Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a potential agreement to end Russia’s full-scale invasion is “90% ready,” but vowed he will not sign a “weak” peace that rewards Moscow or risks a renewed assault, setting a hard line as competing narratives and fresh strikes underscored the war’s volatility.
In a New Year’s Eve address posted on his Telegram account, Zelensky framed Kyiv’s position as seeking an end to the war “but not the end of Ukraine,” stressing that unresolved core issues — including security guarantees and territory — still block a deal. “The peace agreement is 90% ready. Ten percent remains. And that is far more than just numbers,” he said. “Any signature placed on weak agreements only fuel the war.”
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His comments come as the United States seeks to broker a settlement with input from both Kyiv and Moscow. Ukrainian and American officials have yet to bridge differences on postwar borders, a flashpoint at the center of talks. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pushed for full control of the eastern Donbas region as part of a deal, a demand Zelensky indicated is unacceptable, warning he does not believe Moscow would stop at Donbas if Ukraine withdrew.
Russia, meanwhile, claimed Ukraine recently launched a drone attack against Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region — an allegation Kyiv called a fabrication intended to manipulate talks. The Russian defense ministry released night-vision footage of a damaged drone lying in snow in a forested area, saying the “mass” attack began around 7 p.m. local time on Dec. 28 and did not damage the residence. The Kremlin did not say where Putin was at the time.
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas dismissed Moscow’s accusation as a “deliberate distraction,” writing on X that Russia aims to derail progress toward peace by Ukraine and its Western partners. “No one should accept unfounded claims from the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine’s infrastructure and civilians since the start of the war,” she said.
Russia’s allegation surfaced shortly after Zelensky held talks in Florida with U.S. President Donald Trump. Kyiv distributed a briefing paper to EU delegations accusing Moscow of trying to “sabotage” understandings from that meeting, according to a document seen by Reuters. On Sunday, Trump said a deal to end the war was “closer than ever” but reported no breakthrough on territory.
On the battlefield, both countries reported new strikes. In Odesa, Russia’s drones hit residential, logistics and energy facilities, injuring at least six people, including three children ages 7 months, 8 and 14, local officials said on Telegram. A 42-year-old man was in serious condition, authorities added. Two men were wounded in drone attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to regional officials.
Inside Russia, two people were injured in a drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Tuapse in the Krasnodar Krai region, local authorities said. The attack damaged a port berth, equipment at an oil refinery and nearby homes. Munitions strikes also wounded three people in the Belgorod region, its governor said.
In a separate New Year address, Putin devoted much of his remarks to Russian forces, calling soldiers “heroes” and asserting, “We believe in you and our victory.” The message aired first in the far-eastern Kamchatka peninsula, the earliest region to enter 2026 under Russia’s time zones.
Zelensky, for his part, signaled Ukraine would keep pressing for concrete, enforceable guarantees to deter any future invasion. “What does Ukraine want? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No,” he said. “My signature will be placed on a strong agreement.”
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
