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As part of his year-end message, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that a potential peace agreement was ninety percent ready. "This deal is 90 percent complete, ten percent is left," he noted. "And that is far more than simply numbers."

A Deal Needs Robust Assurances, Not Fragile Truce

Zelenskyy emphasized that Ukraine wants peace but not at "any cost". "What does Ukraine want? Peace? Absolutely. No matter the price? Certainly not," he declared. "Our goal is a conclusion to the war but not the end of our country."

"Is the nation exhausted? Extremely. Does that imply we are ready to give up? Any person who thinks so is deeply mistaken," he added.

He expressed doubt about Russian intentions, stating that should forces withdrew from the eastern Donbas, the conflict would not necessarily cease. "Pull out from the eastern regions, and it will all be over. That is how deception translates," he remarked.

European Leaders to Plan Post-War Guarantees

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

Cross-Border Attacks Continue

At the same time, accounts of military actions persisted. An official from Ukraine's security service said that Ukrainian long-range drones hit a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a significant blaze.

On the other side, in Ukraine, a Russian aerial assault struck residential blocks and the power grid in Odesa, wounding several people, among them children. Officials confirmed four apartment buildings were damaged and considerable harm was caused to a couple of power facilities.

Contested Claims Over Drone Incident

Regarding recent allegations of a UAV strike targeting a property of Russia's president, US and European authorities are in agreement that Ukraine did not target the event. An article stated that American national security agencies concluded the reported incident "did not happen".

Reacting, Russia's defence ministry released a footage purporting to show debris of a downed Ukrainian drone. An official from Ukraine's ministry of foreign affairs ridiculed the footage as "absurd" and suggested it showed a lack of credibility in creating the story.

European Official Labels Allegations a "Diversion"

The EU's top diplomat called Moscow's assertions "a deliberate diversion". "Nobody should accept baseless allegations from the aggressor," she remarked.

Other Developments

• DPRK Role: The DPRK's leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media praised troops operating in an "foreign territory" in a New Year message. Intelligence assessments suggest North Korea has sent a significant number of personnel to aid Russia's military campaign in the region.
• Restrictions Reprieve: United States authorities have according to a minister granted a temporary exemption from sanctions to a Serbia-based, majority Russian-owned oil company until late January. The company manages Serbia's sole refinery.