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As part of his New Year's Eve message, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that a possible treaty was ninety percent complete. "The deal is 90% complete, ten percent remains," he said. "This is far more than simply numbers."

An Agreement Needs Strong Guarantees, Not Weak Ceasefire

Zelenskyy stressed that Ukraine desires peace but would not accept it at "any possible price". "What does our nation desires? Peace? Yes. At any cost? No," he declared. "Our goal is an end to the conflict but not the end of Ukraine."

"Is the nation tired? Extremely. Does this mean we are prepared to capitulate? Any person who thinks so is deeply mistaken," Zelenskyy added.

He voiced doubt about Russian intentions, stating that should troops pulled out from the Donbas region, the war would not cease. "Withdraw from the Donbas, and everything will end. This is how a lie translates," he remarked.

European Allies to Plan Post-War Security

In related news, France's leader Emmanuel Macron announced that European allies and partners gathering in Paris in early January will establish solid commitments towards ensuring the security of the country after any peace deal with Russia is brokered.

Cross-Border Strikes Continue

Meanwhile, reports of military strikes persisted. A source from Kyiv's SBU reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles hit an oil depot in the Russian city of Rybinsk, causing a large fire.

On the other side, in southern Ukraine, a Russian drone attack hit apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding six people, among them children. Local authorities said four apartment buildings were affected and considerable damage was reported to two energy facilities.

Disputed Claims Over Aerial Attack

Regarding previous claims of a UAV strike aimed at a property of Russian leader, American and European authorities are in agreement that Ukraine was not behind the incident. A report stated that US security agencies concluded the reported incident "never occurred".

Reacting, The Russian defence ministry released a footage claiming to show fragments of a destroyed Ukrainian-made drone. An official from Ukraine's foreign ministry ridiculed the evidence as "absurd" and stated it demonstrated a lack of credibility in fabricating the story.

EU Official Calls Allegations a "Diversion"

The EU's top diplomat described Russia's assertions "a deliberate diversion". "Nobody should believe baseless claims from the aggressor," she said.

Additional Developments

• DPRK Role: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media praised troops serving in an "foreign territory" in a new year's message. Intelligence assessments suggest the country has sent thousands of personnel to support Russia's military campaign in the region.
• Restrictions Reprieve: The US have according to a minister given a temporary exemption from sanctions to a Serbian, majority Russian-owned energy firm until 23 January. The company operates the country's only oil refinery.