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In a year-end speech, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a potential peace deal was ninety percent prepared. "The peace agreement is 90 percent ready, ten percent is left," he remarked. "This is far more than simply numbers."

A Deal Requires Robust Guarantees, Not Fragile Ceasefire

The president made clear that his country wants an end to the war but not at "any price". "What does our nation desires? Peace? Absolutely. No matter the price? No," he said. "We want a conclusion to the conflict but not the end of our country."

"Is the nation tired? Very. Does this mean we are ready to give up? Anyone who thinks so is profoundly mistaken," Zelenskyy continued.

He expressed skepticism about Russian aims, suggesting that even if troops withdrew from the Donbas Donbas, the war would not cease. "Withdraw from the eastern regions, and everything will end. This is how a lie sounds," he remarked.

EU Leaders to Discuss Post-Conflict Guarantees

In related news, France's President Emmanuel Macron announced that EU leaders and allies gathering in Paris on 6 January will establish solid commitments towards ensuring the security of Ukraine following a potential agreement with Russia is reached.

Cross-Border Strikes Reported

Meanwhile, accounts of military strikes continued. An official from Kyiv's SBU said that Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles hit a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a significant blaze.

On the other side, in southern Ukraine, a Russian drone attack struck apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, injuring several people, among them children. Officials said four buildings were damaged and significant damage was reported to a couple of power facilities.

Contested Allegations Over Drone Attack

Regarding previous allegations of a drone strike targeting a property of Russian president, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukraine was not behind the incident. An article stated that US security agencies determined the reported incident "did not happen".

In response, Russia's ministry of defense released a footage purporting to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian-made drone. A Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs dismissed the evidence as "absurd" and suggested it showed a lack of credibility in fabricating the narrative.

EU Official Calls Claims a "Diversion"

The EU's top diplomat described Moscow's assertions "a deliberate distraction". "Nobody should believe unfounded allegations from the aggressor," she remarked.

Additional Updates

• DPRK Role: The DPRK's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly praised troops serving in an "alien land" in a new year's message. Reports indicate North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to aid Russia's military campaign in the region.
• Sanctions Extension: United States authorities have reportedly granted a short-term exemption from sanctions to a Serbian, largely Russian-controlled energy firm until 23 January. This entity operates the country's only oil refinery.