[Skybird]

[Deutsche Welle]

Ukraine international aid topped $42 billion in 2023

Ukraine has received over €38 billion ($42 billion) in international aid throughout the year 2023, its finance minister told Forbes Ukraine on Wednesday.
"It has allowed us to finance all necessary expenditure," Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko said.
The majority of the aid poured into Kyiv's defense against the ongoing Kremlin attack. However, some of the money has also been used to fund internal refugees, pensions and state wages.
Marchenko said that 2023 saw more financial stability than 2022, the year in which Russia launched its full-scale invasion. He added that every day of war costs €120 million.
"I am less concerned about 2024 than I am about 2025," he said.
Ukraine is heavily dependent on funds from the US and the EU in its battle against the Russian aggression. But US President Joe Biden has faced challenges in the Republican-dominated Congress at attempts to extend aid to Ukraine. Biden is also up for reelection next year, with many observers concerned about the US possibly changing its stance on Ukraine if the US Democrats lose the White House. The European Union is also set to hold elections for its parliament next year.


Russia reports rapid growth in India oil sales amid sanctions

Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak told Russian state broadcaster Rossiya-24 on Wednesday that 2023 oil export revenues should be broadly similar to 2021, before the invasion of Ukraine, amid EU and US sanctions on deliveries.
He said that sales to China and India combined accounted for between 85-90% of total exports for the year.
Novak also said that the vast majority of the growth had taken place in India over the last two years.
"Earlier, there bascially were no supplies to India; in two years, the total share of supplies to India has come to 40%," Novak said.


Russia warns Japan over delivering Patriot air defense to Kyiv

If Japan supplies Ukraine with Patriot air defense systems, it will have "grave consequences" for ties between Moscow and Tokyo, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Wednesday.

Ties between Japan and Russia have deteriorated rapidly since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with Tokyo joining Western allies in imposing sweeping economic sanctions on Moscow.
Japan's pacifist constitution has meant it has so far not sent direct military assistance to Ukraine.
However, in late December, Japan eased previous rules on arms exports to allow the export of finished weapons made in Japan under foreign licenses — such as the Patriot surface-to-air missiles, made in Japan under an American license — to the licensing nations.
Although Japan still bans the export of weapons to countries in conflict, the Foreign Ministry has now said it will ship Patriot missiles to the US, thus freeing up Washington's own stockpiles.
Patriot air defense systems delivered to Ukraine by the US and other Western allies have played a major role in helping defend civilians against Russian aerial attacks.