🔗 Share this article Leader Zelenskyy Declares Ukraine Is 10% Off from a Peace Deal, But Not at Any Cost During his New Year's Eve message, Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that a potential treaty was 90% complete. "The peace agreement is 90% ready, ten percent is left," he noted. "And that is far more than simply figures." A Deal Needs Strong Guarantees, Not a Fragile Truce Zelenskyy made clear that Ukraine seeks peace but not at "any cost". "What does Ukraine desires? Peace? Yes. At any cost? Certainly not," he said. "Our goal is a conclusion to the war but not the destruction of Ukraine." "Are we weary? Very. Does this mean we are prepared to give up? Any person who believes that is profoundly mistaken," Zelenskyy continued. He expressed skepticism about Russian aims, stating that should forces withdrew from the Donbas Donbas, the conflict would not necessarily end. "Withdraw from the eastern regions, and everything will end. This is how a lie translates," he remarked. EU Leaders to Plan Post-Conflict Guarantees Separately, France's leader Emmanuel Macron stated that European allies and partners gathering in Paris in early January will establish firm pledges towards protecting the country following a potential peace deal with Russia is brokered. Reciprocal Strikes Continue At the same time, reports of military strikes continued. An official from Kyiv's SBU said that Ukraine's unmanned aerial vehicles hit a fuel storage facility in the Russian city of Rybinsk, sparking a large blaze. On the other side, in Ukraine, a Russian-launched aerial assault struck residential blocks and the power grid in Odesa, injuring six people, among them minors. Local authorities confirmed multiple apartment buildings were damaged and considerable damage was caused to a couple of energy facilities. Contested Claims Over Aerial Attack Regarding previous claims of a drone strike aimed at a residence of Russian president, US and European authorities agree that Ukraine was not behind the event. An article stated that US national security officials concluded the alleged attack "did not happen". In response, Russia's defence ministry released a video claiming to show fragments of a destroyed Ukrainian-made unmanned aerial vehicle. An official from Ukraine's foreign ministry dismissed the footage as "absurd" and suggested it demonstrated a lack of seriousness in creating the story. EU Official Labels Allegations a "Diversion" Kaja Kallas described Moscow's assertions "an intentional distraction". "Nobody should accept unfounded claims from the invading force," she remarked. Additional Updates DPRK Involvement: North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, according to state media hailed troops operating in an "alien territory" in a new year's address. Reports suggest North Korea has sent a significant number of troops to support the Russian invasion in Ukraine. Restrictions Reprieve: United States authorities have reportedly granted a temporary reprieve from restrictions to a Serbia-based, largely Russian-controlled oil company until late January. This entity operates the country's sole oil refinery.