Great Britain
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced the intensification of Russian offensive actions in several areas at once. The UK promised to significantly increase its support for Ukraine in 2025.
The World Bank has approved a new $1. 05 billion DPO operation for Ukraine and an additional $1 billion grant. The funds will be used for economic reforms, railroad development, and renewable energy.
According to an InfoSapiens poll, Valeriy Zaluzhnyi has the highest level of trust among Ukrainians - 76. 8%, followed by Budanov - 54.6%, and Zelenskyy - 53%.
The President of Ukraine will hold a series of important meetings with European leaders in Brussels. Talks are scheduled with the leaders of France, Germany, Italy, and other countries, as well as the EU and NATO leaders.
European countries are discussing the possibility of deploying up to 100,000 troops to Ukraine after a ceasefire or peace agreement. France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom could form the basis of a coalition.
The KORD special forces unit received a modernized BAD-2 robotic ground drone with a video camera and thermal imager. The robot is capable of conducting reconnaissance at a distance of over 2 km, which reduces the risk to police officers during dangerous operations.
Britain, France, and Germany accused Iran of building up its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to unprecedented levels. The IAEA confirms that Iran is the only country that possesses uranium with a purity of 60%.
The German chancellor cited Trump's criticism of Biden's decision to strike Russia to justify his refusal to provide Ukraine with Taurus missiles. Trump called Biden's authorization “very stupid.
The Scottish Secretary of State's Office has chosen a drawing by 12-year-old Amelia Marchenko from Ukraine for its official Christmas cards. The girl from Donetsk region, who now lives in Edinburgh, drew a golden-haired cherub near a Christmas tree.
The British and Estonian prime ministers met in Tallinn before the Joint Expeditionary Force summit. The parties discussed strengthening military and economic support for Ukraine, as well as expanding defense cooperation.
An unexploded World War II bomb was discovered during construction work in the Sulz district. As a result, 3,000 residents of the largest residential complex, Uni-Center, were evacuated within a 350-meter radius.
France restored its flag at the embassy in Damascus after a 12-year break. European countries begin to establish diplomatic contacts with the new Syrian government.
Donald Tusk announced the 46th package of military aid to Ukraine worth €100 million in January. Zelenskyy and Tusk discussed the situation at the front and coordination with partners during their meeting in Lviv.
Zelenskyy said the US has approved $177 billion in aid to Ukraine, but not all funds and weapons have been received. Ukraine needs an additional 12-15 Patriot air defense systems to protect its skies.
The UK provides 35m pounds to restore the energy system and humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Sanctions were also imposed against 20 ships and two Russian companies involved in shady oil transportation.
The son of Elizabeth II was asked not to attend the Christmas celebration in Sandringham because of the scandal with the Chinese businessman spy. Prince Andrew has maintained a close relationship with Chris Young for years.
The UK and 11 European countries have agreed to take joint action against Russian ships trying to circumvent sanctions. The participating countries will check the documents of suspicious ships in key sea straits.
Ukraine has become the fifth country in the world to have its own laser weapon. The Tryzub system is capable of shooting down aircraft at an altitude of more than 2 kilometers, said the commander of the Unmanned Systems Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
In the United Kingdom, a group of teenagers attacked an 80-year-old man in a park, killing him. Five juveniles were detained, including a 12-year-old girl charged with manslaughter.
The foreign ministers of 10 countries and the EU condemned military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia, including the deployment of North Korean troops. The countries called on Pyongyang to stop helping Moscow and withdraw its troops.
Sony's new Marvel movie Craven the Hunter grossed only $11 million in its first weekend of release. This is the worst result among all Sony's Spider-Man films, including Morbius and Madame Spider-Man.
Bitcoin reached a new record of $106,533 after the US President-elect announced the creation of a strategic cryptocurrency reserve. The market capitalization of cryptocurrencies increased to $3.8 trillion.
British Foreign Secretary confirms diplomatic contacts with the HTS rebel group in Syria. Britain will allocate 50 million pounds of aid to Syrians and seeks to protect chemical weapons stockpiles.
The trilateral meeting on the settlement of the conflict in Central Africa was canceled due to the refusal of the Rwandan delegation. Rwanda insisted on a direct dialogue between the DR Congo and the M23 rebel group.
Prince Andrew may not attend the traditional Christmas walk because of the H6 Chinese spy scandal. King Charles is outraged that his brother has dragged the monarchy into a high-profile scandal again.
Amazon's union has authorized a strike at two warehouses in New York City due to the company's refusal to negotiate. The workers are demanding better working conditions and a pay raise by December 15.
The United Kingdom has joined the Trans-Pacific Trade Pact, which includes 11 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The country will have access to preferential trade terms with eight parties to the agreement.
The President of Serbia announced the upcoming US sanctions against NIS due to its russian ownership. Serbia is considering reducing Gazprom's share in the company below 50%.
Unidentified drones were spotted flying over the Ramstein military base, Rheinmetall and BASF facilities. German security authorities were unable to identify the operators of the drones and their origin.
The Jamaican government has submitted a bill to remove King Charles from the post of head of state. The country plans to move to a republican form of government through a referendum.