At the European Council meeting in Brussels, EU leaders approved providing 18 billion euros of financing to Ukraine in 2023 and adopted the 9th package of sanctions against Russia.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz promised more aid after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's forecast that the coming months would be even more difficult for Ukraine.

“The European Council reiterates that it is ready to support Ukraine’s initiative for a just peace. To date, Russia has not shown any genuine willingness regarding a fair and sustainable peace,” the conclusions of the meeting read. The European Council encouraged further efforts to ensure full accountability for war crimes and the other most serious crimes in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Options to use frozen assets to support Ukraine’s reconstruction were also discussed.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, told The Economist that in January and February he expects a new massive Russian offensive in the Donetsk region and against Kyiv. He added that half of the mobilized 300,000 Russians were sent immediately to the front lines, while the rest were currently completing intensive training and were soon to be sent to war.