🔗 Share this article Leader Zelenskyy States The Nation Is Ten Percent Off from a Peace Deal, But Not at Any Cost During his New Year's Eve speech, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a possible peace agreement was 90% ready. "The deal is 90% ready, 10% remains," he said. "This is much more than just numbers." An Agreement Needs Robust Assurances, Not a Fragile Truce Zelenskyy made clear that his country desires peace but would not accept it at "any cost". "What is it that Ukraine desires? An end to hostilities? Absolutely. At any cost? Certainly not," he declared. "We want an end to the war but not the end of our country." "Are we tired? Very. Does that imply we are ready to surrender? Any person who thinks so is profoundly mistaken," he added. He expressed doubt about Moscow's intentions, stating that even if troops withdrew from the Donbas region, the war would not cease. "Pull out from the Donbas, and it will all be over. This is how deception translates," he remarked. European Allies to Discuss Post-Conflict Guarantees Separately, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that EU allies and partners gathering in Paris in early January will make firm pledges towards protecting the country after a potential agreement with Moscow is reached. Cross-Border Strikes Reported At the same time, accounts of military actions persisted. A source from Kyiv's security service reported that Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles struck a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a large blaze. In Ukraine, a Russian drone attack hit apartment buildings and energy infrastructure in Odesa, wounding six people, among them minors. Local authorities confirmed multiple buildings were damaged and significant harm was caused to a couple of energy facilities. Disputed Allegations Over Aerial Attack Regarding recent allegations of a drone attack aimed at a property of Russia's president, American and European officials are in agreement that Ukrainian forces was not behind the event. A report stated that US security agencies determined the reported incident "did not happen". In response, The Russian ministry of defense published a footage purporting to show debris of a destroyed Ukrainian-made drone. A Ukrainian ministry of foreign affairs ridiculed the evidence as "laughable" and stated it showed a lack of credibility in fabricating the story. European Official Calls Allegations a "Diversion" Kaja Kallas described Russia's claims "an intentional distraction". "No one should accept baseless allegations from the aggressor," she said. Other Updates DPRK Involvement: North Korea's supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, reportedly praised troops serving in an "foreign land" in a New Year message. Intelligence assessments indicate North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to aid the Russian invasion in the region. Sanctions Extension: United States authorities have according to a minister granted a temporary reprieve from restrictions to a Serbian, majority Russian-owned energy firm until 23 January. The company operates the country's only oil refinery.