Ukraine sending humanitarian aid to Syria to prevent food crisis - Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that Ukraine is preparing to send humanitarian aid to Syria to help prevent a food crisis on Dec. 14.

The announcement follows the collapse of the Russia-backed regime of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Dec. 8 amid a large-scale rebel offensive. Zelensky stated that Kyiv would contribute to stabilization efforts in Syria in the wake of Assad's fall.

According to Zelensky, Ukraine is ready to assist Syria in preventing a food crisis, including through the Grain from Ukraine humanitarian program. He added that he had instructed the government to coordinate food deliveries with international organizations and willing partners.

Zelensky urged global partners to join Ukraine in ensuring stable peace in Syria, which he described as having suffered years of civil war exacerbated by Russia's involvement.

According to Zelensky, the Grain From Ukraine initiative, launched in the fall of 2022, has reportedly saved 20 million people from hunger. As one of the world’s leading agricultural producers, Ukraine has been a major supplier of grain and other food products to African and Asian countries.

Ukrainian air defence forces shoot down 56 of 108 Russian UAVs overnight

Ukrainian defenders successfully shot down 56 Russian UAVs during the night of Dec. 14-15, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Additionally, 49 UAVs reportedly disappeared from radar, while three returned to Russian territory.

The Air Force reported that Russia launched an S-300 anti-aircraft guided missile along with 108 attack UAVs from districts in Kursk, Oryol, Bryansk, and Millerovo. The wreckage from the downed UAVs caused damage to infrastructure, apartment buildings, houses, vehicles, and other movable property in multiple regions, resulting in casualties.

Confirmed interceptions occurred in Chernihiv, Sumy, Kyiv, Poltava, Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

Ukrainian authorities postpone US minerals deal to let Trump seal it – NYT

The New York Times reported that Ukraine has twice delayed signing a minerals agreement with the United States, possibly to allow President-elect Donald Trump to present it as an early achievement of his administration.

According to the report, Ukraine had initially planned to finalize the deal with the Biden administration to collaborate on extracting and processing critical minerals. Officials on both sides indicated that Kyiv’s delays could signal an attempt to court favor with Trump.

Ukraine is known to have significant reserves of 20 major minerals, including cobalt, graphite, and lithium—key materials for the tech and EV industries—with total deposits valued at approximately $11.5 trillion. Notably, Ukraine holds about a third of Europe’s proven lithium reserves, which could be of interest to companies like Elon Musk's Tesla.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham recently claimed in an interview that the war is "about money" and suggested Trump would broker a deal beneficial for both Ukraine and the United States by securing rare earth minerals.

The Times highlighted Ukraine's proactive efforts to align with Trump, describing Kyiv’s attempts to secure his support in the war against Russia as ranging from diplomatic overtures to bold gestures. One such effort involved Ukrainian officials traveling to Paris after learning of Trump’s planned visit to attend Notre Dame Cathedral's reopening.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly arranged a last-minute meeting with Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron. The discussion, initially scheduled for 15 minutes, lasted 45 minutes, underscoring Ukraine’s determination to establish a connection with the incoming U.S. administration.