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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in London as Kyiv’s European partners seek to strengthen Ukraine’s position in negotiations on a U.S.-backed plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Zelenskyy said his discussions in London and Brussels this week will focus on security, air defense, and long-term financial support for Ukraine’s war effort. The leaders aim to ensure any ceasefire includes robust guarantees from both Europe and the United States to prevent further Russian attacks. U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators concluded three days of talks on Saturday to narrow differences over the U.S. peace proposal. A key sticking point is the suggestion that Ukraine cede control of the Russian-occupied Donbas region, which Ukraine and its European allies oppose. Starmer said he will not pressure Zelenskyy to accept a peace settlement, emphasizing that any halt in hostilities must be fair and lasting. Meanwhile, Russian attacks continued overnight. Drones struck residential buildings in Okhtyrka and Chernihiv, injuring at least 10 civilians and causing extensive damage, while Ukraine reported that 131 of 149 Russian drones fired were neutralized. Russia claimed its air defenses shot down 67 Ukrainian drones over 11 regions. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov welcomed a new U.S. national security strategy, saying it aligns with Moscow’s vision for dialogue and constructive relations, though European leaders have expressed concern over parts of the document.  

At least 18 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in an inflatable boat died when it capsized south of the island of Crete, Greek authorities said Saturday. The half-sunken boat was located Saturday by a passing Turkish merchant vessel, authorities said. Two survivors were rescued and a rescue operation to find more was ongoing. Greece is a major entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia and f atal accidents are a common occurrence. The short but perilous journey from Turkey’s coast to nearby Greek islands in inflatable dinghies or small boats, often in poor conditions, used to be the major route until increased patrols and alleged pushbacks reduced crossing attempts. In recent months, arrivals from Libya to Crete have surged. Authorities have not yet determined where the boat came from. A ship and a plane from European border agency Frontex, a Greek Coast Guard helicopter and three merchant vessels are taking part in the search operation.  

Russia has warned that it will take action if the European Union moves to seize its frozen assets, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Thursday. Zakharova described any Russian response as a “surprise” for the EU but did not provide further details. She also criticized European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s behavior as “inappropriate.” The remarks follow von der Leyen’s revised proposal on Wednesday to use frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine. The updated plan reduced the potential funding from a maximum of $186 billion to about $105 billion. Belgium has opposed the EU initiative, citing unresolved financial and legal risks. Most of the frozen Russian assets are held at Euroclear, a securities depository based in Brussels.

A 12-year-old boy was killed when Russian drones struck a house in central Ukraine, officials said Friday, as Ukraine carried out long-range attacks on a Russian port and oil refinery amid quiet U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war. U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were expected to meet a Ukrainian delegation in Miami on Thursday, though neither side confirmed whether the talks took place. The meeting was planned shortly after the envoys held discussions with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin earlier in the week. Officials have said little publicly about the latest peace efforts, and past attempts to break the stalemate have failed. Trump’s 28-point proposal was leaked earlier, but progress remains unclear. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said his team in Miami sought updates from U.S. representatives about their conversations in Moscow. He and European allies have long accused Putin of using diplomacy to buy time while Russian forces push ahead on the battlefield. In a video address late Thursday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine wants to know “what other pretexts Putin has come up with to drag out the war and to pressure Ukraine.” Meanwhile, Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov, speaking during Putin’s visit to India, repeated Moscow’s criticism of Europe’s position in the talks. He said Ukraine’s European partners were setting conditions that Russia would never accept, arguing that their demands hinder negotiations between Washington and Moscow. In Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, local authorities said a Russian drone destroyed a house Thursday night, killing the boy and injuring two women. Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 137 drones of multiple types overnight. Ukraine also carried out its own strikes. Drones hit the Temryuk sea port in Russia’s Krasnodar region, sparking a fire and damaging infrastructure, officials said. Ukrainian drones also targeted the city of Syzran on the Volga River. Local media reported, without official confirmation, that an oil refinery there was hit. Russia’s Defense Ministry said its air defenses intercepted 85 Ukrainian drones over several regions and occupied Crimea during the night.  

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will lay a wreath at Coventry Cathedral on Friday, marking a symbolic act of remembrance for the victims of World War II as Germany and the United Kingdom move to strengthen their partnership at a time of renewed conflict in Europe. The visit to Coventry honors those killed when Nazi forces bombed the city on Nov 14, 1940, destroying its 14th-century Gothic cathedral and killing at least 568 people. More than half of Coventry’s homes were damaged or destroyed that night, the most concentrated assault on any British city during the war. The Duke of Kent will represent Britain at the ceremony, recognized for his long-standing efforts to promote reconciliation between the two nations. Steinmeier’s appearance comes at the end of a three-day state visit, the first by a German president in 27 years. The trip has emphasized a renewed spirit of cooperation as European countries close ranks to support Ukraine and counter Russian attempts to destabilize Western democracies through interference, disinformation and sabotage. Concerns over what they see as U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictability have pushed European states to increase defense spending and deepen military coordination. The German leader and King Charles III highlighted their countries’ shared history and values during a state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday. Steinmeier described Coventry as a symbol of reconciliation, saying the city’s rebirth shows “what is possible when people have the courage to pursue reconciliation.” Earlier this year, the UK and Germany signed a treaty to expand cooperation on defense, migration and climate change. Analysts say Steinmeier’s visit reflects a historic level of unity among European nations, unmatched since the early 19th century. The state visit included meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, an address to Parliament and a wreath-laying at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II. The royal ceremony offered the full spectacle of British pageantry, with Charles and Queen Camilla welcoming Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, for a procession to Windsor Castle and a formal banquet in St George’s Hall, which was decorated with a towering Christmas tree. In his address to lawmakers, Steinmeier called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine an assault on the rules-based order built after World War II. He warned of “imperial ambitions” and attempts by destabilizing forces to divide democratic societies, urging Europe to remain united “for what defines us.”  

Turkey’s energy minister has urged greater protection of Black Sea oil and gas routes after three Russian tankers were struck off the Turkish coast, warning that the region’s critical energy lifelines are increasingly at risk. Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said Ankara is alarmed not only by the threat to commercial vessels but also to two major undersea pipelines — Blue Stream and TurkStream — that deliver Russian gas directly to Turkey. Citing the 2022 Nord Stream sabotage, he stressed Turkey’s heavy dependence on imported energy. “We call on all parties to keep energy infrastructure out of this war because it concerns people’s daily lives,” Bayraktar told reporters Wednesday. “Energy flows in the Black Sea and the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits must remain uninterrupted.” Ukraine says its naval drones hit two Russian tankers on Nov. 28, while a third was damaged Tuesday as it approached the port of Sinop. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier denounced the attacks, calling them a threat to navigation, human life and the marine environment within Turkey’s exclusive economic zone. Nearly half of Turkey’s total energy supply comes from Russian oil and gas. Ankara, a NATO member, faces mounting pressure from Washington to scale back its energy reliance on Moscow. During President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to President Donald Trump in September, the U.S. urged Turkey to loosen its energy ties with Russia. Turkish companies later signed a multibillion-dollar deal to purchase U.S. liquefied natural gas. Bayraktar defended the relationship, saying Russia had long been “a very reliable supply” for Turkish consumers since the 1980s. Still, he acknowledged the need to diversify. “We don’t want to rely on one country or a few countries,” he said, noting that Turkey seeks more competitive and varied sources of natural gas. He confirmed that state-owned BOTAS recently finalized a new supply contract with Russia’s Gazprom. Turkey’s cooperation with Russia also extends to nuclear energy. Rosatom is constructing the four-reactor Akkuyu nuclear power plant on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, expected eventually to provide around 10% of the country’s electricity. The project, however, has suffered repeated delays linked to Western sanctions on Russian entities following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Bayraktar said the plant is still on track to generate its first electricity next year. Some components are now being sourced from China after Western suppliers declined involvement due to sanctions. He added that financing challenges persist, including around $2 billion “stuck in JP Morgan for a long time” after Western nations froze Russian assets. “We need to play a moderator role to help release this money because it is intended for the project,” he said.  

Talks between the United States and Russia on ending the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were “constructive” but substantial work remains, a senior adviser to President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday. Yuri Ushakov, a top Kremlin official, spoke after Putin met U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, in the Kremlin on Tuesday. The discussions, which lasted five hours, focused on the framework of Trump’s peace plan rather than specific text. Ushakov described the talks as “useful, substantive” but stressed that “a compromise hasn’t been found” on territorial issues, which the Kremlin sees as essential for resolving the conflict. “Some of the American proposals seem acceptable, but others don’t suit us. Work will continue,” Ushakov said. He added that contacts between Moscow and Washington will carry on. The meeting followed U.S. talks with Ukrainian officials in Florida earlier this week. Trump’s plan, released last month, has drawn criticism for appearing to favor Russia, including calls for Ukraine to cede the Donbas region and abandon NATO aspirations. Negotiators said the framework has been revised but did not provide details. Putin accused European allies of obstructing peace efforts by demanding changes “absolutely unacceptable to Russia” and said Europe is responsible for blocking progress. He reiterated that Russia has no plans to attack Europe but warned that Moscow is ready to respond if hostilities arise. European governments, meanwhile, remain concerned that a Russian victory in Ukraine could destabilize the region and threaten other countries. They have provided financial and military support to Kyiv and are pushing to be involved in negotiations to ensure their security interests are considered. U.S. peace efforts rely heavily on Europe to provide funding and security guarantees for a postwar Ukraine, although European officials say they were not consulted on the original plan. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, visiting Ireland, emphasized the need for fair play in negotiations and said progress depends on signals from the U.S. delegation in Moscow. “There is a lot of dialogue, but we need results. Our people are dying every day,” Zelenskyy said, adding he is ready to meet with Trump if talks advance. The Florida talks narrowed Trump’s original 28-point plan to 20 items, with Ukrainian diplomats seeking stronger European involvement in decision-making. Zelenskyy also warned against Russian disinformation campaigns attempting to influence negotiations. Russia claimed on Monday that it captured the city of Pokrovsk in Donetsk, but Ukrainian officials denied the report, calling it propaganda. Ukrainian forces are reinforcing logistics routes to supply troops in the area. Ushakov said any potential meeting between Putin and Trump would depend on the progress of ongoing negotiations. Both sides continue to work toward resolving differences, though major disputes over territory and security guarantees remain unresolved.  

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will arrive in Britain on Wednesday for a state visit celebrating strong bilateral ties while recalling painful moments from World War II. King Charles III will welcome Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, to Windsor Castle for a three-day program filled with traditional pageantry. This is the first official state visit by a German head of state to the UK in 27 years. The visit will include a solemn stop at Coventry Cathedral on Friday to honor the memory of at least 568 people killed during the Nazi bombing of the city on Nov. 14, 1940. The attack leveled or damaged more than half of Coventry’s homes and remains the most intense air raid on a British city during the war. Germany has repeatedly apologized for Nazi-era atrocities. During his own state visit to Germany in 2023, Charles laid a wreath at the ruins of Hamburg’s St. Nikolai Church, commemorating more than 30,000 civilians killed by Allied bombing in 1943. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, said the visit comes at a meaningful time for both countries, and weaving these moments of history into the itinerary is important for London and Berlin. State visits in the UK are formally hosted by the king but arranged by the government to strengthen relations with key partners. This visit will include a grand banquet, military honors and displays of royal tradition, including a large Christmas tree in St. George’s Hall. Behind the ceremony is a political purpose. Britain and Germany want to reinforce cooperation as they confront the war in Ukraine and navigate disruptions caused by U.S. President Donald Trump’s America First policies, which have strained long-standing trade and security ties. The trip follows Charles’ successful state visit to Germany in 2023, when he switched between German and English while addressing lawmakers in the Bundestag and emphasized the depth of the relationship. British officials hope the images from Windsor Castle will strengthen public support for the partnership in both countries. Gerhard Dannemann, former head of the Centre for British Studies at Humboldt Universität in Berlin, said the ceremony will be symbolic and memorable. He added that Berlin hopes Steinmeier’s visit will match the positive impact of Charles’ trip to Germany last year.  

Bulgaria’s government on Tuesday withdrew its controversial draft budget after tens of thousands of people took to the streets in nationwide protests that later turned violent. The budget plan, which proposed higher taxes, increased social security contributions and expanded public spending, drew strong criticism from opposition parties, business groups and economists. Critics warned that the measures would stifle investment, push more economic activity underground and jeopardize the country’s preparations to join the eurozone early next year. Authorities initially pledged last week to revise the draft after early demonstrations but later walked back the promise, triggering even larger protests in Sofia and several major cities on Monday night. Organizers said about 50,000 people joined the rally in the capital. The demonstration, largely driven by young people, began peacefully, with crowds chanting “We will not allow ourselves to be lied to” and “Resignation.” Protesters displayed banners reading “Generation Z is Coming” and “Young Bulgaria Without the Mafia,” demanding that the government either overhaul the draft or step down. Organizers urged participants to avoid violence and record any provocations. Tensions escalated later in the night as smaller groups moved toward the offices of ruling parties and threw plastic and glass bottles, stones and firecrackers at buildings and police officers. Clashes broke out between riot police and groups of masked youths wearing black hoodies. Garbage bins were set on fire, police vehicles were vandalized, and officers used pepper spray to disperse crowds. Emergency services said several injured people were taken to hospitals, while many others received on-site treatment. Police reported detaining 10 individuals. Opponents of the budget argued that the spending increases would be financed mainly through heavier tax burdens on workers and businesses, along with a steep rise in public debt, which they said would fuel inflation without improving public services. The government, however, maintained that the draft budget was essential for meeting eurozone rules, including keeping the deficit below 3% of GDP.  

Recent warnings from both the United States and Russia about restarting nuclear weapons testing have triggered deep concern worldwide, threatening a long-standing international norm that has curbed such tests for decades. Analysts say the rhetoric from the two biggest nuclear powers risks undermining global nonproliferation efforts and heightening geopolitical tensions. U.S. President Donald Trump announced in late October that Washington would resume nuclear weapons testing “on an equal basis” with other countries, a directive that he said would begin immediately. Moscow quickly countered, with President Vladimir Putin telling his Security Council that Russia would respond in kind if the U.S. or any signatory of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) conducts a test. The CTBT, adopted in 1996 after growing concerns about radioactive fallout from Cold War–era atmospheric tests, established a near-universal expectation against nuclear testing, even though it has never formally entered into force. Of the 44 states required for activation, nine — including the U.S., China, India and Pakistan — have not ratified it. Russia ratified the treaty but revoked its ratification in 2023, citing U.S. inaction. The Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization oversees a vast global detection system with 307 monitoring stations capable of identifying nuclear tests using seismic, hydroacoustic, infrasound and radionuclide technology. Its 2025 budget exceeds $139 million. Experts warn that renewed U.S. testing could open the door for countries with less experience — particularly China and India — to conduct full-scale tests that could help them advance smaller, more sophisticated warheads, ultimately weakening U.S. and global security. Since 1996, only 10 nuclear tests have been carried out, all by India, Pakistan and North Korea. Historically, the U.S. and the Soviet Union conducted the overwhelming majority of roughly 2,000 tests before the CTBT’s adoption. No evidence Iran seeks nuclear weapons: Putin While Washington has not clarified the type of testing Trump meant, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said any upcoming activities would involve subcritical experiments — tests that do not trigger a nuclear chain reaction and do not violate the CTBT’s zero-yield standard. However, experts note that some extremely low-yield hydronuclear tests can evade detection, highlighting a verification gap. The CTBTO says its main mission is to assure member states that any nuclear explosion “anywhere, anytime” would be detected. Its network has successfully identified all six North Korean tests between 2006 and 2017. Source: AP