• EU leaders announced a multi-billion dollar funding plan for Ukraine’s economy and military for the next two years — with the package funded by borrowing cash, rather than tapping into frozen Russian assets held in the bloc. The deal, struck early Friday, offered a lifeline to Ukraine, which was rapidly running out of money.
• Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin hosted his end-of-year news conference where the Russian president signaled there’d be no compromise on Ukraine. He said the EU’s plan to funnel frozen Russian assets to Ukraine was “robbery.”
• Russia’s top economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev is expected to travel to Miami for a briefing on the results of peace talks between the US, Ukraine and Europe held in Berlin this week, a Russian source with knowledge of the trip told CNN.
Our live coverage has now ended. To about Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press conference, read our analysis.
Russia’s annual press conference, known as “Direct Line with President Vladimir Putin,” unfolded on Friday as a familiar, carefully choreographed performance: lengthy answers, a reassuring tone and a sustained effort to portray Putin as firmly in control yet personally engaged with ordinary Russians.
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