• Zelensky, after the European Council gave the green light to negotiations on Ukraine's EU accession: “The process will not be easy, but we have made a decision: Kiev will always be part of our common European home.”
•Orban vetoes other European funds for Ukraine.
• Putin: “Russia cannot, like other countries, give up its sovereignty and become someone’s satellite for a few sausages.”
3:37 p.m. – Michel: “We will work hard to convince Hungary of the EU budget”
“During the review of the community budget at the last municipal council, we understood that it would take more time to reach a unanimous agreement and convince Hungary: we are determined to work hard to get the green light from Budapest too.” This said the President of the European Council Charles Michel. At stake is not just aid to Ukraine, but “a more comprehensive package”, for example on migration – both internal and external dimensions – and solidarity in the event of natural disasters. But also investments for the European defense industry or climate change.
3:20 p.m. – Lavrov: “No response from the UN to requests for an investigation into Bucha”
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov complained that Moscow's request to the UN to conduct an investigation into the massacre of civilians in Bucha in the spring of 2022 reported by the Ukrainian authorities went unanswered and that not even the names of the victims were mentioned.
“Such a crime – said the head of Russian diplomacy in an interview with Primo Canale television, broadcast by the Tass agency – cannot remain uninvestigated.” We have called for an investigation into those who assisted the Ukrainians in the discovery of these bodies Have helped. Nobody told us anything. Lavrov added that he himself appealed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in September 2022, asking him to “use his authority to obtain at least the names of those whose bodies were shown to Bucha .” , but nothing followed.” “I am sure,” Lavrov concluded, “that no Western journalist would dare to ask the relevant authorities of Western countries to provide this list.”
3:19 p.m. – Unicef: “Russian raids leave Ukrainian children in the cold and without water”
“The escalation of Russian attacks on infrastructure leaves Ukrainian children without constant access to water and heating, endangering their safety and survival as temperatures drop,” denounces Unicef in a note in which It is recalled that “approximately 1,800 children have been killed or injured since the war in Ukraine has escalated since February 2022.” “Once again,” explains Regina De Dominicis, Unicef Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia, “during the As winter continues to be felt, we are witnessing an escalation of attacks on infrastructure across Ukraine, with particularly incessant bombings in eastern and southern parts of the country.” “These attacks – writes the UN Children's Fund – have resulted in injuries to children , unleashed a wave of fear and terror in already hard-hit communities and left millions of children across Ukraine without consistent access to electricity, heating and water, putting them at risk of further serious damage from the drop in temperature.” , which “regularly drops to -20°C” in winter.
3:19 p.m. – Two Ukrainian civilians killed in Russian attacks
Two civilians were killed and at least two others injured in Russian attacks in Ukraine. This is what the Guardian writes, citing the office of the Ukrainian president. In the north, the Russian army shelled the village of Krasnopillia in the Sumy region, killing a civilian in his home and damaging some buildings. In the south, an 81-year-old man reportedly died on the street in an attack in Kherson city center.
3:04 p.m. – Ok from the maneuver to extend the state of emergency in Ukraine until the end of 2024
The state of emergency to ensure assistance and assistance to the Ukrainian population on national territory is further extended until December 31, 2024. This is provided for in an amendment from the rapporteurs to the maneuver, which was approved yesterday evening by the Senate Budget Committee. In addition, the provision of a further 40 million euros until the end of 2024 as a one-off lump sum to temporarily strengthen the provision of social services by municipalities hosting “a significant number” of Ukrainian refugees has been approved.
2:53 p.m. – Blinken: “With the Italian G7 presidency we are committed to peace”
“With the Italian G7 Presidency we will work together on an agenda of concrete commitments that will be useful at the international level. Together, we will continue to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia's war of aggression and ensure that Ukraine has everything it needs to get back on its feet militarily, economically and democratically. We will continue to work to find a solution to the conflict in the Middle East.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said this in a video message to the ambassadors’ conference in the Farnesina.
In the conflict in Gaza, Italy has “vigorously defended Israel's right to self-defense so that the October 7 attacks are never repeated, and it has provided essential humanitarian assistance to save the lives of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and it has led the way towards lasting peace,” emphasized Blinken. Furthermore, under the Italian G7 Presidency, “we will accelerate efforts to build safer and more resilient global value chains, for example in the semiconductor sector.” Diplomacy is the first means to achieve these goals, and our greatest resource is you diplomats. The week in which I meet our heads of mission in Washington is one of my favorite weeks of the year, and I am sure that this also applies to Antonio, also the one who represents Italy in the United States in an extraordinary way. “Ambassador Zappia,” he said. underlined.
1.40 p.m. – Zazo: “Kiev trusts in Italy, the 50 billion EU funds are fundamental”
“Ukraine, which sees Italy as a friendly country and is very grateful to us for the assistance provided, has great confidence in our G7 presidency,” said the Italian ambassador in Kiev, Pier Francesco Zazo, on the sidelines of the ambassadors' conference in Farnesina Ansa. For the immediate future of Ukraine, “important issues, in particular financial aid” from the EU must be addressed. Ukraine “received the Council's green light for accession negotiations positively,” but “obviously they are waiting for the 50 billion that are still on hold.” “We hope that the situation will be resolved in January or February,” Zazo said.
11.55 a.m. – Russian Prime Minister Mishustin is expected in China tomorrow and the day after
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin will be on a working visit to China tomorrow and the day after, the Moscow government announced, the Tass and Interfax agencies reported. “On December 19-20, 2023, the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin will visit China in accordance with the agreement reached with the Chinese side,” said the Tass press release, which said that the 28th “ordinary Meeting of the “Heads of Government of Russia and China” and Mishustin will meet both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang. In recent years, Russia and China have strengthened their political and economic ties.
11:06 a.m. – Kiev: The Russians have lots of drones that attack us every day
The Russian military is stockpiling weapons systems to attack Ukraine and has enough drones to attack the country every day. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ignat said this on public television, Ukrinform reported. “It is not easy to discover their plans, but we know that they are amassing some funds. I am referring to cruise missiles, in particular ballistic missiles, the Iskander M. It is not the first time that we have faced such events. Now that the cold season is approaching, the enemy has started using air-launched missiles, especially the Kh-101 and Kh-555. We have already seen the Iskander and S-400 missiles used in the attacks on Kiev. Now they have enough drones to attack Ukraine from different directions every day,” Ignat said.
10:46 a.m. – Mattarella: The reemergence of imperial logic is unacceptable
“The claim of a resurgence of the “imperial” logic in the third millennium is unacceptable.” Sergio Mattarella said this at the opening of the Ambassadors Conference, emphasizing that “classifying the Russian Federation's attack on Ukraine on a purely regional dimension would be a serious mistake “. Sergio Mattarella said this in his speech at the opening session of the Conference of Italian Ambassadors to the World. For the President of the Republic, “even the ideological alibi of comparison/competition between systems based on opposing lifestyles no longer helps. All that remains is the logic of arrogance.”
8:59 a.m. – Kiev: 1,090 Russian soldiers died in the last day
Russia has lost 347,160 soldiers in Ukraine since its full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported on December 18. This figure includes 1,090 casualties suffered by Russian forces over the past day.
7:22 a.m. – Putin, the last broadcast: “War against NATO?” Nonsense.” But he threatens Finland: “Now there will be problems”
(by Fabrizio Dragosei) There was little that was unknown in the vote that Putin's party members were asked to cast yesterday by their confidant Dmitry Medvedev, the former president and former prime minister. United Russia has unanimously approved the candidacy of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin for the elections on March 17, 2024, which will inevitably confirm him with a new referendum for another six years at the helm of Russia. No one had any doubts, least of all the Kremlin leader himself, who instead took the opportunity, along with an interview with one of the main television channels, to convey important messages both to the Russian people and to the leaders of Western countries who today again see them as opponents describe.
Read the article here.
7:19 a.m. – Russia-Ukraine War, the price of invasion
(by Francesco Battistini and Milena Gabanelli) After focusing on Gaza for more than two months, we're talking about Ukraine again. But when is the war? How much did it cost in lives and money?
Read data room here.
7:16 a.m. – Kiev: 5 Russian drones launched during the night shot down
Russian forces attacked Ukraine at night with five Shahed drones: they were all destroyed by air defense systems. The Ukrainian Air Force reports this on Telegram.
12:49 a.m. – A bug was discovered near the offices of the head of the Ukrainian army
The bug found in the offices of the head of the Ukrainian army, General Valeri Zaluzhny, was “not operational.” This was reported by the Kiev defense services on Telegram. In addition, the Ukrainian 007s further explain: “The equipment was not found directly in Valery Zaluzhny's office, but in one of the rooms that he could use for his work in the future.” Previously, Ukrainian media had spread the news of the discovery of the device.
00.20 – Zelensky: “Negotiations on EU membership are difficult, but we have made a decision.”
Ukraine's negotiation process to join the European Union will not be easy, but historically Kiev has made a choice. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this in his evening speech. “The negotiation process will not be easy, but the most important thing is that historically we have made a decision: Ukraine will always be part of our common European home,” Zelensky said. “We have the European Council decision that we have been working towards all year, namely the decision to open accession negotiations. “In the next few days we will officially start a process with the European Commission to assess the conformity of Ukrainian legislation with the EU,” concluded the Ukrainian President.
00:01 – Putin: “Russia will be sovereign or it will cease to exist”
“Russia will be sovereign or it will cease to exist.” Russian President Vladimir Putin said this in his speech at the 21st congress of the ruling United Russia party. “We must remember and never forget,” he added, “and teach our children: Russia will either be a sovereign and self-sufficient state or it will not exist at all.” It is a very important thing that we have in our minds and in our minds Must keep hearts.