German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the EU and India could sign a free trade agreement by the end of January after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The presidents of the European Commission and the European Council will visit India to sign the agreement if it is finally agreed upon.
In the Netherlands, the left-liberal D66, the Christian Democrats CDA, and the right-liberal VVD have agreed on a minority government. They lack 10 seats in the House of Representatives, so they are seeking opposition support.
Heavy snowfalls and extreme temperatures have led to flight cancellations, traffic jams, and school closures across Europe. The Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom have been most affected, with five fatalities reported in France.
Dutch airline KLM has canceled 124 flights from Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Monday due to winter weather. This follows hundreds of flight cancellations since Friday due to cold conditions and expectations of up to 5 centimeters of fresh snow.
National security advisers from European countries have arrived in Kyiv. They will hold consultations on security and economic issues, and coordinate further steps with partners.
Dutch police arrested about 250 people during a "violent New Year's Eve" marked by mass riots and attacks on emergency workers. Two people died, many were injured by fireworks, and the number of fires sharply increased.
On the night of January 1, a large fire broke out in the 150-year-old Vondelkerk church in Amsterdam. The fire, which started on the roof, quickly engulfed the entire building.
Since PURL was launched in August, 24 countries have joined it, and the total amount of contributions is $4. 3 billion. This allows for the purchase of American weapons, including missiles for Patriots, and strengthening Ukraine's defense.
Romania has contributed 50 million euros to the PURL initiative, aimed at purchasing American weapons for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This step, according to Foreign Minister Oana Țoiu, will strengthen regional security and is in line with Romania's NATO commitments.
Ursula von der Leyen held talks with European leaders on support, security and reconstruction of Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of the country's accession to the EU.
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.
Western sanctions have reshaped India's oil trade, reducing its reliance on Russian oil. Imports from Russia decreased by 17.8% in January-October 2025, while imports from the US increased by 83.3% and from the UAE by 8.7%.
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.
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.
The Ukrainian national football team remained in 28th place in the FIFA ranking with 1557. 47 points, occupying 14th position among European teams. This comes ahead of the March play-off matches for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, where Ukraine will play Sweden, and then the winner of the Poland-Albania pair.
The Czech Republic's Security Council will discuss the future of the initiative to supply artillery ammunition to Ukraine on January 7. Prime Minister Andrej Babiš expressed concerns about the transparency of the initiative.
33-year-old engineer Mihaela Benthaus became the first person with a disability to make a suborbital flight with Blue Origin. The flight lasted 10 minutes, reaching an altitude of over 65 miles to the Kármán line.
The song "Shchedryk" was written at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, its English version was released, which is known to the world as "Carol of the Bells".
Russia has decided to terminate military agreements with 11 European countries, concluded in 1992-2002. These agreements regulated bilateral military cooperation after the collapse of the USSR.
Lioness Vasylina, rescued from Kharkiv region, died in a rehabilitation center in South Africa. She did not wake up, showing no signs of illness, after being evacuated and living with lion Nikola.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz estimates the EU's chances of reaching an agreement on using frozen Russian assets to finance Ukraine's defense as "50-50. " EU leaders are expected to agree on the issue of using frozen Russian assets for a "reparation loan" to Ukraine at the summit on December 18-19.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Ukrainian servicemen undergoing rehabilitation in the Netherlands and presented them with state awards. He thanked the Netherlands for its support and assistance in the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers.
The Polish government is preparing a bill to revoke the "Special Law" on assistance to Ukrainians from March 4, 2026. Refugees will transition to general rules for the stay of foreigners, which will lead to a reduction in social benefits.
The "Ramstein-32" meeting brought Ukraine record financial commitments for 2026, including 11. 5 billion euros from Germany and 7 billion dollars from Norway. Partner countries also transferred new Patriot and IRIS-T air defense systems, and allocated funds for drones, artillery, and ammunition.
Germany has completed the transfer of two Patriot air defense systems and the ninth IRIS-T system to Ukraine, strengthening the protection of the Ukrainian sky. The total amount of German aid to Ukraine next year will reach 11.5 billion euros, which is a new record.
King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in The Hague. They discussed continued defense assistance to Ukraine and joint efforts to achieve peace.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius spoke cautiously about the role of European forces for Ukraine, noting that much would depend on Putin's actions. He supported the idea of a European military presence but pointed to unresolved issues regarding their deployment.
A new meeting between Ukraine and the US at the level of negotiating groups is expected in Miami in the coming days. It will discuss security guarantees, economic recovery, and 20 points of the framework agreement.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is systematically trying to distort the perception of events at the front, and Putin does not count losses. He emphasized that for the Russian leader, losses mean even less when he seeks to use every meter as an argument in negotiations.
A meeting took place in The Hague between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof, President of Moldova Maia Sandu, and Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset. The parties discussed the creation of an international compensation mechanism and an International Compensation Commission for Ukraine.
