Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said during a Defense Ministry meeting on Dec. 16 that Moscow aims to seize the entirety of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts in 2025.
"When it comes to peace, I believe that realism must be maintained. Today, probably no sensible person in Europe believes that peace can be achieved without some partial territorial losses for Ukraine," Slovak President Peter Pellegrini said.
Grenell previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Germany during Trump’s first term, as acting National Intelligence Director in 2020, and as Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations from 2019 to 2021.
Members of President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration have held discussions with White House officials as part of the incoming administration's ongoing effort to establish a ceasefire once Trump is inaugurated in January, NBC News reported on Dec. 13, citing sources familiar with the talks.
"I truly believe this will be resolved in the next few months," Kellogg said in an interview on Fox Business. "The only person who can do this is President Donald Trump, and he will do it. They're tired of killing each other out there. This is time," Kellogg added.
French President Emmanuel Macron and Polish Premier Donald Tusk met on Dec. 12 in Warsaw. High on the agenda was how to support Ukraine in the “new Transatlantic context.” On the sidelines of the visit, the Élysée emphasized that “France’s position is that it is necessary to support Ukraine
Editor's note: This article is based on a publicly available research report on scenarios for the end of Russia’s war on Ukraine by KI Insights, the Kyiv Independent’s research unit. Read Francis Farrell's full report here. After nearly three years of heavy battles and mass strikes, Russia’s
Regarding U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s repeated promises to quickly end the war, Yermak said, "There is no plan yet, and we have not seen it for sure. We know that several opinions and positions are being discussed."
"I hope to talk about peace, about peacekeeping, as soon as possible in Ukraine, but also in Gaza and Lebanon," Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told journalists in Madrid when asked about the possibility of Rome deploying peacekeepers in Ukraine.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated China's position on resolving the war in Ukraine during a meeting with Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council, on Dec. 12, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Warsaw on Dec. 12 to brief the Polish prime minister on his meeting with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump last week and to discuss Europe's support for Ukraine and ways to end Russia's war.
Key developments on Dec. 10: * US announces $20 billion loan for Ukraine as part of G7 initiative * Zelensky announces 'successful tests' of new Ukrainian missile * 70% of Ukrainians support 'West German' model for NATO accession, survey shows * Explosions heard in occupied Donetsk Oblast city, Russian proxies announce evacuation * Confusion over
Speaking during a government meeting, the Polish Prime Minister announced that Poland, set to assume the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union on Jan. 1, intends to play an active role in the talks.
A key difference is that the invitation would encompass the entire Ukraine, but the alliance's defensive "umbrella" would extend to the occupied territories only after their future liberation.
Speaking to President Volodymyr Zelensky, the German politician said that this united vision should be then presented to the U.S. leadership. Zelensky voiced his support for the proposal, Ukrinform reported.
"Let us continue to pray for peace, in tormented Ukraine, in the Middle East — Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, and now Syria — in Myanmar, in Sudan, and wherever people suffer from war and violence," Pope Francis said on Dec. 8.
Russian President Vladimir Putin should seek an end to the war as he lost 700,000 people to hostilities, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump said in comments for the New York Post published on Dec. 8.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump urged Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action toward negotiating a truce, saying on Dec. 8: "I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act. China can help. The World is waiting!"
Trump and Zelensky met in Paris as world leaders gathered in the city for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.
China has strengthened its ties with Russia since the beginning of its full-scale war against Ukraine. However, Beijing has denied allegations of aiding Russia's war effort.
Germany's conservative opposition leader Friedrich Merz said on Dec. 4 that any speculations about deploying German troops to ensure a ceasefire are irresponsible at this time.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, speaking at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Malta on Dec. 5, strongly opposed any agreements resembling past Yalta or Minsk deals that could legitimize Russian aggression.
"They only want to dictate and speak the language of ultimatums," Andriy Yermak said in an interview for The Telegraph. He emphasized that no leader of the democratic world, including U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, would allow such ultimatums.
Unlike during his first term in the White House, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump appears determined to keep many of his campaign promises. His cabinet nominations — from the Kremlin-friendly Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence to the conspiracy-loving vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as Secretary of Health and
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock told journalists that in order to achieve long term peace in Ukraine, security guarantees such as Ukraine’s NATO membership and deployment of international troops, including German ones, are conceivable.
"We must continue to back Ukraine ... To put Ukraine in the strongest possible position for negotiations so that they can secure a just and lasting peace on their terms that guarantees their security, independence, and right to choose their future."
NATO's two-day ministerial meeting will focus on providing Ukraine with enough military aid to enable it to enter any possible negotiations from a position of strength, Secretary General Mark Rutte said ahead of the meeting in Brussels on Dec. 3.
"The past thousand days have proven conclusively that the war in Ukraine cannot be resolved on the battlefield, and therefore the solution must be sought at the negotiating table," Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said.
"Our army lacks the strength to do that. That is true," President Volodymyr Zelensky told Kyodo News regarding the liberation of territories held by Russia since 2014, including Crimea.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Nov. 27 decision to choose Keith Kellogg as his special envoy for Ukraine and Russia is not ideal for Kyiv but is an acceptable and reasonable choice for Ukraine, analysts say. Kellogg has co-authored a peace plan that would freeze the front line in Ukraine,
"If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should quickly take under NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control. That's what we need to do first. and then Ukraine can get back the other parts of its territory in a diplomatic way," President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Sky News.
Turkey won't support a peace plan that involves freezing the war in Ukraine and Kyiv making territorial concessions to Moscow, Ukrinform reported on Nov. 29, citing Ukrainian lawmaker Ahtem Chiygoz.
