Monday, December 11, 2023

1810 GMT –– Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that Ukraine is counting on the United States and that military aid delays are "dreams come true" for Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

"Putin must lose," Zelenskyy said in a speech at the National Defence University in Washington. "You can count on Ukraine, and we hope just as much to be able to count on you."

In a reference to congressional wrangling over a new military assistance package to Ukraine, he said "if there's anyone inspired by unresolved issues on Capitol Hill, it's just Putin and his sick clique.

"They see their dreams come true when they see the delays or some scandals and… when the support of the freedom fighters goes down," said Zelenskyy, who is to meet President Joe Biden on Tuesday.

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1358 GMT –– Sweden to send $133.5M in financial support to Ukraine

Sweden will send financial support worth $133.5 million to Ukraine, the prime minister has announced.

The winter assistance worth $133.5 million is set to be spent on heating, electricity, health, and housing, Ulf Kristersson said in a news conference in Stockholm.

A part of $85.7 million will be transferred to Ukraine via the World Bank, he added.

1200 GMT ––Scholz calls for Ukraine backing as aid wobbles

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called on Western allies to send a "message" to Russian President Vladimir Putin by renewing their support for Ukraine, as political divisions threatened to hold up aid.

Russia's war in Ukraine would likely "drag on for a long time", Scholz said at a press conference.

"That is why it is important to formulate a long-term perspective that we are prepared to support Ukraine for as long as it is necessary and to the extent it is necessary," said Scholz, speaking alongside his Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte.

Putin was "hoping the readiness in our countries to do what is necessary and to formulate the necessary support diminishes", Scholz said.

"It would be a very important message if we told him: don't count on it."

1725 GMT –– IMF chief Georgieva to meet with Ukraine's Zelenskyy

International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Kristalina Georgieva will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Washington, an IMF spokesperson has said, as the fund's executive board prepared to release more funds from the country's $15.6 billion loan program.

An IMF spokesperson confirmed Georgieva's meeting with Zelenskyy but gave no time for that meeting or the meeting where the IMF board will review Kiev's progress on a four-year Extended Fund Facility loan approved earlier this year.

The IMF last month announced a staff-level agreement with Ukraine on updated economic and financial policies, paving the way for a $900 million disbursement, once it is finalised by the board.

1707 GMT –– White House: Seeing increased missile, drone attacks by Russians in Ukraine

Russia is increasing its missile and drone attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine and the White House expects Moscow to target energy facilities as winter approaches, national security spokesman John Kirby has told reporters.

Kirby said US President Joe Biden, who will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiyy at the White House on Tuesday, would continue to make the case for Congress to approve more aid for Ukraine.

He said Washington also expected to announce additional military aid for Ukraine before the end of the month.

"We don't have too many more weeks left in this year to be able to provide security assistance, so I would fully expect that you're going to see us announce additional security assistance before the end of the month," he told reporters aboard Air Force One.

0922 GMT –– EU split on membership to have 'devastating consequences' – Kiev

Ukraine's foreign minister warned European Union leaders that if they fail to agree to open membership talks with Kiev at their summit this week it will have "devastating consequences."

"I cannot imagine," Dmytro Kuleba told reporters in Brussels. "I don't even want to talk about the devastating consequences that will occur shall the Council fail to make this decision."

Kuleba was in Brussels to attend a meeting of EU foreign ministers ahead of Thursday's summit of European leaders, which is due to decide whether to open formal membership talks with Ukraine and other candidate countries.

Ukraine's hopes for formal negotiations have broad support in Europe, keen to demonstrate solidarity with Kiev amid Russia's military offensive, but Hungary has threatened to veto any decision this week.

0832 GMT –– EU partners push Hungary not to block Ukraine support

The EU's foreign policy chief urged the bloc to ramp up its backing for Ukraine, as Hungary threatens to veto more support for the war-torn nation at a summit this week.

Fears that European support for Ukraine could be derailed are growing at the same time as the backing of Kiev's key ally the United States has been thrown into doubt by opposition from Republicans in the US Congress.

"I hope that European unity will not be broken, because this isn't the moment to weaken our support to Ukraine," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said ahead of a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.

0813 GMT — UK sends Ukraine two minehunters to counter Russia's sea mines

Britain has said it would transfer two Royal Navy minehunter ships to the Ukrainian Navy, as it sets up a new maritime defence coalition alongside Norway to help strengthen Ukraine's sea operations.

Britain said the two Sandown Class mine countermeasures vessels will enable Ukraine to better counter the threat from Russian sea mines, aiming to restore Ukraine's export routes via the Black Sea.

The transfer of the vessels was announced alongside the launch of the Maritime Capability Coalition set up by Britain and Norway to improve Ukraine's navy to make it more compatible with western allies and increase security in the Black Sea.

0434 GMT — Air force shoots down eight Kiev-bound missiles: Ukraine

Ukrainian forces have shot down eight Russian missiles headed for the capital Kiev on Monday morning, the air force said.

"The Russian invaders launched a missile attack on Kiev region" at about 4:00 am local time (0200 GMT), Ukraine's air force said, adding that "air defence destroyed eight air targets that were flying in the direction of the capital."

Missile fragments fell in the eastern Darnytskyi district of the city, injuring four people, according to the military administration.

For our live updates from Sunday (December 10), click here.