live Ukraine carries out deepest strikes of war as Zelenskyy visits Canada to discuss air defences
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy s...
The European Union has released €2.3 billion in financial aid to Ukraine to support urgent social and civil infrastructure needs. According to political analyst Orkhan Nabiyev, this move reflects the EU’s assessment that a peace deal with Russia is unlikely in the near future.
Speaking to AnewZ from Baku, Nabiyev emphasised the critical timing of the assistance.
“Each aid [package] goes towards keeping Ukraine on their foot, it’s very critical," he stated.
He explained that the €2.3 billion package is intended to cover social needs, including pensions and salaries, as well as repair of civil infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks.
This €2.3 billion tranche was formally released on 22 December as the sixth regular payment under the EU’s Ukraine Facility, a financial instrument launched on 1 March 2024 to provide up to €50 billion in support for Ukraine’s recovery, reforms, reconstruction and modernisation through 2027.
According to Nabiyev the funding also helps stabilise Ukraine’s state functions, enabling pensions, salaries, and essential public services to continue despite the ongoing war.
He also mentioned that the €90 billion to Ukraine will "help Ukraine to stand against the Russian occupation for one or two years."
This comment follows EU leaders' decision, on 18-19 December, to loan €90 billion to Ukraine for the country's financing needs in 2026 and 2027.
Specifically the loan is structured as interest‑free support to help sustain Kyiv’s defence and budgetary needs over the next two years.
Despite initial plans to fund such support directly from frozen Russian assets, EU members opted instead for joint borrowing on financial markets.
Nabiyev stressed that the biggest expectation of Russian President Vladimir Putin is "that Ukraine will not stand and will fall.”
The expert also highlighted the broader implications of EU policy.
“The extension of EU sanctions for six months more, it means that European Union doesn’t believe that a peace deal can be possible with Russia in upcoming month,” he said, underlining Brussels’ continued pressure on Moscow.
The EU Council confirmed on 22 December that economic sanctions against Russia will remain in place at least until 31 July 2026.
Nabiyev said the combined effect of financial support and extended sanctions sends a clear message that Ukraine is expected to withstand Russian pressure in the coming months, while the EU remains committed to long-term support and reconstruction.
Orkhan Nabiyev's commentary follows the latest major EU meeting on Ukraine funding took place on 18-19 December, when European Union leaders met in Brussels at a European Council summit to address Kyiv’s financial and defence needs the near future.
The conclusions from the summit reaffirmed broad political and financial support for Ukraine’s continued resistance and long‑term resilience.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said on Wednesday they attacked two U.S. vessels and eight oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, calling the strikes a response to a U.S. attack on five Iranian tankers.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
U.S. President Donald Trump put himself and the Iran war at the centre of the Republican midterm campaign on Wednesday, rallying voters in Dallas with promises of cash payments and a prediction that the conflict would end after November’s elections.
Oil has crossed the $100-a-barrel mark again, but for Gulf countries this is not simply good news. Brent reached about $100.07 on Wednesday, its highest level since July, as the U.S.-Iran war and attacks on Saudi energy facilities raised fresh fears about supplies.
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