John Kirby, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, urged Congress to promptly provide aid to Ukraine before the month ends. Otherwise, it will be increasingly challenging to offer the necessary assistance to Kyiv.

During a press conference, Kirby stated that we require immediate aid in order to offer uninterrupted assistance to them.

According to him, the United States anticipates that Russia will once again attempt to sabotage Ukraine’s vital energy infrastructure during the upcoming winter, similar to their actions last year.

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, announced that he held a meeting with his military officials on Friday to strategize on achieving tangible progress in the country’s conflict with Russia next year.

During his evening video message, he discussed advancements in strategies for mobilization.

According to him, it’s not just about the quantity of people who can be recruited, but also about the timeline for current military members to be discharged and for new recruits to join, as well as the circumstances surrounding these individuals.

He stated that commanders and the defense ministry must address these concerns.

He stated that there were multiple suggestions today and he is anticipating complete resolutions.

Russian troops

Zelenskyy’s comments came as Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree increasing the number of service members in the Russian armed forces by 170,000 people, to a total of 1,320,000, the Kremlin and the defense ministry said Friday.

According to the Russian defense ministry, the rise in the number of full-time members of the armed forces is a response to the increasing risks facing our nation, which are related to the special military operation and the continued expansion of NATO.

The ministry stated that it does not intend to substantially raise the requirement for military service or initiate another round of mobilization. Instead, the increase in service members will occur gradually through the recruitment of volunteers.

Dmitry Medvedev, who previously served as President of Russia and currently holds the position of deputy chairman on the Security Council, announced on Friday that over 452,000 individuals have been enlisted in the Russian military through contracts between January 1 and December 1, 2023.

Western aid

Ukraine is dealing with headwinds over the support it needs from the West in its fight against Russia. Zelenskyy said he was concerned the Israel-Hamas war would overshadow his country’s battle.

During a private conversation with The Associated Press, he stated that the conflict between Hamas and Israel could not only divert attention, but also resources from Ukraine as it struggles to defend itself against the Russian invasion.

The president emphasized the importance of attention, stating that it equates to receiving help. Without attention, there will be no assistance. He also mentioned the ongoing effort to gain attention.

A recent survey by AP revealed that nearly half of Americans believe that Ukraine is already receiving excessive financial aid from the United States. This sentiment is also shared by some members of the Republican party.

The president of Ukraine acknowledged that Americans are facing a difficult decision regarding Ukraine. In an interview with AP, he warned that not supporting Ukraine could have severe repercussions, potentially resulting in the deployment of U.S. troops to Europe. Zelenskyy stated that without American assistance, Russia may invade NATO countries, leading to American soldiers being put in harm’s way.

It may be challenging for European Union leaders to come to a unanimous decision on a plan to provide Ukraine with 50 billion euros ($55 billion) in financial assistance until 2027. According to a senior official from the EU, reaching an agreement at the upcoming summit on December 14-15 will be a difficult task.

The high-ranking individual, who is participating in organizing the summit and spoke with Reuters anonymously, stated that the EU remains dedicated to aiding Ukraine. This implies that some aid may still be given even if the 50 billion-euro plan does not come to fruition.

Trucker protests

The demonstrations by Polish truck drivers against what they perceive as unjust trade competition from their Ukrainian counterparts are ongoing at four border points. Slovak truck drivers have also joined in the protests, preventing Ukrainian goods from entering Slovakia through the main crossing.

The finance ministry of Ukraine released information stating that the customs service of the country had fallen short of its expected revenues for November by 78%, equivalent to $255 million. This could be attributed to the ongoing protests.

The economy minister of Ukraine shared information on the X platform indicating a 39.3% decrease in the tonnage of exported goods through Poland in November compared to October.

According to a high-ranking Ukrainian official, the demonstrations are expected to decrease the nation’s total imports by 20% in November and potentially result in a 1% decline in GDP growth if they continue for an extended period of time.

Truck drivers from Poland and Slovakia are urging the EU to reinstate a permit system for Ukrainian rivals.

Train explosions

A Ukrainian official informed Reuters on Friday that Ukraine’s national intelligence agency has caused two consecutive train bombings on a Russian railway in remote Siberia. This is the second strike this week targeting military transportation routes in the region.

The events seemed to demonstrate that Kyiv was prepared and capable of carrying out sabotage operations deep within Russia, causing disruptions to Russian supply lines far from the front lines of Moscow’s 21-month-long conflict in Ukraine.

A confidential source revealed that the explosives were set off while a freight train was passing over the Chertov Bridge in the Buryatia region of Siberia. This region shares a border with Mongolia and is located thousands of kilometers away from Ukraine.

According to the source, the train had to use an alternate railway route due to an assault on a nearby tunnel the previous day. This resulted in train diversions.

The data for this report was sourced from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Reuters.

Source: voanews.com