+++ 03:28 Orban blocks new financial aid for Ukraine +++
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is blocking new financial aid for Ukraine at the EU summit in Brussels. "Veto against the additional funds for Ukraine", wrote the Hungarian head of government on the night of X. According to EU Council President Charles Michel, a new attempt is planned after New Year's Eve. The summit was actually supposed to decide to earmark a total of 50 billion euros to support Ukraine in the coming years. In addition, further funds were planned for the protection of Europe's external borders and European competitiveness, which have also been blocked.
+++ 02:33 Negotiations on Ukraine aid: US Senate postpones winter recess +++TheUS Senate postpones its winter recess due to further negotiations on the continuation of Ukraine aid. "The Senate will return on Monday," said the Democratic majority leader in the chamber of Congress, Chuck Schumer, late in the evening. US President Joe Biden had asked the US Congress in October to approve a 61 billion dollar aid package. The Democrats support the aid, while many Republicans oppose it for domestic political reasons. The senators were supposed to have agreed on a text by Thursday evening before work was to be interrupted for the holidays.
+++ 00:06 German drone manufacturer builds factory in Ukraine +++TheGerman drone company Quantum Systems is planning production facilities in Ukraine. As the Ukrainian technology website DOU reports, a research and development center is to be opened first. Later, spare parts and, within a few years, entire drones are to be manufactured in the production facility. Quantum Systems has been supporting Ukraine with dozens of reconnaissance drones since the Russian invasion in 2022. In spring, the company also opened a service, support, training and logistics center in Ukraine, where Ukrainians are taught how to use the drones.
+++ 22:36 Selenskyj: EU accession negotiations are a "victory for Ukraine" +++Ukrainian President Volodymyr Selenskyj describes the decision to open EU accession negotiations with his country as a victory for Ukraine and Europe as a whole. "A victory that motivates, inspires and strengthens", writes the head of state on X. He thanked everyone involved in the decision. "History is made by those who never tire of fighting for freedom."
+++ 22:25 EU states agree on twelfth package of Russia sanctions +++TheEU states agree on a new package of sanctions against Russia. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for EU Council President Charles Michel on the sidelines of the EU summit in Brussels. The package provides for the introduction of an import ban on diamonds and a tightening of the price cap on Russian oil exports to third countries, which has hardly had any effect recently. In addition, trade restrictions are planned for other goods as well as punitive measures against individuals and organizations that support the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.
+++ 21:56 Finland closes border with Russia again +++Finlandcloses its border with Russia again after briefly opening two crossings. The eastern border will be completely closed again from Friday at 8 p.m. until January 14, according to the Finnish government. Finland gradually closed the border crossings to its eastern neighbor Russia in November. In the weeks prior to this, the Finnish border guard had registered a sharp increase in the number of asylum seekers, mainly from the Middle East, who entered the country from Russia without the necessary documents and applied for asylum in Finland. Finland accused Russia of deliberately bringing these people to the border of the EU and NATO state in order to create problems for the country.
+++ 21:09 Lithuania bans professional soldiers from traveling to certain countries +++Lithuaniabans the professional soldiers of its army from traveling to countries that pose a threat to national security for non-military purposes. The parliament in Vilnius passed a corresponding amendment to the law. According to the amendment, the government of the Baltic EU and NATO country is to determine the countries and territories to which members of the armed forces are not permitted to travel. A preliminary list of these countries published by the Ministry of Defense at the beginning of December included Russia and its occupied Black Sea peninsula Crimea, Belarus, China and several Central Asian republics.
+++ 20:16 Another German Patriot system arrives in Ukraine +++Asannounced, Ukraine received a second Patriot air defense system from Germany before the end of the year. Missiles for the Patriot were also delivered, the German government announced in its list of arms aid. According to the updated list, Ukraine will also receive a further nine Bandvagn tracked multi-purpose vehicles and 7390 155-caliber artillery shells. Germany is also sending three further mobile remote-controlled mine-clearing devices and eight tankers.
You can read about all previous developments here.
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- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
- The ongoing Cyberwar against Ukraine has seen numerous attacks, with Russia frequently cited as a key player.
- Amidst the Ukraine conflict, NATO has been closely observing the military operations and has provided support to Ukraine, including the deployment of Patriot missile systems.
- Volodymyr Selensky, the Ukrainian President, has stated that the commencement of EU accession negotiations is a significant victory for Ukraine and Europe.
- In light of the military attack on Ukraine, various countries, including the US, have imposed sanctions on Russia to deter further aggression.
Source: www.ntv.de
