Kremlin: Putin to recognize the independence of Russian-occupied Donbas in the near future. Russian stock exchange drops 14-17%, worst decline since 2008.

Ukrainian drones reportedly struck an oil tanker in the Port of Rostov overnight on Dec. 18, local officials in Russia's Rostov Oblast reported.

Kyiv has signed several new defense agreements with Berlin totaling 1.2 billion euros ($1.4 billion), Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal announced on Dec. 17, a day after the Ramstein-format meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG).

Russia attacked the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia with KAB bombs the morning of Dec. 17, injuring at least 26 people, including a child, Governor Ivan Fedorov said.

U.S. and Russian officials are set to meet in Miami this weekend to discuss efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine, Politico reported on Dec. 17, citing two unnamed sources.

The U.S. Senate on Dec. 17 approved a $900 billion defense spending bill that includes $800 million in military assistance for Ukraine, following the House of Representatives’ passage of the legislation last week.

Ukrainian forces have regained control over 16 square kilometers (6.2 square miles) in the northern part of Pokrovsk, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Dec. 17 following his participation in the 32nd Ramstein-format Defense Contact Group meeting.

"The clock is ticking on Roman Abramovich to honor the commitment he made when Chelsea FC was sold and transfer the 2.5 billion pounds to a humanitarian cause for Ukraine," Starmer said on Dec. 17.

The man is suspected of helping Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) coordinate strikes on Ukrainian Armed Forces' warehouses with ammunition and drones.

If Russia's demands were not met through diplomatic efforts, Vladimir Putin warned that Russia would "liberate" what he claimed were its "historical lands" on the battlefield.

Oleksandr Korniyenko was appointed deputy speaker of the parliament in 2021. Since then, the party has been led by lawmaker Olena Shuliak.

The U.S. is planning new sanctions on Russia’s energy sector to ramp up pressure on Moscow if President Vladimir Putin rejects a peace deal with Ukraine, Bloomberg reported citing sources familiar with the situation.

The Kyiv Independent’s Martin Fornusek sits down with Denmark’s European Union Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre and Sweden’s European Union Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz to discuss Ukraine’s progress toward EU accession, Hungary’s continued block on opening negotiation clusters, and the impact of Ukraine’s latest major corruption scandal.

Mstyslav Chernov’s "2000 Meters to Andriivka," a documentary chronicling Ukrainian troops’ perilous advance to retake a strategically important village from Russian forces, has been nominated for best documentary feature.