7/ Zelensky may choose a head for Office of the President.

Candidates include: Digital Transformation Minister Mykhailo Fedorov; Defence Minister Denys Shmyhal, Deputy Foreign Minister Serhiy Kyslytsia, Deputy OP head Pavlo Palisa; Ex MSI Oleksandr Kamyshin

Fedorov is the strong favourite

6/ Some government personnel changes are looming in the air: notably appointments of new Ministers of Energy and Justice (following the resignations of Hrynchuk and Halushchenko) are expected.

Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction Oleksiy Kuleba is also reportedly at risk of stepping down

5/ Plenary sessions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine are scheduled for next week (Dec. 16–18). Among the key bills: a draft law on housing policy (EU requirement); renewable energy legislation; district heating; production from alternative energy sources (13219).

4/ The Council of Europe’s conference to adopt an International Claims Commission for Ukraine (Dec. 15–16). The Commission is expected to become the key legal mechanism for assessing+quantifying damages resulting from Russia’s aggression (and to be a legal pathway for victims to claim compensation)

3/ EU Foreign Affairs Council (Dec. 15).
Ministers will coordinate messaging on the US-backed peace framework amid fears Europe could be sidelined (it is). FM Andriy Sybiha is expected to videoconference in

2/ The peace plan talks of US-Ukraine-European leaders, that took place in Berlin today, will continue Monday.

The ping-pong diplomacy aims to deliver a clear plan for peace by Xmas (Trump's deadline), but is stumbling over Donbas, ZNPP + security guarantees (incl. funds) - but mostly Donbas

Negotiations continue over objections from Belgium, whose Euroclear Holding houses ~€185 bn in frozen Russian assets, to distribute risk (Moscow already sued on Friday www.ft.com/content/5d74...).

An alternative scenario would involve financing Ukraine through the EU own resources

1/ Arguably the main event is the Dec. 18–19 European Council meeting that will decide on a reparations loan backed by frozen Russian assets.
Failure = risk of running out of money by mid-2026; Success = huge boon for Zelensky to push back on Trump/ Russia (+higher chances of fighting through-2026)

What trajectory will Ukraine follow next?
Join us on 5 Dec for an exclusive briefing, where KI Insights Director @jakubparusinski.bsky.social & Anatoliy Oktysiuk will help you make sense of rapidly shifting political landscape.

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🎧 Listen to the full episode with @jakubparusinski.bsky.social & A.Oktysiuk: open.spotify.com/episode/0lVT...

Ukraine Insights — in-depth analysis and conversations with those who know Ukraine best.

All this unfolds as Ukraine faces one of its toughest moments yet: Russian strikes on critical energy infrastructure have caused rolling blackouts nationwide, while the front line is deteriorating with #Russia’s forces edging closer to capturing #Pokrovsk in the #Donbas.

5/🧵

As a result, the Energy Minister and the Justice Minister resigned, sanctions were imposed on key figures in the case, and Energoatom’s vice president Jakob Hartmut was suspended. But public discontent won’t be so easily contained.

4/🧵

The raids followed months of mounting tensions between Ukraine’s leadership and the country’s top anti-corruption bodies that peaked in July with the so-called Cardboard Maidan protests.

3/🧵

Anti-corruption detectives from NABU and SAPO raided the homes of Zelensky’s associate Timur Mindich, Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko, and Energoatom offices, uncovering piles of cash and signs of entrenched graft.

2/🧵