Ukraine
Due to Russian shelling, consumers in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv regions remain without electricity. The government has adopted a decision to reduce the number of queues in the outage schedules, which will allow for a more even distribution of the load.
Republican Thomas Massie introduced a bill in Congress for the US to withdraw from NATO, considering it a relic of the Cold War. He proposes redirecting funds to its own defense rather than protecting "socialist countries."
Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko initiated a large-scale inspection of all orphanages after the exposure of shocking violations of children's rights, and this initiative was supported by human rights activist Inna Miroshnichenko. She emphasizes that for years children have been held with fictitious diagnoses and without proper care, so the principle of "zero tolerance" can become a turning point for the system.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced an alleged "agreement" with the US to continue working on ending the war in Ukraine. He positively assessed US President Donald Trump's "peace plan."
The Washington Post reports on the outlines of a future peace agreement for Ukraine, which includes EU membership by 2027 and security guarantees from the US. The agreement provides for a demilitarized zone and territorial exchange, but Donald Trump could influence the course of negotiations.
EU countries intend to accelerate a decision on immobilizing up to 210 billion euros of Russian sovereign assets. This will allow them to bypass Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban before next week's summit.
High-ranking officials in the Trump administration state that they are not forcing Ukraine into an unfavorable agreement. The goal is an agreement that guarantees Ukraine's sovereignty and protects it in the long term.
US President Donald's statement about Europe as an "undemocratic obstacle" was a godsend for the Russian regime. Russian policy aims to undermine European support for Ukraine and exploit the opportunity to sow doubts about the viability of the NATO alliance.
Oil prices remained stable on Wednesday after falling 1% in the previous session. Brent crude futures rose 0.1% to $62.01 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude rose 0.1% to $58.32 a barrel.
Over the past day, 177 combat engagements took place on the front line, a quarter more than the day before. The highest activity was recorded in the Pokrovsk direction, where our defenders stopped 48 assault actions of the aggressor.
Russia has begun recruiting Ukrainian children into the Russian army directly in schools in the temporarily occupied territories. The occupiers are imposing contract service or enrollment in a Russian military university on 11th-grade students in Luhansk Oblast.
On December 9, Russian troops lost 1010 soldiers and 177 UAVs. The total combat losses of the enemy from 24.02.22 to 10.12.25 are estimated at 1,183,620 personnel eliminated.
Poland is negotiating with Ukraine on the transfer of MiG-29 aircraft that have reached their operational limit. In exchange for the aircraft, Poland seeks to obtain drone and missile technologies from Ukraine.
Pope Leo XIV commented on Donald Trump's statements about Europe's decline and "weak" leaders, expressing concern about a possible split in the alliance between Europe and the United States. He also declined to comment on the US peace plan for Ukraine, noting that some of its parts introduce significant changes in relations between Europe and the United States.
EU Permanent Representative Stavros Lambrinidis stated that Russia is escalating its attacks on Ukraine, destroying infrastructure and targeting civilians. He emphasized that the aggressor shows no desire for peace, and the EU will continue its diplomatic efforts.
Finland has purchased hundreds of SkyWiper Omni Max jammers and Airfence drone detectors to strengthen its defense capabilities. This is a response to the growing threat of drones after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and incidents in the airspace of other NATO countries.
The provision that prohibited Kyiv from joining NATO was removed from the current peace plan, although the new version does not address this issue at all. At the same time, European officials predict that it may take a long time for the US, Russia, and Ukraine to resolve their differences.
The Russian State Duma has finally adopted a law that allows housing in the temporarily occupied territories to be recognized as "ownerless" and confiscated. This opens the way for mass appropriation of real estate and replacement of the local population with loyal citizens of the Russian Federation.
Refat Chubarov, Head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, stated that only Ukraine and the indigenous Crimean Tatar people have the right to determine the fate of temporarily occupied Crimea. This was a response to US President Donald Trump's statement that "Crimea is a small piece of land washed by four oceans."
President Zelenskyy announced that the US has expressed a desire to provide Ukraine with realistic security guarantees, voted on by Congress, as well as to supply weapons. These guarantees include sanctions, air defense, and provisions similar to Article 5.
President Zelenskyy announced that the US will not close the PURL program, and it will continue its work. Ukraine also received 700 million euros from the Netherlands and has plans for financing next year.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the country's readiness to hold elections, emphasizing the need to resolve security issues and the legislative framework. He also called on the United States and European partners to help ensure security for holding elections.
The US is not ready to accept Ukraine into NATO, but this is a matter for the future. Ukraine is considering effective security guarantees analogous to NATO, including bilateral guarantees with the US.
The Russian dictator stated that people in Donbas warmly welcome Russian servicemen. Putin also once again stated that Russia plans to achieve all the tasks set for the "SVO."
President Zelenskyy stated Ukraine's readiness for an energy truce with Russia if the latter is ready for it. He noted that this is very important for people, as Russians are attacking Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine uses Neptune missiles, the Palyanytsia drone missile, the Flamingo cruise missile, and the Sapsan operational-tactical missile system for strikes on Russia. He noted that the Neptunes are working well but did not disclose the quantity so that the enemy would not know all the details.
In Lviv Oblast, a man attacked a TCC serviceman with a kitchen axe-hammer during a document check. The injured person was hospitalized, his life is not in danger, law enforcement officers are conducting investigative actions.
President Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine has not yet handed over an updated "peace plan" to the US, but this will likely happen tomorrow. He noted that the US is not demanding the surrender of Donbas territory, and Russia is the initiator of this idea.
Hungary's opposition is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and early elections after the release of a video showing physical abuse at a state-run juvenile detention center in Budapest. This incident occurred amid accusations of sexual abuse and the organization of a prostitution ring by the facility's former director.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced three documents regarding the end of the war with Russia, which concern security guarantees, the reconstruction of Ukraine, and framework agreements. These documents are being discussed with American and European partners.