Overview
- President Volodymyr Zelensky says a peace deal is 90% ready but insists the remaining 10% will decide Ukraine’s and Europe’s fate and rejects any weak agreement.
- Russia alleges 91 long‑range drones targeted a Putin residence, a claim Ukraine denies as U.S. officials, per the Wall Street Journal, report no corroborating evidence and the CIA director briefed the president that the residence was not the target.
- Moscow released a video of drone debris and flight maps as purported proof, while EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called the accusations unfounded.
- Zelensky reports Russia launched more than 200 drones on New Year’s Eve at energy infrastructure, as a pro‑Russian Kherson official claims a Ukrainian drone strike in Khorly killed at least 24 civilians.
- U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff says he held a fruitful call with UK, French, German and Ukrainian counterparts on security guarantees, conflict‑resolution mechanisms and a prosperity package, with Western security advisers meeting Saturday ahead of a Jan. 6 session in France, as Vladimir Putin’s New Year address urged belief in victory.