Wisconsin mom mulls lawsuit alleging school district is pushing ‘horrifying’ race-based policy: ‘Problematic’
FIRST ON FOX: A Wisconsin parent is mulling legal action over a situation where she alleges her son was passed over being given the extra learning attention he needed due to language on the school’s website that says it prioritizes additional help for students based on race. Attorneys for the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, argue on behalf of their client Mrs. Colbey Decker that a “troubling” and “unlawful” policy in the Green Bay Area School District “explicitly prioritizes reading support resources based on race, thereby violating the U.S. Constitution and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,” according to a letter obtained by Fox News Digital. “Mrs. Decker’s child, who suffers from dyslexia, has received different (and less favorable) services because he is white,” the letter states. “If he was Black, Hispanic, or Native American, Mrs. Decker’s son would have been treated more favorably and received different services.” Decker told Fox News Digital that her son had been receiving one-on-one reading services in another district and that she assumed he would continue receiving that when he moved into the current district in January 2024 but that he was waitlisted for that additional help. NEARLY ALL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES STILL MAINTAIN CORPORATE DEI COMMITMENTS: REPORT Decker explained that she learned of the policy while looking at the school’s website. “I asked them point blank, does he receive less services or is he less of a priority because he’s white?” Decker said. “And even asking that question made me extremely uncomfortable because to think that someone isn’t getting the services they deserve because of the color of their skin is just horrifying. So the principal did respond to me, and much to my surprise, he was very excited to explain to me the work they do in these priority groups.” The letter alleges, citing the school’s website, that the “district’s literacy policy establishes ‘priority groups’ race—namely, Black, Hispanic, and Native American students—and states that the school will conduct intentional work educating our focus students, prioritizing additional resources to First Nations, Black, and Hispanic students.” “This policy is in effect and has been applied to Mrs. Decker’s son, according to multiple district employees.” SCHOOLS ACROSS COUNTRY DISBANDING DEI PROGRAMS IN DROVES; EDUCATION EXPERT EXPLAINS WHY The language on the school website also states next to an asterisk at the bottom of the page that, “Priority performance goals are established based on data that shows us we are meeting the needs of some student groups better than others.” “Focusing on a priority performance group of students will elevate our skills as educators and ultimately benefit all students.” The letter to the district asks that the policy, known as the King Elementary School Success Plan, be rescinded in favor of a “colorblind approach” to resource allocation along with “immediate and adequate support” to Decker’s son “who has been unfairly excluded from the opportunity to receive necessary resources.” “Seeing a policy that explicitly prioritizes resources based on race is really troubling, both morally and legally,” WILL associate counsel Cory Brewer told Fox News Digital. “The law demands that Colbey’s son and any child be treated equally to other children, regardless of their race. There should not be special treatment based on skin color. And the fact that this district is embracing the idea that they need to treat children differently based on race is really problematic.” “We are asking the district to rescind its discriminatory policy immediately to implement a colorblind approach to how it allocates resources, focusing on the needs of the individual student. And we’re also asking the district to provide Colby’s son with the resources that he needs,” Brewer continued. “There’s no reason it should be taking this long for him to get that support. If the district does not change its discriminatory policy, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty will pursue all legal avenues to protect the rights of Colbey’s son.” Fox News Digital reached out to the Green Bay Area School District for comment and received the following statement on Tuesday, “The District received the letter from WILL yesterday and we are investigating the allegations. However, we can state unequivocally that the District does not have a policy that includes the language included in the letter.” “All District policies must be approved by the Board of Education and no such policy language exists.” The spokesperson added that the language in the School Success Plan is “developed to outline the school’s goals toward continuous improvement, but would not be considered Board (District) policy” which the spokesperson called an “important distinction.” Decker told Fox News Digital that other parents she has spoken to “can’t believe” the situation when told about it and every parent “just wants their child to be treated equally.” “Any time a parent or a grandparent advocates for a child, I know that their sincere hope is that that child is just treated equally,” Decker said. “And that’s not what’s happening when someone is a priority. If someone is more of a priority than someone else’s child has to be less of a priority. And I don’t think that’s the way most of America wants to move forward with education.” “I think everybody wants us to just be completely color-blind and look at children as simply being children. My son is in the 17th percentile in the state for reading, and there are children who are performing at a higher level than him that are more of a priority only because of their skin color. And I don’t think most parents want anything like that to ever happen in any educational setting ever.”
Sen. McConnell reportedly fine after falling during GOP lunch
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., fell during a GOP lunch on Tuesday. Fox News reported seeing a wheelchair wheeled into the senator’s office just before 1 p.m., and a little while later, a Washington, D.C. fire and rescue team emerged from his office. McConnell was not in attendance at the Senate GOP weekly presser on Tuesday. MCCONNELL CRITICIZES FEDERAL JUDGES FOR REVERSING RETIREMENT DECISIONS AS ‘OPEN PARTISANSHIP’ When asked about McConnell’s fall during the presser, Sen. John Thune said McConnell was fine. “He’s in his office,” Thune said. “And any other questions about Sen. McConnell, I’ll refer to staff.” A spokesperson for McConnell told Fox News Digital, “Leader McConnell tripped following lunch. He sustained a minor cut to the face and sprained his wrist. He has been cleared to resume his schedule.” MCCONNELL FREEZES UP DURING PRESS CONFERENCE, LATER SAYS ‘I’M FINE’ This is not the first time the Republican leader has fallen. McConnell had a concussion after a fall last year. He also had two public episodes when he appeared to freeze while addressing reporters. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL’S HEALTH INCIDENT RENEWS CONCERN FOR AGING LAWMAKERS During one of those instances, McConnell was answering questions from reporters in Covington, Kentucky, in August 2023, when he froze for more than 30 seconds. He had previously frozen for about 30 seconds during a news conference alongside other Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., a month prior. At the time, an aide told Fox News Digital he “felt light-headed and stepped away for a moment.” As the longest serving Senate party leader in history, McConnell faced growing calls from his party to retire last year, and earlier this year, he announced he would step down from his leadership role. Fox News Digital’s Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.
Biden says Trump inheriting ‘strongest economy in modern history,’ slams tariff plan as ‘major mistake’
President Biden on Tuesday touted that President-elect Trump will inherit the “strongest economy in modern history” when he takes office in January – even as Americans continue to struggle to afford homes and groceries from inflation. Biden delivered remarks about his “middle-out, bottom-up” economic approach at the Brookings Institution, a public policy think tank in Washington, D.C., claiming there are “a number of quotes” from commentators describing his administration’s economy as strong. “President Trump has received the strongest economy in modern history, which is the envy of the world,” Biden said. While inflation has eased significantly since its peak in 2022, grocery prices remain substantially higher than they did before the COVID pandemic swept the globe nearly five years ago. HOUSE DEMS RIPPED FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POST ON KEY ISSUE AFFECTING AMERICANS: ‘EMBARRASSING’ According to the most recent Consumer Price Index inflation data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans are spending 22% more on groceries in comparison to when Biden took office nearly four years ago. Voters said the economy was far and away the top issue facing the country – with 40% saying inflation was the single most important factor in their vote – followed distantly by immigration and abortion, according to the Fox News Voter Analysis of the 2024 election. Even Trump noted during an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday that his White House victory last month came down to the economy. “I won on the border, and I won on groceries,” the president-elect said. CALIFORNIA’S UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SYSTEM ‘BROKEN’ WITH $20B OWED TO FEDS IN LOAN DEBT: REPORT Meanwhile, Biden held to his belief that Trump’s potential tariff plan is “a major mistake.” “By all accounts, the incoming administration is determined to return the country to another round of trickle-down economics and another tax cut for the very wealthy,” Biden said. “That will not be paid for, or if paid for, is going to have a real cost, once again causing massive deficits or significant cuts in basic programs.” When asked in his latest interview if he could guarantee that his tariffs wouldn’t force Americans to pay more for items, Trump answered, “I can’t guarantee anything.” Fox News Digital’s Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
Meet Natalie Harp, Trump’s ‘valuable resource’ who lawmakers say is ‘critical’ to his operation
EXCLUSIVE: President-elect Trump’s assistant Natalie Harp said “confidentiality, speed, accuracy, and adaptability” are key to delivering for the president, as lawmakers who communicate with her regularly told Fox News Digital that she is “critical” in ensuring Congress is a “real partner” for the incoming administration. Harp has worked alongside the president-elect throughout his campaign and the transition, since 2022. The 33-year-old is expected to join the president at the White House for his second term, and Trump Transition Team sources say she will have an “important role” in the White House. EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SAYS MEDIA IS ‘VITAL’ TO MAKING AMERICA ‘GREAT AGAIN,’ VOWS TO WORK WITH ‘FREE, FAIR AND OPEN’ PRESS But according to several top lawmakers, governors and members of Trump’s team, Harp is more than just an assistant. Sources close to the transition team told Fox News Digital that Harp has been a “valuable resource” for getting information to the president “in a timely manner.” Steven Cheung, spokesman for the Trump Transition Team and incoming White House communications director, told Fox News Digital that Harp is “a trusted and valued member of President Trump’s team.” “And she is certainly a big reason why his operation has been as successful as it has ever been,” Cheung told Fox News Digital. “Her work ethic and dedication to helping President Trump achieve his historic victory is second to none.” “I believe she is an extra set of eyes and ears for President Trump,” Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wy., told Fox News Digital. “Every time I have been with him, she has been close at hand.” Barrasso explained that Harp is in regular communication with him and other senators and members of Congress via text message. “I text her if I need to get to the president,” Barrasso explained. “If he doesn’t pick up the phone, I know to go to Natalie, and he gets the message.” Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., also said he goes to Harp to set up anything from “golf to the most sensitive foreign policy matters.” “You want to get something to President Trump, she’s the person to talk to,” Graham told Fox News Digital. “I trust Natalie to keep anything I communicate to President Trump confidential. She is very dedicated to the president – she is very loyal and always professional and always polite.” Graham added: “She will promptly respond to requests by senators – I’ve heard that from others – and I feel like when I am communicating with Natalie, I am communicating in a sense of trust.” In an interview with Fox News Digital, Harp touted the president for having “truly invested time in building a network of allies, in Congress, media, and business, that is unrivaled.” She said those relationships have “deep roots” and credited them to accessibility. “Communication by phone and by text is always open,” Harp said. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster told Fox News Digital he’s worked with Harp directly “on many occasions.” “She is the ultimate professional – highly driven, disciplined and loyal,” McMaster said. “She has and will continue to serve President Trump and our country well.” Harp created a “mobile office” for the president during the campaign, telling Fox News Digital that she did so because the president wants to stay “accessible.” “Breaking news has no consideration for where you are. That’s how our mobile office started,” Harp said. “Many times, the president wants to get his thoughts out on paper, so I’ll take dictation, print, and then he works on it until he has the words just right for a viral Truth.” Harp said she had the idea to get a mobile printer to “speed up the process,” noting that printers “aren’t always accessible” on the golf course or on the road. And Harp said the set-up is how they “get breaking information we can act on, in real time, and vice versa.” Harp told Fox News Digital she regularly communicates with that network of allies, sending news clippings and even polling members of Congress on timely issues and legislation. “He can virtually whip votes in a matter of minutes,” Harp said. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital that Harp “keeps us in the loop” on Capitol Hill. “If you want a Congress that represents a real partner for the incoming president, it’s important to share information,” Jackson told Fox News Digital. “Natalie is critical in making sure members of Congress feel like they’re part of the president’s team.” But in working for the president, Harp said “confidentiality, speed, accuracy, and adaptability” are “the nature of the job.” “The president deserves nothing less,” Harp told Fox News Digital. “Yes, he works 24/7, but it never feels like he’s driving or pushing us to work harder. Rather, he inspires us to be more, and do more, because he sets the example himself.” When asked what type of information Harp brings the president or shares with his allies, she said, “It depends.” “During the various witch hunts, I researched what legal experts and scholars were writing about the cases. When we were out campaigning, I monitored reviews to see what parts of the president’s messaging were resonating best,” she explained. “I have a big database of websites that I source from. Sometimes I go through back-to-back, checking top headlines and, if I see one on an issue the president has been talking about or that he’s interested in, I grab it.” Harp traveled with the president throughout the campaign, spent days in court as he battled now-dismissed cases against him, and was even with him during both assassination attempts in July in Butler, Pennsylvania, and September at Trump International Golf Course in Palm Beach, Florida. TRUMP BLAMES BIDEN-HARRIS ‘RHETORIC’ FOR LATEST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, SAYS HE WILL ‘SAVE THE COUNTRY’ “We share a deep faith in God, but now, a ‘miracle’ is something we’ve not just read about, but lived, not once but two times,” Harp said. “Some have said that they see a ‘changed’ Donald Trump
Trump pressing DeSantis to name Lara Trump as Rubio’s Senate successor: source
President-elect Donald Trump is pressing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to name his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to fill Sen. Marco Rubio’s seat in the Sunshine State, Fox Digital has learned. President-elect Trump named Rubio as his pick for secretary of state last month, leaving DeSantis the decision to name a successor to the position. DeSantis said last month that he will likely name his pick for the seat by early January. Speculation has mounted in recent weeks that Lara Trump is a likely choice for the role, as Republican lawmakers such as Sens. Rick Scott, Lindsey Graham, Katie Britt and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna of Florida voiced support for her filling Rubio’s Senate shoes. Lara Trump is married to the 45th president’s son, Eric Trump, and co-chaired the RNC amid the 2024 presidential campaign. A source in President-elect Trump’s political orbit said Tuesday that the former and upcoming president is pressing DeSantis to name Lara Trump. The comment comes as DeSantis and Trump are expected to attend the annual Army-Navy college football game this coming weekend, Fox Digital previously reported. ‘DOING VERY WELL’: TRUMP RALLIES BEHIND DEFENSE SECRETARY PICK HEGSETH BUT INVITES DESANTIS TO ARMY-NAVY GAME If Rubio is confirmed as the U.S.’ next secretary of state, his successor would serve in the Senate for two years before the seat is up for election again in 2026. LARA TRUMP ANNOUNCES SHE IS STEPPING DOWN AS RNC CO-CHAIR AMIDST TALK SHE MAY BE UP FOR FLORIDA SENATE SEAT Amid speculation over Rubio’s potential replacement, Lara Trump announced this week that she will step down as co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) after serving in the position throughout the presidential campaign. She explained in a social media post that she fulfilled three goals she sought as GOP co-chair, and would “formally step down from the RNC at our next meeting.” LARA TRUMP SAYS SHE’D ‘LOVE TO CONSIDER’ FILLING RUBIO’S SENATE SEAT IF ASKED BY DESANTIS Lara Trump has publicly spoken favorably of potentially filling the Florida Senate seat, saying she would “100% consider” taking the job if offered by DeSantis. LARA TRUMP SAYS SHE WOULD ‘ABSOLUTELY’ CONSIDER BECOMING SEN. RUBIO’S REPLACEMENT: ‘WOULD BE AN HONOR’ | FOX NEWS VIDEO “It is something I would seriously consider,” she told The Associated Press. “If I’m being completely transparent, I don’t know exactly what that would look like. And I certainly want to get all of the information possible if that is something that’s real for me. But yeah, I would 100% consider it.” She additionally told Fox News’ Sean Hannity last month that she “would love to serve the people of Florida” and “would love to consider” filling the seat if asked. This is not the first time Lara Trump has been in the midst of Senate speculation. Following the 2020 presidential election, rumors spread across Washington, D.C., that the Trump daughter-in-law was considering a Senate run in her home state of North Carolina. She ultimately decided against a run, endorsing now-Sen. Ted Budd. Fox News Digital’s Christina Shaw and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.
Majority in New York want challenger to Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul: poll
Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s approval and favorable ratings are edging up, but a new poll indicates a majority of New Yorkers would prefer someone else to win the 2026 election for governor in the Empire State. According to a Siena College poll conducted Dec. 2-5 and released on Tuesday, only a third (33%) of registered voters in New York state said they would vote to re-elect Hochul to a second four-year term, with a majority (57%) saying they wanted someone else. Only 48% of Democrats said – at this extremely early point – that they’re prepared to re-elect Hochul, with four in 10 Democrats saying they want “someone else.” WHAT NEW YORK REPUBLICANS THINK ABOUT DEMOCRATIC GOV. KATHY HOCHUL’S ‘INFLATION REFUNDS’ The percentage of voters who prefer another candidate jumps to 65% among independents and 85% among Republicans. Hochul, who at the time was the state’s lieutenant governor, in August 2021 was sworn in as New York’s first female governor, after three-term Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned in disgrace amid multiple scandals. WHAT NEW YORKERS THINK ABOUT TRUMP’S DEPORTATION PLAN She defeated then-Rep. Lee Zeldin by just over six points in 2022 to win a full four-year term steering New York. Zeldin’s showing was the best by a Republican gubernatorial nominee in blue-state New York since then-GOP Gov. George Pataki won re-election to a third term in 2002. In July, Hochul announced her intention to run for re-election in 2026. Apparently contributing to Hochul’s polling woes is the governor’s support for the New York City congestion pricing plan, which takes effect next month. Most passenger cars entering Midtown and Lower Manhattan will now be charged $9 once a day to enter the congestion zone at peak hours, and $2.25 at other times. According to the poll, voters by a 51%-29% margin oppose Hochul’s plan, 51-29%. That includes 56% of New York City voters and six in 10 downstate residents. But Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg noted that “there’s some good news for the Governor. Her favorability rating improved for the second consecutive poll.” Hochul’s favorable rating edged up from 36%-51% in October to 39%-49% now. And her job approval rating as governor also jumped from 41%-51% in October to 46%-49% now. “The bad news is that both ratings remain stubbornly underwater. Hochul has not had a positive favorability rating since January of this year and she has never had 50% or more voters view her favorably,” Greenberg added. But he added that “voters say that all things being equal they’d prefer a Democrat over a Republican to be the next governor, 52-34%.” Democratic Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, who is mulling a primary challenge against Hochul, late last month took to social media to argue that the governor is “in grave danger of losing to a Republican in 2026 – an outcome not seen in 30 years.”
DeSantis welcomes Florida state lawmaker to Republican Party as she ditches Democrats
Florida state Rep. Susan Valdés, who was just re-elected as a Democrat last month, announced that she’s switching her party affiliation to Republican. “I will not waste my final two years in the Florida Legislature being ignored in a caucus whose leadership expects me to ignore the needs of my community,” the newly-minted Republican said in a statement. “Effective immediately, I will change my registration from a Democrat to Republican and will join the Republican Conference in the Florida House of Representatives,” she noted. “I know that I won’t agree with my fellow Republican House members on every issue, but I know that in their caucus, I will be welcomed and treated with respect.” LONGTIME DEMOCRAT TEXAS JUDGE SWITCHES PARTIES IN MONUMENTAL MOVE Her switch comes on the heels of a bid for the role of chair of Hillsborough County Democratic Executive Committee chair. “While it remains disturbingly unclear whether she was entertaining the switch to become a Republican even as she was running to lead the local Party, ultimately it is her constituents in District 64 who have the most reason to be upset and betrayed,” Hillsborough County Democratic Party chair Vanessa Lester said in a statement shared on the Hillsborough County Democratic Party’s Facebook page. “They voted for a Democrat to fight for them and ended up with a political opportunist who abandoned them.” Sunshine State Gov. Ron DeSantis welcomed the congresswoman to the Republican Party, declaring in a post on X, “Welcome to the GOP, Rep. Valdes! Congrats to Speaker @Daniel_PerezFL on the biggest Republican majority in the history of the Florida House!” the governor added. ‘CANARY IN THE COAL MINE’: DALLAS MAYOR EXPLAINS TRUMP’S ‘GIFT’ TO GOP AFTER HE SWITCHED PARTIES Valdés hailed former President Jimmy Carter as “My hero!” in a post on X earlier this year while wishing the 100-year-old Democrat a happy birthday. “I’m only trying to make it to vote for Kamala Harris,” the former president told his son Chip, according to grandson Jason Carter, The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported earlier this year. In an October post on Facebook, Valdés wrote, “I pray you can see her inauguration, President Jimmy Carter.” FORMER CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT ON WHY SHE SWITCHED PARTIES: IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term next month after decisively defeating Harris in the 2024 presidential contest.
‘We’ve turned the corner’: Blue city announces shuttering of migrant shelters as numbers drop
New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced on Tuesday the shutting down of dozens more migrant shelters, as the “sanctuary” city continues to see a drop in arrivals and as Adams continues to take a hawkish stance on illegal immigration. Adams announced that 25 shelters are being closed in the next few months. The locations include the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. Shelters are also slated to close outside of New York City in Albany, Buffalo and Poughkeepsie. The blue city has seen more than 225,000 migrants arrive since 2022, a surge that coincided with a spike at the southern border and also a strategy by Texas to bus migrants to cities like New York City to relieve pressure on the border state. NYC MAYOR DELIVERS BLUNT MESSAGE TO LEFT-WING CRITICS OVER DESIRE TO MEET WITH TRUMP’S INCOMING BORDER CZAR Now, his administration says there has been a 22-week drop in migrant arrivals into the city, allowing for the closure of many of the shelters used to house the influx. Adams, who has been deeply critical of the federal government’s handling of the migrant crisis, linked the drop in numbers to executive orders by the Biden administration that have limited the ability to claim asylum in the U.S. and have been tied to a sharp drop in apprehensions at the border itself. He also linked it to strategies taken by the city itself to help relocate migrants, including reticketing and case management. CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF THE BORDER SECURITY CRISIS “Thanks to our smart management strategies, we’ve turned the corner, and this additional slate of shelter closures we’re announcing today is even more proof that we’re managing this crisis better than any other city in the nation,” Adams said in a statement. “Our intensive case management, paired with 30- and 60-day policies, have helped more than 170,000 migrants take their next steps on their journeys, because migrants don’t come here to live in our shelter system — they come here to pursue the American Dream.” “We’re going to continue looking for more sites to consolidate and close, and more opportunities to save taxpayer money, as we continue to successfully manage this response,” he said. Adams has taken a more muscular approach to illegal immigration than some of his Democratic counterparts in other blue cities across the country, some of whom have promised resistance to the plan by the incoming Trump administration. TRUMP BORDER CZAR HOMAN SAYS HE’LL MEET WITH NYC MAYOR ADAMS TO ADDRESS MIGRANT CRISIS: LETS ‘GET THIS DONE’ While he has stressed the importance of work authorization, case management and protection from deportation for some, he has expressed openness to working with the incoming Trump administration and border czar Thomas Homan on the deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal convictions. “I would like to speak with our border czar and find out what his plans are. Where our common grounds are, we can work together. And I strongly believe, my history is sitting down with those across the aisle with different ways of thinking and sit down and share my ideas,” he said last week. “I believe I have some ideas that could deal with this issue, and we can reach what the American people have been saying to us: secure our borders, address the people who are committing violent acts in our country and make sure that … our citizens are going to be safe.” Meanwhile, voters in the state of New York support the deportation of illegal immigrants, according to a new poll. The Siena College New York State Poll found that 54% of respondents say the state should support any Trump administration efforts to deport migrants living illegally in the state, compared to 35% of respondents who oppose the plans. Strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s deportation plan was found throughout the state, including New York City. Fox News’ Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.
Israel launches large-scale attack on Syria
NewsFeed The Israeli military launched a large-scale attack on Syria on Monday, striking what it called military and strategic sites after the overthrow of President Assad. Published On 10 Dec 202410 Dec 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,020
Here are the key developments on the 1,020th day of the Russia-Ukraine war. Here is the situation on Tuesday, December 10: Military President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued orders to increase funding for equipping Ukraine’s brigades with new drones. “We recently approved a decision about the amount of such direct funds. But now I see that the amount is insufficient,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. “I instructed the prime minister to increase financing for brigades in the coming days, to increase several times over.” About 800,000 Russian soldiers are currently deployed in Ukraine, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported, citing Zelenskyy. Diplomacy At a joint news conference with German opposition leader Friedrich Merz, President Zelenskyy made the case for a diplomatic settlement to the war and raised the idea of foreign troops being deployed in Ukraine until it could join the NATO military alliance. Merz, a frontrunner in the race to become Germany’s next chancellor, condemned his country’s policy on arming Ukraine as akin to making it fight with one arm tied behind its back. Ukraine aims to hold a meeting of its key European allies in December to coordinate a joint position and ensure Kyiv is in a strong position for any potential talks and on the battlefield, a presidential spokesman said. Ukraine will soon get another 4.2 billion euros ($4.4bn) in funds after the European Union’s member states approved the planned payment of the money, the EU Council announced. The EU needs common instruments to fund defence spending amid a protracted war in Ukraine and calls from the United States for NATO members to increase such expenditure, Portugal’s Finance Minister Joaquim Miranda Sarmento said. Five Ukrainian children sent away or placed in care since Russia’s February 2022 invasion returned to their homeland, Ukrainian officials said, as part of a long-running campaign to bring home more than 20,000 children deported by Russian authorities from occupied regions of Ukraine. Ukraine’s Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said he discussed planning for the next meeting of the Ramstein Group – an alliance of NATO, the EU and other countries that back Kyiv against Russia’s invasion – with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Austin reportedly reaffirmed the “readiness of the United States to provide Ukraine with everything it needs to effectively fight the enemy”. Europe needs to find ways within the next year to fund hundreds of billions of euros in extra military spending to defend against any attack from Russia, the EU’s new defence commissioner, Andrius Kubilius, told the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)