90 billion EURO secured for Ukraine
After 15 hours of negotiations, an agreement was reached during the summit in Brussels regarding the economic support for Ukraine. Member countries are taking out a loan of 90 billion, and to avoid it being blocked, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia were exempted. Hopefully, this will be taken into consideration next time there are negotiations, for example, regarding agricultural subsidies or other matters. It is a strong message from the EU that they stand behind Ukraine.
Nevertheless, the meeting must be seen as a failure since consensus was not reached on using the frozen Russian assets. Russia has exerted strong pressure and even threatened individuals in Belgium to prevent them from agreeing. The USA has also pressured the EU, as Trump, if I understand correctly, is involved in a peace plan where half of the money would essentially end up in the USA’s pockets. It seems that Belgium was not the only one lacking backbone, as it is mentioned that they were far from reaching their goal. We will see if it becomes known which other countries either stand on Russia’s side or are too cowardly to do the right thing.
The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for almost four years. Instead of increasing determination, things are unfortunately moving partly in the wrong direction. Previously, it was obvious and not a major issue to secure support for Ukraine, even if, for example, Hungary complained like a stuck pig, but now the disagreements are greater, requiring long night negotiations.
Regardless, 90 billion Euros is a good addition, but on the other hand, it is meant to cover both 2026 and 2027, so there is no increase compared to before; it is roughly at the same level as it has been since Russia started its illegal war against Ukraine. To make up for the fact that the USA no longer contributes, it would have needed to be about twice as much.
It is extremely comforting that they actually secured that money for the next two years, and beyond that, I hope that individual countries follow up with deliveries of military support as well. I don’t think Russia will be able to continue the war at this level for another two to three years if things continue as they are now (and nothing unexpected happens).
Chemical plant hit by Ukrainian drones
A chemical plant located in Tolyatti in the Samara region has been hit by Ukrainian drones; reportedly, there were six explosions. The plant is one of the largest producers of ammonia, and there are concerns about leaks. The plant is on fire, which can be seen here.
Russian losses
- 1220 KWIA
- 1 Tank
- 10 AFVs
- 18 Artillery systems
- 1 MLRS
- 426 UAVs
- 111 Vehicles and Fuel tanks
Russian activities in Ukraine
- 193 Strider
- 74 Air strikes
- 154 KAB
- 4,281 grenades (including 126 from MLRS)
- 5,836 Suicide drones
SLAVA UKRAINI
Don't forget to donate, Ukraine's cause is ours! Support Ukraine!
Typical that Europe simply can’t manage to do the right thing 😐
In our defense, there is high pressure from the USA/China/Russia, but if we let ourselves be talked down, the war will come to us.
Individual countries need to do more
Apparently, Euroclear (that’s what they’re called, the ones who have the money) has been subjected to numerous threats against employees and their families if they in any way touch the money, so I can understand to some extent why they act the way they do. It’s not easy to make the morally right decision when someone is threatening your child …
First 😳
Swish to myself to buy obolon since I drank most of it yesterday.
😂🍻👍
Our wonderful state-owned alcohol retailer only has Obolon as a special order item. I’m thirsty now, not in a couple of days. I always ask for Ukrainian beer at the store, hoping that they will eventually start stocking it.
Same here, for a few years it was on the shelf but now it’s back to being available by order.
Here in Finland, in the grocery stores, there are 7.2%, 5%, and 4.5% wheat beers. 🙂
Maybe one should move to Finland!
Obolon 7.2% sounds like a berry in my taste. Maybe I can alternate this with Old Ox 6.9% and Arboga 7.2%. Will have to order, simple as that.
“💥🔥 Probably the moment of the missile strike on Rostov, after which the lights went out in half of the city.”
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3maci5647zk25
Off-Topic, Trump
Sorry, can’t let go of Trump, saw this when I was going through Omni and couldn’t resist.
It is said that some “revert to childhood” as they get old and it seems to apply to Trump, if behaving so childishly as the president of the USA, there is definitely something seriously wrong especially considering all the other nonsense he engages in.
“A portrait wall of the US presidents, called the ‘presidential walk of fame,’ has been set up in the White House. CNN reports.
Beneath the portraits are descriptions in the same style as Donald Trump’s posts on social media – full of insults, baseless claims, and capitalized initial letters.
Instead of a portrait, Joe Biden has a picture of a signature written with an autopen, an automated signature machine – the subject of one of Trump’s most common attacks against his predecessor.
‘Sleepy Joe Biden was by far the worst president in US history’ and led the nation ‘to the brink of ruin,’ the description reads.
Under Trump’s portrait, it says instead that he ‘saved the USA’ and initiated a ‘golden era’ in the country.
Many of the descriptions were written by Trump himself, according to his press secretary Karoline Leavitt.” https://omni.se/portrattvag-i-vita-huset-full-av-forolampningar/a/bOKR93
Taking the opportunity to throw this in as well. Haven’t had the energy to listen to his speech, but saw something about him once again repeating that he would reduce drug costs by 600%, or if it was in some other context. Anyone who has managed to listen to him?
“During Donald Trump’s address to the nation last night, he said more than 2,600 words in 18 minutes. That is significantly faster than his usual pace and the speech lacked his usual playfulness, writes the Washington Post.
‘He spoke so fast that he seemed panicked. I have never seen him like this – and I have still attended 42 of his public appearances,’ writes Trump supporter Trisha Hope.
The New York Times writes in its live report that the less than 20-minute speech ‘will keep fact-checkers busy for hours.’ For example, Trump exaggerated how much the price of gasoline has dropped in several American states, the newspaper writes.
Large parts of the speech were also devoted to blaming his predecessor Joe Biden for the economic predicament that is now lowering the Trump administration’s declining approval ratings.
‘It’s not the Republicans’ fault. It’s the Democrats’ fault,’ he said in a summary statement.” https://omni.se/trump-talade-i-rekordfart-verkade-panikartad/a/bOKyvd
One doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry at all of Trump’s immature oddities. Is there really no competent adult in his vicinity who can put a stop to all the nonsense? It’s truly distressing that he’s allowed to carry on like he does.
The adults around him have probably given up, and they know they’ll get the boot if they say something that doesn’t suit the gentleman. It’s actually a pity for the more normal ones working around him, for example Rubio, it must take good self-discipline not to reprimand him like one reprimands a child.
The EU countries managed to agree at the eleventh hour on how Ukraine should be financed. But if you scratch the surface, it is clear that the EU summit was not a success, write several analysts.
The meeting in Brussels made it clear that the EU is deeply divided on the issue of Ukraine, writes Politico Europe’s Tim Ross. The Nordic countries, Germany, and Poland want to continue providing billions to Ukraine while countries in the south and east do not want to give a single euro.
“A divided EU has been arguing for months, publicly and privately, about who should foot the bill. And the question probably has not received an answer yet,” writes Ross.
In the end, it may be the taxpayers in the EU who have to bear the costs. The loan to Ukraine is taken with the EU budget as security, points out Die Welt’s Christoph Schlitz. He calls it a dark day for the EU and especially for Friedrich Merz, who had put a lot of prestige into reaching a solution on the Russian assets.
The person most satisfied today is Vladimir Putin, writes Christoph Cöln in the German T-online.
“The misanthrope in the Kremlin is convinced that liberal democracies ultimately cannot withstand external pressure. The decision from Brussels seems to confirm this.”
Off-Topic, taxes
Johan No.1, you don’t like high taxes.
You should vote for the Christian Democrats (KD) so you might soon have the chance to change your profession and avoid taxes altogether!
“Income from prostitution should not be taxed, and a change in the law should be investigated. This is the view of the Christian Democrats, according to Ekot.
The party is thus going against the government’s previous decision to maintain taxation.
Sarah Kullgren, chairperson of the KD Women’s Association, says that sex work is about vulnerability and that the state should not profit from abuse.
– Sex work is a form of vulnerability and not a job. Sex work is not, and should not be, a business.”
https://omni.se/kd-vill-ta-bort-skatt-pa-inkomster-fran-prostitution/a/BxRJq9
KD addresses the important issues 😳
“❗️Liknande det reparationskrediten, kommer Ukraina endast att återbetala lånet när Ryssland betalar reparationskostnaderna – Europeiska kommissionens ordförande Ursula von der Leyen. Ursula von der Leyen uttalade att EU-länderna har kommit överens om att finansiera Ukraina genom EU-lån på kapitalmarknaderna för beloppet”
💥🔥👍✊
“Overnight in Oryol: Russia’s air defenses failed to stop what appears to be a missile strike, likely Ukrainian Neptunes, on a thermal power plant.”
https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3mad6azkusc2a
“Overnight, Russia launched 160 UAVs, including ~90 Shaheds, from multiple directions including occupied Crimea. Ukraine’s air defenses downed or jammed 108 of them. At least 47 drones hit 23 locations in the south and east.”
https://bsky.app/profile/noelreports.com/post/3mad5ljh2z22a
BAL, you wrote yesterday:
“Why is the editing mode so long? It disrupts the flow of any discussions.”
I’m not quite sure what you mean, please explain a bit more in detail so maybe there’s something I can adjust.
It could also be that it looks different for some people (depending on the browser etc.) and that I would need to adjust for that. Of course, I have tested in most common browsers but unfortunately don’t have access to an iPhone right now.
Do bees like Linux?
“❗️🇳🇴Norway will additionally finance the purchase of 🇺🇸American weapons for 🇺🇦Ukraine in the amount of 267 million euros, — Prime Minister Støre.”
“Trump signs defense spending bill into law, providing $400 million annually in military assistance to Ukraine through 2027 #Ukraine”
https://bsky.app/profile/amplifyukraine.eu/post/3mad24ppfjr2r
Enough for 400 ATACMS, but that’s hardly what they’ll get.
Perhaps it will be 130,000 155mm grenades that are about to expire? Their manufacturing industry expanded its capacity so maybe they need to receive orders to survive now.
130,000 might last maybe a month. Great!
So, this is ~1% of the annual support that the USA provided under Biden.
(Hope you Trump lovers are at least satisfied, the most important thing is not to be Woke! 😂 )
Fucking Biden 😡
In Sweden, there are exactly 8 different opinions, but in the restricted USA, there are only 2 different possibilities.
That is, you need to vote on one issue and hold your nose for the rest.
Certainly, new parties can emerge, but of course, the existing ones try to prevent that within the democratic space they have, which is quite large.
Wondering how much they have bribed him with to get him to sign, maybe 500M. Well, at least they managed to convince him about some money at all.
“🚀 Oryol. Local residents report two missile strikes. The first missile hit a thermal power plant, the second, transformer equipment.
💥 Tolyatti, Samara Region. Attack on PJSC Togliattiazot, one of the largest ammonia producers in the world.”
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3madbvbprd22e
“Of GREAT INTEREST Unconfirmed reports from Russian social media, a Russian vessel attacked in the Mediterranean and a high-ranking official of a security service was killed. Don’t want to speculate publicly at this stage. Awaiting more information”
https://bsky.app/profile/covertshores.bsky.social/post/3mad64sncos2j
Hmm, why didn’t I add that as a separate comment?
The ways of the Lord and MXT are unfathomable!
Amen 🙏
“Russia used chemical agents over 6,500 times on the battlefield in 2025, with nearly 12,000 documented cases since the full-scale invasion began, peaking at 894 attacks in April using K-51 and RG-VO grenades with CS and CN irritants, Ukrainian Support Forces Command reported.”
Good that some of the funds being cut are going to Ukraine, but otherwise it sounds a lot like Trump’s “America first”.
We are entering a selfish period on a national level. Driven by Russia, but surely also by China.
It is completely in their interest that we stop caring about what happens outside our own countries so that they can operate undisturbed. Luckily, they have not succeeded when it comes to Ukraine.
“The aid agency Sida will receive just over 4 billion SEK less in grants for 2026, a decrease of almost 20 percent. This was announced by Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa (M) at a press conference.
The cuts will be distributed, among other things, to aid to Asia and Africa. Instead, greater focus will be placed on support for Ukraine.
“This is not a decision we have made with joy but a direct result of the international situation and Ukraine. Many people will be affected. Many efforts that help people around the world will disappear as a direct result of the decision,” says Dousa.
Core support for the UN Development Programme, UNDP, is also being cut from 516 to 40 million SEK.
In addition to the Ukrainian need, the decision is justified by the need for more resources “at home in Sweden” – for healthcare, for schools and elderly care, and for “hardworking people to keep more of their wages”.”
https://omni.se/regeringen-skar-ner-sidas-anslag-med-4-miljarder/a/j0dPAe
It is often the case during times of unrest, perhaps more so in countries that have been relatively well off. One does not want to jeopardize their own well-being by getting involved in other countries’ problems, unless they risk spreading to their own country, as in the case of Ukraine.
Today’s ads are IQ tests and tractors
I have a vanity cabinet with built-in faucet and gold handles, well not in the vanity cabinet itself.
Where do you buy it?
Ukraine is by far the most important issue in Europe.
The PATRIOT gang in the EU is doing everything to sabotage.
Many who walk around declaring that they are patriots believe that they are patriots because they think that foreigners should be kept out and money should be kept in, and no one should tell them what to do.
They cannot see connections or consequences further than a few months backwards and forwards.
A lot of the problems are also created by the third party they have allied with.
Today in 2025, no one is hiding the fact that they are taking money from other countries to destabilize their own country.
What happened to all the laws against treason and the death penalty? 😡
Alfaomega – a big thing that with Euroclear.
So Russia is doing EXACTLY as we have written about their subversive activities.
Now Euroclear was important so they made an extra effort, but they can clearly influence decisions in Europe.
What do you think they have stopped in 4 years 🧐
Film that makes you understand how much drones are actually used in the war in Ukraine.
“❗️The city of 🇺🇦Lyman and its surroundings are covered with fiber optic [cable] from drones.”
https://bsky.app/profile/militarynewsua.bsky.social/post/3madcinpkek2v
It looks completely surreal.
At the end of many of these cables, there is likely a dead person or a burnt-out vehicle.
“🤡 Putin: So far, we do not see Ukraine’s readiness for peace. The enemy is retreating in all directions. Ukraine is refusing to end this conflict through peaceful means. Nevertheless, there are signals that they are prepared to conduct some sort of a dialogue.”
https://bsky.app/profile/maks23.bsky.social/post/3madeeetmj22e
As usual with narcissists, Putin also likes to talk about himself, but changed the name to Ukraine.
Off-Topic, Venezuela
Most people agree that the US’s fight against Venezuela ultimately comes down to grabbing the oil, and Trump’s latest statement about them stealing land and oil certainly points to that.
It’s probably also a way to divert attention elsewhere (but it doesn’t seem to be working).
Therefore, I found it a bit amusing when I saw this, no one seems to be particularly interested:
“The Trump administration has asked American oil companies if they are interested in returning to Venezuela if President Maduro is ousted, according to three sources familiar with the matter for Politico.
It is the latest sign that the US government dreams of a future without Maduro – but so far, the industry’s response has been a resounding no.
Oil prices are too low for companies to want to risk major investments in the crumbling Venezuelan oil facilities that former President Hugo Chávez took control of decades ago, according to experts interviewed by the political site.”
https://omni.se/kallor-oljeindustrin-tillfragas-om-venezuela/a/2p1L1v
By the way, yesterday they killed four more people, but since it’s the USA, no one in Europe says anything about it.
“Four people have been killed in the latest American attack on an alleged drug boat in the Pacific Ocean, which occurred last night. This was announced by the US Southern Command, which has released a video of the attack on X.
“On December 17, a kinetic attack was carried out on a vessel operated by an identified terrorist organization in international waters,” the post reads.
In total, 95 people have now been killed in attacks on boats near Venezuela, reports Sky News. However, CNN estimates that the number is closer to 99.”
https://omni.se/ny-attack-i-stilla-havet-nastan-100-dodade-totalt/a/Gx1oAl
Hm, would certainly require a lot of investments, but the Venezuelan oil is significantly cheaper to extract, saw 10-12$/barrel compared to 60-70$/barrel for the American.
The downside would be that the price would be so low that they would have to shut down American production, but the advantage is that they would have better control over the price, and thus pressure other producers.
USA takes the lead in a new world order we have moved away from
Off-Topic
“The murdered right-wing activist Charlie Kirk’s organization Turning Point USA has already decided who they want to see as the next president. This was announced by the widow Erika Kirk, who has taken over the chairmanship, last night.
– We will ensure that my late husband’s friend JD Vance is elected, Kirk said at a meeting in Phoenix, according to the Washington Post.
Turning Point USA is one of the most influential organizations in the American right, and the announcement gives Vance a significant boost in the battle for who will be the next Republican presidential candidate, the newspaper writes.”
God help the USA 😳
Operation Turn Off the Light
I believe that Putin is receiving inaccurate information from the fronts.
The generals are too scared.