US: call with Kiev, London, Berlin and Paris on new steps for peace

In 2025, Russia launched more than 10,000 drones, 60,000 guided bombs and about 2,400 missiles against Ukraine. The figure is reported by the United24 platform on Telegram, as Ukrinform reports. "In 2025, Russia launched over 60,000 guided bombs, about 2,400 missiles of various types and over 100,000 drones over Ukraine. The air alert sounded at least 19,033 times," the message reads.

Long-range drones of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) struck the Temp oil depot in the city of Rybinsk, in the Yaroslavl region of the Russian Federation. The attack, according to the Ukrainian news agency RBC-Ukraine, was carried out on the morning of 31 December.

According to Ukrainian Security Service sources, the city of Rybinsk is an important logistical and transit hub and the Temp oil depot itself is an important link for the storage and distribution of petroleum products in the north-eastern region of the Russian Federation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his traditional New Year's message, extended special wishes to soldiers and commanders engaged in the war in Ukraine, referred to as a 'special military operation' as usual, underlining the confidence of Russian citizens in the troops' success. "I wish all our fighters and commanders a happy New Year! We believe in you and in our victory!" said Putin, as reported by Tass. "The strength of our unity determines the sovereignty and security of the Fatherland, its development and future," the head of state stressed.

Ukrainian intelligence drones (GRU) attacked the Tuapse oil refinery and oil terminal on the night of 30-31 December. According to the RBC-Ukraine news agency, citing sources within the Defence Ministry's Military Administration Directorate, on the night of 31 December, GRU operatives, together with the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, attacked the Tuapse oil refinery and the Tuapse marine oil terminal. Both facilities are located in the Krasnodar territory of the Russian Federation.

The Tuapse refinery, according to the agency, is capable of processing up to 12 million tonnes of oil per year, or 240,000 barrels per day.

"Russia's claim that Ukraine recently targeted key government sites in Russia is a deliberate distraction. Moscow aims to hinder real progress towards peace for Ukraine and its Western partners." This was written in a message on X by the EU's High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, regarding Moscow's claims about the alleged Ukrainian attack on a residence of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin. "No one should accept unfounded claims by the aggressor who has indiscriminately targeted Ukraine's infrastructure and civilians since the beginning of the war," Kallas added.

Several European states have drawn up plans to secure a potential cease-fire in Ukraine. According to these plans, '10,000 to 15,000' soldiers from European countries could be deployed in the first six months, reports Die Welt. According to the information, the plans were 'essentially drawn up by military experts from the British and French armed forces in cooperation with Brussels'.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on its Telegram channel released a video showing the wreckage of one of the drones allegedly directed on the night of 28-29 December at Putin's residence in the Novgorod region. In the video, a soldier explains that it is a 'Ukrainian 'Chaklun-V' drone, shot down during the terrorist attack by the Kiev regime'. The soldier specifies that it 'carried 6 kilos of explosives, with several components to cause damage'.

Russian General Alexander Romanenkov gave details in a briefing on the alleged attack on Vladimir Putin's residence, which took place according to Moscow between 28 and 29 December. "Around 19:20 on 28 December 2025, units of the radio-technical troops of the aerospace forces detected an attack with fixed-wing drones operating at extremely low altitudes from the Sumy and Chernihiv regions of Ukraine," the general said. "The enemy attack, as shown on the map, was conducted in different directions towards the Russian president's residence, flying over Bryansk, Smolensk, Tver and Novgorod regions, using 91 drones," Romanenkov specified.

The Russian Defence Ministry reported that 'during the course of the night just gone, air defence systems intercepted and destroyed 86 Ukrainian drones'. This was released on the official Telegram channel. Specifically, 56 drones were shot down over the Black Sea, nine over the Bryansk region, eight over the Lipetsk region, five over the Krasnodar region and eight over the Crimean Republic, which was annexed by the Russian Federation in 2014.

The Ukrainian city of Odessa and the region ended up in the crosshairs of a Russian drone attack overnight. The toll so far speaks of six wounded, among them three children, a seven-month-old infant, an eight-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. This was reported by the local authorities, as Ukrainska Pravda reports. 'Some areas of the city are without power, water and heating due to the enemy attack,' Serhii Lysak, head of the city's military administration, announced. Governor Oleh Kiper accused Russia of targeting civilians and energy infrastructure in the region. Lysak pointed out that buildings in two districts of the city were hit. Fires were reported in flats and in a warehouse of a logistics company.

Several areas in the Moscow region remained without electricity in the evening, in connection with a Kiev drone attack, Russian media reported, also echoed by Ukrainian sources. The Meduza newspaper reports blackouts in the Ramenskoye, Zhukovsky and Lytkarino areas, adding that it is unclear exactly how many users were without power. The Moscow Times speaks of at least 120,000 people affected in Ramenskoye, while the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, citing videos circulated in Russian media, indicated on X that the disruptions would affect around 600,000 people. The Rosseti power company said it was working to restore service, 'following an automatic shutdown at a high-voltage substation'. The Russian Defence Ministry, quoted by Tass, reported that between 8pm and 11pm Moscow time, 27 Ukrainian drones flying over various Russian regions, including the capital and Kaluga, Belgorod, Kursk and Tula, were 'intercepted and destroyed'.

Air defence and electronic warfare systems shot down and suppressed 21 drones in seven municipalities of the Moscow region. This was reported by Governor Andrei Vorobyov, writes Ria Novosti. "Today, air defence forces and electronic warfare systems shot down and suppressed 21 drones in the Moscow region, in seven municipalities: the Ruzsky, Volokolamsky, Odintsovsky, Mozhaisk and Naro-Fominsky districts, as well as in Istra and Chekhov. The air defence system continues to function,' he wrote on Telegram.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that, in the context of the peace process, there are documents that will be ready for signing as early as January. Ukrinform reports. "There are documents that will definitely be ready for signing in January. This depends on the ability and willingness of the parties to sign them,' Zelensky said in response to a question from journalists, stressing that in order for the negotiations to be successfully concluded, he is ready to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I said it and I repeat it now, to President Trump and European leaders: I am ready for any format of meeting with Putin." This was said by the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, speaking to reporters. Suspilne reports. "I am not afraid of any format of our meeting. The important thing is that the Russians are not afraid," he added. Zelensky said that it is the Kremlin that is currently showing fear of real progress.

Kiev is discussing with the United States and the countries of the Coalition of the Willing the deployment of American troops in Ukraine as part of the peace plan's guarantees of security. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the press today. "We are discussing this with President Trump and representatives of the Coalition of the Willing. This would be a strong position in terms of security guarantees,' Zelensky said, quoted by Interfax Ukraine.

The Kremlin's accusations that Ukraine attacked a residence of Vladimir Putin are not based on "any concrete evidence" and are "in themselves an act of defiance against the peace agenda" of US President Donald Trump. This was stated by the entourage of French President Emmanuel Macron. "There is no concrete evidence to support the serious accusations made by the Russian authorities, even after verifying the information with our partners," the presidential entourage noted, adding that "the Russian authorities themselves say everything and the opposite of everything about what really happened."

Peace in Ukraine is 'on the horizon' for the first time since the start of the large-scale Russian invasion, and a key outcome of the recent negotiations is the US statement on security guarantees, including the possible deployment of American troops in Ukraine. This was stated by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk after a video conference with European leaders and before a government meeting. "We have assessed," Tusk said, "the results of the first phase of serious negotiations involving the leaders of Ukraine, the US, the EU and Canada. Peace is on the horizon, there is no doubt that events have occurred that give reason to hope that this war can end, and fairly quickly, but it is still a hope, far from 100% certain'. The Polish premier described as a key result of the last few days the declared readiness of the US to participate in security guarantees for Ukraine after peace has been achieved, 'including the presence of American troops, for example along the border or on the line of contact between Ukraine and Russia'.

'These clear statements,' he continued, 'have appeared for the first time. We will see how consistent our partners on the other side of the Atlantic will be, but this gives hope that these talks can be concluded successfully. And by success, I mean an end to the war'. According to him, this would require a 'compromise approach to territorial issues' on the part of Ukraine. 'President Zelensky,' Tusk continued, 'is showing great goodwill on this issue. From his point of view, and this is understandable, a referendum is necessary. The Ukrainian people should give their consent to territorial decisions. And it is obvious that any such consent (to territorial concessions, ed.) should be conditional on concrete and well-considered security guarantees for Ukraine after a potential peace agreement'. This, he added, 'is a significant challenge for all participants in the process, but, as I said, peace has appeared on the horizon for the first time since the beginning of the full-scale war'. Tusk stressed that such a development would be 'something extremely positive' for Poland, given its geographical location and geopolitical context.

Il primo ministro polacco Donald Tusk parla ai media durante un vertice dei leader dell'Unione europea a Bruxelles, in Belgio, il 18 dicembre 2025. REUTERS/Yves Herman/Foto d'archivio

Tusk emphasised that cooperation between all Polish institutions is crucial in this matter. In this context, he reported that he had received detailed information from President Karol Nawrocki about his participation in talks between European leaders and the presidents of the United States and Ukraine after their meeting last Sunday in Florida. In turn, Tusk pledged to keep Nawrocki informed about his talks with European leaders. According to Tusk, the government and the president must carefully coordinate their actions, as he is more actively engaged with European leaders, while the White House prefers contacts at the presidential level. "This is a key issue for Poland's security and I count on an immediate meeting with the president," the Polish prime minister stressed.

Tusk also made it clear that when he spoke of 'peace on the horizon', he meant 'the coming weeks, not the coming months or years. By January, we will all have to come together... to make decisions on the future of Ukraine, on the future of this part of the world,' Tusk stressed. Ukrainian pesident Volodymyr Zelensky said that during his meeting with the US president, Donald Trump confirmed solid security guarantees for Ukraine and assured that they would be voted on and supported by the US Congress. Zelensky said today that Ukraine cannot simply give up its territories as part of the peace efforts, as this would be against the law. Earlier, he said that point 14 of the draft framework document between Ukraine, the US, Russia and Europe on ending the war, which addresses territorial issues, could include the following compromise: Russian forces would withdraw from the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, Sumy and Kharkiv, while a 'free economic zone' would be created in the Donbass. If agreed, this compromise would have to be submitted to a national referendum.

Russian nuclear-capable Oreshnik missiles have entered active service in Belarus, Moscow's ally that shares a border with NATO countries Poland, Lithuania and Latvia in addition to Russia. Moscow made this known through the release of a video. Putin stated that the weapons are impossible to intercept because the speed of the missiles is supposedly 10 times faster than the speed of sound. The move to Belarus could allow Russian nuclear missiles to reach European targets more quickly. The intermediate missiles have a range of about 5,500 km, which means they could hit anywhere in Europe or the US west coast from Russia. The video released by the Russian and Belarusian defence ministries does not specify where the missile systems will be positioned in Belarus, but shows them being transported in forests and camouflaged with nets. "The Oreshnik missile division has begun carrying out combat tasks in designated areas of the country," the Belarus Defence Ministry said.

Volodymyr Zelensky announced the convening of two new meetings of the Coalition of the Willing, scheduled for 3 January in Ukraine and 6 January in France, the latter 'at leader level' and described by the Ukrainian president as 'necessary'. The announcement was made on X at the end of talks with Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov. "I am grateful to President Trump's team for their readiness to participate in all forms of effective cooperation," Zelensky wrote, adding that "today our teams have been in contact".

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused leading European countries of wanting to preserve the Kiev regime in order to prepare a new aggression against Russia. Tass reports. According to Lavrov, Brussels, Berlin, Paris, and London would aim to maintain Kiev's control over Ukrainian territory in order to support the policies of the Ukrainian government, described by Moscow as 'criminogenic and Russophobic'. The diplomat cited the banning of the Russian language and Russian-language media, the persecution of canonical Orthodoxy, the destruction of Russian historical and cultural monuments, and the repression of opponents and dissidents among the alleged violations. "It is precisely this kind of regime on Russia's side that the European Russophobes need in order to implement the announced plans to prepare for a new aggression against our country," Lavrov stressed. Finally, the minister thanked the 'friends and partners' countries that condemned the attack on the Russian presidential residence, calling it a terrorist act aimed at derailing diplomatic dialogue.

Ukraine has ordered the evacuation of 14 settlements in the northern Chernihiv region, bordering Belarus and subject to Russian shelling. "At the defence council the decision was made to compulsorily evacuate 14 border villages," said regional leader Viacheslav Chaus, adding that "the border area is subject to daily shelling. Despite the real threat, 300 people still live there'. The region's air defences have less time to react to incoming attacks because it borders Russia to the north.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated as a possible turning point in the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine the openness of the United States to participate in security guarantees for Kiev, including the possible presence of American troops on the ground. Opening the cabinet meeting, Tusk said that international leaders had assessed the results of the first phase of contacts, stressing that 'peace is on the horizon', although it remains a prospect and not a certainty at the moment. In his opinion, the most relevant element that emerged was 'the American statement on the possible participation of the United States in security guarantees for Ukraine'. The premier explained that, in the event of a peace agreement, Washington could deploy its own military along the line of contact between Ukraine and Russia with the task of monitoring compliance with the ceasefire. "This is the first time such statements have emerged. We will see how consistent our overseas partners will be," he added. According to Tusk, such a scenario would require a compromise approach from Kiev on territorial issues. He praised the attitude of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in this regard, pointing out that any concessions would have to be approved by referendum. "The Ukrainian people should express their consent, which could only come if there are real and credible security guarantees after peace," he stressed. The Polish prime minister called the process 'an enormous challenge', but reiterated that for the first time since the beginning of the large-scale war, a concrete possibility of a negotiated solution is in sight. Finally, Tusk emphasised that an end to the conflict would be 'extremely positive' for Poland's security and underlined the importance of full coordination between the government and the presidency on decisions relating to Ukraine, calling it 'crucial for national security'.

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, stated in a press note today that he was 'certain that the racist essence of the Kiev regime and the cynicism of its external sponsors are clearly visible to the responsible members of the international community, who cannot fail to understand that without the cessation of this criminal policy, the success of the negotiations on reaching a reliable and lasting solution to the Ukrainian crisis is not possible'.

Russia claims control of other localities in the Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. According to the Moscow Defence Ministry, Russian media report, Russian forces hold Lukyanovskoye, in the Zaporizhzhia region, and Bohuslavka, in the Kharkiv region.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni participated in the video conference on Ukraine that European leaders held this morning. This was confirmed by government sources. The meeting, which was held at 11 a.m., was announced by the Polish government spokesman.

"Today we held further consultations with our European and Canadian partners in the Berlin format," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on his X profile.

"We are moving the peace process forward. Transparency and honesty are now required of everyone, including Russia,' the German Chancellor concluded.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that peace in Ukraine is 'on the horizon', adding that there are reasons to hope that the almost four-year-long Russian war can be concluded 'fairly quickly'.

According to Polish media TVP World, Tusk made these statements today after speaking with European and Canadian leaders as part of the Berlin Format, a diplomatic initiative aimed at advancing the peace process in Ukraine.

"I had fruitful talks with European leaders about our support for Ukraine, its security and the reconstruction of the country. Ultimately, the prosperity of a free Ukrainian state lies in EU membership. It is also a fundamental guarantee for security. Accession does not only benefit the countries joining the Union: as successive waves of enlargement show, the whole of Europe benefits'. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen writes this on X.

The attempted attack on the Russian state residence in the Novgorod region targets not only, directly, Russian President Vladimir Putin, but "also Trump and aims to hinder the president's efforts for a peaceful resolution of the Ukrainian conflict". This was stated by Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov, reported by the Interfax news agency. "And here I would like to remind you of Zelensky's Christmas speech and his comments on Putin," Peskov added. In his greeting to his compatriots on Christmas Eve, the Ukrainian president said, referring to his Russian counterpart: 'Today we all share a dream. And we express a wish, for all of us. 'May he die'".

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), an American think tank founded in 2007 by military historian Kimberly Kagan, claimed that there is no evidence of the alleged Ukrainian attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin's residence in Novgorod Oblast on 29 December.

According to the US think tank, 'the circumstances of this alleged attack do not conform to the pattern of evidence observed when Ukrainian forces conduct attacks in Russia'. "Ukrainian attacks," the report continues, "confirmed in Russia generally generate observable evidence in open sources.

"Our army knows how, with what and when to respond". This was said by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, as reported by Tass, regarding possible military consequences in response to the alleged Ukrainian attack on a residence of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin

Russia has not provided 'plausible evidence' to support its claim that Ukraine launched a large-scale drone attack against the Valdai villa, one of President Vladimir Putin's residences. This was stated by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister, Andriy Sybiha, in a post on X. "Almost a day has passed and Russia has still not provided plausible evidence to its accusations of an alleged 'attack on Putin's residence' by Ukraine. And it won't. Because there is none. No such attack has taken place," he said

European leaders will meet today at 11am Italian time to discuss the war in Ukraine, a Polish government spokesman announced. "At 11am, Prime Minister Donald Tusk will take part in another meeting of European leaders on the subject of Ukraine," government spokesman Adam Szlapka wrote on X.

- The Russian Defence Ministry has reported that Russian armed forces have captured the village of Lukyanivske in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia' region. "Units of the Dnepr military grouping, following active operations, have liberated the village of Lukyanivske in the Zaporizhzhia region," the statement released on the ministry's Telegram channel read.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was 'deeply concerned by reports of the alleged attack on the residence of the President of the Russian Federation'.

"Ongoing diplomatic efforts represent the most viable path to ending hostilities and achieving peace," the Indian leader wrote on his X profile, urging "all parties involved to remain focused on these efforts and to avoid any action that could undermine them."

- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ''will have to go into hiding for the rest of his life'' after the alleged drone attack on Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's residence in the Novgorod region. This was written in 'X' by Russian Security Council deputy chairman Dmitry Medvedev. Zelensky ''is trying to make the resolution of the conflict fail. He wants war. Well, at least now he will have to hide for the rest of his useless life,' Medvedev wrote.

Over the past 10 months, Russian casualties in the war with Ukraine have increased faster than at any time since the start of the large-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, according to an analysis by the BBC, which puts the figure for the period analysed at around 160,000 confirmed dead soldiers. But taking into account that the experts' estimates are about 50 per cent higher than the verified deaths, the British broadcaster recalls, the estimated total of Russian soldiers who died in these ten months would lie in a range between 243,000 and 352,000: more or less in line with NATO's calculations, although the BBC's list does not include those who died in service in the militias of two occupied regions in eastern Ukraine, estimated at between 21,000 and 23,500 fighters. In the figures published daily by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russians are said to have recorded 1 million and almost 207,000 casualties since February 2022, in the bulletin updated to date, but that figure not only adds up, without distinguishing, Russian soldiers killed and those wounded or otherwise out of action, and has no real confirmation. Bbc News Russian has been counting Russian losses in the war together with independent broadcaster Mediazona and a group of volunteers since February 2022 and claims to maintain a list of real names, whose deaths we have been able to confirm using official reports, newspapers, social media and new memorials and even graves. "As peace efforts intensify in 2025 under pressure from US President Donald Trump's administration, 40 per cent more obituaries were published in Russian sources than the previous year. According to Deputy Head of the National Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, 336,000 people had been drafted by October 2018, well over 30,000 per month. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte claimed that 25,000 Russian soldiers are killed every month. If both figures are right, Russia continues to recruit more soldiers than it loses. As for the Ukrainian camp, which does not usually provide figures on its own losses, Volodymyr Zelensky estimated battlefield losses last February at 46,000 and 380,000 wounded. Tens of thousands more were missing in action or held captive, Zelensky added. "Based on other estimates and cross-referenced data, we estimate the number of Ukrainians killed so far to be around 140,000," writes BBC.

An 800,000-strong contingent of the Ukrainian Armed Forces would ensure the country's ability to repel a new Russian armed aggression, should it occur, said Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in an interview with Channel 24.

"This number really guarantees our ability to repel an armed aggression should it resume," the Ukrainian military clarifies, adding that this option "also ensures a planned and sustainable mobilisation process. In other words, it does not limit mobilisation in any way. All our mobilisation indicators and capabilities are preserved'.

Tonight Russia 'attacked with two Iskander-M ballistic missiles' and '60 attack drones of the Shahed, Gerbera and other types'. This was stated by the Ukrainian air force quoted by Ukrainska Pravda. According to reports, 'air defences shot down/suppressed one ballistic missile and 52 drones in the north, south and east of the country', while one ballistic missile and eight UAVs hit five locations.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that there is a great chance of ending the war in 2026, due to mobilisation problems on the Russian side.

"The number of their soldiers is decreasing, because until this year it was increasing. They mobilised 43,000 people every month, signed contracts and this year, for the first time in the whole period, the number of people mobilised and the number of losses became exactly the same. So this year, in 2025, we see that for the first time the size of their army has stopped increasing. So we hope that in 2026 we will be able to stop this war completely,' Zelensky said in an interview with the US broadcaster Fox News

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with US broadcaster Fox News tonight, said that Kiev will not abandon the Donbass, but is ready for a compromise regarding the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

"This is not only a question of law, but also of the reality on the ground. That is why we have proposed, in my opinion, a compromise: the creation of a special economic zone. If we withdraw by a few kilometres, then Russia must also take mirror steps and withdraw its forces by a few kilometres. Special rules will apply in such a special economic zone,' Zelensky represented.

After the Mar-a-Lago summit on Sunday evening, Volodymyr Zelensky reported that the peace plan for Ukraine currently envisages security guarantees from the United States for 15 years that can be extended, emphasising that Kiev would like them to reach a period of '30-40-50 years'.

"Yesterday we confirmed with the US president that we will have strong security guarantees from the US. Actually, it's not forever, in the documents we talk about 15 years, with the possibility of extending these security guarantees," Zelensky was quoted by Rbc Ukraine as saying. "I told him that we already have an ongoing war that has been going on for almost 15 years. Therefore, I would really like the guarantees to be longer. And I told him that we would really like to consider the possibility of 30-40-50 years. This would be a historic decision by President Trump" who "said he would think about it".

On the optimistic mood expressed by the United States and Ukraine following the expected summit between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, Moscow's accusation of an attempted attack on Vladimir Putin's residence breaks out. The accusation comes from Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, according to whom Kiev launched an attack with 91 long-range drones against the presidential residence in the Novgorod region during the night. An action, he explained, that will result in retaliation from Moscow, as well as affect the Kremlin's position in the ongoing peace agreement talks. In light of the attack, the minister said, 'Russia's negotiating position will be reconsidered', but it will not withdraw from the ongoing negotiations with Washington. Zelensky's retort was harsh and he spoke of 'typical Russian lies'. Moscow, he added, uses "dangerous statements to undermine all the achievements of our joint diplomatic efforts with President Trump's team". "The alleged 'attack on the residence'" of Putin "is a complete fabrication, aimed at justifying further attacks against Ukraine," he stressed. If the alleged Ukrainian attack on Putin's residence is confirmed, "it would be bad news," Trump said, speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago before his meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin reported that as a result of the agreements reached in Istanbul in 2025, 'about 2,300 of our soldiers and about 170 civilians have been repatriated to Russia'. He stated this in an interview with the daily Izvestia. "As for the Ukrainian side, about 2,400 soldiers and about 170 civilians have been repatriated," the deputy minister added.

- "The 'long negotiation' was only in the media. In reality, we had reached an agreement in less than 10 minutes, already weeks ago. I don't think much has changed except that non-military aid and the importance of Ukraine's air defence were emphasised, rightly so. Also because any aid we have given, over all these years, and will give, was to an attacked nation trying to resist and not to a nation seeking confrontation or war. No one wants to see this madness end more than Ukraine'. This was said by Defence Minister Guido Crosetto in an interview with Il Messaggero regarding the dl for aid to Ukraine. "We will send everything we can, that is, anything that can serve to ease the pain and help innocent civilians. As we did in Gaza. We are like that, we are Italians,' he says. After the meeting at Mar-a-Lago, some glimmer of peace seemed to have opened up, until Putin accused Zelensky of attacking one of his residences. 'Putin reminds me of the wolf in Aesop's fable taken from Phaedrus,' Crosetto replies, 'if an excuse is not enough, he invents one to justify his absurd violence and a war that has no reason to exist and that he provoked. But what strikes me is not Putin and his cronies, but the Italians who cheer for him because Russia is stronger and he is charismatic. Justifying injustice, violence, war, with sympathy or the logic of the strongest is an attitude of cowards and weaklings posing as supposed experts'. As for the Donbass: 'It is being negotiated and must be negotiated. I note, however,' the minister continued, 'that the only one really open to negotiation is Zelensky. Putin is pretending'.

''I don't trust Putin'', because the Russian president ''doesn't really want peace'' and ''can forget'' about participating in Ukraine's reconstruction with ''cheap gas'' after the war. But what is certain is that ''Ukraine cannot defeat Russia without the help of the United States'', so it is necessary for the American president ''Trump to continue to put pressure'' on Putin. This was stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during an interview with Fox News after the phone call between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin. ''We need Trump to keep up the pressure because no signs of peace are coming from Putin,'' the Ukrainian president continued, stating that ''the only way Russia will be able to participate in the reconstruction of Ukraine is by paying war reparations.'' The Russians ''must give us money, then we will decide how to use it for reconstruction,'' Zelensky stressed.

An industrial plant was damaged by explosions last night in Zaporizhzhia, Russian authorities settled in part of the Ukrainian city quoted by the Tass news agency as saying. An explosion was also reported in Odessa, according to local media. An air-raid alert had been triggered in the two regions