Ukraine and the World – Against russia’s Aggression. Sanctions in Action

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Radosław Sikorski has announced that his country will allocate US$100 million for military aid and the purchase of American weapons for Ukraine as part of the PURL initiative.

“In recent months, we have been intensively working with the government of Ukraine on the implementation of projects, which we technically call 'long-range fire'. The Ukrainian Army will be equipped with such weapons systems,” said Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas has stressed that any plan to end russia’s war against Ukraine requires the involvement of Ukrainians and Europeans.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys once again emphasized Ukraine’s mandatory participation in any peace talks.

“As has always been said, Europe must play a certain role (in the negotiation process). Ukraine is also a security barrier for Europe. If Ukraine falls, the risks for Europe will increase, and we absolutely cannot accept or allow this,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy Antonio Tajani regarding potential peace talks.

“russia could do this tomorrow by withdrawing its troops and ending its illegal invasion,” said a representative of the UK Foreign Office regarding the end of russia’s war against Ukraine.

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The White House has approved a bill on “devastating sanctions” against russia, – said Senator Lindsey Graham. He added that US President Donald Trump personally asked Congress to push this bill forward.

“This is an issue which the President (Donald Trump) continues to prioritize in our foreign policy, namely the settlement of the war between Ukraine and russia,” said Stephen Miller, US President Donald Trump’s political advisor, regarding US foreign policy priorities.

On November 20, the EU Council imposed restrictive measures against four employees of the rf’s prison system and six representatives of russian judicial authorities “for human rights violations”.

The European Union is considering new restrictive measures against those who ensure the operation of the so-called “shadow fleet” of russian tankers.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Noël Barrot says that the EU expects to finalize the 20th package of sanctions against russia by the end of 2025.

Minister of Defence of Italy Guido Crosetto has called on Western countries to counter the increasing number of hybrid attacks by russia. He believes it is necessary to move to active fighting back.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Kęstutis Budrys considers the latest attempts at sabotage in Europe, backed by russian special services, to be an alarming sign of the escalation of russia’s hybrid war.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland has ordered russian consulate employees in Gdańsk to leave the country by December 23.

Bulgaria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that, in accordance with new EU requirements, Sofia will stop issuing multiple-entry Schengen visas to russian citizens. It has also emphasized its readiness to discuss with other EU countries similar measures regarding belarusian citizens.

US sanctions against “Lukoil” and “Rosneft” have undermined the kremlin’s influence in the Balkans, having dealt the strongest blow to moscow’s position in the region in decades.

Between November 10 and 16, russian oil shipments by sea decreased to 291,000 tons per day – the lowest since early 2025. The decline from the previous week was 12.7 %. The main reduction was at the port of Primorsk, where shipments decreased by more than 70 %.

State-owned and loyal to the kremlin media outlets are to blame the West for tax increases in russia and not mention putin in the news. This follows from the guidelines compiled by the russian presidential administration. Unpopular measures in the tax sphere are now referred to as “the end of the grace period”.

russia has begun selling off its gold reserves to fill the military budget.

One in seven entrepreneurs in the rf is seriously considering closing his/her business after the introduction of changes to the tax code raising VAT to 22 %. One in three intends to assess the results after the first quarter of 2026. They are considering cost optimization and price increases as options for adapting to the changes.

Inflation expectations among the russian population rose to 13.5 % in November from 12.6 % in October.

russia’s largest bank, Sberbank, will complete a 20 % reduction in its workforce by the end of 2025.

“Mechel”’s coal production declined by 16 % in the third quarter compared to the previous quarter.

russia exported 16 times less buckwheat to China in October than in September.

The russian road construction equipment market has shrunk by 41 %. Over nine months, shipments of truck cranes decreased by 50 %, of loaders – by 42 %, of bulldozers – by 57 %, of rollers – by 68 %, and of excavators – by 27 %.

One of russia’s largest clothing chains – retailer Modis – has gone bankrupt.

The rf wants to ban foreign toys and teach children how to fly drones in kindergarten.

American author Stephen King’s novel “It” has been withdrawn from sale in russia in accordance with the law banning LGBT propaganda.

The state duma has passed a law on the confiscation of Ukrainians’ property in temporarily occupied regions.

The Yaroslavl shipyard, which manufactures small auxiliary vessels (for military purposes included), cannot pay its workers’ salaries for September. The company’s employees have been furloughed. Many of them work at the shipyard with their entire families, and now they have no money to pay their bills.

belarus has been handed a note on the extradition of persons suspected of sabotage in Poland. This was announced by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland Spokesperson Mateusz Wewior.

belarusian courts are trying opposition figures for disagreeing with the war against Ukraine. The court documents directly reproduce the kremlin’s rhetoric about “demilitarization”, “denazification”, and “special military operation”.