Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters in Moscow that the European and Ukrainian changes would not improve the chances of peace. "This is not a forecast," Ushakov was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies, though he said he had not seen the exact proposals on paper yet.

European Union officials wanted to use Russia’s frozen assets to back a major loan to Ukraine. Facing opposition in their own camp, they settled on another way.

Unveiling her plan on Dec. 4, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU would cover two-thirds of Ukraine’s needs for 2026 and 2027, for a total of 90 billion euros ($105 billion). International partners would fill the gap.

At a time when tensions with Europe are rising, Russian leader Vladimir Putin has convened leaders of former Soviet republics under the banner of Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and flaunted the unity of the regional bloc.

The European Union came up with an 11th-hour deal to help Ukraine, but the solution raised questions about the bloc’s decisiveness.

Alas, Europe closed the year with a half-fumble. At an EU summit on December 18th the bloc’s 27 national leaders could not agree on the reparations loan they had been discussing for weeks. After talks that lasted into the small hours of December 19th,

The European Union agreed on Friday to lend Ukraine 90 billion euros ($105 billion) but will not, for now, use frozen Russian assets to secure the loan.

The European Union is on the precipice of a momentous decision on whether to use frozen Russian assets to finance more support for Ukraine. Critics argue the plan is legally questionable and risks retaliation by Moscow.

The U.S. President is trying to impose a bad peace deal that alarms Kyiv and European allies, writes Luke McGee.

Russian President Vladimir Putin declares Russia's Ukraine war goals will be achieved through negotiations or military force as diplomatic efforts.