Day 303 of the Invasion of Ukraine: Moscow sees No Conditions for Negotiations on Security Guarantees (UPDATED)

@Mediapool

Here are the highlights of events related to the war in Ukraine over the past 24 hours:

The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with EUR 2.5 billion in aid in 2023

The Netherlands will provide Ukraine with up to 2.5 billion euros in aid in 2023, the Dutch government announced on Friday, Reuters reported.

The funds are earmarked for military aid, humanitarian aid, work to restore critical infrastructure and support investigations into possible war crimes, the government said.

"As long as Russia continues its war against Ukraine, the Netherlands will provide aid to Ukraine. Military, humanitarian and diplomatic," Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote on Twitter after speaking by phone with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier in the day.

Russia again attacks settlements in the Sumy region of Ukraine

Russia has again attacked settlements in Sumy Oblast, on the border with Russia's Belgorod Oblast, where there has been no fighting since the spring. This was reported by the Ukrainian General Staff, without giving more information.

The situation on the fronts, according to the report of the General Staff, remains generally unchanged: Russian forces continue to try to advance in the Bakhmut region and the vicinity of Donetsk, as well as in some places along the Svatovo - Kremennaya line.

Moscow sees no conditions for negotiations on security guarantees

“Serious negotiations on security guarantees cannot be held while there are NATO instructors and mercenaries in Ukraine, and until the flow of weapons from the West stops”, the director of the North America Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, Alexander Darchiev, told TASS, Reuters reported.

He recalled that a year ago Moscow made an attempt to put on the table two drafts of legally binding documents with the United States and NATO on the issue of security guarantees, but then received a "haughty no" in response.

"The ball is now in the court of the United States," Darchiev pointed out.

In recent weeks, Russian officials have increasingly signaled a willingness to talk about Ukraine, albeit veiled, amid claims that the Ukrainian president is not interested in reaching a peaceful solution.

'Sooner, the better': Putin says he wants an end to the war in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia was aiming for a speedy end to the conflict in Ukraine and that fighting should end as soon as possible, reported The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH).

"Our goal is... to end this conflict. We are striving for this and will continue to strive... so we will seek to make sure that it all ends, and the sooner, the better," Putin told reporters. Putin's comments were met with skepticism by Ukraine and its allies.

White House spokesman John Kirby said Putin had "shown absolutely zero indication that he's willing to negotiate", an end to the war that began with Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, reported SMH.

"Quite the contrary," Kirby told reporters during an online briefing, adding, "Everything he (Putin) is doing on the ground and in the air bespeaks a man who wants to continue to visit violence upon the Ukrainian people (and) escalate the war."

Meanwhile, the Russian President said a speedy end to the conflict in Ukraine would inevitably involve a diplomatic solution.

Russia has persistently said it is open to negotiations. Still, Ukraine and its allies suspect it as Moscow's ploy to buy time after a series of Russian defeats and retreats, reported SMH.

"I have said many times: the intensification of hostilities leads to unjustified losses," Putin told reporters.

"All armed conflicts end one way or another with some negotiations on the diplomatic track," he said, adding, "Sooner or later, any parties in a state of conflict sit down and make an agreement. The sooner this realization comes to those who oppose us, the better. We have never given up on this."

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky returned to Ukraine buoyed by the support shown by President Joe Biden on his trip to Washington, his first foreign journey since Russia invaded its neighbor.

Notably, US Congress moved closer on Thursday to approve an additional USD 44.9 billion in emergency military and economic assistance, part of a wider US government spending bill. That is on top of some USD 50 billion already sent to Ukraine this year, reported SMH.

The Biden administration announced another USD 1.85 billion in military aid for Ukraine, including the Patriot system.

Zelensky told Congress that US aid to his country was an investment in democracy and Patriot system was an important step in creating an air shield.

However, Putin played down the significance of the Patriot air defense system. He said it was 'quite old' and did not work like Russia's S-300 system. "An antidote will always be found," he said, boasting Russia would 'crack' the Patriots.

"So those who do it are doing it in vain. It's just prolonging the conflict, that's all," he said.

A NATO reconnaissance plane and an F-15 fighter jet escorted Zelensky to Washington

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky flew to the United States on December 21 on a US Air Force plane, which was escorted by a NATO reconnaissance plane and an F-15 fighter jet on part of its flight to Washington, the BBC reports today, citing informed sources.

It is noted that such extraordinary measures, taken for security reasons, testify to the importance of the relationship between the two countries, especially in the background of how Ukraine defends its independence in the battle against Russian troops.

Zelensky first arrived by train in the Polish city of Przemyśl. There, the Ukrainian delegation settled into waiting cars, including a black Chevrolet Suburban, the favorite model of the American government. During the trip to Washington, the Ukrainian president was accompanied by the US ambassador Bridget Brink.

Then at the airport in Rzeszów, Poland, Zelensky boarded a US Air Force plane, accompanied by a NATO reconnaissance plane and an American fighter jet.

The plane was headed north-west towards the UK, but before entering airspace over the North Sea, a NATO reconnaissance aircraft checked the area as it is patrolled by Russian submarines.

An American F-15 fighter jet, which took off from a base in England, accompanied Zelensky's flight during part of his journey. Nearly 10 hours after takeoff, the plane carrying the Ukrainian president landed near Washington.

Upon his arrival, he was under the protection of the Secret Service, which takes care of the security of American statesmen, headed by the president.

"We know very well that Russia has agents in this country and can try to do something. We know what's at stake," a senior US official familiar with preparations for the visit told the BBC.

American authorities have been monitoring Zelensky's safe return until his arrival in Kyiv. This was the first trip abroad of the Ukrainian president after the invasion of Russian troops into his country on February 24 of this year.

Russia will ban oil supplies to countries that have imposed a price ceiling

Russia will ban the supply of oil and oil products to countries that demand compliance with the price ceiling introduced by the West and may reduce oil production in early 2023 by 500-700 thousand barrels per day. This was stated by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak on the air of the TV channel "Russia-24".

"As part of this decree, a ban will be introduced on the supply of oil and petroleum products to these countries, these legal entities, which will require compliance with the price ceiling contracts that have been introduced by the European Union, so we are ready to step in to partially cut production. At the beginning of next year, we may cut production by about 500-700,000 barrels per day, which is about 5-7% for us," he said.

Novak added that the size of such a reduction in oil production is insignificant, "but nevertheless such risks exist."

The Group of Seven countries, the EU and Australia agreed to impose from December 5 a ceiling of per barrel of Russian crude oil delivered by sea for their subordinate ships and territories. In addition, from February 5, 2023, price ceilings for petroleum products will come into force, the parameters of which will be determined later.

Russia has warned Greece not to supply S-300 air defense systems to Ukraine

Russia has warned Greece not to supply Ukraine with Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, Anadolu Agency reported.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the transfer of the S-300 to Kyiv would be a "gross violation" of the Russian-Greek intergovernmental agreements on military-technical cooperation and delivery of military products.

"The violation of contractual obligations will inevitably have consequences, not to mention the weakening of Greece's defense capability in the field of air defense," she warned.

"Before it's too late - this is like advice - you can give up dangerous plans. Once again we warn the Greek leadership about the responsibility," Zakharova said

The Senate approved the new budget with billion in aid for Ukraine, the G-7 promised another billion

Less than 24 hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech in which he urged Congress to approve a new billion aid package, the upper house, the Senate, approved the .7 trillion budget that provides for that amount.

The 4,155-page bill includes 2.5 billion for domestic policy and 8 billion for defense. Another House vote looms, days after Republicans warned that aid to Ukraine was not a "blank cheque." If the vote is successful, the bill will be signed by US President Joe Biden.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell supports the project, including because "the greatest military in the world will halve the funding it needs." However, many Republicans are not on board, and not only because of Ukraine, but because they see in it problems for inflation and the growing debt.

In fact, Democrats agreed to increase military spending at the expense of others like education in order to win the necessary votes from Republicans in the Senate. Some American media write that there is already an agreement between Democrats and Republicans to pass the document in the House by the end of the day in order to avoid a shutdown of the federal government.

What is planned for Ukraine

Aid to Ukraine in the described budget is economic (.37 billion), humanitarian (.92 billion) and military (.4 billion).

From the military, 8 billion will be used to provide everything necessary in the form of equipment and intelligence data, 11.88 billion - the sending to Ukraine of techniques, weapons and ammunition and the USA's own arsenal, and another 7 billion - for the Ukraine-related work of the European US Army Command.

Senators also approved an amendment that would allow the administration to sell seized assets to Russian oligarchs and provide the funds to rebuild Ukraine.

Budgetary support from G-7

Meanwhile, the finance ministers of the G-7 group (USA, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, Japan and Canada) announced that they have mobilized 32 billion dollars for budget and economic support for Ukraine next year.

"We remain strongly committed to addressing Ukraine's urgent short-term financial needs," they said in a joint statement. Of these funds, 19 billion are from the European Union.

According to the statement, the entire amount has either been provided, or is currently in the process of being provided, to Ukraine.

Lithuania prohibited Russians and Belarusians from owning firearms

Yesterday, the Lithuanian parliament adopted legislation under which citizens of Russia and Belarus, who are on Lithuanian territory, will be prohibited from possessing firearms, DPA reported.

The new legislation, which will come into effect on April 1 next year, aims to prevent the formation of armed groups that would act against the authorities in the event of instability in Lithuania, which borders Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.

According to information available to the parliament, currently 294 Russians and 46 Belarusians who are in Lithuania have permits to own or carry weapons.

Once the legislation takes effect, those affected will have one year to sell the guns or surrender them to police services, and the permits will be revoked.

Lithuania, which is a member of the European Union and NATO, supports Kyiv in the conflict with Moscow and perceives Russia as a threat to its sovereignty, DPA notes.

USA: Putin increasingly relies on "Wagner", North Korea supplies it with weapons

The Russian private military company "Wagner" has received a shipment of weapons from North Korea. This was announced by the White House, and the regime in Pyongyang denied the claims.

The goods delivered are grenade launchers and missiles, and while the shipments will not change the situation on the battlefield in Ukraine, the concern stems from the fact that North Korea "plans to continue military supplies to the Wagner," according to US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

Washington, which also released details of its assessment of the growing influence of Wagner and its creator Yevgeny Prigozhin over the war in Ukraine, plans to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council, arguing that it violates Council resolutions on the sanctions against the Asian country.

Such a meeting would certainly have no consequences for Russia, Wagner or North Korea, since Moscow is a permanent member of the Council and would exercise a veto.

The accusations against North Korea follow a decision by the United States to sanction Wagner in an attempt to limit the supply of weapons, as Russia's best-known private army seeks more sources in the war in Ukraine.

What else does the US know about "Wagner"

"We can confirm that North Korea has made a weapons delivery to Wagner, which has paid for this equipment. Last month, North Korea delivered missiles and projectiles to Russia for use by Wagner," said John Kirby.

He also provided parts of an assessment of Wagner's capabilities and operations:

• According to US estimates, Wagner currently has 10,000 mercenaries and 40,000 prisoners. The company began recruiting inmates this year amid the war, and a video of one of those cases surfaced in the fall.
• He also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin is increasingly turning to the Wagner Group, owned by restaurateur Yevgeny Prigozhin, for help in Ukraine, where Russian forces are failing to overthrow the government in Kyiv.
• As a result, Wagner increasingly competes for power with the Russian military.
• According to him, Prigozhin spends more than 100 million dollars a month to finance "Wagner's" operations in Ukraine, but faces problems in recruiting Russians to fight there.

The US also agrees with the assessment expressed in Russian media that the Wagner played a key role in the battle for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine and suffered heavy losses there. What's new is the estimate of around 1,000 fighters killed in recent weeks.

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