Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha stated that Russia is no different from ISIS terrorists after the forced removal of 50 civilians from Hrabovske in Sumy region to the Russian Federation. Ukraine demands the return of all civilian hostages and calls on the international community to join the demand for their release.
France agreed to the Kremlin's proposal regarding Putin's readiness to talk with Macron. The Élysée Palace announced that the conditions for possible negotiations would be determined in the coming days.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that the reason for the continuation of the Russian-Ukrainian war is Vladimir Putin, who is ready to sacrifice 1. 1 million Russians. He also noted that Donald Trump is the only one who can force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table.
The average budget for celebrating New Year 2026 in Russia is about 14,000 rubles, which is almost half of what Russians planned to spend on celebrating 2025. This is due to rising inflation and increasing food prices, which leads to savings and reduced spending on celebrations.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin's schedule does not include a phone call with Donald Trump until the end of the year. Putin will hold bilateral meetings with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenka.
The Russian economy is facing growing difficulties, including inflation and declining revenues, but this will not bring Putin to the negotiating table. Experts believe that the Kremlin can sustain the current pace of hostilities for many more years, as the Russian economy is not a critical factor for ending the war.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Vladimir Putin is ready for dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron. According to him, this is possible if there is mutual political will, which "can only be positively assessed."
US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard stated that Reuters' information about Putin's intentions to seize all of Ukraine and part of Europe is lies and propaganda. She accused the publication of spreading a false narrative to block Donald Trump's peace initiatives.
Special envoy of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Kirill Dmitriev, assessed the negotiations between the delegations of Russia and the US in Miami as constructive. "Discussions" with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will continue on Sunday.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin personally chose Steve Witkoff, a special representative of US President Donald Trump, as a key intermediary to promote his vision for settling the war against Ukraine. Witkoff suits the Kremlin due to his lack of political past and institutional ties, as well as his experience working with authoritarian regimes.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that European countries should directly engage in dialogue with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasizes the importance of fighting for the United States of America as an ally.
Special envoy of the Kremlin head Kirill Dmitriev arrived in Miami. He met with US President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia continues to consider the full occupation of Ukraine, so it is necessary to increase pressure on the Russian Federation, particularly from the United States. He emphasized the importance of strengthening sanctions so that Putin does not have funds for the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated what is needed for a peace agreement to be effective. He emphasized that a just and lasting peace with strong security guarantees is important for Ukraine.
Ukraine discussed holding elections with the US, which may indicate that the American side understands how to ensure secure elections. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun to address the issue of the necessary infrastructure abroad for Ukrainians to vote.
In the fall, the US presented a 28-point peace plan for Ukraine. The Wall Street Journal named five potential obstacles to peace between Russia and Ukraine.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council, stated that it is impossible to return current Russia to the civilized world. He noted that a democratic Russia is possible only after its collapse and regime change.
US President Donald Trump headed to Florida for scheduled meetings. This weekend in Miami, American and Russian officials will hold talks on ending the war in Ukraine.
Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin intends to seize all of Ukraine and regain control of parts of Europe that once belonged to the USSR. This is reported by Reuters, citing six sources and assessments by US intelligence agencies.
The German government plans to expand the functions of the Federal Intelligence Service, allowing it to carry out cyberattacks and sabotage operations abroad. This comes amid growing hybrid threats and the activity of foreign intelligence services.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine will not allow Putin to influence possible elections in the country, as he wants to control not only Russian elections. The President noted that Putin is looking for justifications for the war, not its root causes, and does not intend to end the war only with Ukraine.
Denmark's military intelligence service accuses Russia of cyberattacks on a Danish water company in 2024 and DDoS attacks on websites. As a result of the attack on the water company, homes were temporarily left without water due to burst pipes.
Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Rustem Umerov and Lieutenant General Andriy Hnatov will hold consultations with the American side in Miami. The negotiations are focused on finding long-term solutions for the defense of Ukraine.
EU leaders agreed on a plan to finance Ukraine through joint borrowing after 16 hours of negotiations. Politico named Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever as the main "winners" of the summit.
The Center for Countering Disinformation of the National Security and Defense Council analyzed Putin's speech, noting that Russia is not interested in a real peaceful settlement of the war.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin was asked various questions during the "direct line" – from absurd and funny to quite serious ones.
Commander of NATO's Allied Maritime Command, Mike Utley, stated that the Alliance has an advantage over Russia but is not ready for prolonged hostilities. Member countries have recognized the problem and plan to invest in increasing resilience.
During his annual "Direct Line" event, Vladimir Putin once again made false statements about the situation at the front, claiming that Ukraine is not ready for peace on Russia's terms. He also cynically mocked Zelenskyy's visit to Kupyansk and announced alleged successes of Russian troops near Kupyansk, Lyman, Myrnohrad, and Huliaipole.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes it would be useful for Europe to resume interaction with Vladimir Putin. He stressed that Europeans should find ways to do so in the coming weeks.
Negotiations between the US and Russia on a peaceful settlement of the war in Ukraine are planned in Miami, where the Russian side will be represented by Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev. The meeting will take place after consultations in Berlin, where security guarantees for Kyiv and possible territorial concessions were discussed.
