Live blog: European Commission to release further 1.5B Euros for Ukraine

Friday, December 15, 2023

The European Commission will release a further 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion) for Ukraine in coming days under existing arrangements, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said at a news conference at the end of an EU summit.

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1630 GMT — Bulgaria says Russia's 'imperial aspirations' target some EU countries

Speaking at a press in Brussels where he traveled to attend a European Council meeting and an EU-Western Balkans conference, Nikolay Denkov said: "In earlier years the Russian side made statements which smacked of imperial aspirations.

These imperial aspirations target most of the present-day countries, including some EU countries."

1515 GMT — Macron says Ukraine joining EU still 'far off'

France President Emmanuel Macron has warned that Ukraine's eventual membership of the European union was still far off, despite a breakthrough at the EU summit in Brussels.

Responding to a question about the effect on France's farmers of welcoming Ukraine's large agricultural sector into the EU, Macron said there was still time to prepare.

"We are very far from effective enlargement to Ukraine and, in any case, enlargement, whatever it may be, will require an in-depth reform of our rules and therefore this will only be possible with an massive funding increase," he said.

1506 GMT — Kiev has 'dozens' of joint production deals with Western companies - minister

Kiev has secured dozens of contracts on joint production or technology exchange with Western partners, Ukrainian defence minister Rustem Umerov said.

He recalled in a Facebook post that Ukraine has signed a memorandum with the US on production and technical data sharing and held two joint defence industry conferences.

"We have dozens of new contracts between companies on joint production or technology exchange," he said.

1222 GMT — Germany sends additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine

Germany has completed the delivery of an additional Patriot air defence system to Ukraine, authorities have confirmed.

According to a document published on the government's website, Berlin has recently delivered a second Patriot system, with launchers, missiles and spare parts.

The government’s updated list has also included 14 additional drone detection systems, more than a dozen military vehicles, including trucks, and around 7,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition.

1119 GMT — Kremlin says EU decision on Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia attempt to 'annoy Russia'

The Kremlin has said that the European Council's decisions to begin EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and to grant candidate status to Georgia is an attempt to "annoy Russia."

Such a move is “largely based on the desire to annoy Russia even more and antagonise these countries toward Russia,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters in a press briefing in Moscow.

Peskov described the decision to start EU accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova as an "absolutely politicised decision," saying that this move could potentially "destabilise" the EU.

He also said that Hungary is "defending its interests" by blocking EU aid to Ukraine.

0914 GMT — Orban links Ukraine aid to release of all EU funds for Hungary

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has called for unblocking all of the still-frozen funds from the European Union for his country, before considering lifting his veto on further aid to Ukraine..

"It is an extraordinary situation because the other countries want to amend the seven-year running budget, which I vetoed yesterday," Orban said in an interview with Hungarian state radio.

"I've always said that if someone wants to amend the budget law, and they want to for several reasons, this is a great opportunity for Hungary to make it clear that it should get what it deserves. Not half, then a quarter, but it must get the whole thing," Orban said.

"So we want to be treated fairly, and now there is a good chance that we can assert this," he added.

0911 GMT — Estonian PM Kallas: We will find a solution on financial aid for Ukraine

Estonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has said the European Union will find a solution to unlock financial aid for Ukraine, a day after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban vetoed a $54.9 billion (50-billion-euro) package for the war-torn country.

"When Ukraine is struggling on the military side then we should also provide them political support (...) We will reach an agreement on the financial aid," she told reporters on her arrival for the second day of an EU summit.

0814 GMT — Ukraine says downed 14 Russian drones overnight

Ukraine has said that its air defence systems had downed more than a dozen Iranian-designed attack drones in the latest overnight barrage by Russia.

Kiev believes Moscow has stockpiled munitions to strike Ukrainian infrastructure over the winter months, and the capital has been targeted by missiles in recent days.

"During the night of December 15, 2023, the enemy attacked with Shahed-type attack drones," the Ukrainian Air Force said, adding that all 14 drones had been downed.

0449 GMT — Japan expands sanctions over Russia’s Ukraine offensive

Japan announced expanded sanctions over Moscow's military operation against Ukraine, revealing dozens of newly sanctioned firms and other organisations, including export bans against some outside Russia and its ally Belarus.

Tokyo added to its sanctions list 57 organisations in Russia and six others in countries including the United Arab Emirates, Armenia and Uzbekistan, the trade ministry said in a statement.

With the additions, Japan has now imposed an export ban on 494 Russian organisations, 27 Belarusian entities and six more in other countries.

The new sanctions will take effect on December 22 for newly added Russian organisations and on December 27 for other entities.

0246 GMT — Hungary's Orban blocks $55B EU aid for Ukraine

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has blocked nearly $55 billion in EU aid for Ukraine, after leaders side-stepped his opposition to agree to open talks with Kiev on joining the bloc.

A crunch summit in Brussels broke up after a day of wrangling as the Hungarian leader refused to greenlight funding to help prop up Ukraine's government over the next four years.

"Summary of the nightshift: veto for the extra money to Ukraine," Orban wrote on social media.

The EU's other 26 leaders agreed to return to the debate at a fresh meeting early next year to try to thrash out an agreement on the desperately needed support for Kiev.

"With 26 countries, we agree. There is no agreement from Hungary at the moment, but I am very confident for next year," Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said.

0222 GMT — EU will return to Ukraine aid talks 'early next year'

EU chief Charles Michel has confirmed that European leaders had failed to agree to a budget plan including aid for Ukraine after an objection from one member, understood to be Hungary.

Michel, president of the European Council and host of the EU summit, said leaders would return to the issue "early next year" after Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he had vetoed funds for Ukraine.

"I don't want to go too much into the details because I want to work with colleagues in the days to come, in the weeks to come to prepare a summit that will take place next year, early next year," Michel said.

2141 GMT — US Senate delays vacation as Ukraine aid talks continue

The Senate will delay its holiday recess as negotiators seek a deal on continuing US military aid to Ukraine, the chamber's Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, has said.

Congress is deadlocked on a new aid package that President Joe Biden has depicted as desperately needed to help Ukraine fight off Russia.

Lawmakers had been due to go into recess on Thursday evening and go home to their legislative districts for their holiday recess.

"The Senate will return on Monday. That will give negotiators from the White House, Senate Democrats, Senate Republicans time to work through the weekend in an effort to reach a framework agreement," Schumer said.

2013 GMT — Zelenskyy meets American commanders in US army base in Germany

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has visited the US Army base in in Germany, engaging in discussions with top American commanders about ongoing assistance for Ukraine in its conflict against Russia.

The meeting in Wiesbaden followed earlier talks in Washington, where Zelenskyy appealed to Congress to maintain their commitment to providing military aid.

Leading military commanders from the US in Europe participated in the discussions, with the presence of Gen. Christopher Cavoli, who holds the position of both US European Command's general and NATO's supreme allied commander.

"Cavoli and Zelenskyy discussed continued US support to meet Ukraine’s most urgent requirements," an official statement said.

The two also discussed ongoing US and international efforts to train the Ukrainian armed forces.

2000 GMT — EU grants Ukraine membership talks after Orban drops veto

EU leaders have agreed to open talks with Ukraine on joining the bloc, after Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban ducked out of his threat to veto the plan.

European Council President Charles Michel announced the decision — which also included starting negotiations with Moldova — as "a clear signal of hope for their people and for our continent".

Orban — who had insisted for weeks he would block the move — agreed not to be in the room when the other leaders made a consensus decision.

In a video posted to social media, the leader denounced "a completely senseless, irrational and wrong decision" but complained that "26 other countries have insisted this decision be taken".

If he had chosen to use his veto Orban could have derailed the summit, but he backed down one day after the European Commission unlocked $10.4 billion in frozen funds for Hungary.

For our live updates from Thursday (December 14), click here.