🔗 Share this article

As part of his year-end speech, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a potential peace agreement was ninety percent prepared. "The deal is 90 percent ready, 10% remains," he noted. "This is much more than simply figures."

An Agreement Needs Strong Assurances, Not Fragile Ceasefire

The president stressed that Ukraine wants an end to the war but not at "any price". "What does Ukraine want? An end to hostilities? Yes. At any cost? Certainly not," he declared. "We want a conclusion to the war but not the destruction of our country."

"Are we exhausted? Very. Does that imply we are prepared to capitulate? Anyone who believes that is profoundly wrong," Zelenskyy continued.

He voiced doubt about Russian aims, stating that should troops pulled out from the Donbas region, the war would not necessarily end. "Pull out from the Donbas, and everything will end. This is how a lie translates," he remarked.

European Allies to Plan Post-Conflict Security

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that EU allies and partners gathering in Paris on 6 January will establish solid commitments towards ensuring the security of Ukraine following a potential agreement with Moscow is brokered.

Cross-Border Strikes Continue

Meanwhile, accounts of hostile actions continued. An official from Ukraine's security service reported that Ukraine's long-range drones struck a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a significant fire.

In southern Ukraine, a Russian-launched aerial assault struck apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding six people, among them children. Local authorities said multiple apartment buildings were affected and significant damage was caused to a couple of power facilities.

Contested Allegations Over Aerial Attack

Concerning previous allegations of a drone attack aimed at a residence of Russian leader, American and European authorities agree that Ukrainian forces was not behind the incident. A report stated that US national security agencies concluded the alleged incident "did not happen".

In response, The Russian ministry of defense published a video claiming to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle. A Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs dismissed the footage as "absurd" and suggested it showed a lack of seriousness in fabricating the narrative.

European Official Labels Claims a "Distraction"

Kaja Kallas called Russia's claims "a deliberate distraction". "No one should believe baseless claims from the invading force," she said.

Other Updates

• DPRK Involvement: North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media praised troops serving in an "alien territory" in a New Year message. Intelligence assessments suggest North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to support the Russian military campaign in the region.
• Sanctions Reprieve: The US have according to a minister given a short-term exemption from sanctions to a Serbia-based, majority Russian-owned oil company until 23 January. This entity manages the country's sole refinery.