Italy

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy insists on holding a nationwide referendum to approve a peace plan. He noted that Russia's actions indicate a lack of desire for a ceasefire, despite US efforts.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held telephone conversations with the presidents of the United States and Ukraine, discussing the peace process and security guarantees. She emphasized the importance of partner unity and Russia's responsibility in the negotiations.

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.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will meet with US President Donald Trump today at 8:00 PM. Approximately at 9:00 PM, Zelenskyy and Trump will hold a phone conversation with European leaders.

Why Keir Starmer was not present during Zelenskyy's phone call with European leaders, The Telegraph found out.

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.

Nine people have been arrested in Italy on suspicion of collecting 7 million euros under the guise of humanitarian aid, which was actually transferred to Hamas militants. More than 70% of the donations went to finance Hamas' military wing and support the families of terrorists.

Europe's highest volcano, Mount Etna, is once again erupting incandescent material and ash, with activity recorded in the northeast crater and the Bocca Nuova crater. Some volcanic ash has fallen on Taormina and the ski resort of Piano Provenzana.

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.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged her office staff to get some good rest during the Christmas holidays, as next year will be tough. She noted that the past year was difficult, and the next one will be even worse.

Hedge fund Citadel will pay investors approximately $5 billion in profits earned in 2025. After the payouts, the company's assets under management will amount to $67 billion.

The Italian government has made adjustments to the performance of the national anthem, removing the traditional word "Sì!" from it at the end. The changes concern the final part of the anthem "Brothers of Italy", which ended with the phrase "We are ready to die, we are ready to die, Italy calls! Yes!".

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.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni put more than 270 state gifts up for auction, including python skin shoes and an iPad from Zelenskyy. The total value of the lots is about 800,000 euros, and the sale is due to a law prohibiting keeping gifts worth more than 300 euros.

Italian police arrested 384 people and seized 1. 5 tons of drugs during a large-scale anti-drug trafficking operation. 655 people are under investigation, 35 kg of cocaine and 40 firearms have been confiscated.

Amazon and Netflix have struck a surprise content licensing deal. James Bond films, "Rocky," and the series "The Man in the High Castle" will become available on Netflix starting January 15.

EU leaders agreed on a plan to finance Ukraine through joint borrowing after 16 hours of negotiations. Politico named Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as the main "winners" of the summit.

European Union leaders have not reached an agreement on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine. Discussions on providing a loan will continue on December 19 at the summit in Brussels.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that the EU plan to use frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine is “dead. ” According to him, not enough leaders supported the idea.

EU diplomats are trying to find a compromise on financial aid to Ukraine ahead of the bloc's leaders' summit. Options being considered include a loan based on frozen Russian assets or joint EU debt.

In France, the merchant ship "Camarat-4" was discovered at a depth of 2. 6 km near Saint-Tropez, becoming the deepest known shipwreck in the country's territorial waters. On board the 30-meter vessel, about 200 ceramic jugs and plates, six cannons, and two boilers were found.

The XXV Winter Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo will take place from February 4 to 22, 2026, with 116 gold medals to be awarded across 16 sports. For the first time since 2014, NHL players will return to the ice, and ski mountaineering will make its debut.

Belgium has appealed to the EU with a proposal to activate an emergency provision for issuing joint debt to finance Ukraine's war efforts.

In Ukraine, December accounts for 30% of the annual import of mandarins, the demand for which was growing before the war. The main suppliers are Turkey, Pakistan, and Egypt.

The European Parliament has voted for a scheme that would allow women from countries with restrictive abortion laws to have free abortions in another EU member state. The European Commission is expected to decide on this proposal in March.

Orban announced that Moscow was preparing a "harsh response" to the EU's decision on the use of frozen Russian assets. He stated that he had personal communication with Vladimir Putin.

European Council President António Costa stated that the EU will not impose a reparation loan for Ukraine at the leaders' summit if Belgium opposes it. This is a departure from his previous position, where he noted that the scheme only required a qualified majority.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine is a “far from easy” task. She emphasized the need for a strong legal basis and avoiding open-ended commitments for countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the possibility of financial support for Ukraine through the issuance of joint EU debt, as an alternative to using frozen Russian sovereign assets. This comes ahead of a meeting of EU leaders where ways to finance Ukraine will be discussed amid its expected deficit of 135 billion euros by 2027.