Ukraine: US Lies, Provocation, Broken Promises, Fake News

[Anthea]

Biden gives Kiev Nazis $6 bln package

President Biden unveiled $2.5 billion in security assistance, including $1.25 billion in military aid sourced directly from US stockpiles and a $1.22 billion package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI)

The United States has pledged nearly $6 billion in additional military and financial support to Ukraine as President Joe Biden prepares to leave office. This substantial aid package, announced Monday, aims to strengthen Kiev's position against intensified Russian operations before President-elect Donald Trump takes power.

President Biden unveiled $2.5 billion in security assistance, including $1.25 billion in military aid sourced directly from US stockpiles and a $1.22 billion package under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI). Unlike immediate stockpile drawdowns, USAI funding procures equipment through defense industry partners, which can result in delayed delivery to the battlefield.

"At my direction, the United States will continue to work relentlessly to strengthen Ukraine's position in this war over the remainder of my time in office," Biden stated.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced an additional $3.4 billion in budgetary support, which she described as the final installment under the 2024 Ukraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.

These funds, coordinated with the US Agency for International Development and the State Department, will provide vital financial resources to Ukraine as it faces intensified attacks on critical infrastructure.

Advanced weaponry

The aid includes an array of advanced weaponry. Secretary of State Antony Blinken detailed the package, highlighting artillery ammunition for HIMARS systems, Javelin anti-tank weapons, TOW missiles, and counter-unmanned aerial systems (c-UAS) munitions.

Additional supplies include air-to-ground munitions, communication tools, training resources, and transportation support. The Pentagon also confirmed the inclusion of Stinger missiles, NASAMS air defense munitions, and drones.

"This additional assistance, provided under previous drawdowns from Department of Defense stocks, is valued at $1.25 billion," Blinken noted.

On a related note, White House spokesperson John Kirby claimed that DPRK troops fighting alongside Russian forces have suffered significant casualties, reporting 1,000 soldiers killed or wounded in the past week in Russia's Kursk region.

While Washington maintains that Russia has turned to DPRK forces to reinforce its frontline, no verified evidence of a DPRK military presence has been made public

Russia, on its part, has criticized US arms supplies, arguing they undermine peace efforts and deepen NATO's involvement in the war.

The United States has committed $175 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia's special military operation began nearly three years ago. Biden noted that the latest assistance would offer both immediate battlefield support and long-term capabilities, including air defense systems and critical weaponry.

"These capabilities will continue to be used to great effect on the battlefield," Biden affirmed in his statement.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... h--6bln-pa

[Anthea]

Russia halted gas transit through Ukraine

The halt will cut 15 billion cubic meters of gas for Europe, leaving the Balkan Stream pipeline as the only remaining Russian supply route

Reports on Wednesday confirmed that the transit of Russian gas to Europe via Ukraine will stop starting January 1 at 05:00 GMT, as the five-year transit agreement comes to an end.

This halt will result in a loss of around 15 billion cubic meters of gas for the European market, with the Balkan Stream pipeline being the sole remaining route for Russian gas deliveries to Europe.

Dive deeper

Since November 15, Gazprom has been supplying Europe with 42.4 million cubic meters of gas per day through Ukraine, reaching a peak capacity of 42.5 million cubic meters. Currently, the Sudzha gas metering station is the only point for Russian gas transit from Ukraine to Europe.

In 2023, Gazprom shipped about 15 billion cubic meters through Sudzha, representing 4.5% of the EU's total gas consumption.

The Balkan Stream pipeline delivers up to 15 billion cubic meters of gas annually to countries including Romania, Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, supplying gas from the TurkStream pipeline.

It is worth noting that experts told RIA Novosti that some of the gas previously flowing through Ukraine could be rerouted via the Turkish route, allowing it to reach Slovakia and Austria.

Ukraine could cost Slovakia $521mln if Russian gas transit to EU stops

Last Saturday, Prime Minister Robert Fico stated that Slovakia will lose up to 500 million euros (521 million dollars) per year if the transit of gas through the country to other European Union states is halted.

Slovakia expects its domestic gas needs to be met, while annual income generated from transiting Russian gas to the West should hit 400-500 million euros in 2025. However, since the transit is set to stop following January 1, Slovakia will immediately lose this revenue.

Fico further stated that during an EU summit in Brussels, Zelensky proposed compensating Slovakia with the same amount, extracted from frozen Russian assets, if Slovakia supports its NATO bid - a proposition immediately rejected

He stated that not only he but also other countries with greater influence over the decision to admit new NATO members, oppose Ukraine's membership.

Who are the beneficiaries?

The Slovak prime minister also speculated that the United States would benefit most from stopping gas supplies from Russia through Ukraine to Europe, asking "What is behind this absurd decision by President Zelensky? Just look at which countries benefit most from reducing the European Union's dependence on gas from Russia. The answer is very simple: first and foremost, it is the United States."

He recalled that US President-elect Donald Trump has already threatened EU countries by introducing tariffs unless they start purchasing more US oil and gas.

On the other hand, Zelensky accused Fico on Monday of attempting to assist President Vladimir Putin by continuing to import gas from Russia.

Zelensky indicated that European Union leaders had observed Fico, who visited Moscow on Sunday, and his resistance to decreasing energy reliance on Russia, suggesting that this implies "he wants to help Putin earn money to fund the war and weaken Europe."

The current agreement for Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Europe expired at the end of 2024, and Kiev has consistently indicated it will not renew the deal. Last week, Zelensky also ruled out allowing Russian gas transit through Ukrainian territory after December 31, even if third parties purchase it.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... g-wednesda

[Anthea]

European gas prices soar

European natural gas futures climbed the highest since October 2023 after Russian gas flows to Europe via Ukraine stopped on New Year's Day

The price of the Dutch TTF, the benchmark European natural gas climbed by more than 4% to €51 per megawatt-hour, its highest level since October 2023, before easing a little, on the first trading day after Russian gas stopped flowing to Europe via Ukraine.

Freezing temperatures across the north of the region pushed prices up on Thursday morning with a backdrop of losing 5% of the EU's natural gas import as Russian import stopped entering the European Union via Ukraine on 1 January, after decades of operating, due to a transit deal expiring, raising concerns about faster storage withdrawals.

European gas inventories have been depleted at the fastest pace since 2021, sitting at around 75% due to the particularly cold weather in Europe over the past weeks.

According to the industry organisation Gas Infrastructure Europe, the volume of gas in the block's storage facilities decreased by about 19% from the end of September, when the replenishment season ends, to mid-December.

There is no risk of an immediate energy crisis or shortfall in Europe, and the European Union (EU) expects no immediate impact on consumer prices. But Europe appears to be more vulnerable to market volatility if it aims to replace its missing natural gas as gas prices have been soaring by 50% year-on-year. Higher energy prices could hurt further the bloc's competitiveness and raise costs to households.

Prices may also rise if Europe turns to increase its liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports.

Central European countries are the most vulnerable to losing access to Russian natural gas via Ukraine, even though they have an alternative route, TurkStream, to receive Russian natural gas, but that link is not sufficient to fully compensate for the loss of the Ukraine route.
Europe looks at other solutions

The impact will be felt especially in Hungary and Slovakia, for which the Ukrainian transit route met 65% of gas demand in 2023, according to Bruegel

The European Commission has laid out several solutions to help affected countries, including filling needs through supplies of Greek, Turkish and Romanian gas via the Trans-Balkan route.

All together, there is no concern that the EU will run out of gas this winter, however, refilling its storage could be more costly than expected.

Gas prices for next summer recently surged above those for winter 2025-26, which will make it more costly to restock, reports Bloomberg, citing Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst at Global Risk Management in Copenhagen, who said: "There is an increasing risk that the EU will exit the winter with low gas storage levels, making it expensive to replenish them."

https://www.euronews.com/business/2025/ ... ia-ukraine

[Anthea]

Aid extends beyond Biden administration

This announcement follows the Biden administration’s allocation of nearly $5.9 billion in aid to Ukraine earlier this week

The United States will continue providing military assistance to Ukraine beyond the Biden administration, as the delivery of announced capabilities often takes time, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Friday.

"Capability and equipment flows off our shelves as it's available. So it is very likely that there you are going to see more capabilities continue to flow to Ukraine post this administration, that's very normal when PDAs [Presidential Drawdown Authority] get announced," Singh told reporters

She explained that while some equipment can arrive within days, other items require significantly longer delivery times.

"Some equipment can get there within days. Some equipment, as you know, can take much longer," Singh concluded.

Recent US Assistance

This announcement follows the Biden administration’s allocation of nearly $5.9 billion in aid to Ukraine earlier this week.

The package includes $1.25 billion in military supplies from US army stockpiles, with weapons such as HIMARS ammunition, artillery shells, Javelin systems, TOW missiles, and other equipment, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Russia has condemned Western arms shipments to Ukraine, arguing that they hinder peace efforts and amount to direct involvement by NATO countries in the conflict.

The US has committed $175 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia's special military operation began nearly three years ago.

On Monday, Biden said that the latest assistance would offer both immediate battlefield support and long-term capabilities, including air defense systems and critical weaponry.

"These capabilities will continue to be used to great effect on the battlefield," Biden said.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... tration--p

NOTE: countless numbers of people in US remain HOMELESS following recent storms and flooding

[Anthea]

Russia backs UN report on Kiev actions

against Ukraine Orthodox Church

Russian Ambassador-at-Large Gennady Askaldovich stated that Moscow will continue urging international organizations to pressure Kiev into reversing laws targeting canonical Orthodoxy

Russia has expressed approval of a recent report by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) that critiques Ukraine's treatment of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

Russian Ambassador-at-Large Gennady Askaldovich stated that Moscow will continue urging international organizations to pressure Kiev into reversing laws targeting canonical Orthodoxy.
OHCHR Report Sparks Diplomatic Clash

The OHCHR report, released in late December, concluded that Ukraine had not provided sufficient justification for its measures aimed at disbanding religious organizations, including the UOC. The findings raise concerns about the proportionality and necessity of Kiev's actions

"Taking into account the countless facts of the ongoing persecution of Christians who support the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as well as the criticism of the Ukrainian authorities that has been heard for many years from numerous religious, public and political circles, one can only welcome the long-awaited conclusions of OHCHR," Askaldovich stated in a release from Russia's Foreign Ministry.

Diplomatic commitment

The ambassador reiterated that Russia will persist in calling on the OHCHR and similar bodies to take firm stances against Kiev's "state arbitrariness" towards canonical Orthodoxy. He also urged the repeal of "repressive laws."

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry has dismissed the UN findings, calling the report inaccurate and accusing Russia of misrepresentation. According to Askaldovich, Kiev's swift denial and efforts to "whitewash" the report's conclusions are evidence of its discomfort with the criticism.

The controversy stems from legislation enacted in September, which gave Ukrainian authorities the ability to ban the UOC over its historical ties to the Moscow Patriarchate. Kiev has framed these efforts as a necessary step to counter "Russian influence", while Moscow continues to condemn the measures as religious persecution.

https://english.almayadeen.net/news/pol ... aine-ortho

[Anthea]

Exclusive Marcus Papadopoulos on Russia,
Ukraine, Trump, EU and NATO

In an interview with Al Mayadeen, Marcus Papadopoulos, a political writer and analyst says that Russia is not an enemy of Europe, further affirming that it is a European country with "no malicious intentions towards the nations of Europe."

Papadopoulos also talks about what he predicts to be the outcome of the war in Ukraine, giving his opinion on the policy that US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to follow.

https://youtu.be/ojQM6Szz5PY?feature=shared