives to support women's business in the community will continue as usual.

Donald Trump called on NATO countries to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP instead of the current 2%. European leaders and experts believe that this goal is unattainable for most NATO countries.

Trump's advisors warned Denmark that the purchase of Greenland is serious for US national security. Trump does not rule out military action and threatens tariffs if Denmark does not agree.

The United States and its allies have provided more than $126 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the start of the full-scale invasion. The Ramstein meeting will discuss Ukraine's urgent arms needs.