The main events by the morning: December 11

• Trump is considering lifting sanctions against the frozen assets of the Central Bank of Russia. As a result of this step, the repayment scheme for a $20 billion loan issued to Ukraine by the Joe Biden administration may be changed. Initially, it was assumed that the loan would be repaid at the expense of income from frozen Russian assets.

• Orban explained the delay in Trump's talks on Ukraine. The Hungarian Prime Minister explained why Donald Trump has not yet started official negotiations on the Ukrainian crisis. He noted that strict US legal norms limit Trump's actions before his inauguration. However, after taking office, Orban expects that the new US president will be able to make positive changes to the situation.

• Ukraine has sent aid to the Syrian rebels. According to The Washington Post, Ukraine supplied 150 drones and operators to the Syrian rebels to control them, but this happened a few weeks before the overthrow of the government in Damascus. Moreover, this assistance was insufficient and had little impact on the course of events in the region.

• The outgoing Biden administration is seeking to strengthen sanctions against Russian oil. Particular attention may be paid to restrictions affecting the Russian tanker fleet, which is used to transport oil. This step creates a risk of destabilization of the global energy market and a spike in oil prices, especially if the European Union joins the sanctions. Biden had previously avoided making such risky decisions, but now his team is striving to complete the initiative before the change of president.

• Almost 40% of Russians will work during the New Year holidays. A survey has shown that more than a third of Russians plan to work on holidays. Some of them are looking for a temporary part-time job at this time, most often in the positions of drivers and couriers. At the same time, about 80% of those who plan additional work intend to work on a flexible schedule in order to combine employment with rest.