**NATO Takes Lead in Coordinating Western Military Aid to Ukraine**
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has taken responsibility for coordinating Western military aid to Ukraine. According to Reuters, this move was announced on December 17th.
A new center called the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) is now fully operational in Wiesbaden, Germany. This center aims to streamline training programs and the delivery of weapons to Ukraine. It involves around 700 personnel from various countries, including troops stationed at NATO’s SHAPE headquarters in Belgium.
This shift marks a greater role for NATO in supporting Kyiv’s defense against Russia’s invasion. However, diplomatic sources noted that the transfer of authority to NATO might have limited impact, as the U.S. could still reduce its support for Ukraine under President-elect Donald Trump.
**Ukraine Fights Against Russian Invasion**
Meanwhile, Ukrainian troops are fighting a tough battle against Russian forces in Makarivka, south of Velyka Novosilka. According to analysts, the situation around Makarivka is becoming increasingly critical as Russian troops continue their advances.
A recent survey found that 55% of respondents prioritized ending the conflict over Ukraine’s territorial integrity. President Volodymyr Zelensky has stressed the importance of security guarantees for Ukraine during a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump in Paris on December 7th.
**Other Developments**
In other news, the United Kingdom has sanctioned 20 vessels of Russia’s “shadow fleet” and pledged £35 million ($44 million) in aid to repair Ukraine’s energy grid. Slovakia’s state-owned energy company SPP and its partners have called for continued gas transit through Ukraine.
Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces have killed 50 North Korean soldiers and injured 47 others in three days of fighting in Russia’s Kursk Oblast. South Korea has imposed sanctions on 11 individuals and 15 entities “engaged in illegal military cooperation between Russia and North Korea”.
A Russian attack killed one person in the front-line town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, according to Governor Vadym Filashkin.
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