BBC News Briefing

8 December, 2025

Alex has short blonde hair and blue eyes. She is smiling and wearing a black turtleneck

Alex Binley

Hello. As pressure mounts from the US on Kyiv to reach a peace deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has been meeting European leaders for talks. Europe editor Katya Adler takes a look at the balancing act they're performing. Following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Christmas celebrations have returned to Bethlehem. And finally, watch as an ecstatic dog is reunited with two of her stolen puppies.

TOP OF THE AGENDA

European leaders walk tightrope between backing Ukraine and keeping US on board

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, France's President Emmanuel Macron and Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz on the 10 Downing Street doorstep. Zelensky wears a black suit and the three other men wear navy blue. Zelensky and Macron are clapsing hands, Merz stands behind Macron had has his hand on his arm while Starmer appears to be talking

European leaders are fearful that Russia wants to weaken the continent as a whole. Credit: Getty Images

In a busy day of diplomacy for Zelensky, he met the leaders of the UK, France and Germany in London, before travelling to Brussels to meet with the head of Nato and the European Commission president. European leaders fear the pressure coming from the US for a "quick fix" to end the war will not mean "long-lasting peace - only a temporary pause in Russian aggression in Ukraine and possibly further afield", writes Katya Adler. Yet these leaders are wary of provoking US President Donald Trump "over differences on how to achieve peace", she says, as they know they need American support to guarantee "Ukrainian sovereignty and future continental stability". A situation she calls a "tortuous dance".

Katya's analysis

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AT THE SCENE

Bethlehem, occupied West Bank

Bethlehem Christmas tree lights up for first time since start of Gaza war

A giant, lit up Christmas tree with people holding phones standing around it

Neighbouring towns are also planning Christmas celebrations. Credit: Reuters

For the first time in three years, Bethlehem's Christmas tree is lit up in celebration, towering above Manger Square, the site Christians believe to be the birthplace of Jesus. During the two years of the Gaza war, public celebrations were cancelled in the occupied West Bank city, but following the ceasefire, they are back, and locals hope they will help bring tourism and jobs with them.

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Yolande Knell, Middle East correspondent

"It's been a bad two years of silence; no Christmas, no jobs, no work," says Bethlehem Mayor Maher Canawati. "We're all living here from tourism and tourism was down to zero."

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The mayor accepts that the idea of resuming celebrations was not without controversy, as suffering continues in Gaza – including for those in its tiny Christian community, many of whom have relatives in Bethlehem. "Some may say it's not appropriate and others say it's appropriate," Mr Canawati tells me. "But deep inside my heart, I felt that this was the right thing to do because Christmas should never be stopped or cancelled. This is the light of hope for us."

Keep reading

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Yasser Abu Shabab: The leader of the so-called Popular Forces, an anti-Hamas militia in Gaza, was shot and killed last week.

Pink water lillies are spread on a pond that's overlooked by an imposing white building marking the birthplace of Buddha

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