Political news from Kyiv region, government decisions and Ukraine politics
A Russian researcher from the Hermitage was detained in Poland on suspicion of illegal excavations in Crimea. He refused to give testimony; a court remanded him in custody for 40 days. An extradition request is expected.
During a speech at the White House, Donald Trump said that 82% of Ukrainians want a peace agreement and stressed the need for elections; he did not provide details of the poll and urged Volodymyr Zelensky to be realistic.
On the night of December 11, drones struck energy facilities in Kremenchuk district and in Odesa region. Fires broke out and infrastructure was damaged; emergency responders were dealing with the aftermath with the participation of a firefighting train and more than 50 firefighters.
The day after Donald Trump's statement, President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with lawmakers the question of holding elections during martial law, emphasizing the need for clear answers to security and legal issues.
Eileen Higgins defeated Republican Emilio Gonzalez, who was backed by Donald Trump. She will become Miami's first female mayor, leading her opponent by about 19 percentage points and giving Democrats momentum ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
In its annual assessment, one of Denmark’s main intelligence services notes that the United States is increasingly employing economic and technological power as an instrument of influence. At the same time, the primary risks remain Russia and China; the Baltic region faces a high military risk.
The Ministry of Culture has determined that the attackers left the scene of the robbery 30 seconds before police arrived; failures were detected in the video surveillance system, the dispatch service and security coordination. The jewelry is valued at €88 million.
On 9 December in Ukraine, 28-year-old Lance Corporal George Guli of the Parachute Regiment was killed. The UK Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident occurred away from the front line while he was observing the testing of new weaponry.
The Trump administration is demanding that the International Criminal Court amend the Rome Statute and provide written guarantees that the court will not investigate the actions of the president, the vice president and other officials; it is also asking that two other cases be dropped.
The Chancellery of the President of Poland said it was in talks with Kyiv regarding a possible visit by Volodymyr Zelensky to Warsaw. At the same time, it denied reports of a meeting in the Volyn region.
The Main Directorate of Intelligence warns of the deployment of UAV production in Transnistria, the removal of weapons from storage and mobilization measures; the risk of sabotage groups infiltrating Ukraine is increasing.
Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi reported that Ukrainian forces have switched to a corps-level command model, are adjusting unit complements to match the actual makeup of the corps, and have begun rotating brigades where the combat situation allows.
Senator Richard Blumenthal has called for the replacement of Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, alleging they are biased in favor of Russia. He has also criticized the one-sided nature of the negotiations and the actions of the U.S. administration.
Politico named Trump the most influential person in Europe. Putin placed fifth as a "provocateur," Zelensky 14th as a "joker in the deck." The publication recalled an anti-corruption scandal in Ukraine and an attempt to curb the independence of NABU and the SAP.
Zelensky said he was ready to hold elections in response to Trump's remarks. The U.S. president said it was time to hold elections in Ukraine, since they had not been held for a long time. This was voiced during negotiations over a peace plan.
Lithuania has declared a state of emergency over ongoing attacks by balloons carrying contraband from Belarus. Since October, Vilnius Airport has been closed for a total of 60 hours; more than 300 flights and 47,000 passengers have been affected.
Tokyo refused to use about $30 billion of Russian assets frozen in Japan as a loan to Ukraine. The finance minister cites legal obstacles, but officials link the decision to the U.S. stance.
Zelensky said he trusts the American allies in negotiations to end the war. The United States genuinely seeks to stop the conflict, but has its own vision. For Ukraine, it is important not only to end the war, but also to secure conditions that prevent its recurrence.
Non‑pro‑Ukrainian items were removed from the American peace plan. Zelensky confirmed the document was shortened from 28 to 20 points. No compromise on territorial issues has yet been found; the United States is intent on seeking an agreement.
The Kremlin approved the new U.S. National Security Strategy, calling it "aligned with our view." Peskov praised Trump for shifting foreign policy and for rejecting the portrayal of Russia as an adversary. European politicians condemned the document.
Zelensky said that participants in the negotiations do not have a shared vision for Donbas. The United States, Russia and Ukraine see the future of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions differently. Kyiv is insisting on a separate agreement on security guarantees.
The concept of the "red line" originates from the Battle of Balaclava in 1854, when the 93rd Scottish Regiment halted a Russian attack. A thin line of riflemen in red uniforms became the symbol of the final line of defense in international politics.
The mission of Witkoff and Kushner failed due to a lack of diplomatic competence. Trump entrusted negotiations with Putin to a developer and an investor, demonstrating the Dunning–Kruger effect at the level of the U.S. president.
Trump unveiled the National Security Strategy with a focus on the Western Hemisphere. The document calls for bolstering the U.S. military presence in the region to combat drugs and migration and contains harsh criticism of Europe.
The Netherlands, Spain and Ireland have declined to participate in Eurovision 2026 after members of the European Broadcasting Union voted to allow Israel to take part and approved new rules to safeguard the contest’s integrity.
The National Olympic Committee, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Federation of Skating Sports have appealed to the IOC and the ISU, calling on them to review the eligibility of Petro Humennyk and Adelya Petrosyan for international competitions, including the 2026 Olympics, because of their support for the war.
The Trump administration cannot end the war in Ukraine due to a lack of a clear decision-making process. Several of the president’s advisers are acting independently, resulting in chaos in talks with Russia and conflicting peace plans.
After meeting with Xi Jinping, Emmanuel Macron proposed a temporary halt to strikes on critical infrastructure and asked Beijing to use its influence on Moscow. The article also mentions attempts at an energy truce and shelling by both sides.
An investigation confirmed that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth risked the security of American service members by transmitting secret attack plans via Signal. He sent details of strikes on Yemen to unauthorized individuals, including a journalist.
The release of two of Trump's strategic national-security documents was delayed amid disputes over wording on China. The Treasury Secretary demanded that the rhetoric be toned down because of trade talks with Beijing.