(Bloomberg) — Chinese President Xi Jinping urged efforts to bring calm to the war in Ukraine in talks with European Council President Charles Michel, a sign that Beijing may be trying to address one of its biggest points of friction with Europe.
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Elon Musk risks giving a helping hand to Russian President Vladimir Putin if Twitter Inc. is unable to root out propaganda about the war in Ukraine, one of the European Union’s officials warned.
Six million consumers in Ukraine are still without electricity after Russia’s intensive attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly address.
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Key Developments
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Xi Urges Calming War in Ukraine in Talks With Europe’s Michel
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Russia’s Labor-Starved Economy Pays Price of Putin’s War Call-Up
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EU Proposes Special Court to Probe Russian Actions in Ukraine
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NATO Allies Warn on China With Eye on Beijing’s Ties to Putin
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Senior House Republican Vows to Keep Money Flowing to Ukraine
On the Ground
Ukraine said the risk remains that Russia will launch new missiles attacks against energy infrastructure. Russia shelled the southern city of Kherson, which Ukraine liberated last month, and the Kremlin’s army continues to try advancing in the Donetsk region.
(All times CET)
Russia Says Ukraine Must Figure in Any Strategic Talks With US (11:44 a.m.)
Russia wants any talks with the US on strategic stability to cover the conflict in Ukraine, as well, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, charging Washington with unwillingness to restart talks.
“It’s impossible to discuss strategic stability today and ignore everything that’s happening in Ukraine,” he told an online briefing. He said the US had refused to discuss the war in what few contacts have continued with Russia, citing a policy of not talking about Ukraine without Kyiv’s participation.
Lavrov also claimed that it was the US that initiated last month’s meeting in Ankara between Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Naryshkin, appealing to keep the talks confidential. Reports of the meeting appeared the day it took place.
Prisoner Swaps Intensified Last Week, Ukraine Says (11:19 a.m.)
Prisoner swaps intensified and about 100 Ukrainian soldiers returned home in three exchanges last week, said Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian military intelligence representative.
Overall, 1,286 servicemen have returned to Ukraine since the Russian invasion started, he said.
November Was Month of Biggest Missile Strikes From Russia, Ukraine Says (11:09 a.m.)
The energy system was the main target of cruise missiles and 80 drones fired in November, military spokesman Oleksii Hromov told reporters in Kyiv.
Ukrainian air defense downed 72% of the cruise missiles and 80% of the drones last month, he said.
Musk Warned to Keep Putin Propaganda Off Twitter (10:30 a.m.)
Musk risks giving a helping hand to Russian President Putin if Twitter recent staff cuts prevent the platform from rooting out propaganda about the war in Ukraine, one of the European Union’s officials warned.
Failing to take on fake or misleading content online could “lead to the very quick abuse” of Twitter, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova, who’s spearheading efforts to tackle online disinformation, said in an interview with Bloomberg. This includes making sure the platform doesn’t become a hub for Russian propaganda.
Read More: Musk Warned by EU Official to Keep Putin Propaganda Off Twitter
EU’s Michel, Xi Discuss War in Ukraine (7:46 a.m.)
European Council President Michel discussed a range of topics, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, with China’s president, according to a statement from his spokesman.
Michel underlined that the EU counts on China as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to respect the core principles of the UN Charter and contribute to ending Russia’s occupation of Ukraine.Our Era Should be One of Peace, Modi Says (7:36 a.m.)
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi published an op-ed in a number of newspapers, saying “our era should not be an era of wars.”
This comes on the eve of India’s G-20 presidency. Modi wrote he intends to promote the idea of peaceful solutions to conflicts.
Read More: Modi Signals Putin’s War a Challenge for India as G-20 Host
UN Expects Russian Ammonia Exports via Ukraine to Resume, Reuters Says (6:28 a.m.)
The UN expects Russian ammonia exports via Ukraine to resume as a deal for pumping the fertilizer through a pipeline to a Black Sea port is “quite close,” Reuters reported, citing Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths.
The deal may be achieved this week and shipments could be started within a week or two, the news service reported.
Army Awards Raytheon $1.2 Billion For Six More Air Defense Units (12:10 a.m.)
The US Army awarded Raytheon Technologies Corp a $1.2 billion contract for delivery by late 2025 of six additional National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems for Ukraine.
The contract brings to eight the number Nasam systems, which fire missiles at aerial targetgs, the US has committed to Ukraine’s long-term defense needs. Two units have been delivered and are proving effective, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has said. The $1.2 billion came from the fifth Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative contracts package.
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