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As part of his New Year's Eve address, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a potential peace deal was 90% complete. "This deal is 90% complete, 10% is left," he noted. "And that is far more than simply figures."

A Deal Needs Strong Guarantees, Not Weak Ceasefire

The president made clear that Ukraine wants an end to the war but would not accept it at "any price". "What does Ukraine desires? An end to hostilities? Absolutely. At any cost? No," he declared. "Our goal is an end to the conflict but not the end of our country."

"Is the nation tired? Extremely. Does that imply we are prepared to give up? Anyone who thinks so is deeply mistaken," he added.

He voiced doubt about Russian aims, stating that even if troops pulled out from the Donbas Donbas, the war would not cease. "Pull out from the Donbas, and it will all be over. This is how deception translates," he commented.

European Allies to Discuss Post-Conflict Security

Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron announced that EU leaders and allies meeting in Paris in early January will establish firm commitments towards ensuring the security of the country after any agreement with Russia is reached.

Reciprocal Attacks Reported

At the same time, reports of hostile actions continued. A source from Kyiv's SBU said that Ukraine's long-range drones hit a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a significant blaze.

In Ukraine, a Russian-launched aerial assault struck residential blocks and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding several people, among them children. Officials said multiple apartment buildings were affected and considerable harm was reported to two energy facilities.

Disputed Allegations Over Aerial Incident

Regarding previous claims of a drone strike targeting a property of Russia's president, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukrainian forces did not target the event. A report indicated that US national security officials concluded the alleged attack "never occurred".

In response, Russia's ministry of defense released a video purporting to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian drone. A Ukrainian foreign ministry ridiculed the footage as "laughable" and suggested it demonstrated a lack of seriousness in fabricating the story.

EU Official Calls Allegations a "Distraction"

The EU's top diplomat described Russia's assertions "an intentional distraction". "Nobody should accept baseless allegations from the aggressor," she said.

Other Updates

• DPRK Role: The DPRK's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly hailed troops serving in an "alien land" in a New Year address. Reports indicate North Korea has sent thousands of troops to aid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
• Sanctions Reprieve: United States authorities have reportedly granted a temporary reprieve from sanctions to a Serbian, largely Russian-controlled oil company until 23 January. This entity manages Serbia's only refinery.