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Australian police say they intercepted two cars in Liverpool, southwest Sydney, over a possible “violent act”, with videos showing armed officers in fatigues detaining several people. Authorities say investigations are ongoing and there is currently no link to the Bondi Beach shooting.

Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025

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A small group of soldiers appeared on Benin’s state television station on a Sunday morning in early December and announced that President Patrice Talon had been “removed from office as president of the republic.”  

The mutineers cited the poor handling of the deteriorating security situation in northern Benin “coupled with the disregard and neglect of our fallen brothers-in-arms” — a reference to Beninese soldiers killed in clashes with militants near the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger.

Within moments, a familiar fear rippled across West Africa, a region that has recently seen a resurgence of coups amid widespread insecurity and economic crises. 

However, the coup was quickly thwarted following a swift response from loyal army forces, who were joined by air attacks and troops deployed from neighboring Nigeria.  

Why West Africa faces repeated coups

Countries like Chad, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and most recently Guinea Bissau have been overtaken by military juntas in recent years.

For decades, Nigeria was the region’s de facto “big brother” that made the continent the center of its foreign policy.

From its intervention in deadly conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone to its influence over the West African bloc ECOWAS, Nigeria has played a central role in maintaining peace, promoting democracy and supporting faster economic development in the region.

In 2003, the continent’s most populous nation was instrumental in restoring democracy in Sao Tome and Principe and reinstated President Fradique de Menezes who had been toppled in a military coup. 

Even as its influence waned, Nigeria took a firm stance against what ECOWAS termed an “unconstitutional change of government in Gambia in early 2017.

Abuja helped force out Gambia’s longtime strongman Yahya Jammeh after he initially refused to concede defeat to businessman and political newcomer Adama Barrow.

Nigeria’s domestic crises undermine regional role

Today, blighted by insecurity and economic crises, Nigeria’s efforts to deter regional instability have waned, analysts told DW.

Benin’s armed forces foil coup attempt

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In 2013, Nigeria withdrew some of its 1,200 soldiers from the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali to beef up security in its embattled northern region.

For more than a decade now, Nigeria has been faced with a complex security crisis, with Islamist groups waging a bloody insurgency in the northeast while criminal gangs known among locals as bandits prowl its northwest. 

“Nigeria’s economic and security challenges have made it insular and absent from regional power projections as it has had to commit troops to fighting homegrown terror threats in the form of multiple Islamic insurgencies and banditry,” said Confidence MacHarry, a senior analyst at the Lagos-based consultancy firm SBM Intelligence.

“And these have all combined to take a huge toll on the country’s economy which has largely affected its ability to take on regional commitments.”

Nigeria’s shrinking role in ECOWAS security

Nigeria has long invested heavily in ECOWAS, which relies on the country for funding, military muscle and political leadership, as it accounts for half of West Africa’s population and its largest economy.

Abuja often used this military and economic strength to lead security cooperation and promote democratic norms.

A less assertive Nigeria means that the bloc grapples with enforcing its security and democratic mandates effectively.

In 2023, following the putsch in Niger, the bloc slapped a series of sanctions on Niamey and even threatened military intervention. But couldn’t see through the threats.

This led to further balkanization with the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a confederation that was formed by the junta-led nations of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

“The internal security challenges have become so significant that Nigeria can’t afford to undertake a significant or sustained military intervention outside its borders,” James Barnett, a security expert, told DW.

“The military is simply too overstretched. This was one reason that ECOWAS’s ultimatum to Niger’s junta in 2023 was unpersuasive.”

Barnett nnoted that Nigerian forces would have struggled to reach Niamey because “much of the surrounding countryside is occupied by armed groups.”

Can the West really influence African democracies?

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Foreign mercenaries fill power vacuum

The absence of a confident Nigerian lead has not only weakened the regional bloc, but also enabled other actors to fill the vacuum, MacHarry noted.

The vacuum is being filled especially in terms of defense cooperation with foreign mercenaries such as the Wagner Group, now rebranded as Africa Corps. In Mali, the Corps has asserted itself and extended into neighboring Niger and Burkina Faso.

Many of these interventions have proven antithetical to Nigeria’s foreign policy which has extensively been pro-West “and for the region as these actors are stepping into the voids to severely undermine Nigeria’s credibility and leadership in the region. So what this means is less cohesion and less integration,” MacHarry concluded.

Democratic backsliding and ECOWAS credibility

Nigeria’s most recent general elections were marred by irregularities, with observers raising concerns about transparency and voters’ trust.

The vote left the country deeply polarized and complicated its ability or that of ECOWAS to enforce constitutional order elsewhere.

“Nigeria has certainly been a major force in ECOWAS over the years, but it’s not the only one, and the challenges ECOWAS has faced are not solely linked to Nigeria’s growing domestic troubles,” Barnett said.

“The fact that some West African leaders have employed questionable or blatantly undemocratic measures to stay in power has undermined the group’s credibility and helps feed AES-aligned propaganda,” Barnett added. 

Changing internal dynamics

The consequences of Nigeria’s retreat invariably feed back into its internal dynamics.

Instability in neighboring Niger and by extension in Mali and Burkina Faso has heightened fears of spillovers, including cross-border arms smuggling and movement of armed groups from the Sahel region.

The country shares a 1,600-kilometer (994-mile) porous border with Niger alone.

More than two years after Nigeria, alongside several other ECOWAS members, tried to reverse the coup in Niger despite threatening military action, relations between the two countries have been frosty amid growing security threats along the Nigeria-Niger border, James Barnett said.

Barnett argued that this likely influenced Nigeria’s decision to act quickly in Benin while the coup attempt was still in process.

“There was a narrow window of opportunity for Nigeria to potentially help halt the coup attempt in Cotonou, whereas if he [Tinubu] had prevaricated and the coup had succeeded, Nigeria would have faced another hostile military regime next door at a time when jihadists are spreading along the Benin-Nigeria border.” 

Is Nigeria pricing out the youth from affordable housing?

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Edited by: Keith Walker

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Opposition lawmakers scuffled with police inside Albania’s parliament on Thursday after weeks of escalating tensions over corruption allegations against Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku and other senior officials, Reuters reported.

Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party lit black flares, threw water at the speaker and occupied seats reserved for government ministers in an attempt to disrupt the session as the country’s new ombudsperson was preparing to take the oath. Police intervened, pushing lawmakers away from the podium and allowing the confirmation to proceed.

STATE DEPARTMENT STAYS QUIET AS ALBANIA REINSTATES DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION

Members of parliament from the Democratic Party, Albania’s biggest opposition party, protest inside the parliament, in Tirana, Albania, Dec. 18, 2025. (Stringer/Reuters)

The unrest comes as Albania’s Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure, known as SPAK, has requested that parliament lift Balluku’s immunity so she can be arrested on corruption charges. Parliament is expected to vote on the request on Friday.

Opposition lawmakers demanded to see the formal allegations submitted to parliament after prosecutors moved to lift Balluku’s immunity. SPAK alleges that Balluku participated in corrupt practices intended to favor companies involved in major infrastructure projects, including a tunnel and the ring road in the capital, Tirana. The projects are valued at hundreds of millions of euros.

Balluku, who also serves as minister of Infrastructure and Energy, is considered the closest ally of Prime Minister Edi Rama. His Socialist party secured a fourth consecutive term earlier this year.

‘GOLDEN TOILET’ SCANDAL: ZELENSKYY FACES DEEPEST CRISIS YET AS ALLIES ACCUSED IN $100M WARTIME SCHEME

People gather during a demonstration held in Tirana, the capital of Albania, in support of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who was under house arrest from Dec. 2023 to Nov. 2024 on corruption charges and is currently under judicial supervision by the Albanian Special Appeal Court for Corruption and Organized Crime (GJPAKKO). (Olsi Shehu/Anadolu via Getty Images)

According to Reuters, SPAK issued a criminal indictment against Balluku on Oct. 31, alleging she improperly favored a company in a tender for a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania. Prosecutors later added a charge on Nov. 21 related to alleged violations in a Tirana road construction project, the same day a court initially removed her from office.

Balluku has denied the accusations. Addressing parliament ahead of a court appearance in November, she described the allegations as “mudslinging, insinuations half-truths and lies.”

The crisis has drawn criticism from Rama’s opponents and international scrutiny. In a Fox News Digital interview published Dec. 13, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations Agim Nesho said the government appeared intent on shielding Balluku rather than allowing justice to act independently, describing the situation as “state capture.”

Members of parliament from Albania’s Democratic Party, the country’s biggest opposition party, protest against the government inside the parliament in Tirana, Albania, Dec. 18, 2025.  (Stringer/Reuters)

The U.S. State Department declined to comment on the case, telling Fox News Digital it has “no comment on ongoing legal matters.”

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Albania is a NATO member and a key U.S. ally in the Balkans, with Washington funding judicial reforms aimed at curbing corruption as part of the country’s bid to join the European Union.

Fox News Digital’s Beth Bailey and Reuters contributed to this report.

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

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NEED TO KNOW

• Julie Chrisley will star in a new cooking show that will begin filming in February, her husband Todd Chrisley revealed on their Chrisley Confessions podcast on Dec. 17
• The reality star even hinted that she may “incorporate” some of the recipes she cooked while behind bars
• Julie and Todd Chrisley were convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud in 2022, reported to prison in January 2023 and were pardoned by President Donald Trump in May 2025

Julie Chrisley is cooking up something new for TV.

Six months after she and her husband Todd Chrisley, 56, were pardoned by President Donald Trump after being convicted of tax evasion and bank fraud, it was revealed on their Chrisley Confessions podcast that the reality star, 52, will be shooting a new cooking show.

Todd shared on the Dec. 17 podcast episode that Julie will begin shooting for the new show in February, and joked that he would be “producing.” However, his wife of over 30 years denied that, saying, “I’ve not heard this and I’ve not agreed to this. This is my baby. It’s not yours.”

“I’ve been doing deep dives into comments that people have put on social media, whatever. And so many people want you to do segments of what you cooked while you were at summer camp,” he said, seemingly referring to her time in prison. “So, I think that you do that. I think that you do some of those things.”

Julie Chrisley and Todd Chrisley at NBC Universal Summer Press Tour in 2014.

Broadimage/Shutterstock 

Julie agreed, saying, “I will incorporate some of that into it.”

As for what she envisions the “tone” for her new cooking show to be, she shared that she wants it “to be real” and something that people could follow along to.

“I want it to be things that I actually cook, and I want it to be things that everybody else can cook,” she explained. “I don’t want it to be crazy ingredients that people have to go out here and search and find. I want the majority of it to be things that if you cook, that you would have in your pantry to cook.” 

The Chrisleys are no stranger to TV, having rose to fame on their family reality show, Chrisley Knows Best. The 10th season of the USA Network show aired after Todd and Julie had reported to prison.

During a press conference days after their May 2025 release, Todd revealed that he and his wife had started filming for a new Lifetime reality show “literally the night that we got home.” The Chrisleys: Back to Reality began airing in September 2025.

Julie’s upcoming cooking show also isn’t the first time she has ventured into the culinary world. She previously hosted a cooking video series called What’s Cooking with Julie Chrisley in 2019, in which she shared family recipes and that featured other chefs and family members.

She and Todd, who are parents to Chase, 29, Savannah, 28, Grayson, 19, and Chloe 13, relaunched their Chrisley Confessions podcast nearly two months after their pardon and have opened up about their time behind bars and their family’s fight for their freedom.

The couple were indicted in August 2019 and later convicted and sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison in November 2022 (though that number was reduced by around two years each in September 2023). They reported to prison in January 2023.

Julie Chrisley in 2016.

Broadimage/Shutterstock

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Following their conviction, they began appealing their case, and while Todd’s appeal was upheld, Julie’s was initially granted due to insufficient evidence. However, a judge later ruled that her original punishment was sufficient. 

On May 27 2025, President Trump announced that he had granted the pair full pardons, telling their children via a phone call, “I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good luck.” The pair were officially released from prison one day later on May 28.

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An NHS Trust unit will hold ‘listening’ events to improve care – after a 13-day-old baby died when staff failed to communicate with a doctor who was working from home. 

Daisy McCoy succumbed to a ‘lack of oxygen or blood flow’ at the Yeovil Hospital in Somerset in February, 2022.

A scan showed that prior to her birth she had sustained at least one brain injury, possibly due to issues with the umbilical cord or placenta.

However, there was a delay in carrying out the C section operation because of a ‘failure to communicate’ between staff, including the consultant who was working remotely.

The NHS Trust has now responded to a coroner’s criticisms, saying it has introduced a ‘professional disagreement policy’ and begun ‘regular walkarounds’ to ensure similar issues do not arise in the future.

The Trust also held ‘listening events’ – but has not revealed the nature of them.

The inquest heard that Daisy was born via Caesarean section at Yeovil Maternity Unit in Somerset on February 9, 2022. 

Daisy’s mother later visited the hospital reporting reduced and unusual fetal movement.

Staff at Yeovil Maternity Unit, pictured, in Somerset failed to escalate the situation, and confusion between medics meant Daisy’s emergency caesarean was delayed

A scan showed the baby had suffered a brain injury due to lack of oxygen or blood flow ‘which on the balance of probabilities had occurred before delivery’. 

The interruption to blood flow was ‘potentially due to a problem with the umbilical cord or placenta’.

Daisy’s parents were then left alone for an hour as they waited for an explanation as to the severity of the injury.

The consultant working remotely did not ‘fully consider’ if she should come in to assist during this time because she was unaware of staffing problems on the ward.

The unit’s guidance also did not include asking a staff member to attend if there was an issue outside of their experience or skill set.

Only the registrar was aware that the abnormal scan required a call to the consultant within 30 minutes and she did not phone in either, leading to a further delay in the procedure.

None of the staff checked the criteria for a normal foetal heartbeat and therefore did not escalate the results of the test.

The consultant told the inquest if she had been aware of the outcome she would have come on to the ward at that point.

Deborah Archer, pictured, area coroner for Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, warned there is a ‘gap’ in their policy regarding consultants or midwives attending when understaffing risks patient safety

On February 9 Daisy was moved to the larger Southmead Hospital in Bristol before being transferred at some point to a children’s hospice in Barnstaple, Devon, where she died on February 22.

Deborah Archer, Area Coroner for the County of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, recorded a narrative conclusion that the 13–day–old had died due to an interruption in blood flow to the brain which caused ‘significant damage’ and peri natal asphyxia before her delivery.

After Daisy’s inquest, Ms Archer said: ‘[There is] A lack of adequate communication between different health care professionals on the maternity unit.’

Peter Lewis, Chief Executive of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, also stated his response to Ms Archer’s Prevention of Future Deaths report.

‘Following the sad passing of Daisy… the Trust implemented a series of improvements’, Mr Lewis said.

He said the firm had reviewed ‘Antenatal Foetal Monitoring Guidelines’ and midwives training.

And that they had now had ‘safety walkabouts’ and held ‘listening events’.

Mr Lewis said: ‘SFT Maternity senior leaders have been actively working to understand the culture across both Yeovil District Hospital and Musgrove Park Hospital sites.

‘A number of listening events were held in 2023/24 and a programme of cultural improvement efforts rolled out in response.

‘To support improvements, the Trust launched a professional disagreement policy.

‘The trust also utilises Freedom to Speak Up Guardians (FTSU) who provide regular support to staff and conduct regular walkarounds for staff to raise any concerns.

‘The Trust has also recently engaged the national Equity Diversity and Inclusion lead to undertake a culture review diagnostic.

‘The Trust has considered all matters of concern raised… to ensure that reopening plans provide assurance of embedded change made in response to learning from Daisy May’s death.

‘We remain fully committed to embedding the learning from Daisy May’s death into every aspect of our maternity services. Our actions reflect a Trust–wide commitment to safety, transparency, and continuous improvement.’

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Dominic Harrison, better known as Yungblud, has explained on The Howard Stern Show his thoughts on his stage name – as he shares what he’d like to call his future children

Dominic Harrison is known as YungBuld professionally (Image: Redferns)

He’s shared the stage with rock legends like Ozzy Osbourne and Steven Tyler, yet some fans are still in the dark about how Yungblud got his icionic stage name. Dominic Harrison introduced himself to the world with his debut EP, Yungblud, in 2018, followed by his full-length album, 21st Century Liability.

Just a year later, the now 28 year old released his second EP, The Underrated Youth, and his second studio album, Weird!, which ranked the top spot on the UK Albums Chart and number 75 on the US Billboard 200. He’s has taken to the stage at major festivals worldwide, including Coachella in the US, Hurricane Festival in Germany, UNTOLD Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, and even his own Bludfest, founded by Yungblud in 2024.

In July this year, he won over Black Sabbath fans with a heartfelt cover of Changes at Ozzy’s final concert, Back to the Beginning, held at Villa Park, Birmingham, UK.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, as seen in a YouTube clip, Dom revealed the origins of his stage name Yungblud, saying: “I thought Dominic Harrison was a bit polite for the music that I make.”

As reported by On Air with Ryan Seacrest, his management team started calling him young blood shortly after signing him, as he was the youngest artist they were representing.

Later in the show, when quizzed about what he’d name his future children, Dom responded: “If I had a girl, I’d name her Ziggy, and if I had a boy, I’d want to call him Iggy. So I’ve got Ziggy and Iggy.”

Fans have been sharing their love for Yungblud on YouTube, with one user commenting: “Absolutely love Dom’s music and the whole YB team. He’s such a kind and talented soul.”

Another fan chimed in: “He’s one of the most authentic people you’ll meet.” A third added: “It’s about time Yungblud is on the show.”

Yungblud, hailing from Doncaster, was scheduled to perform his Idols World Tour in the US last month. However, due to health concerns, he had to pull out.

In an emotional social media post, he shared: “This year has been truly unbelievable and I feel so lucky and honoured from everything that has happened.”

He went on to say: “This week when I got home off the road, and went to have some tests done (like I usually do) and my voice and blood tests have raised some concerns. I have been ordered by my doctor to take a break from touring until the end of the year.”

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The UK’s Chief Rabbi has told Sky News that the Bondi Beach terror attack is a tragedy for all societies, caused by “hateful extremism” that threatens “our entire civilisation”.

Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi in the UK and to the Commonwealth, told Sky News correspondent Nicole Johnston that “all Jewish hearts are broken at this time”.

He said he wanted to fly out to Australia to offer his support to those affected by Sunday’s terror attack, where 15 people were killed.

Some 22 victims remain in hospital following the shooting, carried out at an event marking the start of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.

Speaking after landing early on Thursday, Rabbi Mirvis said that as Jewish leader for the Commonwealth: “This is my place. This is where I need to be.”

He added: “I am here as a symbol of the extent that the whole Jewish world’s hearts are broken at this time, and we identify with the Jewish community in Australia. And we’re here to give them support.”

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Bondi Beach shooting: Funerals begin for victims

When asked about the Yom Kippur attack at a synagogue in Greater Manchester earlier this year, where two people were killed, Rabbi Mirvis said the Jewish community felt that “we’re shocked, but we’re not surprised”.

“It was shocking to actually see it happening,” he said, “but because of the tone of the hateful rhetoric on the streets of cities in the UK, and the extent to which it wasn’t always dealt with as emphatically as it should have, therefore, terrorism could thrive.

“I’m hearing the same comments here in Sydney. We’re shocked, but we’re not surprised here. The scale is enormous, and it is such a deep, deep tragedy.

“And it’s not just a tragedy for Jewish people. It’s a tragedy for all of our societies because we need to identify not just the symptoms, but also the root causes and amongst the root causes, hateful extremism, which is a threat to our entire civilisation.”

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10-year-old Bondi victim a ‘beautiful soul’

He then said that Australian jews “don’t need any lectures” on how to come together after the attack, adding: “It’s coming from the heart. Their souls are so active.

“The bonding together, the feeling of togetherness, the connection to Jews and Judaism, love of the State of Israel, recognition of the demonisation of Israel, of Jews and Judaism, which is part of this whole story – of a desire for people out there to know what the real truth is.

“Standing tall as Jews during these exceptionally difficult times and being positive. We are the people of hope. And right here at Bondi Beach, that’s what I’m picking up on. Great hope.”

Read more from Sky News:
Australia announces tougher hate speech laws
Who were the suspected gunmen in terror attack?

His visit comes after Naveed Akram, 24 and one of the alleged gunmen, was charged on 59 counts, including 15 of murder and a terror charge.

The other alleged attacker, his 50-year-old father Sajid, died at the scene in Sydney.

Police have said the two alleged gunmen – who were shot by officers – were motivated by Islamic State ideology.

A recent trip to the Philippines is under investigation. The older Akram used an Indian passport to travel, while his son used an Australian one.

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Thousands protest as EU leaders clash over trade pact farmers fear will flood Europe with cheaper South American goods.

Published On 18 Dec 202518 Dec 2025

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Hundreds of tractors have clogged the streets of Brussels as farmers converged on the Belgian capital to protest against the contentious trade agreement between the European Union and South American nations they say will destroy their livelihoods.

The demonstrations erupted on Thursday as EU leaders gathered for a summit where the fate of the Mercosur deal hung in the balance. More than 150 tractors blocked central Brussels, with an estimated 10,000 protesters expected in the European quarter, according to farm lobby Copa-Cogeca.

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It made for a twin-tracked day of febrile tension outside and inside at the EU summit as leaders were perhaps more focused on a vote to determine whether they are able to use nearly $200bn in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine over the next two years.

Outside the gilded halls on the streets, farmers hurled potatoes and eggs at police, set off fireworks and firecrackers, and brought traffic to a standstill.

Authorities responded with tear gas and water cannon, setting up roadblocks and closing tunnels around the city. One tractor displayed a sign reading: “Why import sugar from the other side of the world when we produce the best right here?”

“We’re here to say no to Mercosur,” Belgian dairy farmer Maxime Mabille said, accusing European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen of trying to “force the deal through” like “Europe has become a dictatorship”.

A protester throws an object, as farmers protest against the EU-Mercosur free-trade deal in Brussels, Belgium [Yves Herman/Reuters]

Protesters fear an influx of cheaper agricultural products from Brazil and neighbouring countries would undercut European producers. Their concerns centre on beef, sugar, rice, honey and soya beans from South American competitors facing less stringent regulations, particularly on pesticides banned in the EU.

“We’ve been protesting since 2024 in France, in Belgium and elsewhere,” said Florian Poncelet of Belgian farm union FJA. “We’d like to be finally listened to.”

France and Italy now lead opposition to the deal, with President Emmanuel Macron declaring that “we are not ready” and the agreement “cannot be signed” in its current form.

France has coordinated with Poland, Belgium, Austria and Ireland to force a postponement, giving critics sufficient votes within the European Council to potentially block the pact.

However, Germany and Spain are pushing hard for approval. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that decisions “must be made now” if the EU wants to “remain credible in global trade policy”, while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez argued the deal would give Europe “geo-economic and geopolitical weight” against adversaries.

The agreement, 25 years in the making, would create the world’s largest free-trade area covering 780 million people and a quarter of global gross domestic product (GDP).

Supporters say it offers a counterweight to China and would boost European exports of vehicles, machinery and wines amid rising US tariffs.

Despite provisional safeguards negotiated on Wednesday to cap sensitive imports, opposition has intensified. Von der Leyen remains determined to travel to Brazil this weekend to sign the deal, but needs backing from at least two-thirds of EU nations.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva issued an ultimatum on Wednesday, warning that Saturday represents a “now or never” moment, adding that “Brazil won’t make any more agreements while I’m president” if the deal fails.

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Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has just popped out to brief Polish journalists briefly on the conversations so far, starkly warning them about the stakes of today’s talks.

He told them that the leaders are engaged “in a very difficult process” of trying to come to an agreement, with a group of more critical countries “theoretically most at risk from some sort of retaliatory or financial action from Russia,” primarily Belgium, asking for clear guarantees and safeguards.

He says there is a “breakthrough” in the sense of getting to a broad agreement about the need to move on this and the leaders are now looking for ways to make all countries comfortable with what’s being proposed.

But Tusk starkly set out what’s at stake in today’s talks, as he tells reporters that “Polish independence would be under threat if it turns out that as a consequence of poor decisions or a lack of action from Europe, Ukraine war forced to surrender.”

“I want this to finally sink in for everyone – not just for our colleagues here in Europe, but for everyone in Poland as well – that when we talk about the necessity of supporting Ukraine using these Russian funds, it is because we know full well that Ukrainian independence pushes the risk of aggression or war away from Polish borders. Conversely, the fall of Ukraine as a result of this war would mean a direct threat to Poland,” he says.

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Updated at 14.12 CET

Key events

• 1h ago

  Legal threats from Russia ‘not as scary as when Russia is at your borders,’ Zelenskyy tells Belgians

• 1h ago

  Ukraine needs decision on frozen funds before ‘end of year,’ Zelenskyy says

• 2h ago

  Ukraine warns of financial difficulties if Ukraine doesn’t secure fresh funding

• 2h ago

  Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

• 2h ago

  EU proposes new draft language to convince Belgium, but it’s all yet to be confirmed – snap analysis

• 3h ago

  Russia warns it will ‘recover damages’ on its assets with ‘lost profits’ on frozen assets

• 3h ago

  Ukraine war must be ‘not simply postponed, but ended,’ EU’s Metsola says

• 3h ago

  ‘Peace is not cheap, it’s priceless,’ European Council’s chair Costa says welcoming Zelenskyy

• 4h ago

  Russia to respond with ‘harshest’ retaliation if Europe moves on frozen assets

• 4h ago

  Belgium’s de Wever wants to see legal risks shared with other countries for reparations loan to work

• 5h ago

  Macron ‘confident’ EU can find compromise on funding for Ukraine

• 5h ago

  Macron says ‘we must bring everyone together’ on funding Ukraine

• 5h ago

  All eyes on Belgium’s de Wever as he faces pressure from all directions

• 5h ago

  Germany’s Merz wants to ‘send signal of strength and resolve’ to Moscow

• 5h ago

  ‘No time to hesitate,’ Lithuania’s Nausėda says

• 5h ago

  No deal on frozen Russian assets would pose ‘big problems for Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy says

• 5h ago

  ‘Don’t think we’re going to move without Belgium feeling comfortable,’ EU’s foreign policy chief Kallas says

• 6h ago

  Work on finding compromise ‘ongoing,’ EU’s von der Leyen says

• 6h ago

  We will not leave without decision to ensure Ukraine’s financial needs are met, EU’s Costa says

• 6h ago

  Ireland’s Martin backs use of frozen Russian assets

• 6h ago

  Idea of using frozen assets is ‘stupid’ and amount to ‘marching into war,’ Orbán says

• 6h ago

  Morning opening: ‘Money today or blood tomorrow’

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Zelenskyy says that if the decision to seize Russian assets is not made now, others “will feel that Europe can be defeated.”

He adds:

I know that Russia is intimidating different countries over this decision. But we should not be afraid of threats – we should be afraid of Europe being weak.

How can anyone believe in future security guarantees if Europe can’t deliver a financial security guarantee for Ukraine in a situation that is morally clear and just?

Defeat isn’t what people of Europe need. They need Europe not to back down before aggressors.

If we know – and if Putin knows – that we can stay resilient, then his reason to drag out this war becomes much weaker.

This is how pressure on the aggressor should work – pressure that brings peace. Thank you to everyone leading Europe in this direction. Europe must be strong.

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Zelenskyy says seizing of frozen Russian assets is like when “authorities confiscate money from drug-traffickers and seize weapons from terrorists”.

In a post on X, Zelenskyy called the use of Russian assets moral, fair and legal.

At the EU Council meeting I said: just like authorities confiscate money from drug-traffickers and seize weapons from terrorists, Russian assets must be used to defend against Russian aggression and rebuild what was destroyed by Russian attacks. It’s moral. It’s fair. It’s legal. pic.twitter.com/y9npXV6AH8

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 18, 2025Share

Watch live: Nato chief Mark Rutte holds a joint press conference with Polish and UK defence ministers

Mark Rutte holds joint presser with Polish and UK defence ministers – watch liveShare

Meanwhile, here’s the latest from the farmers’s protest outside the European Parliament in Brussels, including a rather innovative use of what a photographer described as “a handmade potato cannon.”

Police officers stand in front of the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and trade agreements such as the Mercosur, in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesProtesters use a handmade potato cannon next to Station Europe, near the European Parliament. Photograph: Yves Herman/ReutersFarmers burn car tires outside the European Parliament building, protesting the European Union (EU) policies in Brussels, Belgium. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty ImagesShare

And that ends Zelenskyy’s press conference.

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Legal threats from Russia ‘not as scary as when Russia is at your borders,’ Zelenskyy tells Belgians

Zelenskyy gets asked by a Belgian broadcaster to try to persuade the Belgian people and respond to their concerns about the use of frozen Russian assets.

He says that from a morality point of view, it’s only fair to use Russian funds against their attacks on a sovereign country.

He acknowledges fears about a potential legal action by Russia, but says “it’s not as scary as when Russia is at your borders.”

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Zelenskyy says he is counting on more pressure from the US to bring the war to an end, as he fears that “Putin doesn’t want to stop this war.”

But he says that if the US and president Trump put more pressure on him, beyond just mediating in the talks, it’s possible to get Moscow to move.

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Zelenskyy also briefly confirms he met with Belgium’s de Wever and discussed the issue of frozen assets, and they both told each other what they felt they needed to say.

Was it helpful?

“We will see. We just need a bit more time.”

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Ukraine needs decision on frozen funds before ‘end of year,’ Zelenskyy says

Asked about the timing specifically, Zelenskyy makes it clear that Ukraine needs the decision on the use of frozen assets to come before the end of the year.

“This year,” he stresses.

On EU accession, Zelenskyy talks about the importance of the process not getting blocked by any of the member states (hi, Hungary), as he says that joining the bloc should be considered a part of broader security guarantees for Kyiv.

So, he says, the prospect of joining the EU is of “utmost importance,” as is the principle that it shouldn’t be conditional on Russia’s permission or support.

Asked about the US-led peace talks, he says “there is progress in our dialogue with the American side.” But he raises some concerns about some areas in which Russia is expected to push back on what is being discussed.

He says that includes the presence of European stabilisation force in Ukraine, stressing the importance of that solution so that Kyiv has security guarantees from both the US and Europe.

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Ukraine warns of financial difficulties if Ukraine doesn’t secure fresh funding

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy is now also briefing the journalists.

Zelenskyy tells journalists that he doesn’t know how the talks will end today, but it is getting increasingly urgent for Ukraine to secures fresh funding, as it faces a €45-50bn deficit for next year.

He warns that Ukraine would need to cut its drone production if it doesn’t receive more money by spring.

He says Ukraine is doing everything it can to end the war, but there is no guarantee that this process will succeed, particularly given less than conciliatory comments from the Kremlin.

He says Ukraine must be in a position to remain strong and continue to be able to fight.

He says he had a good conversation with Belgium’s de Wever, and they understand each other’s position, but as Ukraine is at war, it faces even greater risks.

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Polish independence could be under threat if Ukraine is forced to capitulate, Poland’s Tusk warns

Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk has just popped out to brief Polish journalists briefly on the conversations so far, starkly warning them about the stakes of today’s talks.

He told them that the leaders are engaged “in a very difficult process” of trying to come to an agreement, with a group of more critical countries “theoretically most at risk from some sort of retaliatory or financial action from Russia,” primarily Belgium, asking for clear guarantees and safeguards.

He says there is a “breakthrough” in the sense of getting to a broad agreement about the need to move on this and the leaders are now looking for ways to make all countries comfortable with what’s being proposed.

But Tusk starkly set out what’s at stake in today’s talks, as he tells reporters that “Polish independence would be under threat if it turns out that as a consequence of poor decisions or a lack of action from Europe, Ukraine war forced to surrender.”

“I want this to finally sink in for everyone – not just for our colleagues here in Europe, but for everyone in Poland as well – that when we talk about the necessity of supporting Ukraine using these Russian funds, it is because we know full well that Ukrainian independence pushes the risk of aggression or war away from Polish borders. Conversely, the fall of Ukraine as a result of this war would mean a direct threat to Poland,” he says.

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Updated at 14.12 CET

EU proposes new draft language to convince Belgium, but it’s all yet to be confirmed – snap analysis

Jennifer Rankin

in Brussels

The EU would act in “full solidarity” with Belgium and other member states affected by any fallout from the reparations loan, according to a draft summit text.

Belgium’s prime minister Bart De Wever reacts as he arrives at a round table ahead of the European Council meeting in Brussels. Photograph: John Thys/AFP/Getty Images

Belgium, which holds most of the €210bn frozen Russian assets in the EU, has said it will not sign up to a reparations loan for Ukraine unless it has unlimited guarantees the rest of the union will help pay the bill if Moscow is successful in suing for its money.

The latest version of the summit communique, seen by the Guardian, shows that EU officials striving to convince the Belgians.

“The European Union will act in full solidarity with affected member states and financial institutions in the EU in the context of the reparations loan.”

The text promises “EU solidarity and risk sharing among all member states providing guarantees proportional to the size of their economy” and notes that some support could be for non-military purposes.

This underlines that not all member states, i.e, Hungary and Slovakia, support a reparations loan and therefore the guarantees that go with it. The text also offers a way to involve neutral states, such as Ireland, who provide non-lethal military and civilian aid only to Ukraine.

It also states the guarantees would have no impact on how member states account for their national debt – a crucial point as several EU countries are already in special measures for excessive government debt and deficits.

And it stresses the importance of “burden sharing and coordination of efforts with G7 and other like-minded partners”. That means the EU wants other countries holding Russian assets – the UK, Japan, Canada, Switzerland and Norway, for instance – to follow suit if leaders agree to tap the assets as the basis for a loan.

All these points and many more remain in square brackets, the negotiating shorthand for to be confirmed…

We will find out later, probably much later, if Belgium is convinced.

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Meanwhile, the farmers’s protest in Brussels turned more confrontational, as protesters threw potatoes at the riot police at Esplanade Solidarność 1980 and Place du Luxembourg, near the European Parliament.

A farmer throws a potato near the European Parliament in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesProtesters throw potatoes at the riot police at the entrance to the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and proposed trade agreements, in Brussels. Photograph: Emile Windal/Belga/ShutterstockProtesters throw potatoes at the riot police at the entrance to the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and proposed trade agreements, in Brussels. Photograph: Emile Windal/Belga/ShutterstockFarmers stand next to potatoes and a tractor parked in front of the European Parliament, during a farmers’ protest in Brussels. Photograph: Nicolas Tucat/AFP/Getty ImagesShare

Russia warns it will ‘recover damages’ on its assets with ‘lost profits’ on frozen assets

Meanwhile, and the timing is not accidental I think, Russia’s central bank has just made it very clear what it thinks about the discussions in Brussels.

In a short press statement right on cue, it said that “in connection with the ongoing attempts … to illegaly seize and use” its assets, it just wanted to warn everyone that would take legal actions to “recover damages from European banks in a Russian arbitration court,” demanding not just the value of “illegally withheld assets,” but also “lost profits.”

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The leaders have now moved on to discussions on EU enlargement, we’re told.

But fear not, they will come back to Ukraine and loans.

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Metsola also says that if the EU leaders make a decision on the reparations loan today, the European Parliament would be in position to progress it further at its first sitting in January, fast-tracking it through the urgency procedure.

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Ukraine war must be ‘not simply postponed, but ended,’ EU’s Metsola says

Briefing the press after her chat with leaders this morning, European Parliament’s Roberta Metsola says “we need to keep the momentum, we need to stand united with our Ukrainian partners.”

She says the focus is on taking decisive actions to “make sure that this war is not simply postponed, but ended, and it requires strong and robust security guarantees that will ensure Ukraine’s security, and, ultimately, Europe’s security.”

She says today is the “crunch day” for taking decisions on financing Ukraine.

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‘Peace is not cheap, it’s priceless,’ European Council’s chair Costa says welcoming Zelenskyy

Posting a snap from inside the room, European Council president António Costa confirms the “exchange” with Zelenskyy is now under way.

He says:

“Peace is not cheap. It is priceless.

Since the start of Russia’s aggression, the people of Ukraine have been paying the ultimate price for their freedom. Europe remains resolute in supporting them for as long as it takes.

Dear President @ZelenskyyUa, welcome back to the #EUCO.”

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The first item on the agenda, “an exchange” (that’s Brussels speak for, erm, a discussion) with European Parliament president Roberta Metsola, is now done, and so the leaders are now moving on to the second point: their chat with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

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Updated at 12.19 CET

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AP Photo/File

Arnett reported on the Vietnam and Gulf Wars during his career (pictured here in Saigon, Vietnam, in 1963)

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and war correspondent Peter Arnett has died at the age of 91, US media has reported.

Arnett won the international prize in 1996 for his Vietnam War coverage at the Associated Press (AP). But he was also well known for his work at CNN, having become a household name while reporting on the first Gulf War.

His career spanned decades and covered several conflicts in countries including Iraq, Vietnam and El Salvador.

The New Zealand-born journalist died on Wednesday surrounded by family and friends in California, his son told reporters. He was receiving hospice care for prostate cancer.

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett also took photographs while on assignment with troops – like this one from Vietnam in 1965

Arnett first worked for AP as a wire-service correspondent in Vietnam, from 1962 until the war’s end in 1975, often accompanying troops on missions.

At a talk in 2013, he recalled the moment he witnessed a soldier being shot in Vietnam as he paused to read a map.

“As the colonel peered at it, I heard four loud shots as bullets tore through the map and into his chest, a few inches from my face,” Arnett told the American Library Association.

“He sank to the ground at my feet.”

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

His reporting and photographs, including this one of workers in Ho Chi Minh City in 1972, showed the reality on the ground

The journalist left AP in 1981 to join US outlet CNN, where he later became known for his work on the first Gulf War.

He was one of the few Western reporters to stay in Baghdad, according to AP, with one of his first broadcasts from the city being interrupted by the sounds of missiles and air-raid sirens.

“There was an explosion right near me, you may have heard,” he once exclaimed live on-air.

While in Iraq, he interviewed then-president Saddam Hussein. Writing about the experience in the Roanoke Times, Arnett said he had decided to be “as tough in my questioning as the situation would allow”.

He continued: “I was not intimidated by the prospect of encountering the man many had called ‘The Butcher of Baghdad’. I figured he could do no worse to me than the constant bombing of Baghdad was threatening to do.”

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett visited Pyongyang, North Korea, in 1979, taking this photograph of children performing for then-UN Secretary General Kurt Waldheim

In 1997, Arnett became the first Western journalist to interview Osama Bin Laden at a secret hideout in Afghanistan, a few years before the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US.

According to several US media reports, when asked about his plans, Bin Laden told Arnett: “You’ll see them and hear about them in the media, God willing.”

Arnett later worked for NBC and was famously sacked by the broadcaster after giving an interview on Iraqi state television, in which he was seen as critical of US military strategy.

He was hired by the Daily Mirror hours later and said he was “in shock” at his dismissal.

“I report the truth of what is happening here in Baghdad and will not apologise for it,” he wrote in the UK paper.

AP Photo/Peter Arnett/File

Arnett provided an inside-look of what was happening in Vietnam throughout his career

Born in 1934 in Riverton, New Zealand, Arnett later naturalised as an American citizen and had lived in southern California since 2014.

Edith Lederer, a former colleague who still works at AP, told the agency: “Peter Arnett was one of the greatest war correspondents of his generation – intrepid, fearless, and a beautiful writer and storyteller.

“His reporting in print and on camera will remain a legacy for aspiring journalists and historians for generations to come.”

Meanwhile, Nick Ut, a retired photographer who worked with Arnett in Vietnam, said he was “like a brother”.

“His death will leave a big hole in my life,” he told AP.

Arnett is survived by his wife Nina Nguyen and their children, Andrew and Elsa.

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