Zelensky: 'US wants withdrawal from the Donbass, but a referendum is needed'

A meeting to take stock of the latest developments in the peace talks and to seek coordination also in view of the next decisions to be taken, first and foremost the one concerning the freezing of Russian assets that will be on the agenda of the European Council scheduled for next week in Brussels, with Italy not expected to budge on the issue. The Coalition of the Willing met again to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. Also taking part in the videoconference between the more than 30 leaders of the countries supporting Kiev was Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who the day before yesterday had received Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Palazzo Chigi, reiterating on the one hand the need to define robust security guarantees that prevent future aggression by Moscow and on the other the need to maintain pressure on Russia to sit at the peace table. Close cooperation with the United States obviously remains a key element, as does the necessary involvement of NATO and Europe in the peace process.

In view of the meeting convened in Paris for Saturday at the level of senior officials, Italy will be represented by the PM's diplomatic advisor Fabrizio Saggio, while at Palazzo Chigi, according to leaks, participation in the subsequent meeting announced for Monday in Berlin by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is still being assessed. Meloni, who today received a courtesy visit from US Attorney General Pam Bondi at Palazzo Chigi, will instead be in Parliament on Wednesday for communications ahead of the European Council. A passage that will lead to voting on the resolutions to be presented by the majority and opposition, both divided on the Ukraine dossier. If in the 'wide field' it is the M5s leader Giuseppe Conte who is stirring the pot, in the centre-right it is the Lega's line that is holding sway, opposing the use of frozen Russian assets and the sending of new weapons. On this last point, moreover, the Council of Ministers is expected to give the go-ahead by the end of the year for the decree-law to renew the authorisation for the transfer of armaments to Ukraine in 2026. And even in this case it is the Carroccio that is putting the brakes on. According to the Minister for Relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani, however, in the end there will be no problems in the coalition. "It has always happened on the eve of these decrees renewing aid to Ukraine: great debates, great discussions, even inevitable, even just, then in the end, however, the government has always chosen the path that is correct, to stand by Ukraine, which is an invaded country,' the words of the FdI minister. We have always done it and we will do it again. The perplexities, the discussions are right, inevitable, even correct. It is good that we talk about peace, but the peace we want to build is a just, lasting peace, with appropriate guarantees for Ukraine'.

The diplomatic ping pong continues as tensions rise. Volodymyr Zelensky, meeting journalists in Kiev, confirmed that the peace talks are deadlocked mainly over the fate of the Donbass, Donetsk in particular. The US would like to see Ukrainian forces withdraw and that battered patch of land - where fortifications are being built - become a 'free economic zone'. Moscow, however, is not being asked to do the same in the part it currently occupies. A potentially fatal imbalance. Zelensky is under immense pressure from the US and so, on the territorial issue, he evokes the ballot box: 'The people will decide, with elections or a referendum'. The acceleration is increasingly evident and in the last 24 hours many details have emerged. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, at a press conference in Berlin with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, pointed out that when he heard the US president on the phone with his peers in Paris and London, the White House had not yet received the latest version of the plan, which reflects the Euro-Ukrainian position. Inside is a scenario of 'territorial concessions' that Ukraine 'could accept'. Now, Merz said, the negotiations - in the idea of the Europeans - will continue in the coming days and over the weekend and then there could be "a meeting" early next week in Berlin - it was Trump himself who had revealed the invitation. "The participation of the US administration will largely depend on the documents we will be working on during this period," Merz added. Although Trump - the White House explains - says he is frustrated with Moscow and Kiev: 'He doesn't want more talk, but action. He is fed up with meetings just for the sake of meetings'. Meanwhile, on Saturday, officials from Ukraine, the US, France, Germany and the UK - Axios reports - will meet in Paris to take yet another stock of the situation. The other knot, Zelensky said, is the fate of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, the largest in Europe and crucial for Ukraine's economic development. Here, the economic part will be the subject of a separate document - Zelensky recently discussed it with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent - as well as security guarantees. In this regard, Zelensky connected in the evening with a large delegation that included Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, the supreme commander of NATO and US forces in Europe, General Grynkewich, as well as Rutte himself. And it was agreed that the teams will work actively to ensure that there is 'a clear understanding' of these guarantees in the near future. Rutte's presence represents a lifeboat for Europe. The former Dutch prime minister, in a speech on the sidelines of his visit to Berlin, reiterated that 'Ukraine's security is our security' and that 'we are Russia's next target, we cannot allow ourselves to be divided'. "We must be ready," he urged, "to do what our fathers and grandfathers did" in the past. Gloomy tones that, however, take into account the fears of Europe, which is now afraid of a 'glasnost' between Russia and the US on its skin. The hypothesis that there is a classified version of the US national security strategy that envisages a new non-European format, the C5 (US, Russia, China, India and Japan), and the intention to 'separate' Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary from the EU has come as yet another cold shower in Brussels. But there are also those who display realism. 'In recent years all US governments have tried to divide the EU when it came to their own interests: these ones are simply more honest and seek ideological allies,' comments a European diplomat. In all this, Europe is advancing on the use of Russian assets, playing the last remaining geo-economic card in the deck. The 27 have started the written procedure - i.e. giving the capitals a vote - on the proposal to use Article 122 of the Treaty, the economic emergency, to freeze the Russian Central Bank's funds in perpetuity (and a qualified majority vote will be needed to release them). The Danish Presidency is confident that there is the necessary support. Next comes the mechanism to give the money to Ukraine. And here the game gets more complicated. It is not only Belgium that is sceptical. Italy, for example, is also hesitant.

Volodymyr Zelensky's presidential term ended in accordance with the Ukrainian Constitution.

Therefore, elections must be held in the country. This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in an interview with journalists, quoted by the Tass news agency. "According to the Constitution, the Ukrainian president's term of office has expired. Therefore, elections must be called," he said.

'The president doesn't want more talk, he wants action. He is frustrated' by Ukraine and Russia: 'if there is a real chance to sign a peace agreement, if we think those meetings are worthy of someone, we will send a representative. The president is fed up with the meetings just for the sake of having the meetings. He no longer wants to talk, he wants to act'. This was said by White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, responding to a question about possible meetings over the weekend for peace in Ukraine.

"I heard from the partners of the Coalition of the Willing during a very intense week of peace talks. Despite the pressure, we remain absolutely firm in our goal: to achieve a just and sustainable peace for Ukraine. I updated the leaders on our work to secure funding for Ukraine for 2026-2027. Our proposals are on the table and the sense of urgency is clear to all. Next week will be decisive'. Ursula von der Leyen writes this in X. "Sustainable means that any peace agreement must not contain the seeds of future conflicts and destabilise the broader European security architecture. We also discussed the need for solid and credible security guarantees."

A soldier of the Ukrainian National Guard is the victim of a bomb explosion that was reported in recent hours in the Darnytskyi district of the Ukrainian capital Kiev. This was reported by the Ukrainian media, pointing out that four other people were injured. Among them are two policemen and another National Guard soldier. According to the Kiev Prosecutor's Office, local media also report, the first explosion occurred when two National Guard soldiers were on patrol and the second occurred after police and rescue workers arrived on the scene.

The regulation on the indefinite renewal of sanctions on Russia, on which the EU Council voted by qualified majority, "will obviously contribute to the discussions on the Reparation Loan" to Ukraine, "as it is putting the immobilisation of Russian assets on a solid footing, avoiding us having to rely on a sanctions regime that requires the renewal of immobilisation every six months". This was said by EU Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis at a press conference during the Eurogroup.

"Today we had a constructive and in-depth discussion with the US team on one of the three documents we are currently working on: the one on security guarantees". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote this on X, explaining that the US was represented by "Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as well as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, Generals Keane and Grynkewich and Josh Gruenbaum".

'Why doesn't the other side of the war withdraw the same distance in the same direction?' This is how Volodymyr Zelensky expresses his resistance to the US demand for a unilateral Ukrainian withdrawal from parts of Donetsk. "They see Ukrainian forces leaving the territory of the Donetsk region and the supposed compromise is that Russian forces would not enter the territory they already call an economic free zone," he continued speaking to journalists, stressing that they have neither a "constitutional" nor "moral" right to cede Ukrainian land, and that only Ukrainian citizens should have the final say through elections or referendum.

The one launched today by the Armed Forces of Ukraine was the "largest, largest and most ambitious combined kamikaze drone operation against Russia, of the entire Russian-Ukrainian war. Overnight, almost 300 drones of various types, along with cruise missiles, struck targets in western and central Russia - a stretch of some 2,000 km (1,243 miles) that includes Moscow'. This is written by the Kyiv Post, which cites Russian and Ukrainian sources. The main Ukrainian attack overnight 'appeared to focus mainly on five Russian energy production facilities'. Secondary attacks hit four military airports.Approximately one-fifth of the Ukrainian kamikaze drones, in a possible diversionary tactic, headed towards Moscow flying over the Russian capital and triggering the local air defence response. The longer-range attack, the Ukrainian media continued, struck 'an offshore oil platform in the Caspian Sea, about 1,500 km (932 miles) from the nearest likely Ukrainian drone launch sites, hitting it at least four times and setting fire to the Lukoil-owned platform'. This would be the first time in the war that Ukrainian forces hit a target in the Caspian Sea.

Elections are to be held in Ukraine for a new president, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, recalling thatVolodymyr Zelensky's term of office ended in May 2024. "The term of the President of Ukraine has ended in accordance with the Constitution. Therefore," Peskov added, quoted by Tass, "elections must be held.

"The strategic initiative is completely in the hands of the Russian armed forces" and the conquest of the Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions "is taking place in a progressive and sustained manner". This was said by President Vladimir Putin during a videoconference meeting with military commanders on operations in Ukraine. The Kremlin reports.

Officials from Ukraine, the United States, France, Germany and the United Kingdom will meet in Paris on Saturday to talk about the peace plan. Axios reports this, citing White House and Kiev sources.

The Danish Presidency has informed that Coreper - the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the EU - has agreed on a revised version of the proposal on Article 122 (regarding the proposal on the use of Russian assets, ed.) and approved the launch of a written procedure for a formal Council decision by tomorrow at 5pm. The move envisages the indefinite renewal of sanctions that tie up Russian assets in Europe using Article 122 of the Treaty, which allows for qualified majority voting.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received during a meeting with the armed forces a report that Seversk, a locality in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic "has been completely transferred under the control of the Russian armed forces". This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.

"China is Russia's biggest partner and helps it to be able to carry on this war". This was said by Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte in a speech at the Bavarian representation in Berlin. "Without Chinese support Russia could not continue this war," he continued

On the legislative proposals for a reparation loan to Ukraine using Russian assets tied up by sanctions, the EU Commission with member states is trying "to make as much progress as possible on the various elements of the package, so that a solution can be found at the European Council next week". This was said by EU executive spokeswoman Paula Pinho during the daily press briefing. As for the idea of using Article 122 of the Treaty to approve possible decisions by qualified majority and not by unanimity, "it is justified in this case because it allows the Union to equip itself with resources that can help it out of a difficult economic situation we are in," explained spokesperson Balasz Ujivari: "If you look at what the situation would be like without the war, you would certainly see a more prosperous economic situation in Europe, so we think there is a very strong impact on our economies. Article 122 of the Treaty refers to the presence of economic emergencies

Russian armed forces captured the village of Lyman in the Kharkiv oblast in eastern Ukraine. This was stated by the Moscow Defence Ministry.

Secretary General Mark Rutte, at a joint press conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today in Berlin, praised Germany for 'moving forward in an exemplary manner and sending an important message: the message that Europe is ready to take on more responsibility'. Germany's contribution to the alliance was 'very impressive', Rutte added.

"Germany provides important troops and equipment for the entire eastern flank of NATO," Rutte continued. "And of course, Germany remains a leading force in supporting Ukraine," the secretary general specified.

"Only Kiev can decide which territorial arrangement it can ultimately accept," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at a joint press conference with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte this morning in Berlin.

"It would be a mistake to force Zelensky into a peace that his people will not support after four years of suffering and death," the German Chancellor continued.

Russia has reason to believe in the sincerity of the US desire to resolve the Ukrainian conflict in a fair manner. This was stated by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass. "We have reason to believe, on the basis of numerous contacts with the United States, both in Anchorage at the presidential level, and later at the level of collaborators, special representatives of President Vladimir Putin and Trump, at the level of foreign minister and secretary of state, we have reason to believe that the Americans are sincerely interested in a fair resolution of the conflict, in the context of ensuring the legitimate interests of all sides. And we proceed on this basis," Lavrov said.

"It is possible that there will be a summit here in Berlin on Monday". German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said this at a press conference in Berlin with Nato Secretary Mark Rutte, referring to a phone call with Donald Trump yesterday, along with Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron on the war in Ukraine. The chancellor explained that he was not yet sure whether Trump would attend, but stressed that the conversation had been 'very constructive'.

According to the Russian constitution, the Donetsk and Luhansk republics, Crimea and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts are an integral part of the Russian Federation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "I want to reiterate that we (Russia) also have a constitution and, according to this constitution, Crimea, the Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions are integral parts and equal regions of the Russian Federation. And I emphasise once again what I have already said several times. We do not need territories. What matters to us is the fate of the people whose ancestors developed these lands for centuries, building cities, roads and ports.... But it is precisely the rights of these people that are now being trampled on by the Kiev regime,' he concluded.

Ukraine has formulated its response to the peace plan proposed by the United States and sent it to Washington, Ukrainian news site Rbc-Ukraine reports. Yesterday eveningVolodymir Zelensky, alone on the square where he had been filmed immediately after the start of the war, surrounded by his advisors, first and foremost Andryi Yermak, had explained that 'the 20-point plan for the end of the war constitutes a fundamental document'. "We are actively working on some crucial steps, so that they can be realised. From this fundamental document, we are developing at least two others. The first is on security, it is about security guarantees with the United States. The second is on the economy, and concerns reconstruction and joint investments'. "Kiev's focus," Zelensky added, "is on the economic aspects of the document, which are absolutely clear and on which we are completely aligned with the Americans. '"An economic action plan will follow. Europe will also be involved in the reconstruction. In the short term, we intend to make progress on the other two documents as well. Rustem Umerov (the chief negotiator in Kiev, ed.) will continue the negotiations." "We will continue the negotiations.

Russia has submitted new proposals to the US regarding 'collective security guarantees' as part of the negotiations on Ukraine. This was stated by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "We have forwarded additional proposals to our US colleagues on collective security guarantees," the minister said, stressing that "when discussing security guarantees, one cannot limit oneself only to Ukraine". The minister, as reported by Interfax, added that the proposals on this issue already submitted in December 2021 remain valid for Russia, but Moscow is ready to consider other proposals.

"The Europeans want a meeting with us and Zelensky over the weekend in Europe", "we'll make a decision based on what they come back with", Donald Trump said answering reporters' questions during a meeting with a group of business leaders. In Ukraine, he added, "there is a huge corruption problem, we discussed it in pretty strong terms," the US president said in reference to the phone call with European leaders.

But Zelensky "must be realistic": "When will they hold elections?". The US "does not want to waste its time", the tycoon added. Who did not fail to criticise the Fed's rate cut, which he felt was insufficient: "It was a small number that could have been bigger."

It is war that prevents elections in Ukraine, not political will, said the deputy speaker of the Kiev parliament, Oleksandr Kornienko, quoted by Kiev media. Pointing out that at the moment there are no measures in the pipeline that envisage elections during a conflict, he highlighted a number of 'decisive' issues that need to be addressed. These include the security of voters abroad who will not return to the country under attack, the participation in the elections of hundreds of thousands of soldiers at the front, the security criteria for the opening of polling stations, especially in frontline areas, and the new threats posed by drones.

Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever has not ruled out taking legal action against the EU if the latter decides to confiscate his frozen Russian assets. This was reported by Belgian broadcaster Vrt Nws after EU Council President Antonio Costa said yesterday that the EU was ready to give the go-ahead to a proposal to take the cash balances of frozen Russian assets held by member states and provide them to Ukraine as a loan. Most of the EUR 190 billion of assets frozen after the start of the war in 2022 are currently held in Belgium and, in particular, by Euroclear, the Brussels-based financial clearing house. "Nothing can be ruled out. If a decision is taken that, in my opinion, contradicts the law, is unfounded and creates serious risks for our country, then nothing can be excluded,' De Wever told the TV channel. Earlier this week, the CEO of Euroclear warned that the proposed repair loan was 'completely uncharted territory' and legally questionable.

Prolonging the conflict has become a matter of political and perhaps physical survival for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.

"A corruption scandal has broken out in Ukraine and, in light of this, prolonging the conflict seems to have become a matter of political and perhaps even physical survival for Zelensky," he concluded.

The Russian Investigative Committee will demand compensation for the damage caused by the Ukrainian attacks, estimated at 600 billion roubles (about $7.65 billion), said its chairman, Alexander Bastrykin.

"Severe damage has been inflicted on 41 regions of Russia by the modern weapons of the Ukrainian Nazis. We have estimated that the damage already amounts to around 600 billion roubles. And, of course, we will demand compensation from the Ukrainian nationalists,' he said.

"Either on 22 or 29 December the decree for aid to Ukraine will be approved in the Council of Ministers. This does not conflict with the possibility of reaching a negotiating table between the West and Russia leading to a ceasefire. But it must be a just peace, it cannot be imposed on Ukraine'. This was said by the Minister for Relations with Parliament Luca Ciriani, host of SkyTg24.

With respect to the League's distortions, 'what always happened on the eve of the Ukraine dl will happen. Great debates, but in the end the government has always chosen the correct path of standing by Ukraine. The perplexities are inevitable, and correct: we need a just, and lasting peace. The peace that Ukraine will have to sign will be very hard for that people, because it will involve the loss of some territories. We must understand Zelensky's dramatic position. The road is very narrow, we are aware that the war cannot last indefinitely, but until a balanced peace is achieved we will stand by Ukraine'.

A total of 133 flights were cancelled, delayed or diverted from Moscow's four international airports last night due to a massive Ukrainian drone attack. The Tass news agency reports that disruptions were recorded at Sheremetyevo, Vnukovo, Domodedovo and Zhukosvksy airports. The Russian Defence Ministry reported that 287 Ukrainian drones were intercepted overnight on Russian territory, of which 32 were flying towards Moscow.

The Russian army again attacked energy infrastructure in the Ukrainian regions of Poltava and Odessa during the night, according to regional authorities.

The bombed infrastructure in the Poltava region is located near the city of Kremenchuk. An energy plant was also hit in Odessa. In both attacks, the Russians used long-range attack drones.

Russia insists on the need for an agreement that guarantees a lasting and sustainable peace in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. "We insist on reaching a package of agreements for a lasting, sustainable and long-term peace, with security guarantees for all countries involved. And our talks with the President of the United States (Donald Trump) and his team are devoted precisely to this, to the search for long-term regulation to eliminate the root causes of this crisis," Lavrov continued.

"We must pay tribute to the current American leader, who since his return to the White House has been fully committed to this issue. In our view, he is sincerely committed to helping overcome the conflict through political and diplomatic methods,' he concluded.

Russian forces shot down a record 287 Ukrainian drones overnight and Moscow airports were temporarily closed. This was announced by the Russian Defence Ministry. Of the drones 'intercepted and shot down' by Russian air defence, 32 were headed towards Moscow, the ministry said in a statement posted on Telegram. All four airports in the Russian capital were temporarily closed, Rosaviatsia, Russia's civil aviation authority, reported. Flights were diverted to Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg.

Kiev claims a drone attack against an oil platform in the Caspian Sea. Kiev media write this, citing sources in the Sbu intelligence service. It is the first time Ukraine has struck a Russian oil production-related facility in the region. The drones 'struck the Filanovsky oil platform, owned by Lukoil-Nizhnevolzhskneft'. There were reports of 'at least four attacks on the offshore platform, blocking oil and gas production from more than 20 wells served by it'.