In Volyn, border guards discovered a balloon with 1,500 packs of Belarusian cigarettes, likely destined for Poland. The value of the contraband is about 90 thousand hryvnias.
A transnational network of fraudulent call centers operating in Kyiv, Dnipro, and Ivano-Frankivsk has been liquidated in Ukraine. The perpetrators defrauded EU citizens of over 50 million hryvnias using "vishing" and other schemes.
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 European Union does not plan to lift sanctions on Belarus, said EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. This decision was made despite the fact that on December 13, the US announced the lifting of sanctions on Belarusian potash, which had been in effect since 2021.
Yuriy Kostyshyn, a 48-year-old photographer and serviceman known as "Kit Kharakternyk," died in battles for Ukraine's independence. He served in the 93rd and 44th brigades, participated in the defense of Kyiv, and had personal exhibitions of his front-line photographs.
EU ambassadors in Brussels today are discussing the European Commission's amendments to the reparations loan proposal for financing Ukraine. These amendments aim to address the concerns of Belgium, as well as Italy, Bulgaria, and Malta, who are calling for alternative options.
The European Union has expanded sanctions against Belarus to include hybrid hostile actions against neighboring countries. The new criterion allows for restrictions to be imposed on companies and individuals involved in actions that threaten the EU's democracy, rule of law, stability, or security.
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.
Russia continues a large-scale campaign to falsify historical memory, using pseudo-historical "research" for informational influence on neighboring states. In particular, in 2025, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations published a 400-page "History of Lithuania" with a preface by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka released 123 prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski and Maria Kalesnikava, in exchange for the lifting of US sanctions on Belarusian potash. Nine of those released were taken to Lithuania, and 114 to Ukraine.
From August to November 2025, almost 186,000 messages with offensive and discriminatory statements about Ukraine were recorded in the Polish-language segment of social networks. This is almost twice as many as in the previous similar period, with 92% of such posts appearing on the X platform.
US President Donald Trump's special envoy John Cole announced that Alexander Lukashenka promised to stop balloon flights over Lithuania after negotiations with the US. Earlier, Lithuania declared a state of emergency due to these flights.
Ukraine received 114 civilians, including 5 Ukrainians and Belarusian political figures such as Maria Alexandrova and Viktor Babariko. The exchange took place with the assistance of American partners and the Coordination Headquarters.
The US is lifting sanctions on Belarusian potash, as announced by special envoy John Cole after a meeting with Alexander Lukashenka. This decision is part of the normalization of relations between the countries, which could lead to further lifting of restrictive measures.
Poland has officially joined the Ukraine2EU program, providing Ukraine with a financial contribution of 1 million euros and sharing experience in implementing European integration reforms. This support will strengthen the capacity of the Verkhovna Rada and accelerate the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to EU standards.
In November, Lithuania experienced 325 hostile information influences, almost double the norm, with 47% of attacks related to military topics. At the same time, physical hybrid threats are being recorded, including the launch of weather balloons from Belarus that violate Lithuanian airspace.
Donald Trump is forcing EU leaders to confront a future in which America is no longer their primary security guarantor. Europe must organize its own defense much faster than anyone could have imagined.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that Ukraine's EU membership is a prerequisite for European security. He emphasized the importance of clear EU signals regarding the integration of Ukraine and Moldova.
The Lithuanian government has declared a state of emergency throughout the country due to balloons from Belarus disrupting aviation. This will allow the military to receive special powers for more effective coordination of actions.
Lithuanian law enforcement officers have notified a Russian serviceman of suspicion in a war crimes case in Melitopol. He is accused of torturing civilians and prisoners in a "filtration camp" in 2022.
Seven EU countries have called for the use of frozen Russian assets to finance a reparations loan to Ukraine. This decision will strengthen Ukraine's position and ensure compensation for damages caused by the aggression.
Lithuania revoked residence permits for 145 Russian citizens due to frequent trips to Russia and Belarus, guided by the law "On restrictive measures in connection with military aggression. " Among those deprived of residence permits is former human rights activist Mikhail Benyash, who visited Minsk to meet with his son.
Vilnius Airport has suspended operations due to the launch of weather balloons from Belarus. Restrictions will be in effect from 18:06 to 21:05 local time; passengers are advised to contact their airlines.
In January-October 2025, Ukraine increased its imports of tomatoes to 81. 8 thousand tons and cucumbers to 109.6 thousand tons. Turkey traditionally remains the largest supplier of both crops.
Edinburgh Airport in the capital of Scotland suspended operations due to problems with the air traffic control computer system. This is Scotland's busiest airport, which served approximately 15.7 million passengers in 2024.
The Lithuanian government plans to declare a state of emergency due to the threat to public safety caused by an influx of contraband balloons. This disrupts the operation of Vilnius Airport, which has repeatedly suspended operations.
The leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have stated the need for a joint decision on dismantling railway connections with Russia and Belarus. The presidents of the Baltic countries discussed this issue and handed it over to the ministers for further consideration.
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.
A large-scale scheme for reselling cars imported from the EU as humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been exposed in the Lviv region. The organizer from Cherkasy region and his accomplices used the details of charitable foundations to avoid customs payments, selling cars for cash or dismantling them for spare parts.
From January 2 to December 31, 2026, Lithuania is introducing compulsory basic military service, planning to conscript about 5,000 citizens. Conscripts will have various service options, including a 9-month compulsory service and shorter programs for specialists and students.
