German Chancellor Merz:

As long as I have a say, we will not repeat the mistakes of 2014 by allowing Ukraine to remain exposed to Russia without security guarantees.

German Chancellor Merz:

Russia is already attacking us every day — with drone overflights, assassinations, sabotage, espionage, cyberattacks, and targeted disinformation.

German Chancellor Merz:

We must not stand by and watch as the world is reordered.

We are not a pawn of great powers.

Zelensky:

Today we heard new signals from Moscow that Russia is preparing 2026 as a year of war.

These signals are not only for us. Our partners must see them, and respond, including in the United States, where some still claim Russia wants to end the war.

German Chancellor Merz:

The decisive question is whether the European Union can make the frozen Russian state assets usable for Ukraine’s defense.

We are talking about up to 90 billion Euros, which according to our assessment would be sufficient to finance the Ukrainian Armed Forces for at least two more years.

We are not doing this to prolong the war, but to end it, and to make clear to Russia that continuing this war is futile.

NEW: Iran confirms the dismissal of its Air Force commander.

Khamenei appointed Brig. Gen. Bahman Behmard as the new commander, following assessments of the military’s performance during the June war with Israel and the United States.

Further senior dismissals are rumored.

Merz: Germany Is No One’s Pawn

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Europe must not act as a pawn of great powers while defending military support for Ukraine and Israel.

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Ursula von der Leyen:

Jewish history is European history. Jewish culture is European culture, and Jewish life must be able to flourish for Europe to flourish fully.

Ursula von der Leyen:

The night around us has indeed grown dark. The old evil is once again rearing its head.

There can be no place for the poison of anti-semitism, especially in Europe.

Ukraine’s Economy Near Bankruptcy

Ukraine risks a severe fiscal crisis without €137 billion in external funding for 2026–2027.

European leaders are now debating unprecedented measures to prevent state insolvency while sustaining Ukraine’s war effort.

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Ursula von der Leyen:

Europe must be responsible for its own security.

This is no longer an option. This is a must.

Pakistan Launches Fourth Hangor-Class Submarine

The Hangor-class program is Pakistan’s largest naval procurement initiative, combining Chinese construction with technology transfer to Pakistan’s domestic shipbuilding industry.

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Ursula von der Leyen:

We need to develop and deploy new capabilities so that we can fight a modern hybrid war.

The UK will rejoin the Erasmus student exchange scheme from 2027, six years after leaving it post-Brexit.

📸 Maduro shows up wearing a cap that reads, “NO WAR, YES PEACE.”

BREAKING: The U.S. Senate votes to lift sanctions imposed under the Caesar Act on Syria.

Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol tried to provoke North Korea into military action to justify declaring martial law in December 2024, a special prosecutor said.

Prosecutors indicted Yoon and 23 others, including former cabinet members, on insurrection charges, alleging a long-running plot to suspend parliament and eliminate political opponents.

Source: Reuters

Italy Rules Out Soldiers for Ukraine

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni ruled out deploying Italian troops to Ukraine.

She outlined three security models under discussion.

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Von der Leyen Calls For European Security Autonomy

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Europe must take responsibility for its own security, confront antisemitism, and prepare for modern hybrid warfare.

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A viral AI-generated video falsely claiming that French President Macron had been overthrown was convincing enough to prompt an African head of state to contact him directly for clarification.

The fake breaking-news clip, showing staged scenes of soldiers and police in Paris, drew around 13 million views. Despite being reported, Meta initially refused to remove it, saying it did not breach its rules.

Macron later warned that such misinformation can disrupt international relations and expose governments’ limited control over major tech platforms.

Source: France 24

Poland will begin producing anti-personnel mines for the first time since the Cold War, deploying them along its eastern border with Belarus and Russia as part of its “East Shield” defence programme.

Production could start in 2026 after Poland completes its withdrawal from the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning such weapons.

Source: Reuters