**Gazprom Shares Plummet to 16-Year Low**
Shares of Russian gas giant Gazprom have reached their lowest level since January 2009, according to The Moscow Times. On Tuesday, the shares dropped to 106.1 rubles ($1.01), marking a 2.4% decline from Monday and a 33.5% drop since the start of 2024.
The fall began after the European Commission announced its readiness to halt Russian gas transit without significant price impacts, confirming the availability of alternative supply sources. Gazprom’s profits have suffered due to a steep decline in European exports, which have dropped over 80% compared to 2021.
**Ukraine Developments**
Meanwhile, Ukrainian documentaries “The Porcelain War” and “Once Upon a Time in Ukraine” have been shortlisted for the 97th Academy Awards. German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has received an order to supply Ukraine with 20 additional Marder infantry fighting vehicles.
The Trump administration’s incoming Ukraine peace envoy, Keith Kellogg, plans to visit Kyiv and several European capitals in early January as part of the new administration’s effort to address the Russia-Ukraine war. President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Lviv on Dec. 17 to discuss bilateral cooperation, historical reconciliation, and coordination with Western partners.
**NATO Takes Charge**
NATO has assumed responsibility for coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine through the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine center, Reuters reported on Dec. 17. According to DeepState’s map, Ukrainian troops in Makarivka south of Velyka Novosilka have been almost surrounded, with analysts warning that the situation around Makarivka is becoming more critical.
**Ukraine Seeks Aid**
The United Kingdom has sanctioned 20 vessels of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and pledged 35 million pounds ($44 million) in aid to repair Ukraine’s energy grid. The Ukrainian parliament passed legislation listing permissible cases for holding multiple citizenship and simplifying procedures for foreigners to obtain Ukrainian citizenship.
**Russia-Ukraine Conflict Escalates**
While the Latvian Defense Ministry said that drills are “not related to changes in the security environment,” the exercises take place amid surging tensions between NATO and Russia. Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces killed 50 North Korean soldiers and injured 47 others in three days of fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast.
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