France and Russia signal openness to holding separate talks as US-led peace efforts remain inconclusive

On Dec. 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at Western leaders during an annual meeting with his defense ministry, calling European leaders "piglets" and declaring that the goals of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine would be met "unconditionally."

Ukrainian and Russian delegations have rushed to Miami to take part in yet another round of talks with the U.S. representatives in what some see as an American effort to end Russia's war against Ukraine.

According to preliminary information, on Dec. 18, Russian forces illegally detained about 50 civilians — residents of the village of Hrabovske — holding them without access to communication or adequate conditions. On Dec. 20, they were forcibly taken to Russia.

Russian forces launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile from Russia’s Rostov Oblast, along with 97 drones from Russia’s Millerovo, Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk, and Russian-occupied Crimea overnight, according to Ukraine's Air Force.

Atesh operatives set fire at a railway hub in Bataysk, in Russia's Rostov Oblast, which Russian troops use to supply their forces in occupied parts of Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, and Donetsk oblasts, as well as Crimea.

"No matter how difficult it is for us, we need to protect as many people as possible, protect Odesa and our other regions as much as possible," President Volodymyr Zelensky said of the planned replacement.

"I believe such strength exists in the United States and in President Trump. And I believe we should not look for an alternative to the United States, because all alternatives are uncertain as to whether they can end the war)," President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters.

Liberated in 2022, Kherson is still under daily attack from Russian forces across the Dnipro River. The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko report from a city living under anti-drone nets and constant surveillance, showing how everyday life, from hospitals and schools to aid deliveries and cultural events, continues under threat, and why residents refuse to leave.

Ukraine's Foreign Ministry is working on establishing a mechanism for providing Ukrainian citizen living abroad the ability to vote in the country's next election, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Dec. 20.

Sea drones have become a crucial component of Ukraine's defense toolkit, and co-production with a NATO ally could enhance long-term output and deepen European defense-industrial cooperation at sea.

According to Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Russia had mobilized 18,092 foreigners from 128 countries as of October.

The drones are operated by the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" (Alpha), according to the agency.

Kirill Dmitriev, Russian President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, met with U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Reuters reported on Dec. 20, citing a Russian source.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with three Iskander-M ballistic missiles launched from occupied Crimea and 51 attack drones.