Dec 27 (Reuters) – The Ukrainian capital Kyiv came under a massive Russian attack early on Saturday, with explosions sounding in the city, air defences in operation and the Ukrainian military saying missiles were being deployed.

The Russian action took place two days before a meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy says he is due to hold in the United States with President Donald Trump to work out details of an accord for settling the nearly four-year-old war pitting Russia against Ukraine.

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Reuters eyewitnesses said air defences were in action in the city and unofficial Telegram channels reported explosions.

A military Telegram channel said cruise and ballistic missiles were being deployed in the city.

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Israel has officially become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent nation, marking a significant diplomatic development for the coastal territory in Africa.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the decision Friday, Dec. 26, along with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and the president of the Republic of Somaliland. 

Israel and Somaliland signed a mutual declaration “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords,” which were brokered by President Trump.

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Sa’ar shared in a statement on X that relations between Somaliland and Israel have grown, “based on extensive and ongoing dialogue.”

Full diplomatic relations include Israel’s appointment of ambassadors and opening of embassies in the state, according to Sa’ar.

Somaliland’s President, Dr. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, said in a statement that the Republic of Somaliland, “warmly welcomes and deeply appreciates” Israel’s decision to recognize the state’s sovereignty.

“This recognition represents a milestone in Somaliland’s longstanding pursuit of international legitimacy, reaffirming its historical, legal and moral entitlement to statehood,” Abdullahi said in the statement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Somaliland said this decision was a “constructive contribution to peace, stability and cooperation” in the Horn of Africa and across the Middle East in a release issued Friday.

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“The Republic of Somaliland hereby expresses its firm intention to accede the Abraham Accords, … Somaliland looks forward to engaging with the State of Israel on the foundation of formal diplomatic relations and mutual recognition,” said Somaliland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Shortly after Israel’s decision, South Sudan reportedly became the second country to officially recognize Somaliland, with some now questioning whether the U.S. will follow suit.

President Donald Trump was reportedly “looking into” the recognition of Somaliland in August. The official recognition would land the U.S. a new foothold in the Horn of Africa through a new air and sea base near the entrance of the Red Sea at Berbera Port. 

When asked about the state’s recognition and the potential resettlement of Gazans there, Trump told reporters Aug. 8, “We’re looking into that right now.”

This would position U.S. defense forces directly across from Yemen and the Houthi terrorists, an Iran-backed group prominently known for its attacks against Israel and shipping in the Red Sea.

Thirty percent of the world’s container ship traffic is reported to pass through its waters en route to or from the Suez Canal, according to previous Fox News Digital reports.

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Trump is scheduled to meet with Netanyahu Monday, Dec. 29, at his Mar-a-Lago residence to discuss “next steps” in the Gaza peace deal. 

Despite previous talks, Trump is reportedly, “not ready” to embrace Somaliland’s independence and was reportedly “unimpressed” by its expressed interest in joining the Abraham Accords.

Trump told the New York Post he has to “study” Netanyahu’s pitch and asked from his golf course, “Does anyone know what Somaliland is, really?”

“We’ll study it. I study a lot of things and always make great decisions, and they turn out to be correct,” Trump told the Post.

Somalia has been battling Islamist fundamentalist fighters for decades, with the U.S. Africa Command increasing attacks against ISIS and al-Shabab terrorists, according to previous Fox News Digital reporting.

The breakaway has allegedly “eliminated radicalism” and it has aligned itself with the U.S. Somaliland Minister of the Presidency Khadar Hussein Abdi said that, for over three decades, Somaliland has “remained democratic, peaceful and self-governing — unlike Somalia.

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“It’s time for Somalia to focus on its own challenges and to be constructive. The illusion of Somali unity ended long ago.” Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

Netanyahu reportedly invited Abdullahi to Israel and “praised his leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace.”

By&nbspEuronews

Published on
26/12/2025 – 14:42 GMT+1

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte rejected proposals for independent European security structures, insisting the EU does not need to break from the US on defence matters despite calls from senior European politicians.

Manfred Weber, head of the conservative EPP party and its European Parliament group, had called for deploying European troops under EU command to secure peace in Ukraine.

“I wish that soldiers with the European flag on their uniforms, together with our Ukrainian friends, would ensure peace,” Weber told German media outlet Funke.

Rutte disagreed with the proposal in an interview with German news agency dpa published Thursday.

“I’m absolutely convinced that the US is completely invested in NATO. There’s no doubt. There was one big expectation. Indeed, us spending more, Europe taking more responsibility,” Rutte said.

The NATO chief emphasised that increased European defence efforts should occur alongside the US, not independently.

“When we talk about Europe and NATO, it’s more than just the EU,” Rutte said, noting that the 23 EU countries within NATO account for only about a quarter of the alliance’s total economic output.

US and Europe to work together

Rutte pointed to shared US-European interests in defending the Arctic and North Atlantic.

“The US has its own specific interests in NATO, which is, of course, Europe staying safe, but also the Arctic. A safe Arctic is crucial for the United States, and we can only defend that together, European and American NATO allies.”

“The Arctic is a big issue. We see Chinese and Russian ships travelling there. And we can only defend the Arctic together – European and American NATO allies together.”

The NATO secretary general warned that Russia could pose a serious threat as early as 2027, according to some intelligence assessments.

“I will not speculate on where and when and how exactly. In the end, if there is an attack on NATO, then we are all under attack – because that is Article 5, which means that an attack on one is an attack on all,” Rutte said.

“If we do those two things, we are strong enough to defend ourselves, and Putin will never try,” he stated, referring to maintaining strong support for Ukraine and increasing NATO defence spending.

In the interview on Thursday, Rutte praised Germany’s commitment to reaching 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2029, ahead of the 2035 deadline agreed at the alliance’s summit in The Hague in June.

He called Germany’s approach “very impressive” and said Berlin was “leading the pack” among European allies.

Additional sources • AP, dpa