Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has charged Rostyslav Shurma, a former deputy chief of staff to Zelensky, with embezzlement and money laundering involving $3.3 million.

NABU says Shurma, his brother Oleh, and seven others fraudulently received state payments for solar power plants in occupied parts of Zaporizhzhia Oblast that were no longer producing electricity. The funds were allegedly obtained through Ukraine’s controversial “green tariff” renewable energy program.

Shurma served in the Presidential Office from 2021 to 2024. Both he and his brother are believed to be living abroad.

Source: The Kyiv Independent

Keith Kellogg:

I think Putin does not want to become Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia.

I think he is trying to figure a way to get out of this thing.

He knows he is not gonna end up winning this war.

Trump on his Greenland deal:

It is really fantastic. The U.S. gets everything we wanted, including real national security and international security.

Reporter: Does the deal still include the United States having ownership of Greenland?

Trump: It is a long term deal. It is the ultimate long term deal.

Reporter: How long is it?

Trump: Infinite. There is no time limit. It's forever.

Reporter: Why invite Putin to the “Board of Peace?”

Trump: We want everybody. I have some controversial people on, but these are people that get the job done.

These are people that have tremendous influence. All babies on the board, it wouldn’t be very much.

The Board will get a lot of work done that the UN should have done. We will work with the UN, but the “Board of Peace” will be special.

Trump on his Greenland deal:

We have a concept of a deal. I think it is going to be a very good deal for the U.S. and also for them.

We will work together on something having to do with the Arctic as a whole, but also Greenland.

Source: CNBC

Q: A deal of ownership for Greenland?

Trump: It is a little bit complex. We will explain it down the line.

It is the kind of a deal that I wanted to be able to make.

Source: CNBC

Q: Did Denmark weigh in on what they want?

Trump: I assume they did. Rutte very much represents them. I assume he has been speaking to them, all of them.

Source: CNBC

Trump on his Greenland deal:

It’s better than Obama’s Iran nuclear deal — this one is forever.

Q: If there was going to be a war, it was going to be a trade war. Is that fair to say?

Trump: I think so. I don’t see us fighting with Denmark and NATO.

Source: CNBC

Trump:

Obama gave them $350 billion for Ukraine, which was just terrible.

Trump on Iran:

They were going to hang 837 people — old-fashioned hanging. I told them you can’t do that. If you do that, it’s going to be bad.

They canceled it, hopefully permanently.

Trump on Iran:

Well, we hope there’s not going to be further action, but you know, they’re shooting people indiscriminately in the streets.

Q: Should we stay tuned in Iran?

Trump: I guess, it’s a rough place.

Denmark's Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen:

The day is ending on a better note than it began. We welcome that Trump has ruled out to take Greenland by force and paused the trade war.

Now, let’s sit down and find out how we can address the American security concerns in the Arctic while respecting the red lines of the KoD.

U.S., Danish, and NATO officials are discussing a framework for expanded American military access in Greenland.

The proposal would grant the United States sovereignty over limited areas of Greenland to build and operate military bases.

The idea, associated with Mark Rutte, has been compared to Britain’s sovereign base areas in Cyprus.

Source: NYT

Keith Kellogg:

If Ukraine survives this winter – January, February – and reaches March, April, the advantage will be on the side of Ukraine.

Italy's Meloni:

Some European countries decided to send soldiers for training operations in Greenland. This was interpreted by the American administration as an attack against the Americans.

I believe, instead, that it was an attempt to respond to a need that the Americans themselves have raised. That’s why I called Trump and told him, “Look, I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

And I believe it’s a mistake to predict or threaten to add tariffs to those nations that had made this choice.

But as you can see, part of these problems is mainly caused by a lack of communication that needs to be restored.

Italy's Meloni:

I believe that a split between Europe and the United States is in no one’s interest, and it certainly is not in Italy’s interest.

Italy's Meloni:

When I’m told that we need to “react with strength,” since we’re talking about foreign policy and not a casual conversation, I also need to be told what the proposal is.

Do we want to break our alliances with our historic allies? Do we want to close American bases in Italy? Do we want to leave NATO?

Because in foreign policy, choices have consequences.

Italy's Meloni:

I am convinced that tensions should be lowered and that solutions should be sought. But this does not mean that my attitude is a submissive one.

When the issue of tariffs arose in Europe, I believe no one fought against Trump as I did; the difference is that I was working to find an agreement, while others preferred escalation.