NOVEMBER 2024
November 1
Zelensky Blasts the West’s Response to North Korea
In an interview with South Korean media, Zelensky criticized the Western response to North Korean involvement in the war, calling it a “zero” response. The Ukrainian president believes that a weak Western response will encourage the Kremlin to further escalate the war.
Ukraine Confident of Continued American Support With American Election Approaching
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has stated that Ukraine is confident of continued support from the United States, regardless of who wins in the upcoming presidential election. Sybiha referenced strong bipartisan support being critical for continued American support of Ukraine, despite presidential candidate Donald Trump claiming Zelensky was influential in starting a war with Russia in October.
Trudeau Speaks on the Impacts of War
The Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, spoke on the global impacts of the Russian-Ukraine War and the growing impacts it has upon the global community as the war continues. Trudeau is one of Ukraine’s most vocal supporters and has criticized Russia’s war of aggression as also contributing to global food insecurity, the spread of disinformation, emboldening of totalitarian regimes and undermining international law.
November 2
North Korea Speaks on Russian Involvement
North Korean Foreign Minister, Choe Son Hui, on a visit to Moscow, said that her nation will stand firmly in support of Russia as North Korean troops are expected to soon be deployed against Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region. Son Hui also expressed North Korea’s continued commitment to develop a nuclear arsenal, with many suspecting North Korea wanting Russian nuclear support in exchange for military support.
US Announces $435 Million to Ukraine
The United States has unveiled an additional military aid package to Ukraine of $435 million. The new aid package includes air defence interceptors, munitions for rocket systems and artillery. This brings the total amount of military assistance the US has provided Ukraine since 2022 to $60.4 billion.
November 4
Viktor Orban Criticizes European Support of Ukraine
Hungarian President Viktor Orban said that Europe will need to reevaluate its support of Ukraine if Donald Trump wins the American presidential election this week. Orban believes Europe will be incapable of shouldering the burden of the war independently. Orban is opposed to Ukrainian military support and has strongly expressed his support for Donald Trump, believing the two share similar views, and that Trump would deliver an end to the war.
November 5
Ukraine Calls for Decisive Action
The Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, in a meeting with the German Minister of Defense, Annalena Baerbock, necessitated the need for decisive action from Ukraine’s Western allies in response to North Korea’s involvement. Sybiha said, “North Korean troops are now carrying an aggressive war in Europe against a sovereign European state.”
EU and South Korea Address North Korean Actions
In a joint address, the EU foreign policy chief Joseph Borrell, and South Korea’s Foreign Minister Cho Tae-Yul, condemned the supply of weaponry to Russia from North Korea and demanded the withdrawal of its troops from Russia. The joint address condemned the unlawful transfer of weapons utilised in the attack against Ukraine by the Russian Federation and demanded an end to the unlawful military cooperation.
November 6
Explosions in European Logistic Depots Linked to Moscow
One of Lithuania’s presidential advisers claimed that parcels that exploded in logistic depots of some European airports were a Russian test to trigger explosions on cargo planes headed to the USA. Western governments have previously stated that Russia is behind actions aimed at sabotaging Ukraine’s Western allies.
Poland Invests in Ammunition Production
Poland announced in a new bill that it plans to invest $744 million into ammunition production to ensure sufficient reserves in the event of a Russian attack. Since the start of the Russian war in Ukraine in 2022, Poland has become NATO’s biggest spender on defence in relation to state size and it aims to direct 4.7% of its GDP to defence spending in 2025.
Dan Jorgensen Wants to End EU Dependency on Russian Energy
Dan Jorgensen who is likely to be the EU’s new energy commissioner, said in an address to the parliament of the EU that he hopes to pick up the speed of the EU’s transition away from Russian oil and gas reliance.
November 7
President of South Korea Weighs Implications of North Korean Involvement
The President of South Korea, Yoon Suk-yeol, said his nation has not ruled out the transfer of weapons to Ukraine in response to the deployment of North Korean troops. Suk-yeol cited that North Korean involvement in the war poses a security risk to Seoul as North Korean troops gain combat experience and gain access to sensitive military technologies from Russia. Suk-yeol also called Donald Trump, the American president-elect and called for closer ties with the US in areas of the economy and security.
Kremlin Releases Statements About Trumps Election Victory
A spokesman of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, released a statement regarding the results of the American election, “Let us not forget that we are talking about an unfriendly country, which is both directly and indirectly involved in a war against our state.” The Kremlin has also added that only time will reveal the validity of Trump’s words of bringing an end to the war. Dmitry Medvedev, the former Prime Minister of Russia also released a statement saying he is uncertain of how much Trump will be able to cut funding to Ukraine.
America Moves to Push Funding Through to Ukraine
Reports have emerged that the White House is preparing to push through billions of dollars in funding to Ukraine before President Biden leaves office in January.
November 8
Zelensky addresses Europe in Budapest
Speaking at the European Political Community Summit in Budapest, Ukrainian President Zelensky claimed that more North Korean troops would be deployed alongside Russian forces unless action was taken. Zelensky also reported that North Korean troops have engaged with Ukrainian soldiers in the occupied regions of the Kursk oblast.
French President Warns European Political Community of Growing Security Concerns
At the European Political Community summit in Budapest, French President Emanuel Macron called for an increased role in guaranteeing continental security and less reliance upon the USA. Macron likened the situation in Europe to a herd of herbivores surrounded by a pack of carnivores.
Germany Still to Deliver on Funding to Ukraine
Amidst the collapse of Germany’s coalition government, members of the budget committee told Reuters journalists that they will still be able to provide most of the pledged 4$ billion funding package to Ukraine despite the 2025 budget not being able to be approved in time.
November 9
NATO Speaks on Russian-North Korean Military Alliance
NATO has issued a statement saying that the “deepening military cooperation” between Russia and North Korea “impacts Euro-Atlantic security, with implications also for the Indo-Pacific.” Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Ukraine showed support for the NATO statement.
November 11
Russian Forces Capture Village of Vovchenko
The Russian Defence Ministry released a statement claiming their forces have captured the Ukrainian village of Vovchenko in the eastern part of the Donest oblast. The town of Vovchenko is approximately 5km from the strategic city of Kurakhove, where Russian forces in Ukraine have been converging for the last few weeks.
Trump and Putin Speak
The Reuters news agency was informed that President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin talked over the cu_people_phone where Donald Trump allegedly advised Putin to not escalate the war. Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman from the Kremlin announced that Moscow has seen “positive signals” from Trump’s position on Ukraine, but warned it is difficult to predict how he will behave in office. However, Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry released a statement that they were alerted in advance that reports of a cu_people_phone call between Putin and Trump were false. Trump has also spoken with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, with Berlin saying they “agreed to work together towards a return to peace in Europe.”
Biden Administration Remains Committed to Ukraine
Jake Sullivan, the USA National Security Advisor, said that the outgoing American President Joe Biden will urge the US Congress and the incoming Trump administration to not abandon Ukraine as this would result in future instability in Europe. Sullivan also said the Biden administration will spend the remaining $6 billion of allocated Ukrainian funding before Trump’s presidential inauguration in January, citing the global risks of ending funding to Kyiv.
November 12
Fighting in Kursk Oblast
Kyiv reported that Ukrainian forces are fighting nearly 50,000 enemy troops in the Russian oblast of Kursk following Ukraine’s surprise incursion and occupation in August. Ukrainian President Zelensky said that if it were not for Ukraine’s occupation of Kursk, these 50,000 Russian and North Korean soldiers would be deplyed in the Donetsk or Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine, overwhelming the current defences.
EU Supplied Shells to Reach 1 Million
Josep Borrell, the chief of EU Foreign Policy said that member nations of the European Union have supplied Ukraine with more than 980,000 shells of artillery munitions since the conflict started in the winter of 2022, and the EU aims to pass the 1 million mark by the end of this year.
North Korea Ratifies Mutual Defense Treaty With Russia
North Korea’s state media outlet, KCNA, reported that North Korea has ratified the mutual defence treaty it signed with Russia in June. The treaty calls for each side to come to the other’s aid in the event of an armed attack.
November 13
Growing Cooperation Between Russia and China a Threat
NATO Secretary General, Mark Rutte, in a visit to Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron in an address that feels directed towards the incoming Trump administration, said that Russia’s growing economic and military cooperation with China, North Korea, and Iran is a threat towards the security and peace of not only Europe but also Asia Pacific and North America.
Ukraine to Boost Arms Output
Ukraine is currently in the process of establishing three new joint ventures with European arms producers to boost output. Ukraine’s First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko, said five joint ventures had already been set up with Western weapons producers, including German and Lithuanian companies.
November 14
Ukrainian Forces Repel Russian Forces Near Kupiansk
Officials from the Ukrainian military said that Ukrainian forces have repelled Russian troops near the northeastern city of Kupiansk, an important rail hub in the northeast. They also added that Russian forces attacked in four waves and deployed tanks, armoured vehicles and a mine-clearing system. Some of the Russian forces, it said, donned uniforms resembling those of the Ukrainian military – a practice it said is a war crime.
NATO, USA, and Ukrainian Relations
US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, met NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Brussels, as the outgoing Biden administration seeks to reinforce support for Ukraine ahead of Donald Trump’s return as president. Blinken assured NATO the Biden administration would bolster its support for Ukraine in the months before Trump’s return, adding that the deployment of North Korean troops in the Ukraine war “demands and will get a firm response”. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has said he is “cautiously optimistic” after discussing with Blinken the possibility of conducting deep strikes on Russia and Euro-Atlantic integration. Trump and Joe Biden have held a cordial meeting in which the outgoing US president reportedly argued that support for Ukraine was good for national security because a stable Europe would keep America from being dragged into war.
November 15
Kremlin Open to Negotiations to End War
Russia’s UN ambassador in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, said that Russia is open to negotiations to end the Ukraine war if initiated by United States President-elect Donald Trump, but any talks need to be based on the realities of Russian advances in the conflict.
November 16
Olaf Scholz Calls Vladimir Putin
For the first time in two years, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz called Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging the Kremlin to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and begin talks with Kyiv. The Kremlin described the call as a “detailed and frank exchange of views over the situation in Ukraine.” It said Putin told Scholz that any agreement to end the war should “proceed from the new territorial realities and, most importantly, address the root causes of the conflict.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticised Scholz’s cu_people_phone call with Putin, saying it undermined efforts to isolate the Russian leader and end the war in Ukraine with a “fair peace.”
Austria Preparing for Russian Gas Shutoff
Russia has informed Austria that it will suspend gas deliveries via Ukraine starting this weekend, in a development that signals a fast-approaching end of Moscow’s last gas flows to Europe. Austrian Chancellor, Karl Nehammer, said Austria’s large gas storage facilities are 93 percent full and the country is well equipped to deal with Russia’s decision to stop gas deliveries
Ukraine Determined to Liberate Russian Captured Territory
Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov told a news conference in Norway that Ukraine is committed to fighting to liberate all territory captured by Russia since the start of the conflict in 2014. Umerov insisted that Ukraine is not shifting its focus in the war, and retaking these territories is a necessity.
November 17
Leaders of the G7 Meet to Discuss Ukraine
Leaders of the Group of Seven nations met and reaffirmed their continual support of Ukraine “for as long as it takes” as the war fast approaches the 1000-day mark. Additionally, the G7 released a statement saying that Russia is solely responsible for preventing a fair settlement to ending the war in Ukraine.
November 18
Traces of Tear Gas Found on Frontline
The world’s chemical weapon watchdog announced a statement that it has found traces of tear gas on the frontlines near Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine had requested the investigation, but the group was not tasked to assign blame, however, both the US and Ukraine have accused Russia of the use of tear gas to clear trenches, a prohibited act of war.
America Approves Ukraine to Use Long-Range Missiles to Strike Deep Into Russia
There is strong Western support for America’s decision to allow Ukraine to use American missiles to strike deeper into Russia. French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish President Andrzej Duda support the decision, citing it comes at a critical time. However, Russia, Slovakia, and Hungary view the American decision to be a dangerous escalation of the war. Additionally, the foreign policy chief of the EU, Josep Borrell, said he hopes the union can agree to allow the use of Western weapons to strike Russia, but he also expressed concern over North Korea, China, and Iran supplying weapons systems to Russia for it was in Ukraine.
November 19
War Hits 1000 Day Mark
The war between Russia and Ukraine has now hit the 1000-day mark and Ukraine has released an official message proclaiming that they will “never submit to Russia” but have also criticised the international community for allowing the war of Russian aggression to go on for so long. Additionally, Putin has ratified the amendments to Russia’s nuclear doctrine and spokesmen of the Kremlin have assured their confidence in achieving a Russian victory for the ‘special military operation’ launched in February of 2022.
Ukraine Uses American Missiles to Strike Russia
The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that Ukraine had fired American ATACMS missiles into Russia’s Bryansk region, only two days after the Biden administration gave the green light to Ukraine. Russia views this as a serious escalation of the war and Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Federation Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared it marks a “new phase” of the war.
November 20
Biden Administration Announces $275 Million Aid Package
Under Joe Biden’s leadership, America has announced an aid package to Ukraine valued at $275 million. The aid package consists of HIMARS ammunition, small arms munitions, Javelin surface-to-air missile systems, and artillery shells.
The Netherlands Delivers Two More F-16 Fighter Jets
The Dutch government has announced that it has delivered the final 2 of a promised 18 F-16 fighter jets to a Romanian air base for Ukrainian pilots and maintenance staff to be trained to operate the fighter jets in battle.
November 21
Ukraine Claims Russia Fired ICBM at Dnipro
Ukrainian officials have claimed that Russian forces fired an intercontinental ballistic missile armed with a conventional warhead at the central city of Dnipro. Ukraine did not provide any substantive evidence other than President Zelensky saying the missile’s altitude and speed matched an ICBM. The Kremlin denies firing an ICBM and an American assessment concluded it was an experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile that was fired.
Russia Says the UK is Now Directly Involved in the War
Following reports of Ukraine using British Storm Shadow missiles to strike into Russia, Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador to the UK said the nation is now directly involved in the war against Russia.
November 22
Ballistic Missile Attack
Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed that Russia fired a hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile at the city of Dnipro in retaliation to the USA and UK allowing Ukraine to use western supplied missiles to strike into Russia. Ukraine has stated that the use of such a weapon is a clear escalation of the war and calls for strong worldwide condemnation.
North Korea
Two trusted sources from the White House stated that Joe Biden enabled the Ukrainian use of US long-range missiles to be used to strike Russia as a response to North Korean escalation of the conflict by sending troops to fight alongside Russian forces.
November 23
Putin Threatens More Experimental Missile Testing
Following the firing of a new experimental intermediate-range ballistic missile at the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, Putin has claimed he will continue combat testing the new Oreshnik class of missile. The Oreshnik is capable of flying at 10 times the speed of sound and striking targets 5,500km away and can be fitted with conventional or nuclear warheads. NATO and Ukraine are scheduling emergency talks early next week to discuss the utilisation of the Oreshnik.
Regional Security
Leaders of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania met in Vilnius at the Baltic Council of Ministers to discuss common threats to the defence and security of the region regarding hybrid warfare operations. “The recent damages to the Lithuania-Sweden and Finland-Germany cables in the Baltic Sea have once again highlighted the importance of protecting our critical undersea infrastructure,” Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal said after the meeting.
November 24
Russia Retaking Territory in Kursk
Following waves of Russian counter-assaults, Russia has begun taking back territory in the Kursk region. A Ukrainian military source told Reuters that Kyiv has lost over 40 percent of the territory it held in Kursk following its rapid and surprise incursion in August.
Estimates of Russian War Deaths Exceed 75,000
Independent Russian media outlet Mediazona in collaboration with BBC Russia released a report with the names of 79,819 Russian soldiers killed since the war started in February 2022.
November 25
Ukraine Calls for Air Defense Systems
Following the use of the Oreshnik missile and Putin’s claims he will continue to use them in combat as they rival the efficacy of nuclear weapons, Ukraine has appealed to Western allies for air defence systems to protect its civilians.
November 26
G7 Nations Issues Statement After 2 Day Meeting
Member nations of the G7 reaffirmed their support for Ukraine after a two-day-long meeting. The Group of Seven condemned Russia’s “irresponsible and threatening nuclear rhetoric” and also warned North Korean participation marks a dangerous expansion of the conflict.
Russia Opposes Freezing the Conflict
The Russian foreign intelligence chief, Sergey Naryshkin, said that Russia opposes freezing the conflict with Ukraine. Saying that Moscow needs a “solid and long-term peace” that resolves the core reasons for the crisis.
November 27
Russia to Discuss Energy Ties with Kazakhstan
Putin will discuss energy ties during an upcoming visit to Kazakhstan this week. Russia uses Kazakhstan to export most of its oil and in turn, Kazakhstan is reliant upon Russia for imports of food, electricity, and refined petroleum products.
Gazprom Moving to Cancel Gas Transfers Through Ukraine
Gazprom is planning for no more gas flows to Europe via Ukraine after December 31 in its internal projections for 2025. Kyiv has said it wants to end the transit deal, which is a steady source of Russian revenue which would end more than half a century of gas flows from Siberia to central Europe that began during Soviet times.
EU to Discuss 15th Package of Sanctions
European Union envoys are set to discuss a 15th package of sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This round of sanctions will include tankers carrying Russian oil and Chinese firms involved in making drones for Moscow. A total of 29 entities and 54 individuals will be added to more than 2,200 on the existing list.
November 28
Russian Sabotage May Envoke NATO’s Article 5
Bruno Kahl, the head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service, has said that Russia’s continued acts of sabotage against Western nations supportive of Ukraine may eventually prompt NATO to invoke Article 5, the mutual defence clause of the pact.
The USA Preparing a $725 Million Weapons Package
US President Joe Biden’s administration is preparing a $725m weapons package for Ukraine, the Reuters news agency reports, citing two unnamed US officials. The package will reportedly include antitank weapons, including antitank land mines, drones, Stinger missiles and ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS).
November 29
Ukraine Sees First Wartime Tax Increase
President Zelensky has signed into law Ukraine’s first wartime tax increases, with Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko saying the bill is vital to ensure smooth funding for the Ukrainian defence sector. The changes, which will take effect from December 1, will see the war tax on personal income rise from 1.5% to 5%.
Ukraine Calls for Quicker Military Aid
After a senior American administration official recommended that Kyiv reduce the conscription age from 25 to 18, Ukraine has urged its partners to speed up military aid, saying quicker delivery of critical military equipment is more important than drafting more men.
November 30
Zelensky Changes Victory Narrative
Ukrainian President Zelensky said in an interview broadcast on Friday that offering Ukraine NATO membership while allowing Russia to maintain possession of the territory it had captured in the war could be a solution to end the “hot stage” of the 33-month-old war.
Outgoing Josep Borrell Speaks on Ukrainian Situation
The outgoing EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, described the situation in Ukraine as “worsening” and he remains pessimistic about how American President-elect Donald Trump will improve it. Additionally, Borrell stated that Ukraine is able to defend itself as long as its allies stand behind and support the nation.
Europe Increases Regional Defense
As global and regional security deteriorates with the situation of Ukraine and the uncertainty surrounding President-elect Donald Trump, Europe has begun taking measures to increase its regional security. Poland has deployed Leopard 2 battle tanks in Latvia to reinforce the NATO brigade there. While German defence giant Rheinmetall and Lithuania signed deals to begin construction of a $190 million ammunition plant to make artillery shells in the country. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius wants to order four new submarines to help meet NATO’s security requirements in Europe.