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During his New Year's Eve speech, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a possible peace agreement was 90% complete. "The peace agreement is 90% ready, ten percent is left," he remarked. "This is far more than simply numbers."

An Agreement Needs Robust Guarantees, Not Fragile Ceasefire

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine wants peace but would not accept it at "any cost". "What does our nation desires? Peace? Absolutely. At any cost? No," he declared. "We want a conclusion to the conflict but not the destruction of Ukraine."

"Is the nation weary? Very. Does this mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply wrong," he continued.

He expressed doubt about Russian aims, suggesting that should troops withdrew from the Donbas region, the war would not necessarily end. "Pull out from the eastern regions, and it will all be over. This is how a lie translates," he remarked.

EU Allies to Plan Post-Conflict Security

Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron stated that European allies and partners meeting in Paris in early January will establish solid commitments towards ensuring the security of the country after any agreement with Moscow is reached.

Reciprocal Strikes Continue

At the same time, accounts of hostile strikes persisted. A source from Ukraine's security service reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles struck a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a significant blaze.

On the other side, in Ukraine, a Russian drone attack struck apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, injuring six people, among them minors. Local authorities confirmed four apartment buildings were damaged and considerable harm was reported to two power facilities.

Contested Allegations Over Drone Attack

Concerning previous claims of a UAV attack aimed at a residence of Russian president, US and European officials are in agreement that Ukrainian forces did not target the event. An article stated that American national security officials determined the reported attack "never occurred".

In response, Russia's defence ministry released a video claiming to show fragments of a destroyed Ukrainian-made drone. A Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs ridiculed the evidence as "laughable" and stated it demonstrated a lack of credibility in creating the narrative.

EU Official Labels Claims a "Distraction"

The EU's top diplomat described Moscow's claims "a deliberate diversion". "No one should believe baseless claims from the aggressor," she remarked.

Other Developments

• DPRK Involvement: North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly hailed troops operating in an "foreign land" in a New Year message. Reports suggest the country has sent thousands of personnel to aid the Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
• Sanctions Extension: United States authorities have according to a minister granted a short-term exemption from sanctions to a Serbia-based, largely Russian-controlled oil company until late January. The company operates Serbia's sole oil refinery.