President Zelensky Declares Ukraine Was 10% Off from a Peace Deal, Yet Not at Any Possible Cost

During his New Year's Eve address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a possible treaty was 90% ready. "The peace agreement is 90 percent ready, ten percent remains," he said. "This is much more than just figures."

A Deal Needs Robust Assurances, Not Weak Truce

The president made clear that his country desires an end to the war but would not accept it at "any possible cost". "What is it that our nation desires? Peace? Absolutely. At any cost? Certainly not," he said. "Our goal is an end to the conflict but not the destruction of our country."

"Are we weary? Extremely. Does this mean we are ready to surrender? Anyone who thinks so is deeply mistaken," he continued.

He expressed skepticism about Russian aims, suggesting that even if forces pulled out from the eastern Donbas, the war would not end. "Pull out from the Donbas, and everything will end. That is how deception translates," he remarked.

EU Leaders to Discuss Post-Conflict Security

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

Cross-Border Attacks Reported

Meanwhile, reports of hostile strikes persisted. An official from Kyiv's SBU said that Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles struck a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a large fire.

On the other side, in southern Ukraine, a Russian aerial assault struck residential blocks and the power grid in Odesa, wounding six people, among them minors. Officials said multiple apartment buildings were damaged and significant harm was caused to two energy facilities.

Contested Claims Over Aerial Incident

Regarding previous claims of a drone strike aimed at a residence of Russia's leader, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukrainian forces did not target the event. A report stated that US national security agencies concluded the reported incident "did not happen".

In response, Russia's ministry of defense published a footage purporting to show fragments of a downed Ukrainian drone. A Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs dismissed the footage as "laughable" and suggested it showed a lack of seriousness in fabricating the story.

EU Official Labels Allegations a "Distraction"

Kaja Kallas called Moscow's assertions "a deliberate distraction". "No one should accept baseless claims from the aggressor," she remarked.

Additional Updates

• DPRK Role: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly hailed troops serving in an "alien territory" in a New Year address. Reports indicate the country has sent a significant number of troops to aid the Russian invasion in the region.
• Sanctions Reprieve: United States authorities have reportedly given a temporary reprieve from restrictions to a Serbia-based, largely Russian-controlled energy firm until 23 January. This entity manages the country's sole refinery.