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As part of his year-end address, Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that a possible treaty was ninety percent prepared. "The peace agreement is 90% complete, 10% is left," he noted. "And that is much more than just figures."

An Agreement Needs Strong Guarantees, Not a Fragile Ceasefire

The president made clear that Ukraine wants an end to the war but would not accept it at "any possible price". "What does Ukraine desires? Peace? Absolutely. At any cost? Certainly not," he said. "We want an end to the conflict but not the end of Ukraine."

"Is the nation exhausted? Extremely. Does that imply we are prepared to capitulate? Anyone who thinks so is deeply wrong," he added.

He voiced doubt about Russian aims, suggesting that should troops pulled out from the eastern region, the conflict would not cease. "Withdraw from the Donbas, and everything will end. This is how deception sounds," he commented.

European Leaders to Plan Post-Conflict Guarantees

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron announced that EU allies and partners meeting in Paris on 6 January will establish firm commitments towards ensuring the security of Ukraine after a potential agreement with Moscow is reached.

Cross-Border Attacks Continue

At the same time, accounts of hostile strikes persisted. An official from Kyiv's SBU reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles hit a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a large fire.

In Ukraine, a Russian aerial assault hit residential blocks and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding six people, including children. Local authorities said four buildings were damaged and significant harm was caused to a couple of energy facilities.

Disputed Allegations Over Drone Attack

Regarding previous allegations of a UAV attack targeting a property of Russian leader, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukraine did not target the event. A report stated that US security officials determined the alleged incident "did not happen".

In response, Russia's ministry of defense published a video claiming to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian drone. A Ukrainian foreign ministry ridiculed the evidence as "absurd" and stated it demonstrated a lack of credibility in creating the narrative.

EU Diplomat Labels Claims a "Diversion"

Kaja Kallas described Russia's assertions "a deliberate diversion". "No one should believe baseless claims from the invading force," she remarked.

Other Updates

• DPRK Role: North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly hailed troops operating in an "foreign territory" in a new year's address. Intelligence assessments suggest North Korea has sent a significant number of personnel to aid the Russian invasion in the region.
• Restrictions Reprieve: United States authorities have according to a minister granted a temporary exemption from sanctions to a Serbian, largely Russian-controlled energy firm until 23 January. This entity operates Serbia's only refinery.