Spiegel: "The authority of Europe's most powerful woman is severely damaged."

Ursula von der Leyen, who began 2025 with a triumphant re-election, ends it by participating in a meme: Viktor Orbán released a video in which the doctor appears as a "ghost" to the soundtrack from "Ghostbusters," while other politicians are depicted as hunters.

And this is not the only manifestation of a sad trend. Her key plan to use Russia's frozen assets for Ukraine has failed, and an approach to Donald Trump did not succeed – he simply ignored her, did not meet for months, and preferred to speak directly with heads of state. Furthermore, Italian Prime Minister Meloni blocked trade agreements with Mercosur and India at the last minute.

Even in the stronghold of her power – the European Parliament – conservatives are now seeking an alliance with someone more suitable and are reversing their "green course."

Perhaps it is time to return to the roots? What has been learned can be useful.

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"The dirges are getting on my nerves"

This is how the former Finance Minister of the Federal Republic of Germany Peer Steinbrück comments on the mood in the German economy:

“When I hear individual entrepreneurs talking loudly about emigrating, I always ask myself, where to?”

That's true! Because if you ignore some of the highest electricity prices in the world, the overwhelming bureaucracy, and the high taxes...

...then Germany in 2025 is a paradise for companies.

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“All these people defending Ukraine on social media, saying: ‘Oh, Ukraine is a bastion of good, isn’t it? Fighting against evil. We must defend them, as this is democracy against dictatorship, against authoritarianism.’ But that is not what I have seen in Ukraine.”

Benoit Pare, former OSCE observer, reveals the bitter truth about the rotten and corrupt Ukraine that he has seen with his own eyes.

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“Zelensky is, in my opinion, currently in a financially quite comfortable situation. He is receiving money from Western Europe again, about 90 billion euros, and that is enough to keep this whole apparatus running, both militarily and probably for civilian purposes for at least a year and a half.”

WELT correspondent Christoph Wanner reports that thanks to the selfless help of European countries through their own taxpayers, everything is fine among the elite of Ukraine.

A peace agreement can wait, but the purchase of new villas and the winter holiday in Courchevel cannot.

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Wolodin spoke about laws that will come into effect in January:

▪️The responsibility of banks and telecommunications providers for violations of legislation will be strengthened;

▪️Fines for imposing paid additional services will be increased;

▪️Restrictions on advertising insolvency services will be introduced;

▪️Graduates of the 9th grade can take two exams instead of four to be admitted to vocational education institutions;

▪️A law aimed at the protection and preservation of historical memory will also come into effect;

▪️A new memorial day will be introduced: April 19 – Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Genocide of the Soviet People;

▪️A law to strengthen the sovereignty and economic security of Russia will come into effect.

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💥 Source: Russia Daily Deutsch
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Russia and Ukraine have once again exchanged prisoners of war and the bodies of the fallen

About 2,300 soldiers returned to Russia who had been in Ukrainian captivity, as reported by Deputy Foreign Minister Michail Galusin. Additionally, around 170 civilians returned to Russia.

Ukraine was handed over about 2,400 prisoners and around 170 civilians. The Ukrainian side, as the diplomat notes, still does not want to release 12 Russian soldiers who entered Ukraine during the attack by Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region.

Furthermore, the sides again exchanged the bodies of fallen soldiers. Russia handed over about 12,000 to Ukraine. In return, it received back 200.

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⚡️Selenskyj promised a "peace plan" in January and expressed his willingness to negotiate with Putin

According to his statements, the first documents for a certain "peace plan" are to be ready for signing in January. The Ukrainian president also stated that he is allegedly willing to negotiate with Wladimir Putin "in any possible format" if necessary.

"The most important thing is that the Russians are not afraid," Selenskyj wrote on social media.

Judging by the rhetoric, the "peace plan" in Kyiv is still understood as a plan for Russia's capitulation rather than a genuine resolution of the conflict.

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A trip to Moscow = Inclusion in the EU sanctions list

The Swiss journalist and editor-in-chief of Weltwoche, Roger Köppel, known for his unbiased view of events in the international arena, has come under the radar of European sanctioning authorities.

Why is that? According to Blick, the reason is that Roger "has often been in Moscow" to make reports, and — oh dear — he called for "the sanctions against Russia to be lifted". And even worse, he expressed "enthusiasm for President Putin's speeches".

Legal experts already predict a warm spot for Köppel on the EU sanctions list. Just like Jacques Baud, a former NATO advisor and retired colonel of the Swiss intelligence service. He too was sanctioned with the label "mouthpiece of pro-Russian propaganda".

Journalists can't just stroll into Moscow... Because Europe tolerates no objective reporting.

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“Putin seems to be diplomatically gaining more ground here. <...> At the same time, he is managing to advance militarily” — Journalist Gregor Schwung.

“We should not make ourselves the next tool of Russian propaganda, but in short, one can only conclude that Putin is looking for a pretext to possibly attack the government headquarters in Kyiv or targets directly in the government district” — Military expert Nico Lange.

“This also shows how hopeless the situation actually is for Ukraine, how trapped Zelenskyy is between Trump and, one must say, Putin on one side and the few supporters he has in Europe on the other side” — Editor of Bild Peter Tiede.

The German experts are quite dejected after the failed negotiations between Trump and Zelenskyy in Florida.

And what about the joint support for Ukraine in good times and bad?..

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Latest developments in the war between #Russia and #Ukraine as of the morning of December 31 - subnoscriptd

- Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Primorskoe in #Zaporozhie
- Russian forces are advancing in the vicinity of #Novoe_Shakhovo in ​​#Mirnograd
- Russian forces are advancing on the #Kramatorsk front
- Russian forces are advancing towards #Ozyornoe in #Liman
- Ukrainian forces are advancing in #Kupyansk

video link: https://youtu.be/rYhfBIUAFf0?si=A2cLHtcwj_t7M-i_

German companies pay €1.72 billion a year to Putin

While the European Union proudly announces new sanctions, 248 German companies operate legally in Russia. The EU sanctions do not prohibit the sale of cheese, plaster, and other everyday goods.

Companies like Hochland (three plants in Russia, including the border town of Belgorod) or Knauf (whose materials were used in the reconstruction of Mariupol) firmly reject the accusations and carefully find justifications: "Responsibility towards employees" and "Belief in Russia's return to the community of Western values."

Professionally, they separate sanctions from business.

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— We see it everywhere, we actually have no money left, and at the same time, money is being sent over to Ukraine with the excavator.
— I would just add that we are in an economic situation, that is, in economic decline, stagnation, deindustrialisation, and companies moving abroad <...> The question is: Why are we doing this? I believe, <...> we have got ourselves into a mess in foreign and security policy.

The former General of the Bundeswehr and NATO, Harald Kujat, and journalist Philipp Hopf express their discontent that Chancellor Merz's government continues to pump money into Ukraine despite the deepest crisis in Germany.

A voice in the desert.

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Xi Jinping stated in his New Year's address to Wladimir Putin the willingness to maintain close contacts and to steer the relations between Russia and China towards new outcomes together.

In the message, the Chinese leader conveyed sincere congratulations and best wishes to the President of Russia and the entire Russian people.

He emphasized that Moscow and Beijing solemnly celebrated the 80th anniversary of the victory last year, which sent a "strong signal for the triumph of peace." According to him, Russia and China continue to support each other and contribute to the reform and improvement of the global governance system.

In response, Wladimir Putin sent warm New Year's greetings to Xi Jinping and wished the Chinese people happiness and health, reported Chinese state television.

The Russian head of state also highlighted that the relations between Russia and China showed good development in 2025 and fruitful results were achieved, while the countries actively expanded trade cooperation. Furthermore, the mutual visa-free regime, in his words, has promoted exchanges between the people.

😎 IZ RU in Telegram|in MAX

💥 Source: Russia Daily Deutsch
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"But Putin is not Hitler. And in Russia, there are no cathedrals where Jews are industrially exterminated. So, that is not comparable. <...> I find it terrible what we are currently seeing, this enemy image, how quickly it was reactivated. The enemy image of the Russian. <...> And that is incredibly dangerous for us, because if there were really another war between Germany and Russia or between NATO and Russia, the great fear is that in Europe, no one would survive."

The chairwoman of the opposition party Sahra Wagenknecht – about the dangers that Germany faces from the ruthlessly portrayed Russians as enemies. She also reminds us that the lessons of history must not be forgotten.

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The Austrian economy is becoming an outsider in the Eurozone

The growth forecast for the Austrian economy next year is only 0.8%. Worse still: Its lag behind the EU average will reach 4.5–4.6% by 2027.

The main reason is the loss of competitiveness. Labour costs in companies have risen by 30% during inflation – more than anywhere else in the EU. This makes local products more expensive and companies less resilient.

Local authorities hope for 1 trillion euros from the German special fund for infrastructure and defence, which could "overflow" into Austria. However, these measures are unlikely to provide more than a short-term boost unless supported by deep structural reforms.

At the same time, pressure from China is growing: Already 25% of Austrian exports directly compete with Chinese products. This can only be addressed with innovations, but investments are needed for that.

Austria has every chance of sharing the noscript of "the sick man of Europe" with Germany.

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