South Cas

5:38 AM

Norway allocates over $2 billion in military aid for Ukraine in 2025, Umerov says.

The defense minister met with his Norwegian counterpart on the sidelines of the Ramstein summit on Jan. 9. According to Umerov, the 2025 assistance to Ukraine will mark the largest military aid package in Norway's history.

4:57 AM

Trump says Putin wants to meet, arrangements already underway.

"(Russian President Vladimir Putin) wants to meet, and we are setting it up," Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida on Jan. 9.

4:31 AM

Moscow closely monitoring Trump's Greenland ambitions, Kremlin claims.

"We are interested in preserving the atmosphere of peace and stability in the Arctic zone. We are watching the rather dramatic development of the situation very closely," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said following U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's comments about taking over Greenland.

2:39 AM

Russia's deployment of North Korean troops in Ukraine signals Putin's desperation, Austin says.

Russia has endured over 700,000 casualties since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022—more than in all of Moscow’s conflicts since World War II combined, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Jan. 9.

12:55 AM

Canada to allocate $305 million in military assistance to Ukraine.

The announcement includes $138 million (CAD $200 million) allocated to Czechia’s initiative for procuring and delivering large-calibre ammunition to Ukraine.

11:54 PM

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine's 47th Brigade releases video of 'massive' Russian attack repelled in Kursk Oblast.

11:32 PM

Trump revises Ukraine peace timeline, FT reports.

"The whole [Trump] team is obsessed with strength and looking strong, so they’re recalibrating the Ukraine approach," one European official told the Financial Times.

5:33 PM  (Updated:  January 9, 2025 11:17 pm)

UPDATE: Russian airstrike on Zaporizhzhia industrial site kills 13, injures 122.

The attack killed 13 people and injured 122, including a child, according to State Emergency Service. Search and rescue operations have now been completed.

11:16 PM

Syria reportedly blocks evacuation of Russian military equipment from naval base.

The Sparta II, a Russian cargo ship under U.S. sanctions, has been drifting near Tartus since Jan. 5 after leaving Baltiysk in Kaliningrad Oblast on Dec. 11, according to the Moscow Times.

10:06 PM

EU ready to lead in Ukraine support if US steps back, chief diplomat says.

"If the United States is not ready for it, the European Union is ready to take the lead," Kallas said.

9:19 PM

Field report

‘He’s mine’ – How Ukraine's ace drone unit hunts Russian soldiers near Kupiansk

8:42 PM

Zelensky, NATO chief discuss air defense, arms production at Ramstein meeting.

Zelensky emphasized involving NATO members in purchasing Ukrainian weapons under a model pioneered by Denmark. The Danish government became the first country to offer to donate arms to Ukraine via direct purchases from the Ukrainian defense industry, as Kyiv's defense budget does not match the capacities of domestic weapons production.

7:49 PM

Business

Russia’s gas sector is running out of options after end of transit deal

7:20 PM

Slovak PM threatens Ukraine with aid cuts over halted Russian gas transit.

Fico said that Slovakia could halt its humanitarian aid to Ukraine, cut or cancel social benefits for Ukrainian refugees, and cease emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine. He also suggested using veto power over EU decisions as leverage against Kyiv.

6:18 PM

4,000 North Korean troops killed or wounded fighting against Ukraine, Zelensky claims.

"Putin is not just maintaining his investment in aggression. He's doubling down. He's even started hiring soldiers from North Korea to keep this war going," Zelensky said.

5:17 PM

Ukraine offers defense industry jobs, draft exemptions for citizens abroad, minister says.

"We have a shortage of professionals, and Ukraine is ready to exempt most of them from military service," Chernyshov said.

4:08 PM

Ukraine Reforms Tracker Weekly — Issue 8

4:02 PM

Kyiv, Washington in talks on licensing air defense production in Ukraine, Zelensky says.

Zelensky made this statement at the opening of the 25th Ramstein summit, which was dedicated to strengthening Ukraine's defenses, particularly its air defense.

3:48 PM

Russia paid Taliban $200,000 per killed US, coalition soldier, media investigation says.

The joint media investigation sheds fresh details on reports of Russia-sponsored killings of U.S. soldiers that first surfaced in 2020, including names of Russian intelligence officers and their local collaborators involved.

3:35 PM

Denmark, Norway to buy $183 million in arms for Kyiv from Ukrainian manufacturers in 2025.

Denmark has reserved 135 million euros ($139 million) for further purchases under the "Danish model," buying arms for Ukraine directly from Ukrainian arms manufacturers. Norway is expected to contribute another 43 million euros ($44 million) to this initiative.

2:48 PM

Ukraine's 47th Brigade releases video of 'massive' Russian attack repelled in Kursk Oblast.

Russia deployed "a huge number of soldiers," with Ukrainian forces killing 45 troops and injuring 53, Ukraine's 47th Mechanized Brigade claimed.

2:33 PM

Zelensky to meet with Italian PM, president in Italy after Ramstein summit, media reports.

Ukraine's president will travel to Italy on Jan. 9 following the Ramstein summit in Germany.

1:55 PM

Russian forces 2 km from Kupiansk's outskirts, official says.

The situation in the town is "very difficult," Andrii Besedin, head of the Kupiansk town military administration, said.

1:41 PM

Biden administration unveils its last $500 million aid package for Ukraine before Trump takes office.

The package is expected to be the final U.S. defense tranche provided by the Biden administration before Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

1:03 PM

'It would be crazy to drop the ball now' — Zelensky urges continued unity, support for Ukraine at Ramstein.

President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to hold a series of bilateral meetings during the summit, which could be the group's last meeting in the current format.