**European Commission President von der Leyen Cancels Engagements Due to Pneumonia**
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has canceled her engagements for the first two weeks of January due to a severe case of pneumonia. This was announced by Commission spokesperson Stefan de Keersmaecker on January 3.
Von der Leyen, who is 66 years old and has been leading the European Union’s executive body since 2019, will not attend a speech in Lisbon or a trip to Gdansk that were scheduled for January. The exact details of her condition have not been disclosed.
**Ukraine Updates**
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to be at the center of international attention. The country has offered to help the Russian–occupied region of Transnistria purchase gas through European platforms to mitigate the energy crisis. However, this offer was rejected by Transnistrian officials who believe that Gazprom will resume Russian gas supplies.
Around 4,000 people protested in Bratislava on January 3 against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s pro-Russian policies. In another development, Ukraine has exported over 74 million tons of cargo, including agricultural products, despite the ongoing conflict with Russia.
**Other News**
The European Union has taken over a rotating presidency from Hungary to Poland. An event launching the Polish presidency was held in Warsaw on January 3.
Germany is being urged not to rule out deploying Bundeswehr troops to Ukraine after the war ends. This suggestion comes from Roderich Kiesewetter, a lawmaker from the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Around 38% of Ukrainians are open to conceding some territories while preserving independence in order to end the war with Russia as fast as possible, according to a survey published by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology.
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