Just four days before Donald Trump's arrival at the White House, Keir Starmer has shown support for Ukraine on his first visit to Kiev as the British Prime Minister. The Prime Minister has signed a commitment with Volodymyr Zelenski to help ensure the country's security, a "100-Year Partnership" treaty covering defense, science, energy, and trade areas.
Hours after Starmer's arrival, an explosion was heard in Kiev and air defenses were activated. City authorities reported no casualties, but a car was damaged by drone debris.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has attacked an explosives factory in the Tambov region. It is a "key infrastructure of the Russian military-industrial complex," according to a senior Ukrainian official, producing ammunition for small arms, artillery, and missile systems.
Blinken Urges Trump to Ensure Ukraine Ceasefire Is "Durable"
U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, urged the incoming Trump Administration on Thursday to ensure that the ceasefire agreement the next president aims to achieve in Ukraine is truly "durable."
"One of the most important things here is that if there is a ceasefire, it should be lasting and maintained," stated the U.S. Secretary of State in his latest press conference.
According to Blinken, this is crucial because, as he warned, Russian President, Vladimir Putin, "will want to diminish it" and "attack when he feels it's the right time." "An effective ceasefire agreement with the necessary deterrence must be achieved so that Russia does not attack again," he cautioned.
Trump's Treasury Nominee, Bessent, Calls for Stronger Sanctions Against Russia for the War in Ukraine
Scott Bessent, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump as Treasury Secretary, expressed full support for increasing sanctions against Russian oil producers if requested by the future president.
Bessent stated before the Senate Finance Committee that he believes the sanctions imposed on Russia by the Biden administration "were not strong enough."
"If any Russian Federation official is watching this confirmation hearing, they should know that if I am confirmed, and if President Trump requests it as part of his strategy to end the war in Ukraine, I will be fully willing to escalate sanctions, especially against major Russian oil companies, to levels that bring the Russian Federation to the negotiating table," Bessent affirmed.
The nominee also described the situation in Ukraine as "one of the greatest tragedies of my adult life" and expressed his desire to contribute from the Treasury to end it as soon as possible if confirmed.
Kremlin Awaits Trump's First Call to Putin
Russia is not eagerly anticipating the first call from U.S. President, Donald Trump, to his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin stated on Thursday, just days before the new occupant of the White House is inaugurated.
"Usually, the incoming president or head of government is the one who makes the first phone call," said Yuri Ushakov, Kremlin's advisor for international affairs, on Russian television.
Ushakov added, "I don't want the impression that Moscow is sitting around waiting for Washington's phone call." "No, we are calmly waiting for Trump's team to take office and for Trump to enter the Oval Office. After that, we'll see," he remarked regarding the January 20 ceremony.
Robles Reminds That Ukraine Is Still in a Devastating War
Spain's Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, reaffirmed today the "commitment of Spain to Ukraine" and emphasized that "we should not forget that a few kilometers from here, there is a country being bombed, with much suffering," immersed in a "very cruel war."
Robles, who visited the Military Social Action Rest Residence in Castellón today, where 50 family members of Ukrainian military personnel invited by the Ministry of Defense are staying, stated that the Spanish people are supportive and hope for a "fair and lasting peace, always in support of the Ukrainian people."
Therefore, today the minister surrounded herself with the families of some of the fighters who are still on the front line, while their wives and children are staying at this residence in Castellón de la Plana.
Norwegian F-35 Jets Deployed After Russian Aircraft Incursion into Polish Airspace
Two Norwegian F-35 jets stationed in Poland were deployed on Wednesday in response to a "large number of Russian aircraft" entering Polish airspace, NATO's air command reported on Thursday on the X social media platform.
This was the first time Norwegian F-35s were used in Polish airspace after being sent there last December.
Ukrainian Official Sentenced for Collaborating with Russia
A local Ukrainian official has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for "cooperating" with Russian forces during the occupation of his city, the national prosecutor's office announced on Thursday.
This district council member in the Sumy region, bordering Russia and located in northeastern Ukraine, was found guilty of "high treason," according to the same source, which did not disclose his identity.
Convictions for "collaboration" have increased in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion almost three years ago.
EU to Allocate More Humanitarian Funds to Ukraine in 2025, Reducing Aid for Africa
The European Union announced on Thursday its annual allocations for humanitarian aid in 2025, highlighting an increase in aid to Ukraine and a slight reduction for Africa and Asia, while the Middle East remains stable despite the crisis in Gaza and Syria.
The initial budget announced by the European Commission for 2025 amounts to 1.9 billion, an increase of 100 million compared to the previous year, with allocations distributed similarly but with an improvement for Ukraine at the expense of aid to Africa.
Specifically, the EU reserves 140 million for Ukraine, as it enters its third year of war against Russia, with an additional 8 million for neighboring Moldova, which is bearing the consequences of the invasion launched by Vladimir Putin in February 2022. Last year, the allocation for the European neighborhood, including Ukraine, was 115 million.
WHO Calls for $1.5 Billion to Address Health Emergencies in 2025
Conflicts, natural disasters, and epidemic outbreaks will lead to about 300 million people requiring humanitarian aid, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday, requesting governments, companies, and other donors to provide $1.5 billion to address these emergencies.
"WHO alone cannot respond to the challenges we face, so we need the international community to step up and commit," stated the director-general of the UN health agency, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a press conference to launch this appeal.
The amount, identical to the one requested last year (but only covered 40% in 2024), aims to assist vulnerable populations in conflicts such as those in Gaza, Ukraine, or Sudan, as well as victims of climate disasters in a world where global warming increases the frequency of such events.
UN Calls for $3.32 Billion for Humanitarian Needs in Ukraine in 2025
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, made an appeal on Thursday in Kiev to the international community to maintain its support for Ukrainians affected by the war and called for mobilizing $3.32 billion (about ¤3.224 billion) to assist the 8.2 million people in need of assistance inside and outside the country.
"It is not the time to forget the millions of Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes and, in many cases, their country," said the High Commissioner in the Ukrainian capital after visiting several front-line regions and meeting with victims of the Russian military invasion.