Romania's presidential and parliamentary elections saw a strong showing for far-right politicians critical of military support for Ukraine. Anti-NATO and Russia-admiring independent candidate Calin Georgescu came in first during the initial round of the presidential vote on Nov. 24, with nearly 23%, a shock result that contradicted previous polling. Nationalist
The package will include Stinger missiles, ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), 155mm and 105mm artillery ammunition, drones, and landmines, among other equipment.
Key developments on Dec. 2: * Scholz arrives in Kyiv first time since June 2022, pledges $680 million in military support * 'We need to move faster,' Zelensky announces personnel changes in Ukrainian Armed Forces * Russia trained 300,000 reserve soldiers for war in Ukraine, Russian defense official claims * Some North
Editor’s note: Ukrainian soldiers featured in this story are identified by first name only since they spoke without authorization from their command. Nearly four months after Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk Oblast, some Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly pessimistic about the costly operation. “Aviation is
With the fate of further U.S. support for Ukraine, and thereby the future of the country, up in the air as Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, the EU wants to send the message to Kyiv that it has its back. Kaja Kallas, the EU's new
Russian presidential administration last week held a seminar for vice-governors to discuss an "image of victory" in the war against Ukraine, the Russian pro-regime Kommersant news outlet reported on Dec. 2, citing its undisclosed source.
President Volodymyr Zelensky's statement follows General Mykhailo Drapatyi's appointment as Ukraine's Ground Forces commander.
Separate talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin do not strengthen Ukraine and may lead to improving his standing, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 2 during a joint press conference with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
"The past thousand days have proven conclusively that the war in Ukraine cannot be resolved on the battlefield, and therefore the solution must be sought at the negotiating table," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.
"Their accuracy, in principle, is not very high. We understand that the technologies by which they were manufactured are outdated," Andrii Cherniak, a military intelligence spokesperson, told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Ukraine's capital for the first time since June 2022, promising to announce the delivery of 650 million euros ($680 million) worth of arms to be supplied this December.
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry condemned on Dec. 2 the violent crackdown by Georgian authorities against pro-EU protesters, saying the government's steps demonstrate a "turn toward Moscow."
Russian forces launched 110 Shahed-type drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said. Fifty-two were shot down, 50 were lost across Ukraine thanks to electronic warfare countermeasures, and six flew to Belarus and Russia, according to the statement.
Some of the North Korean soldiers deployed to fight for Russia have already been killed, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Kyodo News on Dec. 1 without revealing their numbers.
"Our army lacks the strength to do that. That is true," President Volodymyr Zelensky told Kyodo News regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Kyiv on Dec. 2 to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky and reaffirm his country's support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.
This number includes 1,790 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.
Leonid Popov, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia since 2017, was charged with espionage by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian independent outlet IStories reported on Nov. 29.
Ukraine’s new eSupport program received over 2.1 million applications on its first day of operation, including nearly half a million for children, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced on Dec. 1.
The European Union has delivered 1 million artillery shells to Ukraine, fulfilling the pledge it initially promised to deliver by the spring of 2024, the EU’s new top diplomat Kaja Kallas told the Kyiv Independent on the sidelines of her visit to Kyiv.
The United States is not considering returning to Ukraine the nuclear weapons the country previously agreed to give up under the Budapest Memorandum, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in an interview on Dec. 1.
Russia launched a total of 347 missiles as well as over 2,500 Shahed-type attack drones at Ukraine in November, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a news conference on Dec. 1.
Key Development on Nov. 30 - Dec. 1: * 'Article 5 cannot apply to entire territory of Ukraine during wartime,' Zelensky says on potential NATO invite * Russia loses almost 46,000 troops, over $3 billion worth of military equipment in November, Defense Ministry says * Ukraine destroys 3 more Russian radar
"We understand that Article 5, when you are a member of NATO, cannot apply to the entire territory of Ukraine during wartime, as countries are against the risks of being drawn into the war," Zelensky said during a news conference alongside Antonio Costa, the new President of the European Council.
In November, the Russian military lost 2,030 soldiers in one day, which is the highest rate of Russian losses in a day since Feb. 24, 2022.
Antonio Costa, the new President of the European Council, and top European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas arrived in Kyiv on a surprise visit.
The attack occurred at 8:15 a.m. local time in the Dniprovskyi district of the city. There were 15 people in the vehicle at the time of the strike.
Editor's note: This article is a shortened on-site version of KI Insights' The Week Ahead newsletter covering events from Dec. 2-Dec. 8. Sign up here to start your week with an agenda of Ukraine-related events, delivered directly to your inbox every Sunday. The NATO Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting will
Deputy Defense Minister Serhii Melnyk said that the principles of the commissions' work "have not changed for decades," and the current system is "a vestige of the old administrative approach."
Russia launched 78 drones against Ukraine overnight on Dec. 1 from the Russian cities of Kursk, Orel, and Bryansk, according to a report from Ukraine's Air Force.
This number includes 1,730 casualties Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Hungarian government sources said that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump sought Viktor Orban’s opinion on strategies to end the Ukraine war. Orban, known for his close ties with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, has openly criticized EU aid for Ukraine and obstructed sanctions against Moscow.
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