Volodymyr Zelenskyy
5,000 drones worth 5 million euros purchased by Lithuania for Ukraine have not yet been delivered due to bureaucratic obstacles. The Lithuanian Defense Ministry promises to simplify the transfer procedure and deliver the equipment in the near future.
Ukrainian forces capture the first North Korean prisoners of war in the Kursk region. DPRK troops conduct large-scale assaults, ignoring drone attacks, resulting in significant losses.
Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister held talks with a delegation from the Italian defense industry. The parties discussed the possibility of purchasing Italian air defense systems with funds from frozen Russian assets.
Peter Pellegrini canceled his visit to Kyiv because of Ukraine's suspension of Russian gas transit on January 1. He said that this step threatens Slovakia's energy security.
The former British prime minister called Putin a dirty word because of his imperial ambitions for Ukraine and the Baltic states. Johnson said that Russia is no longer an empire, and this needs to be realized.
The meeting discussed plans to purchase drones and weapons for the Defense Forces. The President instructed to increase the order of drones and increase the production of Ukrainian weapons.
The SBU reported details about two captured North Korean soldiers who fought against Ukraine in the Kursk region.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces and paratroopers captured two wounded North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region. The prisoners were taken to Kyiv, are receiving medical care and are talking to SBU investigators.
The US president has emphasized the high cost of war for Russia and the importance of continued support for Ukraine. Biden had a long conversation with Zelenskyy and said that Ukraine had a real chance to win.
Peskov says Putin is ready to negotiate with Trump without preconditions. ISW emphasizes that the Kremlin's position on Ukraine remains unchanged: complete surrender and change of government.
The Center for Countering Disinformation has identified the spread of pro-Russian narratives in the French information space. Fakes about Zelenskyy's purchase of real estate in France and discrediting Western aid were recorded.
The damaged Russian tanker Eventin with almost 100,000 tons of oil ran aground off the island of Rügen. Zelensky called the vessel an “oil bomb” and called for the Russian tanker fleet to be stopped.
The Presidents of Ukraine and the United States have a phone conversation about the new sanctions package against the Russian energy sector. They discussed the situation at the front and the strengthening of Ukraine's air defense.
The President of Ukraine had a conversation with Joe Biden about the fires in California and expressed condolences for the losses. The fire destroyed celebrity estates in Malibu, including the homes of Paris Hilton and Anthony Hopkins.
There were 198 combat engagements on the frontline, with the most difficult situation in the Pokrovsk region, where 13 combat engagements are ongoing. The occupants lost 276 troops and equipment, carried out 10 air strikes and launched 576 drones.
The President of Ukraine said that ceding the territories to Russia would allow it to prepare for a new attack on Europe. Zelenskyy emphasized the need for security guarantees and the impossibility of recognizing the occupied territories.
Zelensky spoke about Ukraine's preventive steps to protect Kharkiv and Sumy from the Russian offensive. Thanks to these actions, 60,000 Russian troops were pulled back to the Kursk region.
The President of Ukraine has stated the need for serious security guarantees from the United States and Europe. Such guarantees should make it impossible for Russia to aggress against Ukraine again in the future.
Russia uses more than 1,000 vessels to circumvent sanctions, which is 17% of the world's oil tanker fleet. The shadow fleet has brought Russia more profit than Ukraine has received in international aid since the beginning of the war.
The UK has imposed sanctions on Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, which earn $23 billion a year. The sanctions are aimed at limiting Russia's revenues from energy sales.
The United States has imposed sanctions on more than 400 entities linked to the Russian energy sector. Zelenskyy thanked for the support and emphasized that this would significantly undermine the financial basis of the Russian military machine.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer plans to visit Ukraine in the coming weeks. He will discuss with Zelenskyy the possibility of deploying international peacekeepers after the war ends.
The European Commission and Slovakia are forming a working group to assess the consequences of the cessation of Russian gas transit through Ukraine. The group will consider the economic impact and possible compensation for Slovakia.
In December, the government additionally financed 100 brigades for UAH 25-27 million each on the instructions of the President. The funds were used to purchase drones, spare parts, and maintain combat capability.
The President of Ukraine met with the President of Italy to discuss Euro-Atlantic integration and sanctions against the Russian Federation. Particular attention was paid to the issue of the return of kidnapped Ukrainian children and assistance to orphans in Italy.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman reported good relations between Zelenskyy and Trump and their previous meetings. A new personal meeting of the presidents is expected after the inauguration to discuss important issues.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhyi responded to the Slovak prime minister's statements about stopping gas transit through Ukraine. He emphasized that the problem is Russia and the unwillingness of some European countries to get rid of energy dependence.
The Foreign Ministry spokesperson commented on the information about Trump's meeting with Putin, noting that this is not a new initiative. Ukraine expects Trump to meet with Zelenskyy after the inauguration to work together for peace.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announces preparations for high-level Ukrainian-American contacts after Trump's inauguration on January 20.
A Russian attack on Zaporizhzhia on January 8 killed 13 people and wounded 123. The attack occurred during rush hour, damaging public transportation and 36 cars.