live blog
IMF head Georgieva praises Ukraine for its economic development. The USA wants to increase pressure on Moscow by banning the import of Russian uranium. The developments in the live blog.
According to British assessments, Russian troops have problems fighting in the dark due to a lack of night vision devices. While the Ukrainian defenders were equipped with good material by their international partners, Russian soldiers had to ask for equipment from relatives and supporters, the British Ministry of Defense said. There is also a lack of cameras for drones that can take good pictures in the dark.
According to authorities, the Russian army has made “significant” progress in the partially Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia. “Our units have advanced significantly northeast of Novopokrovka,” said Russian-appointed local governor Yevgeny Balitsky on the Telegram online service.
The Ukrainian army, however, spoke of repelling Russian attacks. The Russian side said that the situation around Novopokrovka was “continuously tense”, but that the Russian soldiers were “gradually making progress” – while on the Ukrainian side there were “significant losses”.
Conflict parties as a source
In the current situation, information on the course of the war, shelling and casualties provided by official bodies of the Russian and Ukrainian parties to the conflict cannot be directly verified by an independent body.
More than 100 members of parliament from European countries have called on the USA to release urgently needed financial aid for Ukraine, which is being attacked by Russia. Ukraine needs the joint help of Europeans and Americans, the parliamentarians wrote in an open letter to their colleagues in Congress in Washington.
“Our shared commitment to freedom and democracy is at stake today.” The Ukrainian army is under great pressure and Ukraine’s survival as an independent nation is threatened. The signatures come from many EU member states as well as from the European Parliament.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj also met the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, during his visit to the US capital Washington. She said Ukraine had managed to “implement and maintain sound economic policies” with the support of the international community. The Ukrainian authorities demonstrated commitment to addressing key governance and corruption issues. This is evidence of Zelensky’s leadership strength.
According to the Air Force, Ukrainian air defense destroyed nine of 15 Russian attack drones and two cruise missiles during the night. The Iranian Shahed drones were destroyed over several regions of Ukraine, the air force said. The two cruise missiles were intercepted over the Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk regions.
There is currently no information about damage and victims.
With a view to further military aid for Ukraine in its defense against Russia, US President Joe Biden is receiving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj in the White House today. Biden had invited the Ukrainian to Washington “to underscore the United States’ unwavering commitment to supporting the Ukrainian people in their defense against the brutal Russian invasion,” the White House said in advance.
During his visit to the US capital, Zelensky also wants to meet with members of Congress, including the Republican leader of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson. Zelenskyj had already arrived in Washington on Monday and attended a number of appointments, for example with US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva.
Claudia Sarre, ARD Washington, tagesschau, December 12, 2023 5:46 a.m
The USA wants to increase pressure on the government in Moscow by banning the import of Russian uranium. The House of Representatives has passed a corresponding bill. “The risks of continued dependence on Russia for our nuclear fuels are simply too great,” said Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers before the vote.
The bill provides exemptions for low-enriched uranium from Russia if there is no alternative source to power a U.S. nuclear power plant. According to the federal Energy Information Administration, the U.S. imported about 12 percent of its uranium from Russia in 2022, compared to 27 percent from Canada and 25 percent from Kazakhstan.
President Zelenskyj called on the USA for further aid during his visit to Washington. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba is confident that the EU will open accession negotiations with Ukraine. Monday’s developments to read.