Ukrainian vitality minister Hrynchuk resigns as corruption probe fallout continues
Following Zelenskyy’s request, Ukraine’s vitality minister Svitlana Hrynchuk has now additionally resigned from her publish because the fallout from the alleged vitality corruption probe continues.
Posting a handwritten note to Facebook, she stated denied any wrongdoing “in her skilled actions,” and confused her due to Zelenskyy and the federal government for with the ability to serve in successive roles over the previous 10 years.
Key occasions
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French parliament moves to suspend unpopular pension reform
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Canada explores participation in the Eurovision song contest
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Search and rescue operations under way to find missing migrants after vessel capsizes near Greek island
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Czech president presses incoming PM Babiš to resolve conflicts of interest, spell out view on Ukraine, Nato
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Ukrainian justice, energy minister to be formally dismissed from positions, prime minister confirms
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Ukrainian energy minister Hrynchuk resigns as corruption probe fallout continues
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‘Undermining state means you will be held accountable,’ Zelenskyy warns
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Ukraine’s Zelenskyy calls for justice, energy ministers to be dismissed
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Norway’s Stoltenberg rules out using sovereign wealth fund to guarantee EU’s Ukraine loan
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New sleeper service will run from Paris to Berlin next year
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More than 1,000 people died in people smuggling operations in the Med region this year
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Irregular border crossing down across EU, while UK remains strong pull, Frontex data show
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‘Important results’ reported from growing pressure on Russia, Zelenskyy says
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Milan prosecutors investigate alleged ‘sniper tourism’ during Bosnian war
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20 dead after Turkish military plane crashes in Georgia
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Kazakh parliament passes Russian-style anti-LGBTQ law
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Kremlin confirms failed talks with Britain on Ukraine
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Ukraine hits Russia’s ‘Stavrolen’ plant producing components for drones, military equipment
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Russia ready to resume talks with Ukraine in Istanbul, official says
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Morning opening: Focus on corruption in Ukraine
French parliament strikes to droop unpopular pension reform
Over in France, lawmakers voted to droop a contested pension reform as subsequent 12 months’s price range payments inch by way of parliament below persistent threats to the federal government’s survival, Reuters reported.
A majority of 255 lawmakers voted in favour of the suspension with 146 who voted towards.
Reuters famous that, after a rocky begin, prime minister Sebastien Lecornu’s second try at a authorities has made headway, pushing components of the price range by way of parliament due to expensive concessions.
One of many greatest trade-offs was providing the Socialists – a pivotal swing bloc – a suspension of Macron’s plan to boost the pension age to 64.
The freeze successfully retains the minimal retirement age at 62 years and 9 months till after the 2027 presidential election, a transfer that has been arduous to swallow for Macron loyalists however which has handed Lecornu a lifeline, Reuters famous.
Canada explores participation within the Eurovision track contest
Ashifa Kassam
European neighborhood affairs correspondent
When Canada released its federal budget this month, a lot of it was normal fare, from the plans to downsize the general public service to the enhance in defence spending.
However one line tucked within the almost 500-page doc has captured imaginations on either side of the Atlantic: a mention that the federal government is working with Canada’s nationwide broadcaster to discover participation within the Eurovision track contest.
When requested in regards to the line, the nation’s finance minister, François-Philippe Champagne, stated the proposal to hitch the glitzy TV extravaganza had come from “the individuals who take part”.
He didn’t specify whether or not he was referring to particular nations or the European Broadcasting Union, who organises the competition. CBC-Radio Canada is an associate member of the union; one other affiliate member, Australia, was invited by the competition’s governing board to join Eurovision in 2015.
The minister, nonetheless, appeared to embrace the longshot bid, hinting that it was a part of the federal government’s strategic realignment away from the US and in the direction of Europe.
“I feel it’s a platform for Canada to shine,” Champagne told broadcaster Global News last week. “That is about defending our identification – sure, we wish to shield our sovereignty, however you additionally wish to assist folks within the arts sector and within the movie business to ensure they will shine world wide. And we’ve loads to supply as Canadians.”
In current months, as Donald Trump’s takes aim at Canada’s sovereignty and slaps tariffs on its economic system, the Canadian authorities has scrambled to deepen its relationships with allies world wide.
In March, the nation’s prime minister, Mark Carney, made some extent of visiting France and the UK on his first abroad journey as prime minister, seizing on the visit to declare Canada the “most European of the non-European nations.”
Two authorities sources instructed the Canadian Broadcasting Company that Carney – who spent years finding out and dwelling within the UK, most just lately because the governor of the Financial institution of England – was personally involved in Canada’s push to hitch the world’s largest stay music occasion.
Whereas Canada has by no means formally participated, the pop platform has hosted an array of Canadian artists. Most famously was Céline Dion, who received the competition for Switzerland in 1988 with the track Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi, whereas in 2001, Natasha St-Pier represented France as did La Zarra in 2023.
Jakub Krupa
And now for one thing totally different…
Search and rescue operations below strategy to discover lacking migrants after vessel capsizes close to Greek island
Helena Smith
in Athens
In additional distressing information from the Mediterranean, search-and-rescue operations are nonetheless below strategy to discover lacking migrants determined to get to Europe from Libya, following a lethal shipwreck in southern Greece.
Greek coast guard officers, citing the accounts of the greater than 50 folks rescued up to now, imagine as many as 13 others have been additionally on board the wood vessel on the time it capsized 15 nautical miles south of tiny Gavdos off Crete.
Emergency providers confirmed that the our bodies of three folks have been discovered shortly after a Frontex vessel rushed to the scene when the vastly overcrowded boat started to tackle water.
Footage released by Greece’s public broadcaster, ERT, exhibits passengers screaming desperately for assist earlier than the tragedy happens.
As Greece’s most southerly level, the islet of Gavdos has turn out to be a magnet for migrants fleeing Libya and some of the in style if additionally lethal routes within the Mediterranean.
In an announcement the Hellenic coastguard stated:
“Throughout procedures to strategy the boat to collect these on board, there was motion in the direction of the left facet of the vessel with the results of water getting into and the boat overturning. The crew of the Frontex boat instantly threw round and particular person lifejackets and athe vessel’s lifeboat was launched.”
Czech president presses incoming PM Babiš to resolve conflicts of curiosity, spell out view on Ukraine, Nato
In the meantime within the Czech Republic, the nation’s president Petr Pavel has ramped up strain on the incoming prime minister, billionaire Andrej Babiš, repeating his demand for Babiš to resolve his conflicts of pursuits earlier than taking over the publish, iDnes.cz and Lidovky reported.
The primary battle of curiosity is about Babiš’s management over the Agrofert conglomerate, which is a recipient of EU funds.
Leaving the assembly with Pavel, Babiš instructed reporters he would take essential enterprise selections consistent with Czech and EU legislation, with out specifying his subsequent steps.
President Pavel confused that he’ll appoint the brand new prime minister as quickly as he meets all of the formal necessities.
Amid considerations in regards to the new authorities’s overseas and defence coverage, Pavel additionally requested the brand new right-wing authorities to contemplate clarifying its stance on Ukraine and Nato within the coalition manifesto.
In response, Babiš pledged he would focus on these points with coalition companions.
Ukrainian justice, vitality minister to be formally dismissed from positions, prime minister confirms
Ukrainian prime minister Yulia Svyrydenko has now confirmed that she formally submitted a movement to dismiss each vitality and justice ministers from their posts to the nation’s parliament, as per Zelenskyy’s request.
Russia is just not losing any time as its diplomats search to use the corruption allegations in Kyiv in a bid to undermine the broad help for Ukraine amongst western societies.
The Russian embassy within the Netherlands has just posted a meme portraying a cartoon character sweating over making a alternative between “fixing Dutch social issues” and “serving to corrupt Ukrainian junta,” with a word:
“Is @Minpres nonetheless able to pour billions into Ukraine after Zelensky’s shut ally Timur Mindich has been accused of a $100m corruption scheme?”
Ukrainian vitality minister Hrynchuk resigns as corruption probe fallout continues
Following Zelenskyy’s request, Ukraine’s vitality minister Svitlana Hrynchuk has now additionally resigned from her publish because the fallout from the alleged vitality corruption probe continues.
Posting a handwritten note to Facebook, she stated denied any wrongdoing “in her skilled actions,” and confused her due to Zelenskyy and the federal government for with the ability to serve in successive roles over the previous 10 years.
‘Undermining state means you may be held accountable,’ Zelenskyy warns
In a separate post in English, Zelenskyy despatched a transparent sign that “undermining the state means you may be held accountable; breaking the legislation means you may be held accountable.”
He additionally stated:
“There have to be most integrity within the vitality sector, in completely all processes. I help – and the prime minister helps – each investigation carried out by legislation enforcement and anti-corruption officers. That is a fully clear and constant place for everybody.”
His robust feedback will probably be little doubt intently watched by the EU because it continues to evaluate the nation’s progress on its accession path.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy requires justice, vitality ministers to be dismissed
Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy has simply commented on the corruption scandal uncovered by the nation’s anti-graft authorities (9:55), calling for justice and vitality ministers to be dismissed from their positions, because the investigation continues.
“That is additionally a matter of belief. If there are accusations, they have to be answered,” he stated in a post on Telegram.
Zelenskyy stated he had requested PM Svyrydenko to “request resignation letters from these ministers” so they aren’t concerned in positions of affect because the investigation continues.
He stated that because the nation faces rising vitality points with energy outages, brought on by continued Russian strikes on Ukraine, “it’s completely irregular there are nonetheless some [corruption] schemes within the vitality sector.”
In a video accompanying his publish, Zelenskyy additionally stated he absolutely supported the work of the anti-corruption businesses.
Norway’s Stoltenberg guidelines out utilizing sovereign wealth fund to ensure EU’s Ukraine mortgage
In different information, Norway stated it may help a European Union plan to utilise frozen Russian belongings for Ukraine however won’t use its sovereign wealth fund as a sole monetary backstop for the scheme, finance minister Jens Stoltenberg stated.
EU finance ministers are set to debate the difficulty on Thursday as they proceed seek for a approach to supply some €140bn to Ukraine to assist it battle the Russian aggression, as Belgium continues to oppose te thought of utilizing the frozen Russian funds in Euroclear.
Reuters stated that in a bid to interrupt the impasse, some members of Norway’s parliament have proposed that the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, the world’s greatest with belongings of greater than $2tn, may supply a assure that may cowl a possible authorized legal responsibility.
However Stoltenberg stated it was “not an possibility,” regardless of Oslo’s broader readiness to hitch within the EU’s plans.
He stated Norway, which isn’t a member of the EU, was already making main monetary contributions to Ukraine and will additionally probably take part within the EU’s plans, however wouldn’t present ensures by itself, Reuters famous.
New sleeper service will run from Paris to Berlin subsequent 12 months
Monisha Rajesh
The resurgence of sleeper trains on the continent hit a kink within the tracks in September, when the Austrian state operator ÖBB introduced that it will be axing its two Nightjet services – Paris to Vienna and Paris to Berlin – from 14 December. ÖBB cited the French authorities’s ending of subsidies, dealing a blow to the night-train renaissance.
Nevertheless, there’s gentle on the finish of the tunnel.
European Sleeper has instructed the Guardian that will probably be taking up the route from Paris to Berlin, with the primary practice to run on 26 March 2026.
The practice will function 3 times every week with departures prone to be from Paris Gare du Nord on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings and the return service from Berlin Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The information is definitely welcomed by Oui au train de nuit!, a French marketing campaign group who in September took to the platforms of Paris Gare de l’Est of their nightwear and threw a pyjama social gathering to protest towards the cuts to the sleeper providers out of Paris.
“This can be a partial victory for the 91,000 people who signed our petition,” stated Nicolas Forien, spokesperson for the group.
Jakub Krupa
In several and maybe extra optimistic information, let’s check out the most recent replace on the way forward for night time trains throughout Europe…
Greater than 1,000 folks died in folks smuggling operations within the Med area this 12 months
Lisa O’Carroll
In the meantime, greater than 1,000 folks have died in folks smuggling operations throughout the Mediterranean this 12 months with 42 presumed lifeless off the coast of Libya previously week alone, the UN’s Worldwide Group for Migration has said.
In an announcement on Wednesday, IOM stated, in accordance with survivors, that the vessel, carrying 49 migrants and refugees, departed from Zuwara on 3 November at 3am within the morning however capsized six hours later after hitting excessive waves “throwing all passengers overboard”.
“After drifting at sea for six days, solely seven males – 4 from Sudan, two from Nigeria, and one from Cameroon – have been rescued. Tragically, 42 people stay lacking and are presumed lifeless, together with 29 from Sudan, eight from Somalia, three from Cameroon, and two from Nigeria,” IOM stated.
“This tragic occasion, coming simply weeks after different lethal incidents off Surman and Lampedusa, underscores the persistent risks confronted by migrants and refugees alongside the Central Mediterranean Route,” it stated.
Irregular border crossing down throughout EU, whereas UK stays robust pull, Frontex knowledge present
Lisa O’Carroll
Nearly 60,000 folks have tried to cross the English channel small boats this 12 months, in accordance with the most recent figures from the European border company, Frontex.
The newest knowledge which incorporates “tried and profitable crossings” exhibits the irregular border crossings, now one of many greatest political challenges within the UK, has remained “unchanged” in comparison with 2024 rising 3% to 58,900 within the first 10 months of 2025.
Individuals from Eritrea, Somalia and Afghanistan have been the principle nationalities of these try and cross to the UK.
Throughout the EU, irregular crossings have fallen 22% to 152,000 in the identical interval, suggesting the UK stays a powerful pull for many who have already made it into the bloc.
Frontex knowledge exhibits “robust declines” on makes an attempt to cross to the Canary islands from west Africa, which is down 59%, and within the western Balkans, down 46% whereas the japanese land border, a hotspot for suspected migration orchestrated by Russia, down by 38%.
The figures present that the central Mediterranean route (from Tunisia or Algeria) stays the busiest irregular route within the EU with 59,000 folks detected as arriving between January and October.
Individually, we additionally acquired the most recent set of Frontex figures on migration in Europe this morning.
Let’s go to Lisa O’Carroll for her evaluation.
‘Essential outcomes’ reported from rising strain on Russia, Zelenskyy says
Again to Ukraine, the nation’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated he obtained the top of the overseas intelligence service, Oleh Ivashchenko, earlier this morning.
On their assembly, he said:
“There are essential outcomes from our joint efforts with companions to place strain on Russia.
For the primary time because the starting of the battle, a noticeable decline has been recorded this 12 months in Russia’s oil manufacturing and refining. The oil and gasoline revenues of the Russian price range are lowering, and by the top of this 12 months, Russia may have misplaced a minimum of 37 billion {dollars} in price range oil and gasoline earnings. As well as, Russian oil firms and the whole vitality sector are dropping tens of billions extra. All this curbs Russia’s battle machine.
Each standard sanctions towards Russia and Ukraine’s long-range sanctions are working successfully. Additional instructions for our sanctions strain have additionally been recognized. I thank all our companions who’re additionally delivering totally justified authorized blows towards the vessels of Russia’s oil fleet – the Russians at the moment are utilizing fewer tankers.”
Zelenskyy additionally stated the pair mentioned “bringing dwelling Ukrainian kids kidnapped by Russians, in addition to different operations overseas.”
