Pope Leo stresses importance of European involvement in efforts to end war in Ukraine

The European Commission is advancing a plan to utilize frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine amid ongoing conflict, as President Ursula von der Leyen addresses the media following a commission meeting. This initiative aims to provide financial assistance to Ukraine's efforts against Russia, despite the Kremlin's assertion that President Putin did not reject a U.S. peace plan but found certain aspects unacceptable.

US private payrolls unexpectedly declined by 32,000 jobs in November, following an upwardly revised increase of 47,000 jobs in October, according to the ADP employment report. This decline contrasts with economists' expectations of a 10,000 job increase for November, highlighting a potential slowdown in the job market.

A Russian court has sentenced US citizen Robert Gilman to an additional two years in prison, following his initial incarceration in 2022 for a drunken assault on a police officer. This development was reported by state media on Wednesday.

Francis Fukuyama, a prominent political scientist and author of 'The End of History and The Last Man', expressed his disappointment regarding the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President, labeling it as the most surprising and disappointing event in decades. Fukuyama criticized Trump for exhibiting authoritarian tendencies and for attempting to negotiate a controversial deal with Russia concerning Ukraine.

The European Commission has announced a proposal to fund Ukraine through a loan backed by frozen Russian assets, a move that has sparked significant debate within the EU. This initiative aims to address Ukraine's budget shortfall amid ongoing conflict, with an alternative option for an EU loan based on common borrowing introduced to appease concerns from Belgium, which holds a substantial portion of these assets.

President Donald Trump has publicly stated his opposition to Somali immigrants, asserting that the U.S. would be heading in the wrong direction by allowing them entry. His remarks coincided with plans by ICE to conduct operations targeting the Somali community in Minnesota, amid ongoing discussions about immigration enforcement and social services fraud linked to this group.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff in Moscow to discuss the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, characterizing the talks as 'constructive' while acknowledging that significant work remains to achieve peace. During the meeting, Putin accused Kyiv’s European allies of undermining U.S.-led efforts to resolve the war.

Oil prices have risen as market traders express concerns over the low likelihood of a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine in the near future. This sentiment reflects ongoing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding the conflict, which continues to impact global oil supply dynamics.