Travel, property, and local info for Ukraine

35+ min ago (1125+ words) European Union leaders begin two days of talks in Brussels with a momentous decision to be taken on whether to loan tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to Ukraine to fund its military and economic needs. Most of Russia's "210bn (185bn; $245bn) worth of assets in the EU are held by Belgium-based organisation Euroclear, and so far Belgium and some other members of the bloc have said they are opposed to using the cash. Without a boost in funding, Ukraine's finances are set to run dry in a matter of months. One European government official described being "cautiously optimistic, not overly optimistic" that a deal would be agreed. Russia has warned the EU against using its money. It has filed a lawsuit against Euroclear in a Moscow court in a bid to get its money back. The Brussels summit comes…...

1+ hour, 4+ min ago (594+ words) Published'Dec 18, 2025, 01:15 PM BRUSSELS, Dec 18 - European Union leaders will decide on Thursday how to finance Ukraine in 2026 and 2027 to keep it fighting Russia's invasion, with the use of Russian assets frozen in the EU the preferred option, but hinging on Belgium's uncertain approval. The EU wants to keep Ukraine financed and fighting because it sees Russia's war as a threat to "its own "security. EU leaders are also keen to show European countries' agency and strength after U.S. President Donald Trump last week "called them "weak". With U.S. financial help for Kyiv drying up under the Trump administration and EU national budgets already under strain, the EU is looking to use the 210 billion euros of Russian central bank assets "frozen in the bloc "as a basis for a loan to Ukraine. The stakes are high because without the EU's financial help Ukraine will…...

1+ hour, 25+ min ago (562+ words) US official says AI race requires both innovation and diffusion, emphasizes securing global silicon supply chains with allies. WASHINGTON DC " The Trump administration is doubling down on its strategy to compete in the global artificial intelligence race, even if it means allowing some US AI chips to flow to China, a senior State Department official said Wednesday. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, speaking during a virtual briefing with the Foreign Press Center, defended the administration's decision to approve certain Nvidia AI exports to China, framing the move as part of a broader push to maintain US leadership in innovation while ensuring technological diffusion worldwide. "Winning the AI race requires meeting two conditions: the best innovation and the most diffusion," Helberg told Kyiv Post's correspondent, acknowledging that wider distribution of US technology inevitably creates more competition " but…...

1+ hour, 54+ min ago (368+ words) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of seeking to prolong the war in Ukraine, reiterating the need for strong security guarantees for Kiev. "Today, we again heard signals from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war," Zelenskyy said in an evening video address published on Telegram. He said such signals contradicted claims that Russia wants to end the conflict. "The rhetoric and signals coming from Russia are the exact opposite, taking the form of official orders to their army," he said, adding that this mindset would undermine diplomacy. Zelenskyy stressed the need for "real protection" against Russia, saying Ukraine would continue working with partners on security, financial and political measures, including actions involving Russian assets. He said an EU summit scheduled for Thursday should demonstrate to Moscow that continuing the more than three-and-a-half-year…...

2+ hour, 16+ min ago (1009+ words) Senator Graham-led push spotlights child abductions in Ukraine, but Rand Paul warns the move could derail diplomacy and blur Congress" war authority. WASHINGTON DC " The US Senate floor erupted early this week in one of its most morally charged and strategically fraught debates in years, as lawmakers clashed over whether Russia"s conduct in Ukraine " particularly the mass abduction of children " warrants branding Moscow a state sponsor of terrorism. At the center of the fight is S. 2978, a bipartisan bill led by Lindsey Graham (R-SC) that would direct the State Department to designate Russia as a terrorist state if it fails to return thousands of kidnapped Ukrainian children and continues to target civilian infrastructure. The measure has drawn overwhelming bipartisan support " but also fierce opposition from a small, vocal minority warning that it could sabotage peace talks and risk escalation with…...

4+ hour, 33+ min ago (662+ words) Bipartisan letter lands just before high-stakes European talks on Kyiv financing. Lawmakers warn delay risks emboldening Putin " and testing NATO's resolve. WASHINGTON DC " A bipartisan group of US senators is turning up the heat on Europe just as a pivotal decision looms in Brussels. In a letter sent to the Belgian ambassador to Washington ahead of a crucial European meeting Thursday, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and six colleagues are urging Belgium and EU leaders to move quickly on a plan to leverage frozen Russian sovereign assets to finance a massive loan for Ukraine, according to a copy obtained by Kyiv Post. European finance and political leaders are set to meet later this week to weigh next steps on the European Commission's proposal to raise as much as $244 billion by leveraging Russian state assets immobilized in Europe " most of them held…...

5+ hour, 58+ min ago (547+ words) In his evening address, the Ukrainian president highlighted the Kremlin's remarks that day that Russia would achieve its goals of the invasion "by military force" if needed. In his nightly address on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky called out the Kremlin for its bellicose remarks earlier in the day, and said the United States should realize that Moscow is still not serious about talking peace. "Today, we heard yet another signal from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war," Zelensky said. "It is important that our partners see this, and important that they not only see it but also respond, including our partners in the United States of America, who often say that Russia supposedly wants to end the war," he said. "When'Russia is in this mindset," he added, "it will also undermine diplomacy " seeking,…...

5+ hour, 58+ min ago (547+ words) In his evening address, the Ukrainian president highlighted the Kremlin's remarks that day that Russia would achieve its goals of the invasion "by military force" if needed. In his nightly address on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky called out the Kremlin for its bellicose remarks earlier in the day, and said the United States should realize that Moscow is still not serious about talking peace. "Today, we heard yet another signal from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war," Zelensky said. "It is important that our partners see this, and important that they not only see it but also respond, including our partners in the United States of America, who often say that Russia supposedly wants to end the war," he said. "When'Russia is in this mindset," he added, "it will also undermine diplomacy " seeking,…...

5+ hour, 58+ min ago (547+ words) In his evening address, the Ukrainian president highlighted the Kremlin's remarks that day that Russia would achieve its goals of the invasion "by military force" if needed. In his nightly address on Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelensky called out the Kremlin for its bellicose remarks earlier in the day, and said the United States should realize that Moscow is still not serious about talking peace. "Today, we heard yet another signal from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war," Zelensky said. "It is important that our partners see this, and important that they not only see it but also respond, including our partners in the United States of America, who often say that Russia supposedly wants to end the war," he said. "When'Russia is in this mindset," he added, "it will also undermine diplomacy " seeking,…...

6+ hour, 56+ min ago (305+ words) The Council of the European Union has called on Georgia to release all individuals "unjustly detained," repeal what it described as repressive legislation, and immediately meet the criteria for visa liberalization. The appeal is contained in the EU enlargement conclusions published on Dec. 16 by the Danish presidency of the Council. The document was supported by 26 of the EU's 27 member states, with Hungary opposing the conclusions. The council reaffirmed its support for the overwhelming majority of Georgia's population in their aspiration toward a European future, while stating that the actions of the Georgian authorities do not meet the expectations placed on an EU candidate country. The conclusions also condemn the Georgian government's dissemination of disinformation and anti-EU narratives, urging an end to the practice. Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, but its accession process has since stalled amid EU…...