Ukraine War Update NEWS: Military Aid & Geopolitical News
Table of Contents 📖
"Peace is easy if you just surrender."
Hello Team
🎦 00:00-00:17⏩
Jonathan wishes viewers Merry Christmas and announces that he will be doing some decorations for the fundraiser later on. He is pleased to announce that they are still in first place for fundraising with the "Greatest Internet Communities Joint Campaign". 188 people have contributed to the campaign which aims to send 15 trucks from the EU and UK to Ukraine. The first 2 trucks have been funded. One of these will be converted into an MLRS with the second truck going to the same battalion that the Ukrainian POW (who was filmed being executed after saying "Slava Ukraini") was a member of.
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Ukraine Begins Production of 122mm Rockets
🎦 01:20-02:08⏩
Ukraine has started producing 122mm rockets for the BM-21 Grad MLRS system. This is important as Ukraine already has a number of these Soviet-era weapons and being able to use indigenously produced rockets makes them more self-sufficient. The rockets are considered useful, if not particularly accurate.
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USAID Donates 10 Autonomous Welding Machines to Ukraine
🎦 02:08-02:23⏩
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has donated 10 autonomous welding machines to Ukraine. These will be used to help with the rapid repair of damaged energy infrastructure.
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Ukraine Develops New UGV Mine Layer
🎦 02:24-02:57⏩
Jonathan highlights a video of a Ukrainian Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) which has been developed to lay mines. The UGV can disperse 9 mines evenly.
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France: A2SM-1000 Guided Glide Bomb Update
🎦 02:57-03:29⏩
The A2SM-1000, a guided glide bomb, is on the verge of being declared fully operational. It will be equipped on the Rafale F4. However, thanks to the "European concept of design authority" the company involved (Safran) may be able to adapt the A2SM-1000 for use by the Ukrainian armed forces.
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Georgia: Protest Against Election of Pro-Russia Mikel Cavalascivili
🎦 03:41-06:09⏩
Protests continue in Georgia following the "election" of pro-Russia, anti-West hardliner Mikel Cavalascivili. Jonathan explains that it wasn't a public election, but rather an Electoral College style vote by lawmakers. There was only one candidate, Cavalascivili. Protests continue against the "illegitimate regime" with calls for the release of political prisoners and fresh elections. Jonathan highlights a video shared by Marika Mikyashvili which shows huge numbers of "thugs" dressed in black and wearing balaclavas guarding the Christmas tree at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.
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Serbia: Anti-Government Protests
🎦 06:09-07:54⏩
Jonathan reports on anti-government demonstrations in Serbia. He speculates that people are beginning to realise that Russia won't come to the rescue of "Putin scooges". Jonathan reads an article from the Associated Press which reports that protests have spread following the death of a student who was killed by a falling concrete canopy. Students gathered outside a police station in Novi Sad on Thursday where they were "pushed away" by officers.
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Ukraine Refuses to Hold Telephone Talks With Hungary's Viktor Orbán
🎦 07:54-08:46⏩
Ukraine has refused to hold telephone talks with Viktor Orbán about Ukraine's truce with Russia. Jonathan explains that Orbán called Putin to discuss a "peace deal" (effectively Ukraine's surrender). This angered Zelensky as Ukraine should be at the heart of any peace negotiations and a peace deal should not be brokered without their involvement.
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US, UK and EU Sanctions Updates
🎦 08:46-11:03⏩
- The US is considering further sanctions on the Russian "shadow fleet" of tankers. Chinese banks found to be complicit in circumventing sanctions could also be targeted.
- The EU is to impose sanctions on Russian intelligence for the first time as a response to disinformation campaigns. The sanctions will target more than 12 individuals and 3 entities. Jonathan welcomes the move but highlights that this needs to be significantly expanded upon.
- The EU's new energy commissioner, Dan Jorgensen has said his priority is to craft a plan to end Europe's dependence on Russian energy imports. Anton Gerashchenko welcomes the announcement and reiterates the need to "reinvigorate and coordinate action" against Russia's energy sector in order to cut off their revenue streams (oil and gas). Gerashchenko shared a map of Russian ships delivering oil all over the world.
- UK Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has called for the G7 to impose further sanctions on Russia and to increase military support to Ukraine.
France: New Prime Minister François Bayrou's Stance on Ukraine
🎦 11:03-12:04⏩
Following the collapse of the previous French government, Emmanuel Macron has appointed François Bayrou as Prime Minister. It was confirmed that Bayrou's position on Ukraine is aligned with Macron and the Minister of the Armed Forces. Jonathan welcomes this news.
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Russia: Visa and Mastercard to Stop Working From January 2025
🎦 12:04-12:54⏩
From 1st January 2025 it will no longer be possible to withdraw cash from Russian ATMs using Visa and Mastercard. Banks in Russia are recommending that customers switch to using the Russian NIA card. Jonathan describes this as another step towards pariah status for Russia.
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Lithuania: Cornelia Dudaitė Disqualified From Fitness Competition in Hungary
🎦 12:54-14:47⏩
Lithuanian athlete, Cornelia Dudaitė, was disqualified from the World Functional Fitness Championships in Hungary for wearing a t-shirt with the slogan "Make Russia Small Again". She wore the t-shirt in protest after Russian athletes were allowed to compete wearing their national colours and the "Z" symbol. In protest at her disqualification, the entire Lithuanian team resigned. Jonathan reads out a tweet by Dudaitė who confirmed that her t-shirt was a show of support for Ukraine and that she hopes Ukraine wins the war and "really insults" Russia. Jonathan expresses his respect for Dudaitė and the Lithuanian team.
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US: Ukraine Delays Signing Minerals Deal
🎦 14:56-17:38⏩
Jonathan highlights an article from the New York Times which claims that Ukraine twice delayed signing a minerals deal with the US in order to let Trump take the credit and claim an "early victory" at the start of his term. He describes Ukraine's actions as treating Trump with "kid gloves" - they are aware of Trump's need for self-validation and how he likes to present himself as a "winner" - by allowing Trump to sign the deal it may make him more amenable to providing more military aid.
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US Reselling Russian LNG to Europe?
🎦 17:41-18:27⏩
Jonathan questions whether the US is buying Russian Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) from India and China (who are buying it at below market prices) and then reselling it to its European allies at inflated prices. He acknowledges that the US and Australia have ample reserves of LNG but that buying low and selling high would be very lucrative.
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US: Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg to Travel to Ukraine
🎦 18:27-19:10⏩
Retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, who is Trump's special envoy to Ukraine, has revealed that he will soon be travelling to Ukraine with a delegation. He will be speaking to and listening to members of the Ukrainian government. Jonathan highlights that a number of his sources and Ukrainian journalists are "upbeat" about what may happen regarding Ukraine after Trump's inauguration.
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US: Trump's Ukraine Policy - Will it be "Peace Through Strength" or Appeasement?
🎦 19:10-34:22⏩
Jonathan reiterates that any positive action by the Trump administration in support of Ukraine will be in spite of Trump, rather than because of him. He believes that the more moderate Republicans surrounding Trump will be key to this. Jonathan believes that Trump is "willfully ignorant" when it comes to Ukraine and geopolitics. He finds it hard to believe how little time and effort Trump invests in learning about these issues. Jonathan questions how Trump can make informed decisions about America's role in the world without this knowledge. He plays a clip of Ronald Reagan's "A Time for Choosing" speech in which he talks about the need for "Peace Through Strength". Jonathan contrasts the strength shown by Reagan with what he perceives as appeasement from Trump. Jonathan believes that Trump's "America First" policy is about retreating from the world, rather than showing strength. He draws parallels between the tactics used by Russia and China to sow discord in US society with the ultimate aim of weakening them to the point where appeasement and surrender are the only options.
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Syria: HTS Leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, Gave Russia a Chance to Leave
🎦 34:22-35:14⏩
Jonathan refers to a statement made by the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who claims that he gave Russia the option of reconsidering its relationship with the Syrian people but that they didn't take it and are now packing up and leaving Syria.
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Wrap up
🎦 35:14-35:39⏩
Jonathan thanks viewers for watching and reminds them to like, share and subscribe. He jokes that he wants to reach 50,139 subscribers by the 2nd of January and that although an arbitrary target he now "has to" achieve it.
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