Peace negotiations in Ukraine could “start” this winter, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, December 10, as Warsaw takes over the rotating presidency of the EU in January. A sign of Poland’s importance on the international scene, particularly since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory, French President Emmanuel Macron will travel to Ukraine this Thursday to inform the head of the Polish government of the results of the discussions” which took place last weekend in Paris between Macron, Trump and Zelensky.
Information to remember:
⇒ Russian assets: Washington releases $20 billion loan to Ukraine
⇒ Peace negotiations in Ukraine could begin this winter, according to Donald Tusk
⇒ Zelensky “grateful” to Trump for his “strong determination” to stop the war
Russian assets: Washington releases $20 billion loan to Ukraine
Washington announced this Tuesday the release of 20 billion dollars for Ukraine, as part of a loan of 50 billion dollars promised by the G7 countries, and which will be repaid by the interest on Russian assets frozen due to the sanctions.
“The United States has followed through on its October commitment (…), by transferring these funds” to the World Bank fund dedicated to Ukraine, “through which they will be made available of Ukraine,” the US Treasury Department said in a statement.
At least two dead and 16 injured in Russian strike on Zaporizhzhia
At least two people were killed and 16 others injured Tuesday in a Russian missile strike that “destroyed” a private clinic in the town of Zaporizhia, in southern Ukraine, a death toll likely to rise, according to the authorities.
The attack took place early in the afternoon, affecting “civilian infrastructure” in the city center of Zaporizhia, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Telegram.
Ukraine peace talks could begin this winter, says Donald Tusk
Peace negotiations in Ukraine could “start” this winter, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Tuesday, as Warsaw takes over the rotating presidency of the EU in January.
“Our presidency will be co-responsible, among other things, for what the political landscape will be, for what the situation will be perhaps during the (peace) negotiations, which, again there are question marks, will begin maybe in winter this year,” Donald Tusk told reporters.
After his meeting with Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, Emmanuel Macron visits Poland on Thursday
French President Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Poland this Thursday to take stock of his meeting with US President-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Polish Prime Minister said on Tuesday.
According to Donald Tusk, the French president “will want to inform us of the results of the discussions” which took place in Paris between Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, during a meeting which he described as “brief but important”.
Volodymyr Zelensky ‘grateful’ to Donald Trump for his ‘strong determination’ to stop the war
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed this Tuesday his “deep gratitude” to Donald Trump for “his strong determination” to end the war with Russia, after meeting last Saturday with the American president-elect in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron hosted talks with Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump at the Elysée Palace on Saturday, as fears grow in Ukraine over the level of military support the country will receive from the new American administration.
“The most important thing is to work together to end this war – this is our top priority. At the meeting in Paris, this is exactly what we focused on,” Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on X. I reiterate my gratitude to President Macron for organizing this meeting, as well as my deep appreciation to President Trump for his firm determination to end this war in a fair manner,” added the Ukrainian leader.
Ukraine: three dead in Russian strikes in the East and South
Three people were killed and at least 17 others injured in Russian bombings on towns near the front line in eastern and southern Ukraine, authorities said on Tuesday.
Two people died and six others were injured in the last 24 hours in the part of the Donetsk region controlled by kyiv forces, Vadym Filachkin, governor of this territory, said on Telegram. Nearly 360 people, including 49 children, were also evacuated from the front line in this region, he added.
In the southern region of Kherson, also partially occupied, one person has been killed and eleven injured since Monday morning, according to regional authorities.
Volodymyr Zelensky calls for “stronger” support from Berlin for German election favorite
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded this Monday “stronger actions” from Berlin in its support for kyiv by receiving Friedrich Merz, favorite of the German legislative elections, who said he was a priori in favor of sending long-range Taurus missiles to Ukraine. kyiv has been asking Berlin for months to deliver these long-range cruise missiles, but the current Social Democratic Chancellor Olaf Scholz still refuses for fear of an escalation with Russia.
“We are counting on stronger and more decisive actions from Germany, from you personally,” Volodymyr Zelensky insisted during a joint press conference with Friedrich Merz, visiting Kiev. The Ukrainian president notably said he “hopes” for a decision from Berlin to “increase” kyiv’s “long-range” capabilities, a barely veiled allusion to the Taurus missiles. Friedrich Merz reiterated his desire to provide these weapons to kyiv, while emphasizing that they were to be used, on Russian territory, only against military targets.